Surface

The pad was tested with laser and optical mice. While some may still use an old fashion mouse ball, it will certainly not be in a gaming environment where mice and mouse pads have become an important asset. The following mice were used to test the XTracPads Ripper mouse pad:

• Logitech MX Revolution
• Sharkoon Rush Laser Mouse
• Logitech MX518

The Logitech MX Revolution is one of the most advanced mice out there, but is not necessarily considered a gaming mouse. The Sharkoon Rush Laser Mouse on the other hand is geared toward gamers and offers a variable DPI setting between 400 and 2000 DPI. The Logitech MX518 is one of the most successful optical gaming mice and is still commonly used today as the weapon of choice.


The first thing you notice when using the Ripper is its soft surface. It feels really nice and fluffy. The surface gives you a great feel between mouse and the pad. This means you have some great response when moving the pointing device over the Ripper. Due to the surface, the mouse also comes to a halt very quickly even though it feels quite smooth. This adds to the accuracy. Even if you are a fan of plastic and hard surface pads, this one may convince you otherwise.

Size

The size of the pad is quite unique. Just as it is with today's large monitors and most laptops, the Ripper is wider than usual. While it may take up just as much horizontal space as much larger pads, it comes in form of one of the most efficiently cut surfaces I have used. Odds are that you will not be moving up anywhere as far as you will move sideways during first person shooter games. Real time strategy and point & click games like Diablo or World of Warcraft work great as well, as you will never move the mouse further than the screen edge, which means that this also goes for the Ripper as you will have the same aspect ratio. Only users who play strategy games or RPGs on a normal 4:3 based monitor may find the pad to end sooner than needed in some cases.

Comfort

Due to the thin under-padding and very fine cloth used, this is by far the most comfortable cloth pad I have used. All mice worked perfectly fine with the Ripper and there was no discernible difference between a laser and optical mouse. It is a bit softer than other cloth pads which adds to the level of comfort.

Durability

Due to the soft build, the Ripper can be rolled up easily for transportation. That attribute also means, that it is more susceptible to pointy or sharp objects as other mouse pads. It is most likely harder to clean than harder, more rigid cloth pads. Liquids should also be kept far away from the Ripper as it will soak it up quite clearly. While water may not leave a permanent stain, any other drink will.