Sorry, somehow I missed the dedicated F-row part.
I think I would most recommend the KBT Race, as long as you are fine sticking with the stock keycaps.
IIRC, the keycools sometimes come with cases that are glued together, so I wouldn't recommend them unless you want to avoid any type of modding that requires the removal of the case.
I've heard mixed reviews about the choc mini, but they are mostly on the good side. The deck 82 is usually avoided because of the font they use on the keycaps.
key caps of kbt race are fine for me, I dont know why they shouldnt, do y mean because of abs?
actually i dont want to remove the case due to modding or in general.
i like the font of the deck, so no problem for me.
these 3 are the ones with my favourite layout: i dont need a number pad and i dont need the block with the arrow key, too. but what i need is the dedicated f-key row. these are the only mechas with backlit and that special layout that I have found.
choc mini and similiar (same "group" as deck 82, race, keycool 84; but without backlit) only as 2nd alternative
1st alternative would be a tkl with backlit, for example the cmstorm qk tk
Besides they keyboards you already listed, I would probably just go with a tenkeyless model If you are using the F-row for gaming or document/media production, you are probably going to need dedicated arrow keys as well.
Recommendations:
Custom:
Any tenkeyless, preferably Phantom, Filco or Leopold. Korean custom if you have the money.
Non-custom:
KBT Race, Matias Mini Quiet Pro
Delivery to Germany does sound a bit tricky. You would probably have better luck searching deskthority for a nice used board or get in touch with the vendors there for new ones.
http://kbtrace.com/kbtpure/kbt-race.html has the limited edition race in stock and it will be delivered from France.
deck, race and keycool all have dedicated fkey row and arrow keys o0?
the only big advantage of a tkl for me would be the german layout due to more prodcuts in this category, but i think a "compact" tkl (still 75%, but the size is minimal bigger then 60%) is better for my purposes (to 90% I ll use the mecha for gaming, so more space on the desk would be of great advantage)
custom keyboards will probably cost too much plus its harder to reconsign the mecha.
keyboards like the matias quiet pro would be as i said last choice, because of the missing backlit, so my preferences are most like this: backlit > size
nope, i wanna buy a new one in the original box. on a german forum for computers in general with a peripheral-subforum told me this forum geekhack, and one guy said that it wasnt possible to order a keyboard over kbt eu because of the missing of the last order step.
but i have other vendors now. and as y probably dont know. mechanicalkeyboards(dot)com (probably the no. 1 for mechas in the us?) also ships to germany, for like 40$ ...
Very confusing description, but it sounds like he is looking for 75% boards with full LED support. I don't know of any other than the ones he listed.
originally i was searching for a 75% keyboard with backlit, dedicated fkey row and the size of a 60% keyboard, due to a more compact layout as compared to a "normal" tkl. but there only seem to be 3 different keyboards which fits into this pattern: keycool 84 led, deck 82, kbt race
