Hard mousepads vs cloth mousepads: Hard pads wear out mouse feet faster, cloth pads last longer

Hard surfaces like plastic or aluminum grind down PTFE feet faster than cloth pads, which let fibers absorb friction. You’ll notice wear in months on hard pads versus a year or more on cloth. Replacement feet are cheap ($5–$10) and easy to swap, so the trade-off is speed and consistency for longevity.