We all know that cheapie mousepads just don’t cut it anymore, especially if you spend some money and get a good mouse. I’ve always wondered why people will spend $50+ on a mouse and still use the same old generic mousepad that came with their computer or they got for free as a promo item or wherever. I mean if you’re going to spend the money on an accurate mouse, then why not get a pad that is specifically made to be used with better quality mice?
Up on the review block today I’ve got a mousepad from Xtracpads, it’s called the Fat Mat, and rightly so, it’s got a large mousing surface and it’s fairly thick coming in at a quarter of an inch in thickness. The thickness of the Fat Mat makes it great for uneven surfaces and it also makes a great padded wrist rest.
Review: XTracPads Fat Mat
Author: Kristofer Brozio
Sponsor: XTracPads
Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:
XTracPads Fat Mat is a large mouse surface that’s flexible and thick.
Professional gamers travel from venue to venue and need a really high quality mouse surface that not only affords a great deal of space to move their mouse around on, but a really soft and thick backing that can overcome many desktop inconsistencies.
Desktop surfaces that are not exactly flat like pitted or dented surfaces are no longer a problem thanks to Fat Mat’s thick backing. Coming in at a quarter of an inch thick, Fat Mat also can work as a wrist rest. Simply dangle a small part of the Fat Mat over the edge of your desktop surface and viola! Now your new elite mouse surface is also a wrist rest!
XTracPads Fat Mat is an unusual mouse pad in that it’s 1/4" thick (6.35mm).
Ergonomically speaking, if your desktop has a sharp edge, Fat Mat’s thick backing doubles as a wrist rest giving you a very comfortable feel.
As if the thickness was not enough, Fat Mat’s surface is made from our award winning nanofiber textile which is really slick and easy to clean.
Additionally, because the surface of Fat Mat is nice and soft, you will have greater control over your mouse which means greater accuracy with gaming and computer applications.
Q: "What’s so cool about the Fat Mat’s super thick rubber backing?"
A: If the desktop surface you’re using is uneven, the super thick sure grip backing on the Fat Mat will help to even out the area where you’re using your mouse.
XTracPads Fat Mat features:
-Whisper quiet nanofiber textile
-Soft and comfortable
-Frey resistant edges
-Extra thick Sure Grip rubber backing
-HUGE mousing surface
Stop wasting your time doubling up mouse pads and give your wrist a break, grab a Fat Mat today!
Specifications:
-12" X 16" x 1/4" (305mm x 406mm x 6.35mm)
-Sure Grip rubber backing
-Nanofiber textile surface
Designed in the USA
Made in USA
Packed in a reusable clear plastic tube, you can re-roll the Fat Mat to transport it to wherever you may be headed.
Tested and 100% compatible with the following mice:
Logitech:
-MX300/500/510/518/700/1000 G5/ G7/G9
Microsoft:
-Intellimouse Explorer 3.0/4.0 Laser Mouse 6000
Apple:
-Mighty Mouse
Price – $28.95
A Better Look at Things
:
The Xtrac Fat Mat comes in a reusable plastic tube that can be used for transporting it to and from the places you go.
The Fat Mat comes rolled up, wrapped in plastic. Honestly I hate when companies roll up cloth mousepads as it just seems to take too long for it to become flat and really usable.
The Fat Mat is all black with the Xtrac Fat Mat logo and web address in the bottom right corner. It also comes with a nice sticker that you can stick on your case or wherever.
Here’s a picture of my OCZ Reaper mouse on the Fat Mat to give you an idea of how large it is:
As I mentioned the Fat Mat is fairly thick, coming in at 1/4 thickness. It’s very similar to the Steelpad QCK Heavy that I reviewed a little while ago. The surface is nice and smooth allowing the mouse to just glide over it.
The Fat Mat has a rubberized backing to make sure it stays in place and won’t move around.
Installation, Testing and Comparison
Due to the size of the Fat Mat, you will need a large desk to use it, or you can just let it hang over the edge if you wish, it makes a comfortable arm/wrist rest as well.
I used the Fat Mat with both the OCZ Reaper and the Logitech G5 rev2 gaming mice and I found it to be very good overall with both mice no matter what DPI they were set on. The Fat Mat tracked very well and seemed to be on par with all other quality pads I have tested.
For normal everyday use I found the Fat Mat to work just fine, but gaming is where it really shines, the surface is nice and smooth and allows your mouse to glide across it. Of course being a cloth pad it does offer a bit of resistance which helps to keep control of your mouse.
No matter what I did the Fat Mat kept up with my mice, tracking is excellent overall, I have no complaints there.
The rubberized backing of the Fat Mat does help keep it in place, it’s large size also offers a lot of real estate to game on, you won’t be falling off the edges of this pad while gaming, no matter how frantic the situation gets.
Personally I find the Fat Mat a bit to Fat for me, it is soft, being essentially a thick sponge, but yet I found the height a bit uncomfortable for my use. I’ve come to like my mousepads flat, and thin as possible.
Summary:
The XTracPads Fat Mat is easily comparable to the Steelpad QCK Heavy that I reviewed not long ago, both are very similar in both their strengths and weaknesses. As with the Steelpad, the Fat Mat took a while to become flat, and re-rolling it for storage or transportation will cause the process to start all over again, depending on how long it was stored for of course.
The Fat Mat is a great mousepad overall, it offers a large gaming surface, nice thick padding for your wrists and it helps to create an even mousing surface when placed on an uneven desktop. I found it to be a very capable and accurate cloth mousepad, if you are a fan of cloth pads then I suggest you give this one your consideration for your next purchase.
Of course being that the Fat Mat is so large it might not fit everyones desk, so keep that in mind when deciding on the mousepad for you.
For me personally I found it to be a bit to thick for my use, but everyone is different and this might be the pad you are looking for.
DragonSteelMods gives the XTracPads Fat Mat a 4.5 out of 5 score.
Pros:
-Thick and soft
-Smooth
-Accurate
-Comfortable
-Large mousing area
Cons:
-Takes a while to get flat
-Large, might not fit everyones desk/workspace
-Thick, some may not like the thickness
I would like to thank XTracPads for the chance to review the Fat Mat and for their continued support of DSM.
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