Let's talk mousepads

Started by DocJon · 37 posts · 5,324 views

  1. #1
    I've used the same mousepad for several years. An old Everglide Gaming Mat. I'm not even sure when I got it - maybe as early as 2002, or as late as 2004. It seems like I've had it forever, though.

    http://www.xtremetek.com/reviews/index.php?id=31&page=1

    The pad was the genesis for one of my sigs:

    I love this pad. It's 8 x11 inches (~20 x 28 cm), about 1/16 (~1.5mm) of an inch thick, and has a plastic top with a grippy rubber surface underneath. I've never found one I liked better, or one that was as accurate - years ago, I had trouble just finding a mousepad that optical mice would track on properly! With all the advances in optical mice over the years, I doubt that would be a problem now. Still, I love this mousepad. . .and it's dying.

    It's getting worn out, and cracks are forming on the edges. I think it's time is coming, and I've got to start looking for alternatives. Given the choice, I'd get another one of these, but they haven't been available for a few years. I've casually perused the shelves at Wal-Mart and K-Mart, but not surprisingly, nothing grabbed me. Circuit City didn't have anything good, but they had almost NOTHING by the time I went to their going-out-of-business sale.

    So what are you guys using? Any recommendations?

    Whatever I get, it should be about the size of a sheet of paper(bigger is fine, but not smaller), have a smooth-ish plastic top(no fabric), a surface that grips the desk and doesn't move accidentally, and should be THIN. Very thin.

    I'm thinking about one of these:
    http://www.func.net/

    Either the surface 1030 Archetype with the hard-plastic base, or the F-series in 14 x 11 size. Both of these are much more than I'd normally spend on a mousepad, but they seem to fit my needs (especially the F-series), I'm picky, I used the last one for FOREVER, and the option to customize your own pad gfx appeals to me. 🙂

    http://www.func.net/products/custom/index.html

    Some examples of custom mouse pads
    http://mechanicalzombie.com/mousepad/
  2. #2
    Years ago when I use to have to get dressed and go to work for a living, I had contacted an industrial coatings company and had a 3' x 4' ultra thin ~.1mm Teflon impregnated slipper mat sent to me as a sample, fully intending to use it as a mouse pad.

    I covered the right side of my desk with it, the whole surface was my mat. I think Joe still has there address, laser mouse on Teflon........ almost too fast, but then I never gamed in the office.

    Now I just use a Glock gunsmith mat.

    3'x2' same construction and thickness as a regular mouse pad and partially chemical resistant. Keeps the skin oils from getting in to the mat.

  3. #3
    Duck wrote:Years ago when I use to have to get dressed and go to work for a living, I had contacted an industrial coatings company and had a 3' x 4' ultra thin ~.1mm Teflon impregnated slipper mat sent to me as a sample, fully intending to use it as a mouse pad.

    I covered the right side of my desk with it, the whole surface was my mat. I think Joe still has there address, laser mouse on Teflon........ almost too fast, but then I never gamed in the office.

    Now I just use a Glock gunsmith mat.

    3'x2' same construction and thickness as a regular mouse pad and partially chemical resistant. Keeps the skin oils from getting in to the mat.

    Hey, now that gunsmith mat is pretty cool! I love the idea of the Teflon mat too - I'll have to see if I can find something like that. I was also thinking about getting a thin, flat teflon coated cookie sheet and cutting it to size with a Dremel.
  4. #4
    That looks tempting. I haven't used a mouse pad for years since my desk has a matte bland finish that works well with optical mice. However there is a seam running right under my right side that kinda pisses me off sometimes when it catches the plastic glides on the mouse.

    Very tempting 🙂 I liked the thinner one sided one the best.
  5. #5
    Maybe I'll mount magnets in my mouse and make it float across an oppositely-charged metal plate. . .

    Duck, who is Joe, and do you really think he still has the address?
  6. #6
    Joe's a (was) GRB that's before your time. He's my best friend and Daughters Godfather.
    I'll check with him for the address / contact info.

    Stay tuned.
  8. #8
    http://www.cshyde.com/Films/PTFEfilm.htm

    This is the Teflon sheet from CSHyde. The C4 is there marketed for gamers..... < < < This link is the raw material. Note the thickness .05mm

    This is the general link for all there thin film materials, pook around, you may find something else you my like.

    http://www.cshyde.com/films.htm


    Joe agrees CSHyde is the company we ordered from.


    Enjoy!
  9. #9
    Duck wrote:http://www.cshyde.com/Films/PTFEfilm.htm

    This is the Teflon sheet from CSHyde. The C4 is there marketed for gamers..... < < < This link is the raw material. Note the thickness .05mm

    This is the general link for all there thin film materials, pook around, you may find something else you my like.

    http://www.cshyde.com/films.htm


    Joe agrees CSHyde is the company we ordered from.


    Enjoy!


    Thanks for the info. The funny thing is, after wasting about an hour reading about various homemade mousepads and looking for teflon sheets suppliers, I just ran across cshyde as well. It's a shame it's so under-the-radar, as they seem to be pretty cool. Looks like a supply company that had a gamer employee/family member clue them in on what else they could use the teflon sheets for. I love that they took the initiative and started up their own mousepad line.

    Their "supply company" home-page:
    http://www.cshyde.com/

    The pad I was looking at. I think Lexx might like it as well.
    http://www.cshyde.com/c4web/C4Ngen04.htm

    I only need 9 x 12, but since they only have 8 x 10, I'd probably go up to the next size with 16 x 16

    I'm still tempted to get a customized Func pad, as in the OP. I'd LOVE to have one with the gfx _I_ want on it for a change. I bet the cshyde pads are better though.


  10. #10
    That is way cool! I wasn't looking for a mousepad, but I may have to get one of those....

  11. #11
    DocJon wrote:The pad I was looking at. I think Lexx might like it as well.
    http://www.cshyde.com/c4web/C4Ngen04.htm

    I only need 9 x 12, but since they only have 8 x 10, I'd probably go up to the next size with 16 x 16

    Well, that was a quick $20 ;p I decided to try one and bought the strips to go with it.

    Meh, gaming takes another bite out of my hobby money 🙂
  12. #12
    lexx wrote:Well, that was a quick $20 ;p I decided to try one and bought the strips to go with it.

    Meh, gaming takes another bite out of my hobby money 🙂

    Good. A guinea pig! 🍻
  13. #13
    Already told you they were the cats ass, if you recall.

    (lexx do I get a finders fee?)
  14. #14
    Duck wrote:Already told you they were the cats ass, if you recall.

    (lexx do I get a finders fee?)

    Well lets see if the US postal can deliver it without trying to stuff it into my mailslot. Bastards have ruined a couple of things cause their so damn lazy.

    My main gripe with mousepads was I always got annoyed with my wrist on the bottom edge. Felt like a rug burn sometimes. I hope this one solves that basic problem. In fact thats the reason I bought this desk. I may be better off just using the Teflon slides, who knows ;p

    Thanks guys, I'll let you know in a week how I feel about it.
  16. #16
    Paladin wrote:I use a razer exactmat. It has dual surfaces and is very large. It is also solid, not flimsy.
    http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-mousing-su...razer-exactmat/

    I highly recommend it.

    That looks like the Func Archetype:
    http://www.func.net/products/archetype/index.html

    Except that the Archetype has a double-sided mat insert in an aluminum (or plastic, your option) base, and the Exactmat has 2 different anodized aluminum surfaces. Damn, you know how hard anodized aluminum is? That's gonna last for a loooonng time. . .

    Nice of you to join us again, BTW 😉
  17. #17
    Yah, actually Paladin told me I should have gotten that a couple of months ago, but I can be tight minded and cheap sometimes. I have a pattern of spending computer money upgrades that never translates into a better game ;p

    Still hasn't shipped. I hate ordering stuff from small outfits without UPS shipping. Last time I ordered a hdmi cable that the mailman just about mangeled my mailslot trying to stuff it in.
  18. #18
    lexx wrote:Yah, actually Paladin told me I should have gotten that a couple of months ago, but I can be tight minded and cheap sometimes. I have a pattern of spending computer money upgrades that never translates into a better game ;p

    Still hasn't shipped. I hate ordering stuff from small outfits without UPS shipping. Last time I ordered a hdmi cable that the mailman just about mangeled my mailslot trying to stuff it in.

    Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? <SLAP!>

    Sorry, but. . .well. . .^ ^ ^ 🙂
  19. #19
    Paladin wrote:I use a razer exactmat. It has dual surfaces and is very large. It is also solid, not flimsy.
    http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-mousing-su...razer-exactmat/

    I highly recommend it.


    I´ll go for this one. Man, its my mouse´s brand, I love my mouse, and it just perfectly fits to it and is big. So that´ll work. 😀

    Although the glocksmith pad looks tempting too. Its just nice to see all these technical details on a high quality material that repells chemicals and skin oils. Sweat. eh..... I wanted to say Sweet. Sweet stuff. 😛
  20. #20
    DocJon wrote:Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? Is it here yet? <SLAP!>

    Sorry, but. . .well. . .^ ^ ^ 🙂

    Hell no. Not the best way to buy on the web. Just as they handed my order off to paypal they state 7-10 days. One email from paypal stating they have my money, nothing else.

    I doubt they have even put it in the package yet.
  21. #21
    lexx wrote:Hell no. Not the best way to buy on the web. Just as they handed my order off to paypal they state 7-10 days. One email from paypal stating they have my money, nothing else.

    I doubt they have even put it in the package yet.


  22. #22
    I use my desk... Mousepads, much like maxipads, are for pussies.
  23. #23
    Bubbaspanky wrote:I use my desk... Mousepads, much like maxipads, are for pussies.

    Bah! You have no flair for accessorizing. 😉
  24. #24
    Hey Bubba, I think they are for Metro's too......

  25. #25
    Atomm wrote:Hey Bubba, I think they are for Metro's too......

    Don't forget to get your nails done before Friday night! Gaming with a high-end mouse, on a quality mousepad, and having raggedy, dirty nails is just so. . .gauche!
  26. #26
    Announcement: Here at GRB we value not only the gaming qualities of the person, we value the whole person. Therefore tonight in an effort to create happier recruits and have more well rounded individuals with higher self esteem, we will forgo Friday Night Fight and have the first GRB Mani-Pedi night!!! Bring your emory boards fellas, its bound to be a real hang nail time!!! 😛
  27. #27
    I think we just hit a new low......

    Mani-Pedi was actually put into a post......

  28. #28
    I don't have an emory board. Will a belt sander be sufficient? ;p


    btw, I won't be on tonight. I have to trip to WV .
  29. #29
    I will likely be working on my thesis, so who knows.

    Need to ship this bitch by Sunday!
  30. #30
    Finally after 15 days with 0 emails to look for it, the mousepad I ordered showed up on my porch in a roll.

    I have to honestly say my desktop is faster. Probably because my desk is from a bank that went bellyup a few years ago and it was designed for wear and tear. The top has a Formica layer imbeded into a oak frame on a 1.5" particle base. This has a rougher surface, a edge that catches the wrist, and the mouse nylon skids I bought are so far impossible to separate the adhesive from. It also has a certain amount of static electricity that pulls the hair on my arm out when I go near it.

    They charged $5 to put .75 cents of postage on a hand written label. So I have to rank this as the worse $20 I've wasted on anything computer related in 10 years. I'll keep it in place for a few days but I'm not in the least impressed with it.

    At the very least, don't buy this one from this company. I rate it 0 💀 🙁
  31. #31
    Doh.
  32. #32
    Well, that sucks Lexx. I'm sorry to hear that.

    😀

    Try it for a couple days, and if you don't like it, see if you can sell it to someone. Heck, maybe the wife or kids might like it.


    Looks like I'll be going for the custom Func F-series pad when I replace my current one. At least it'll LOOK slick, with the custom gfx I'll have 'em put on it. I was thinking a black diamondplate with a big Steeler logo in the middle, and a smaller Middleman-style Docjon logo in one corner. Ignore the sizing below. At 200dpi, I wasn't going to post the full size pics. The diamondplate is just a small section, the Steeler logo is shrunk, and the DocJon logo isn't properly upsized and redone. Of course, I'll need a manicure before I use it. 😎

    diamondplate.jpg

    Steeler_Logo.jpg

    MiddleMan_L_Final.png
  33. #33
    Hey Lexx, you didn't care for the seal of (dis)approval? 😛 There's one for the stuff you like too! 👍

  34. #34
    DocJon wrote:Hey Lexx, you didn't care for the seal of (dis)approval? 😛 There's one for the stuff you like too! 👍


    Heh Doc, they look pretty cool. I've just been distracted the last couple of weeks. That would have made a nice mousepad design :thumbs up:

    edit: in fact I'd like to order a couple of them 120 x size 🙂
  35. #35
    lexx wrote:Heh Doc, they look pretty cool. I've just been distracted the last couple of weeks. That would have made a nice mousepad design :thumbs up:

    edit: in fact I'd like to order a couple of them 120 x size 🙂



    Too distracted - Not enough time for the important things in life, Lexxi ? Try this, it´ll help you save time. 😀 Especially for that delicious hands of yours. 😀
    60 seconds super rapid
  36. #36
    Haha Saint, if you only could feel my hands. I doubt that product would make a dent on them.

    BTW, when are you going to get on Ventrillo with us and play something? I'm dying to hear your accent 😉
  37. #37
    lexx wrote:Haha Saint, if you only could feel my hands. I doubt that product would make a dent on them.

    BTW, when are you going to get on Ventrillo with us and play something? I'm dying to hear your accent 😉


    Yep, I am still here on that remote island, you know, and ma ping would probably be like 500 or so. Even playing with europeans - germans - e.g. I get rarely a ping of 140. If so I am lucky. Then playing on steam, we here in europe have problems with disconnections all the time. All that somewhat disillusioned my intention to hopp over and try to meet you ppl.

    Would give it a shot though - just have to find a decent game to go with. Right now the only game I really can play is L4D, which is very limited tho - concerning team play.

    Really, my accent must be funnah, cause I mix spanish with it too - sometimes ;P. So even germans told me that my english does not sound "german" at all - maybe a little russian or so. ;P

    Hopefully Doc and I can work something out. If not - I will have to keep pacients until I live in Germany again.