The extra-large mousepad comes in a plastic clamshell, which is inserted within a cardboard box, which is windowed to show off the texture of the product. The clamshell is easily opened (no staples or permanent seals), and the pad comes right out without a fight.
Like any other cloth pad, the F-X3 is very flexible and can be easily rolled up and stuffed in a bag. This property makes it rather portable and can easily be stuffed into a backpack or your favorite LAN bag.
This mousepad is also oversized, but not as large as the SteelSeries QcK Heavy (reviewed here).
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Honestly, the SteelSeries QcK was way too big, and a lot of the pad went unused. Ulti-mat’s offering is still oversized, but can fit onto your desk or assigned LAN cube more easily.
Many plastic mousepads have several unfortunate properties: they make your hand sweat like a Brazillian prostitute and they tend to have a sharp edge (amazingly also like many Brazillian prostitutes). Cloth mousepads can be more comfortable because not only do they track well, but they have “more cushion for the pushin’”. Since the pad is just cloth and rubber (I’ve run out of innuendos), there is no sharp edge that can push into your wrist.
The pad also has good grip on your desk surface. You can’t move the pad if you move your hand from the top, but if you push from the bottom then it will creep. Some mousepads (especially thinner and lighter ones) tend to creep towards the edge of your desk, which can then push into your wrist. A heavier cloth mousepad doesn’t need any extra texture or “reusable adhesive” as used in the Razer Sphex because its weight and oversized surface area keep it relatively in place.
The pad is completely black, except for the Ulti-Mat logo in the bottom right corner… how else would you know which end was supposed to be up?
We tested all of the optical and laser mice we have in the OCMS labs on this mouse, and all of them tracked perfectly, as one would expect. The reason to choose an oversized cloth mousepad is for its inherent properties. It doesn’t require special technology to keep it in place, advanced micro-surficants, prismatic reflecting diamond dust, or any of the other gimmicks that warrant a $50 price tag.
The one bad property of cloth mousepads is that they tend to pick up stains, dirt and sweat from your hand, and over time the pad develops “dandruff”. Cloth mousepads also tend to fray their edges over time. Mousepads are like a new car or your first wife: they look their best when they’re brand new. Just something to keep in mind.
Let me just state the obvious: the Ulti-Mat Breathe F-X3 is a tried and true cloth mousepad. It’s like your best friend from the neighborhood where you grew up. It does its job well without any gimmicks or expensive technology.
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