Do hard mousepads wear out PTFE skates faster than cloth pads?

Yes. Hard, non-porous pads (glass, plastic, metal) grind down PTFE skates quickly, requiring replacements every 3–6 months. Cloth pads are gentler—the fibers cushion the skates, so they can last a year or more. The key is friction: hard pads have less inherent friction but abrade the PTFE, while cloth pads offer softer resistance that doesn’t wear them down as fast.