I wonder the problem is as follows :-  Correct me if I am wrong but Butterfly (& others) gives away free rubber / blades) to professional players and recovers the marketing / advertising money by overcharging low level players. But they probably have no other option. If they want to stay on top they have no choice but to sign up the best players in each country a much as possible.

    

     Butterfly rubbers & blades are probably the best for professional players (who as I said get it for free) but is it worth the money for a low level player who has to work to make a living and support the family ? I don't think so.

          I use cheap Chinese clones (rubbers and blades). And I know China is dumping on rest of the world by serious subsidizing (these cost more inside China / Hong Kong) . But they seem good enough.

 Rational reason :- It does not seem using Butterfly will even get me even 100 rating points more (as famous deceptive advertising goes "individual results may vary" . Advertisers always find very best results to use and con the public in any business). 

  Irrational reason :- Even if I at least enjoyed my strokes more with Butterfly, I am willing to cough out the extra bucks but it does not  seem so . And God's honest truth >  Two women tried to hit on EVEN lowly me YES , trying to show off their Butterfly ZLC or Sardius blade with Tenergy 5 & 64  pulled out out from their pretty Butterfly carrying bag  LOL) 

SO...................any other reason why I should buy Butterfly ?

  

  

  

 

photino wrote: for same argument, one should use $200 xiaomi phone or other cheap clones instead of iphone.

is an iphone 6s expensive?

Iphone 6s is like taking a Sriver EL to a Dignics 09C party.

Seriously ?  You pay $200 for an (Android) phone ?  Damn you are wealthy 

  

Anyway as a matter of fact I do use a xiaomi phone . But I am poor and could only afford a used one for $50 .

iPhone ?  You have me confused with Trump, Yang, Bloomberg , Steyer etc 

I liked Sriver. It is probably the best all around rubber of all time with 6 gears. In contrast , Tenergy has only just 7th gear it seems 

A whole bunch like Yinhe, Globe, RITC, DHS, Giant Dragon, Double Fish, Dawei, Sanwei  etc

Try Ali Express . But I am not sure AliExpress is available in Asia(outside China) at heavily subidized prices like USA and Canada . Not sure about eBay or Amazon.

My opinion is that, unless you are at least an expert player (US Rating 1900+) , you do not need any top brand name over-priced rubbers or blades such as Butterfly, Joola, Stiga, Donic, Tibhar, Juic, Nittaku, Dr.Neubauer  etc. .................unless you want to impress people of opposite sex (or same sex for that matter) . 

and why compare cheap clones to an iphone when not all iphones are expensive? 

no.My mind reading skills are poor..

Link/source?

Pricing and details up on the Butterfly Japan site.