The Other Pad: Yes, A Mousepad Guide

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Suprised you didn't review Func Industries.. Long time favorite from the Counterstrike crowd. Probably one of the best built pads i have used with many options. Defintely my favorite for FPS type games. MMOs - go for a Razer mat, or steelseries, or whatever you like, it doesn't matter. But not using one i believe will increase the wear on your mouse and mouse feet.
 
I absolutely love my old Genius mousepad. It makes my trackball much more precise and responsive.
 
Where's my MacPadd? I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned as it's one of the only pads that offers protection against microbes such as H1N1! /sarcasm

Really though, what ever happened with that?
 
Allsop Metal Art Mousepad, smooth plastic metal base on a non-slip surface. I use one at home (FPS) and the office (Photoshop).

http://www.allsop.com/classic-mousepads/charcoal-metal-art-mouse-pad/
 
First-generation Razer DeathAdder and ExactMat for me. Works wonders for gaming and graphic design. If I have to upgrade, I'll take the 3.5G edition of DeathAdder and a Destructor.

Anyway, as a gamer and a mouse user, I like to have a very high sensitivity (I'm the wrist type as mentioned in the article). So far, I've never achieved such sensitivity and accuracy with my previous mouse-and-pad combination. I'm with the mousepad-needing side here, even though I only casually game.
 
Our wooden dining table works well with my 2 old Microsoft mice and my new Microsoft blue laser mouse. I do have to clean off the table well before doing this, the biggest enemy of a mouse is stray salt granules. Sometimes when traveling I've used the cardboard back of a legal pad. It works pretty well but I don't think it would last a long time. The worst surface I've tried has been clean white paper. The mice don't pick up any texture on it. My G5 at work works pretty well with my old cloth mousepad. I've thought about gluing my old pad to a piece of heavy metal or ceramic tile so it would stay flat and wouldn't move around on my desk.
 
I really never gave a thought about using a mouse pad until recently. I have been without one for many years. Not to long ago I was moving and so I took everything off my wooden desk. It wasn't until then that I noticed how faded the wood was where I use my mouse. If I get another new wooden desk I will definatly consider using a pad so I don't ruin the desk surface.
 
I purchased my Razer Destructor mouse pad last year to go with my Copperhead, and wow what a difference. The mouse tracks smoother and I tend to have less issues with dust from the tabletop days. I Strongly recommend picking one up if your a "Gamer" or even someone who likes precision mousing.
 
[citation][nom]adedfdjd[/nom]Where's my MacPadd? I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned as it's one of the only pads that offers protection against microbes such as H1N1! /sarcasmReally though, what ever happened with that?[/citation]

You may remember that Macpadd failed to work with our friends at Tom's Hardware, and they fail as a company, clearly. We'd have loved to test out their mouse, but there was no guarantee we'd ever get it, if we bought it or not.
 
The second is that the Sphex easily becomes dirty and it can’t really be cleaned.

I disagree on that part. I personally own a Sphex and the main thing that gets dirty is the bottom (since I do take it around places every once in a while). Razer made a big deal when these came out, that you could actually wash the Sphex (water and just a little bit of soap), which I've done multiple times. Each time I wash it, the adhesive becomes sticky again, allowing me to place it in a new position on my desk. Of course I make sure that my desk is clean at that point, too, so it'll stick well. It is without the best mousepad I've owned over the years. The tracking precision it provides while I'm gaming is excellent, and the mat itself is just right for my personal style.
 
I bought a mousepad for $2 from... Office Depot, was it? It's about the size of the Max Payne one, and works very well. Why was no consideration given to the bargain bin dep't?
 
I got one of these a while ago:
http://www.mouserug.com/

they work great and look good to boot.

but with optical and mice its much less of a need. And actually I find with my wood desktop at home a standard optical mouse wont track, so I have to use a laser mouse.

But the biggest overall problem is cathair in the optical sensor -- once that happens, my mouse acts really funny until I clean out the 1-2 strands of hair that got in.
 
I need a pad for a variety of reasons. Much of it has to do with protecting the surface I run my mouse across, and has to do with my sweaty, oily skin. Even a desk coated heavily with a tough poly would eventually get scarred up. A foam pad? Useless in a week. A magazine? Heh, not for me.

I like a smooth, perfectly flat surface. I use the Steelseries SX surface. The mouse I use is a World of Warcraft Steelseries mouse (not necessarily recommending the mouse, personal taste, but it has a very soft almost stiction-free glide, which is just what I want). The pad shows no wear after 16 months of use, while the Razor ExactMat I had wore out on the "fast" side (along with all 3 sets of the pads that came with the MS Sidewinder) in about a year. I expect it will last me at least 5 years, and 5 years of mousing bliss means the relatively high price is not too much for me to bear.

I would have to say that the conclusion of the article is spot-on. Most people have no desire for what I have, and the possibilities are wide open.
 
Ive been using the Razor Sphex for about 6 months now. I used a old cloth mouse pad that probably predated the internet before i upgraded.

I really like the sphex it sticks to my wood desk really well the mouse moves without any friction, and when i get it dirty i can just peel it off the desk and wash it with water.

Really the only downfall that i think might come into play is because its so thin it might be less durable then typical mousepads.
 
Very good article! I'm a pretty avid PC gamer and I use an old 8" x 7" mouse pad as well, though I have a box full of them from old companies clearing them out. I use write rests that are from the same era being thick and covered in cloth. I use my wrists for mouse tracking and I find these far more comfortable then anything on the market right now. If you take good care of your old cloth mouse pads they can last for years. My pad has no real signs of wear after almost nine odd years of constant use.
 
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