With many computers far from being obsolete with the current technology, one might be out of ideas on what to upgrade when they already have the fastest rig in their neighbourhood. Well, look at your mousepad, and think of how long you've been using it. If it looks worn, I think you'll need to replace it. When you think of mouse pads, the first brands on your mind maybe the Ratpad or the Everglide, but have you heard of the Icemat? This is a totally different mouse pad that combines both style and performance. On top of that, it is a mouse pad that can last basically forever- if you can take care of it.

Introducing the Icemat from Icemat.com and Icemat.net- this is a new type of mouse pad that is made of glass. The size of the Icemat is approximately 250 x 210 x 6.2 mm and both the black Icemat and the transparent Icemat have a frosted top transparent glass finish, hence making the mat look like ice.

Click for exploded image

The Icemat also comes standard with 6 polyurethane feet under the pad to keep the pad where it should be. This is perfect for long fragging sessions with your favourite FPS game, as many mouse pads are prone to move when you move the mouse too roughly. The Icemat came covered in bubble wrap and cardboard, therefore each mat is secure and safe during shipping.

I couldn't wait to test the pad out with my Logitech Cordless Mouseman Wheel, a perfect companion for the Icemat. Because the Icemat is made of glass and has a see-through surface on the transparent mat, the wheel mouse is preferred over the optical mouse. Despite the flaw, the black mat is proven to be compatible with the optical mouse because it's opaque.

Icemat includes Teflon pad surfers with the package and it proved to be much more useful. Without the surfers, the mouse would make some weird noises on the surface, but these surfers solved the problem, and made the mouse react much better. I think it would also reduce any scratches that might incur on the pad, and would also prolong the life of your mouse feet.

Over a long use of both mats, my wrist did get sore over the hard glass surface. I recommend that you also purchase some sort of "dimp gel", which is like a "wrist pillow" to compliment the mouse pad to avoid soreness. I have seen "dimp gel" sold in Asia, although not in North America yet. In addition to the soreness, fingerprints did attract the mat, as well as dust, but a simple wipe of a clean wet cloth solved the problem.

One problem I constantly hear from people is that the surface of the mouse pad is too small. However, one simple solution would be to adjust the mouse pointer speed in the Windows control panel so the mice can manoeuvre in tight areas. My personal opinion is that the Icemat is the perfect size, not too small, and not to space-hogging either.

This is really the Ferrari of mouse pads- it has the style, the sleek rounded corners, and a surface that is cool to the touch. It may not be as practical as say, a Toyota, but you're not going to buy a Ferrari to be practical.

This is where Icemat really caters to the upper-echelon market. The people who not only want the best, but to look the best will truly benefit from it. It's from Denmark, so you can be proud to own a true European product. While the product does have some apparent flaws, it is a small price to pay if you are willing to buy it. Overall, I give the Icemat a techangel.co.uk "enthusiasts choice" and two thumbs up!

Be sure to check out Icemat's site as the Black Icemat now officially supports the use of the following optical mice:

Microsoft:
-Wireless Intellimouse® Explorer
-Intellimouse® Explorer 3.0
-Optical Mouse Blue

Logitech:
-MX 300
-MX 500
-MX 700

In conclusion:

The best looking mousepad available
Great for regular mice
Perfect for gaming
Pad surfers help mouse accuracy
Mousepad feet keep the mousepad in place
Great durability
Expensive
Not very good with optical mice (though new Black model can)
Hurts the wrist after prolonged use
Heavy and fragile for lan party use

Related:
Icemat homepage
UK Resellers list