I've been using a Max Payne mouse pad since, well Max Payne came out, and it's tiny and falling apart. I don't want to spend an absolute fortune, but here's what I'd like in a pad:

-Must be large. The payne pad is 8.5"x7", and it's too small.
-Must stay put, not slide around all over the desk.
-I have a Logitech MX518, if it matters.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I still use my Max Payne mouse pad, but my brother uses a Ratpadz GS. It's amazing.

http://www.ratpadz.com/

I think I almost bought one of those once, but aren't they the ones that wear down really fast?

Ratpadz SUCK. My friend said that after 6 months of light gaming his was in horrible condition. The general consensus is that if it's plastic it's not really gonna last longer than a year.

Icemats are one choice, Steelpad 4s being another. You can find Icemats on newegg (I suggest the black V2, it's what I've got and it works wonderfully), and the 4S here.

...Why is that under ps2 accesories?

i dont use a mouse pad. I don't need one.

What are the advantages of dropping $20+ on a mouse pad? Does it gain you that much gaming performance increase? And why does it MATTER so much that it's worth $20+?

Or am I missing the whole point?

Well, I guess it's not THAT much. But still, why not just get one of the free ones like I did at a local computer place? It's good enough to hold my MX1000, and lasted through all my 180 degree turns in FEAR without sliding off to the point where I couldn't quickly move my mouse back. I think gaming wouldn't be the same to me if I didn't have to move my mouse back, actually.

A plastic mousepad is only worth considering if it's made out of an engineering plastic such as teflon or delrin. Actually, UHMWPE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) would be perfect, since it is about 10 times more abrasion resistant than carbon steel (!!!).

Anyway, Icemat or Steelpad. A Steelpad, which is actually anodized aluminum, would be, theoretically, the best choice. The aluminum oxide coating that forms as a result of anodizing is much, much harder than glass, and would not wear easily. However I don't think they are that high quality.

They smooth out small, minuet movements. Some people like that they can swing their mouse across the pad really fast because of lack of friction, but really, it's more about small movements. Cloth pads do that pretty nicely, actually. But they put a lot of strain on your wrist because they still have a high coefficient of friction.

We've had a Ratpad for over a year and the plastic is a bit worn down but it still works as good as the day we bought it. This isn't just for casual gaming either. This pad gets used ALL the time.

What's the difference between Icemat and Steelpad (other than the materials)? How do the materials affect use?

Ah, ok. So for the ambitious artist who can't afford a Wacom tablet, these super-deluxe-special-awesome-top-of-the-line-metals'n'stuffs mouse pads are a substitute, since you mentioned "Small movements"?

It's a huge increase, at least it is for me. A very low friction, wide, cleanable surface that won't wear down.


Steelpads are supposed to be EXTREMELY rugged and awesome. The only downside is you can get scratches if you're not careful. Icemats are extremely scratch resistant, unless you get something on the bottom of it, and it can screw up the tracking. I vote steelpad, personally.


Materials, and it affects it greatly, IMO. The Icemat has more friction than the Steelpad I find, and the glass gets dirty and whatnot.


It's good for almost any use, but ideal for gaming.

And I know a lot of people who got Ratpadz and said they wore out way too fast. I wouldn't suggest getting a non-glass non-metal pad at all, but if you MUST get one, go for cshyde.com's pads as they're supposed to last quite a while and, hell, are stupid cheap.

i use a riven mouse pad that i found at a rummage sale... it serves it's purpose well and cost 10 cents

The joy of having and loving your trackball is never having to buy a mousepad.

Seriously, once you go trackball, you'll never go back. Finger trackball is the way to go, with Logitech's offerings being a lot better than Kensington's. I use the marble mouse and I like it, though I find it a touch uncomfortable for long periods of use. I really would like the cordless optical Trackman, but I need to wait for a little more money.

However, to not go off topic, if you want a good mousepad, Icemat or the aluminum Steelpad, don't go for their cloth or plastic models.

If I'm playing a mouse-intensive game like a shooter, I actually just use my desk. But for normal use, I've got one of those blue pads with a gel wrist support

I also have a Riven mousepad! Rock on!

Love it. Nice cloth. I think I need a new one though, I've nearly worn the color out of it.

I stopped using my mouse pad over a year ago and started just using my desk. Aside from really noticable wear on the feet of the mouse, and on my desk, it works just fine. And as long as it works, I don't care.

That's my biggest issue, probably has to do with the slick wood surface underneath

Oh yeah, and if you want to get your mouse going REALLY good get the teflon discs from cshyde.com (like 6 bucks for 139). They work amazingly well.

Actually, just reading around, I've seen people who taped parchment paper to their desk and used that, said it works really well, though it needs to be replaced every so often. Key seems to be to stretch the paper as much as possible to remove any bumps.

I've also read a comment from a guy that bought a square of polished marble and uses that, said it was good. The marble is smooth, and also heavy enough to not slide around.

...score!!

I feel there is enough helpful information in this thread to allow me to voice my agreement with this statement. Trackballs are awesome.