Review on 🖱️ Fellowes 9175101 Graphite Gel Wrist Rest and Mouse Pad with Microban Protection - 10.1 x 6.8 x 0.9 inches by Patrick Hamman

I have been using Fellowes products for over 7 years. Their quality and durability are unmatched in my experience with computers and peripherals. I have a small issue with this mouse pad, but first the PROS + Slim design (I like smaller mouse pads that don't clutter my desk) + Very high quality material and tear resistant + Smooth surface to help mouse glide + Works great with Ball, optical and laser mice. I have to question this design flaw. The edge of the mouse pad is actually higher than the mouse pad itself. This forces the mouse against the edges, essentially restricting about 10% of the scrolling area. Perhaps this is to prevent the pillow itself from accidentally falling out, or perhaps the pillow is now "thinner" than intended to save on costs. Another design flaw I found is the wrist rest portion. Fellowes pads used to be big, comfortable and soft. Perfect fit for your wrist. The pads have gotten smaller over the years, but now they're about 50% shorter!? There is almost no "gel" in them, and in fact they are more like 20% gel, 80% solid gel, or like the gel is solid rather than liquid. You should probably use 10% more gel or make it a bit more liquid like in the past. Overall I can still recommend this product. Although there have been some negative changes, many products have become smaller or cheaper. The comrade pillow itself is still top quality. Pads typically last up to 5 years before starting to wear out. This is a fantastic lifespan considering I have seen and used other brands and they have snapped or cracked/dried out even after 2 years. Don't be put off by the gel pad. The old pads were almost "overfull". Once the pillow started to wear out, it went from being comfy to being soft and turning into "drops"! This new mat design is very good, I just feel they could have added a little more gel to ensure guaranteed long term comfort** EDIT March 1st, 2011 I was initially unhappy with the lack of gel in the underlay. The more I've used this pad, the more I realize that the old pads were actually, as I mentioned above, EXCESSIVE. The new pad takes a little getting used to, but I find it keeps the wrist and arm perfectly straight, which is good for avoiding wrist strain. The lack of excessive gel also makes it look more natural when you put your hand on it. I still think they should add some more gel to the pad to get rid of the stiff feeling; But after a few months of hard play with this mouse pad, the gel pad became more comfortable after a few kilometers.