Introduction

Christopher over at Xtracpads.com has just sent us an XtracPads Ripper XXL for review.
XtracPads is a company that was started by a group of hardcore gamers in 2002 and specializes in designing high-end mouse surfaces and accessories for gamers.

Mouse pads aren’t really used by many people anymore, probably because of the fact that most people nowadays use optical mice and don’t see the need for a mouse pad. However, many gamers still use mouse pads. It’s often more comfortable to use a mouse pad in-game and the performance when using a pad can be much greater due to the pad being a much smoother surface. This allows the mouse to glide more easily.

This leads me to introduce today’s review, the ‘XtracPads Ripper XXL’.

The Ripper XXL isn’t like most mouse pads; it’s the mother of all mouse pads, measuring in at 36” x 18”, it certainly deserves its name- XXL. In fact, the Ripper XXL isn’t just a mouse pad, due to its enormous size; you can actually use it comfortably with a keyboard as well!

Features and Specifications

• Whisper quiet cloth surface
• Fray resistant edges
• Soft and comfortable
• Sure Grip rubber backing
• Extra heavy duty
• 36″w x 18″h x 1/8″ (914mm x 457mm)
• Cloth mouse surface

Packaging

The Ripper XXL arrives in a giant plastic tube and is rolled up inside. This plastic tube is handy if you’d like to take the pad to LAN Parties. Your friends will get a shock when you turn up to a LAN with a giant tube- you’d never guess there was a Mouse pad in there.

Inside the plastic tube you will find the following:

• XTracPad’s Ripper XXL
• XtracPad’s Sticker
• Alcohol Prep Wipes
• Mad Tape for your Mouse
• Instructions

The Ripper XXL

To actually begin the review for the XtracPads Ripper XXL I had to clear my entire desk- the pad is that huge! I then began laying my mouse and keyboard back onto my desk. Even with a keyboard and MX518 mouse (quite a big mouse) on the pad, there was still plenty of room.

As this mouse pad is a soft surface pad it feels very comfortable to use and acts great on the wrists. It works well as a wrist/forearm rest, probably the best form of support for the wrists I’ve ever used due to the 3mm thick material this pad is made from.

Even when purposely trying to move the mouse pad around it’s very difficult. This is particularly due to the grippy material on the bottom of the pad and the huge surface area of the pad which is obviously going to make the mouse pad harder to move.

When you have the Mad Tape mouse feet installed on the bottom of your mouse, your mouse will simply glide along the cloth top of the Ripper XXL with ease. A simple tap of the mouse will send the mouse sliding across. This is a definite advantage for the gamer and is pretty quick to get used to.

Conclusion

Well, what can I say? The Ripper XXL is certainly a nice product. When using this mouse pad you will notice an immediate change in the comfort when using your computer. This is good in the way that it won’t give you wrist strain so easily or any aches. However this may lead to increased time on the computer because seriously, this pad is so darn comfortable!

This increase in comfort brings out the beauty in this product. It shows that this mouse pad isn’t just for gamers, but for anyone looking for an increase in both performance and comfort.

To all this positive attitude there is a downside however, the price. It retails at around £13- this is quite pricey when you consider it’s only a mouse pad and most mouse pads are normally freebies. However, I think this is quite a small price to pay for a mouse pad of this quality, comfort and not to mention, size.

So if you’re looking for a mouse pad that will fit both your keyboard and mouse easily, that’s comfortable, easy to use and has decent performance, then the Ripper XXL is definitely for you.