Mousepad review (Long!)

<b><font color=blue>Precision Mousepad Roundup</font color=blue></b>

<b><font color=green>The contenders</font color=green></b>

<b>Ratpadz</b> (www.ratpadz.com) - $13 at 3Dcool.com

The Ratpadz is the brainchild of Kyle Bennett, founder of the immensely popular HardOCP.com. It’s the largest pad of the ones reviewed (9.5” x 11.5”), comes only in black, and is made of a stiff material much like the Everglide pads. The Ratpadz has a cutaway on the bottom edge, although I have seen it used in a sideways fashion. They support optical mice, but one of my mice (Logitech Mouseman cordless optical) wouldn’t work with it. More on that later. Thanks to Kyle for sending me a Ratpadz.


<b>Everglide</b> (www.everglide.com) - $12.95 attack pad

The Everglide pad reviewed was the white attack pad, an oval pad with a cutaway on the bottom. It measures 8”x 10.25”. They also have a Giganta pad, which is the same size as the Ratpadz, with a smaller cutaway, and another of the same size with no cutaway. Everglide has an unusual policy regarding reviews. Reviewers should purchase the pad first, then give proof of the review and be reimbursed. This is the reason I only had one pad to review. Perhaps in the future I will review more styles.


<b>Ice Mat</b> (www.icemat.com) - $27.75 clear, $30.18 black

Ice Mat recently added a black version, and I did not get a chance to review one. Neither support optical mice, although they are currently working on one that will. I was very much looking forward to reviewing this pad, since it was so unusual. It is rectangular, measuring 10” x 8.5”, the same size as a standard piece of paper (slightly smaller than A4, for those of you using the Metric system. Thanks to Mie Thorsø for sending me one all the way from Denmark for my review.

<b>3M’s PMS</b> (www.mmm.com) - ~$10 at Staples

The last product I used that said “3M” on it was a floppy disk, so I was surprised to find that they were entering the precision mousepad market. I sent them an email, and got a response some time later. I got several pads soon after. They have two styles, one for ball mice and one for optical mice. I received 3 of each. The “Precise Mousing Surface” as it is called is the one designed for ball mice, but will work for optical mice as well. It is very similar in shape and size as the Ratpadz and Giganta pads. The “Precise Optical Mousing Surface” is very similar, with two differences. It is slightly larger and oval, with the longer side facing away from you. It also has a small cutaway on the bottom. Both pads are very thin and are flexible, differing from the other pads in this roundup. Thanks to Linda Salava for providing the pads for me.



<b>Testing Criteria</b>
I have several testing criteria, and I will go through them one by one, showing the advantages and disadvantages of each. They are: quality of construction & durability, LAN party appeal (transportation, protection from food, and looks), feel, other comments and of course the performance of each pad.


<b>Quality of Construction & Durability</b>
None of the pads broke or showed any wear during the period I used them. The Ice Mat is of course glass, and must be handled with care. The Everglide and Ratpadz are extremely durable and stiff, and shouldn’t cause a problem. The 3M pads seem cheap, owing to the fact that they are thin and flexible. They really don’t cost much, but shouldn’t tear easily under any use.

<b>LAN Party Appeal</b>
Let’s face it, what’s the point of a mousepad that you can’t (or don’t want to) take to a LAN party. I’ve taken all to LAN parties with little hassle, but that does not mean all pads are created equal.

Ratpadz are very durable, but the size and stiffness might make it a bit hard to pack. They are easy to wash off if something is spilled, preferably with mild soap and water. The durability is nice, especially when you are frustrated and need something to throw through an open window. The Ratpadz is a classy pad, and will go well with any system, especially if painted black. Not many except loyal readers of HardOCP will know what it is offhand, but it will certainly impress those still using the pads with the cow spots.

The Everglide is a bit smaller, but is still stiff. White would obviously stain easier, but not much at a LAN party would stain it anyway. These are easy to clean, same as the Ratpadz. This is a subtle pad, and will look nice with most other computer components.

The Ice Mat is of course very fragile, but it is very well packed, and if the original packaging is used, it should be no problem. The chances of getting it broken while at the LAN party may dissuade those who have somewhat rowdier LAN parties. This is the easiest pad to clean, but you’d have to do a good job. Mountain Dew can really make your pad sticky if not completely cleaned off. The Ice Mat is the surest way to impress others. It looks great and has the added advantage that not many others will know about it. Most people will be very impressed, just make sure nobody tries to steal it from you.

The 3M pads are perfect for LAN parties, as they are flexible yet durable, and cheap to replace. Spills are another matter, as they are a bit harder to clean. You might want to eat your microwaveable burritos someplace else. Unless your friends are impressed by thrifty shopping, you’re not likely to get many favorable comments from the crowd at your next party. This pad simply isn’t impressive looking, but then again, neither is the guy sitting next to you.



<b>Feel</b>
This is an important topic, since nobody wants to spend 8 hours gaming and then go home with a sore arm. None of the pads were unbearably uncomfortable, but there were differences.

The cutaway on the Ratpadz seems odd at first, but you definitely get used to it. After using the Ratpadz and then switching to the Ice Mat (with no cutaway), I could really feel the difference. The Ratpadz was very comfortable to use. Something suggested on the HardOCP forums was to add Teflon tape (like the tape that came with the Ice Mat), and spray the pad with ArmorAll. I tried this, and it worked very well. The mouse was almost slippery, but felt very smooth. After I got used to it (which didn’t take long), it was very nice. I definitely recommend this to anyone buying a Ratpadz.

The Everglide pads again are very similar to the Ratpadz. The smaller size of the attack pad made it a bit more uncomfortable for two reasons. First, it was easier to go off the edge of the pad. This rarely happens, but when it does, it jars you back to reality (which is never a good thing). The second reason is that the pad kept slipping under my keyboard (Logitech iTouch cordless), causing my hand to bump it.
I tried ArmorAll and Teflon tape on the Everglide pad as well, with identical results.

The Ice Mat was the most uncomfortable of the 4 pads, although it wasn’t necessarily a deterrent. The lack of a cutaway and the high surface made my wrist a little sore after a few hours of gaming, but I suppose it’s always nice to take a break anyway. This pad came with Teflon tape, which I immediately applied. I was very impressed with the way the mouse moved across this pad. It wasn’t too slick, but glided easily. This definitely had the best feel of movement among the mousepads reviewed.

The 3M pad was definitely the most comfortable. The rubbery underside meant it didn’t slip at all, and the low profile kept my wrist from getting sore. The added cutaway also helps quite a bit. The movement on this pad wasn’t the greatest, as it wasn’t very smooth. For a ball mouse, it’s not quite as big a deal, but for an optical, other pads would do better.


<b>Other Comments</b>

The Ratpadz didn’t come with any cool stuff, and doesn’t have any hidden features. You may have pads made with your log on it, but there are currently no details on their website.
Both ball and optical mice work on this pad, but here is where my usual mouse got left in the cold. I was having problems with my mouse (Logitech Mouseman cordless optical), and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I emailed Kyle, who told me that he had one or two of those mice and they worked. I left it alone for the time being. Later on, he made a comment on the HardOCP webpage that these mice are not officially supported by Ratpadz. Apparently some people have no problems, and some people are completely unable to use them. He’s not sure why this is happening, but he’s working on it. I suspect that for some reason, the mouse goes into “Standby” mode, even though it is moving. This would explain the fact that on a routine basis, the mouse would suddenly stop working. If I moved it around quickly and randomly, it would resume working.
I would like to see a white Ratpadz, as that would help with battery life in wireless opticals. There are no current plans for that, but I can always hope.

Everglide’s is a similar story, what you see is what you get. There are, however, many different styles to choose from. There is also a huge range of accessories and unrelated products for purchase. Their site is definitely worth a browse, if just to see what’s out there.

The Ice Mat came in a very nice looking box, and (as I’ve mentioned before) came with a strip of Teflon tape. Very good idea on their part, although it appears that the tape is now being sold separately. However, Ice Mats are down in price to make up for it. They are available in clear and a new black variety that was just released. If I do another mousepad roundup, I’ll make sure to include a black one.
I had the same problem using my optical mice as I did using my Logitech on the Ratpadz. Every so often, the mouse would stop moving. However, with this pad, I had to put the mouse on a different surface (like the desk top) in order for it to start working again. I think it was the same cause, the mouse going into standby mode when it shouldn’t have.
Customized Ice Mats are available if you submit a graphic in .eps form. You must also order at least 20 pads. There is a one-time fee of ~$243 and then it’s the regular price per Ice Mat.


Not much more can be said about our ambassadors from 3M. The original version comes in 4 styles, the optical version in one (lightning).


<b>Performance</b>
At last, the moment everyone has been waiting for. I know you’re all wondering which pad will help you get the most frags, but I’m afraid you’ll be rather disappointed. The actual movement and precision on all the pads was fairly close, and the differences mostly come down to personal preference. The Ratpadz and Everglide had similar movement, ranging from fairly smooth (plain) to downright slick (Teflon tape and ArmorAll). The Ice Mat had a very nice balance of smooth with good grip, and would satisfy the majority of users. The 3M was the roughest pad, and would work the best for those of you who need to feel the ball in your mouse. I used my Logitech mouse, a generic optical and a typical Microsoft Intellimouse for testing, and except for the two problems mentioned above (Logitech Mouseman cordless optical & Ratpadz, and both opticals & Ice Mat), all four pads were accurate enough for my tastes. I used all the pads in various games and applications, and did not see any noticeable difference. Your choice of a pad will most likely come down to the criteria above.


<b>Conclusion</b>
Again, thanks to those that sent me pads to review.

The Ratpadz is a great overall pad. It’s nice to see a “couple of average guys” design a product that can compete with large companies. My only gripe about this pad is that it doesn’t work with my mouse. Other than that it’s comfortable, stylish, durable and works well.

The Everglide didn’t fare quite as well, mostly based on it’s smaller size and the problems that caused. The white surface is nice on battery life, but that’s only a concern for a small amount of computer users. Otherwise it’s durable and performed nicely.

The Ice Mat performed beautifully and looked great. However, it is uncomfortable, fragile and expensive.

The 3M pad was the underdog, and I was pleasantly surprised. The fact that it is flexible was nice, and it was the most comfortable of the pads. However, feel of movement is very important, and it was rougher than I would’ve liked.


It’s hard to pick a clear winner in this roundup, but I must. The pad that performed the best overall is undoubtedly the Ratpadz. It’s tough to let go of the fact that I can’t use my normal mouse on this pad, but for the majority of people reading this review, it’s the best choice.