Artisan Mousepad - recommend me one!

[Novus]

Hey mousegeekers,

I know many of you have or have used artisan mousepads. That's great ... because there are so many Artisan mousepads that it's really quite confusing.
I've never been more genuinely confused picking out a product.

I don't normally like cloth pads so I'm also seeking advice on the hardness of the pad I should grab.

For perspective, I find the way the mouse glides on the steelseries QCK a bit too slow to my liking.

What I'm currently using:
SteelSeries Rival (3310 sensor)
Zowie EC EVO CL 1 (3090 sensor)

Mousepad:
Roccat Alumic - I do like how the mouse glides on the "control" surface (it's literally a textured hard pad that you can smack somebody with).

I think I prefer having a smooth glide (with little resistance) but not necessarily a fast glide.
I'm also hoping the mousepad is easy to clean - my two QCK's have issues with dust caking into them every month or so.

I've done my own research, read https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32172733/review/Artisan_2012_review-by-tubby.pdf, looked at the official "operability chart" and I've also confused the **** out of myself.

I've heard the hayate is the most popular mousepad but I think that I'm a bit more set either on a Hien hard or a Shidenkai mid/xsoft.


It seems like quite a few of their mousepads seem to have issues with the ec evo.

Please share your particular experiences and recommend me a mousepad with a proper hardness that you think will suit me.

[All The Fire]

The only input I can provide is your optical sensor may have trouble with some of the non standard colours they provide and the "glassy" surfaces of some of their models.

My Shiden xsoft was perfect with my G9x but terrible with my Roccat Savu.

[IvanIvanovich]

I have the Shiden Kai mid. I think it has the best of everything. It's smooth (and relatively fast depending on what skates you use) glass coat and hard enough for a good glide. But then it's also soft enough that it gives good stopping and control unlike a true hard pad since it can give enough and let you 'dig in'. I've had mine for 3 years and it still looks like new. Super easy to clean, just need a wipe off with a damp sponge now and then as the glass coat essentially seals the cloth.

[Novus]

Thanks for the feedback.

I was looking into the Raiden and I saw this:
Compatibility:
OK: G300 / Kinzu V2 / KANA / SENSEI / MX518 / EC1 / EC2
NG: WMO / IMO / IE 3.0 / G500 / AM / EC eVo / DRCTM03 / DRTCM15 / XAI
For the DeathAdder user: depends on a sensitivity. Most of high sensitivity may OK, but middle to low sensitivity may not work well.
========
... yeaaaa doesn't look that one will work.

As mentioned by All The Fire above, Shinden kai surfaces are too bright for optical devices.
I heard the Hien is actually similar to the QCK which I dislike (can anybody confirm or deny this)
Looks like I might be stuck between a Hien or Hayate.

[dmbr]

I really wouldn't recommend Artisan pads. They don't track well with optical (if at all) and I haven't found the glides of any of the three I tried satisfying.

I've tried ~30 pads, and my favorites are Logitech's hard and soft pads (they have only made two). Wonderfully balanced glides, grippy, and exceptionally durable. The hard is for laser mice while the soft is for optical.

As for your question, the Hein's glide is unique, unlike the Qck...and I hate it. Doesn't track with optical, so don't bother.

[dmbr]

Thanks for the feedback.

I was looking into the Raiden and I saw this:
Compatibility:
OK: G300 / Kinzu V2 / KANA / SENSEI / MX518 / EC1 / EC2
NG: WMO / IMO / IE 3.0 / G500 / AM / EC eVo / DRCTM03 / DRTCM15 / XAI
For the DeathAdder user: depends on a sensitivity. Most of high sensitivity may OK, but middle to low sensitivity may not work well.
========
... yeaaaa doesn't look that one will work.

As mentioned by All The Fire above, Shinden kai surfaces are too bright for optical devices.
I heard the Hien is actually similar to the QCK which I dislike (can anybody confirm or deny this)
Looks like I might be stuck between a Hien or Hayate.

Also doesn't work with optical :/

[Novus]

I really wouldn't recommend Artisan pads. They don't track well with optical (if at all) and I haven't found the glides of any of the three I tried satisfying.

I've tried ~30 pads, and my favorites are Logitech's hard and soft pads (they have only made two). Wonderfully balanced glides, grippy, and exceptionally durable. The hard is for laser mice while the soft is for optical.

As for your question, the Hein's glide is unique, unlike the Qck...and I hate it. Doesn't track with optical, so don't bother.

Thanks for that!
Very strange how artisan pads have all sorts of tracking issues. I guess most of them are made for laser products.

I took a quick peak at these logitech pads and I'll look more in depth at them tonight.  So you said that the hard mouse pad is for lasers? That's a shame since I like hard pads. I'm presuming it doesn't track well with optical sensors (even though its marketed for both on the website).

Can you also comment on how the glide and resistance are on the soft pad. Would I be basically expecting something similar to the QCK albeit perhaps better quality?

Thanks.

[Emospence]

Thanks for the feedback.

I was looking into the Raiden and I saw this:
Compatibility:
OK: G300 / Kinzu V2 / KANA / SENSEI / MX518 / EC1 / EC2
NG: WMO / IMO / IE 3.0 / G500 / AM / EC eVo / DRCTM03 / DRTCM15 / XAI
For the DeathAdder user: depends on a sensitivity. Most of high sensitivity may OK, but middle to low sensitivity may not work well.
========
... yeaaaa doesn't look that one will work.

As mentioned by All The Fire above, Shinden kai surfaces are too bright for optical devices.
I heard the Hien is actually similar to the QCK which I dislike (can anybody confirm or deny this)
Looks like I might be stuck between a Hien or Hayate.

Never owned a QcK but Hiens have a textured surface, takes a few days to get used to.

Super easy to clean; water, perhaps detergent and a soft sponge and you're good to go.

If you do decide to go for the Hien, perhaps look at the VEs, much better deal IMO

[dmbr]

I really wouldn't recommend Artisan pads. They don't track well with optical (if at all) and I haven't found the glides of any of the three I tried satisfying.

I've tried ~30 pads, and my favorites are Logitech's hard and soft pads (they have only made two). Wonderfully balanced glides, grippy, and exceptionally durable. The hard is for laser mice while the soft is for optical.

As for your question, the Hein's glide is unique, unlike the Qck...and I hate it. Doesn't track with optical, so don't bother.

Thanks for that!
Very strange how artisan pads have all sorts of tracking issues. I guess most of them are made for laser products.

I took a quick peak at these logitech pads and I'll look more in depth at them tonight.  So you said that the hard mouse pad is for lasers? That's a shame since I like hard pads. I'm presuming it doesn't track well with optical sensors (even though its marketed for both on the website).

Can you also comment on how the glide and resistance are on the soft pad. Would I be basically expecting something similar to the QCK albeit perhaps better quality?

Thanks.

Sadly the Logitech hard pad is a little jittery with optical Perfect for lasers though.

Like I said, the glide on the soft pad is very balanced. The mouse glides across it effortlessly, but the glide is not at all slippery. It's hard to describe it's so uniquely wonderful. The Qck has more resistance and texture, and wears out.

If you really want a hard pad, I'd solely recommend the Func 1030 XL (if you can find one). Tracks perfectly with optical, does not wear, balanced glide. Dual-sided, too--textured (control) and smooth (speed). By far my favorite hard pad.

[Elrick]

If you really want a hard pad, I'd solely recommend the Func 1030 XL (if you can find one). Tracks perfectly with optical, does not wear, balanced glide. Dual-sided, too--textured (control) and smooth (speed). By far my favorite hard pad.

This man is right.  I have my Func XL for six years now and it's been perfect.  Works with every input device thrown onto it.  Pity most matts/pads don't operate the same way as these polycarbonate beauties.

You want something that will last  for years get seriously Func'd  .

[Novus]

Thanks! Time to search for these guys. Apparently they're not made anymore and some company is producing unauthorized replicas on Amazon. Geez :/

[noisyturtle]

Thanks! Time to search for these guys. Apparently they're not made anymore and some company is producing unauthorized replicas on Amazon. Geez :/

You have a source for that, because I've ordered them from Amazon before and found them to be high quality fabric pads.

[Novus]

There are a couple reviews on amazon which talk about how some pads come with this silver AX logo and a few reviews which indicate that what they got isn't what was pictured

[munch]

The QcK series are nowhere near as good as the Artisan pads IMO, they just don't offer the same level of precision and glide.
tracking-wise I don't really know if there are any problems, despite them stating it doesn't work too well on some. I personally have not had any problems with either G400s, Steelseries Kana V2/Kinzu V2, Zowie AM/FK/EC2 eVo. LOD is extremely low though, if that bothers anyone.

[Novus]

Didn't have a chance to pick up a new mousepad yet.

So far, we've got the:
Logitech G240, G440 (might have jitter issues)
Func 1030 (I'd get to get the revision the 1030-2)

Any other suggestions or comments about these pads. Feel free to weigh in!

I did see this ... Holy crap that's dirty

The QcK series are nowhere near as good as the Artisan pads IMO, they just don't offer the same level of precision and glide.
tracking-wise I don't really know if there are any problems, despite them stating it doesn't work too well on some. I personally have not had any problems with either G400s, Steelseries Kana V2/Kinzu V2, Zowie AM/FK/EC2 eVo. LOD is extremely low though, if that bothers anyone.

That's nice to hear!
Can you tell me which pads you've used and what colors?
You seem to also have used quite a few mousepads, would you mind recommending a mousepad for me (artisan or otherwise)?

[munch]

sure - all but the Raiden, actually.
Hien, Shiden, Shiden.Kai in red.
The rest in Black. Well, I did have a Black Hien as well. And a blue one. Different softness. All were nice, but I prefer the mid ones.

I will definitely not recommend the Hien if you want something smooth+fast. While it is fast, it's not super fast, or super smooth - actually very noticeably textured.

But the Hayabusa is *very* smooth and has a soft feel to it, if you want that, it's also a bit faster than the Hien. Initial motion isn't quite up to par with my favourite hard pads which is why I didn't quite like it, but it's one of the best for cloth pads.
My favourite is of course the Shiden.Kai, which is their fastest one, also the smoothest one. not as soft though, and definitely not rollable like most of their other ones.
and it's actually quite easy to clean if you just get a microfiber cloth that you spray some water on.

if it's control you're looking for, and not too fast glide, perhaps the regular Shiden. it's super smooth, relatively fast, not too bad on the wrist, and kind of easy to clean.
I won't recommend any other cloth pads because I have yet to try one that offers the same level of performance - and I'm not even sponsored by Artisan

I would stay as far away from the fUnc 1030^2 as possible as that one has waaaaay too fast glide compared to the Artisan. offers very little control unfortunately. it's a great pad, but probably too fast for your liking.

My votes would go to Artisan Shiden or Shiden.Kai. They are super smooth and come in good sizes, quite good control too (not as precise as aluminium or glass though, but very close. always some stupid compromise eh? ).
The Red one worked flawlessly with my AM and EC2 eVo.

and I would also look into Razer Manticor as I hear it's extremely smooth as well, but I haven't gotten my hands on one yet. However, if area size is not an issue, I do love my Slamepad in anodized aluminium, and I am hoping it will last me a lifetime. It's 4cm less wide than the Manticor which to me is quite a lot.

happy to answer more questions! hope I could be of any help!

[Novus]

sure - all but the Raiden, actually.
Hien, Shiden, Shiden.Kai in red.
The rest in Black. Well, I did have a Black Hien as well. And a blue one. Different softness. All were nice, but I prefer the mid ones.

I will definitely not recommend the Hien if you want something smooth+fast. While it is fast, it's not super fast, or super smooth - actually very noticeably textured.

But the Hayabusa is *very* smooth and has a soft feel to it, if you want that, it's also a bit faster than the Hien. Initial motion isn't quite up to par with my favourite hard pads which is why I didn't quite like it, but it's one of the best for cloth pads.
My favourite is of course the Shiden.Kai, which is their fastest one, also the smoothest one. not as soft though, and definitely not rollable like most of their other ones.
and it's actually quite easy to clean if you just get a microfiber cloth that you spray some water on.

if it's control you're looking for, and not too fast glide, perhaps the regular Shiden. it's super smooth, relatively fast, not too bad on the wrist, and kind of easy to clean.
I won't recommend any other cloth pads because I have yet to try one that offers the same level of performance - and I'm not even sponsored by Artisan

I would stay as far away from the fUnc 1030^2 as possible as that one has waaaaay too fast glide compared to the Artisan. offers very little control unfortunately. it's a great pad, but probably too fast for your liking.

My votes would go to Artisan Shiden or Shiden.Kai. They are super smooth and come in good sizes, quite good control too (not as precise as aluminium or glass though, but very close. always some stupid compromise eh? ).
The Red one worked flawlessly with my AM and EC2 eVo.

and I would also look into Razer Manticor as I hear it's extremely smooth as well, but I haven't gotten my hands on one yet. However, if area size is not an issue, I do love my Slamepad in anodized aluminium, and I am hoping it will last me a lifetime. It's 4cm less wide than the Manticor which to me is quite a lot.

happy to answer more questions! hope I could be of any help!

Thank you for that!
That was a wonderful explanation.

I think I'll reconsider Shidenkai in my short list. It does sound like what I'm looking for. Although I think that's supposed to be the most problematic pad for optical tracking. am still a bit worried about the bright colors negatively affecting tracking.

I'm really surprised that the red color of your pads colors didn't mess up your tracking experience.

Do you have any experience with the Logitech mousepads? How would you stack them against Artisans and various other soft/hard pads?

[munch]

I haven't used the Logitech ones yet, unfortunately, so can't say. I wonder if it's something with Zowie QC on the sensors though, my friend had major problems with the Zowie EC1 eVo and his Hayate... so he got a replacement from the store he bought it from, and it worked perfectly. maybe some bad batch or something? I can't say. max speed was like 1/3rd of what it was supposed to be. and really was noticeable.

[chickenNwaffles]

I use a g400s on an Artisan Zero Mid, and I have yet to have any tracking problems. The mid is glides very smoothly and is much better quality than my qck+ I love it 

[Novus]

Grabbed a G240 on the way back home. Time to open it up and play with it over the weekend.

[munch]

weekend's coming to a stop soon, would love to hear what you think of it

[Novus]

It's great!
Hands down way very better than a QCK+
Very thin and it stays on the desk.
Somebody should compare this to an Artisan haha. I want to see what they think.

For a cloth mousepad, I can barely feel it.
It's a very smooth glide with excellent stopping power.
I still need to break this pad in with a game.

Compared to this mousepad, the QCK seems very rough and feels like a generic office mousepad.
It also seems very easy to clean - not like the QCK+ where dust gets caked inside of the fabric ... Although this is only my second day of use, so I might scream about dust a month later.
Thanks DMBR! 

I'm very impressed by this quality and due to that I really want to pick up the G440 hardpad (course I'm worried about the jitter DMBR mentioned).
I think this mousepad has definitely been overshadowed and been under the radar too long.

[Novus]

One of the things about mousepad hunting is having to worry about surface compatibility and then if your device can achieve optimal tracking on that surface.
Unless you've got a lab or a high speed camera, you can only test this subjectively.

So I'm curious, has anybody with a large mousepad collection ever run through his/her various surfaces through with the Surface Quality Analyzer Tool.
I'm pretty sure the laser sensor mionix devices will just rate any hard pad highly on the surface tool.
And let's face it ... **** laser sensors.

So what about cloth and hardpads with an optical sensor?
Hopefully somebody with a Mionix optical 3310 sensor (I think that's naos 7000/avior 7000) can run through various surfaces and mouse pads through the Surface Quality Analyzer Tool.
I've actually found the 3310 sensor to be quite surface dependent and even though I've never used the surface quality tool (don't have a mionix)/I don't know how reliable it is; I'm still very curious about the results.

And ahem if anybody has both a mionix w/ a 3310 sensor + logitech g440 hard pad - the surface quality analysis be much appreciated 

[zig_ziglar]

I find it strange that there is Artisan hate as the Hayate I'm using is easily the best mouse pad I've ever used and I've used around 4 different optical sensors on it, all of which tracked excellently. Can't comment on any of their other pads, as I based my purchase on the product information in circulation and it ended up being right for me.

Have you seen their little triangle graphs that split speed, smoothness and stopability?

[Novus]

I find it strange that there is Artisan hate as the Hayate I'm using is easily the best mouse pad I've ever used and I've used around 4 different optical sensors on it, all of which tracked excellently. Can't comment on any of their other pads, as I based my purchase on the product information in circulation and it ended up being right for me.

Have you seen their little triangle graphs that split speed, smoothness and stopability?

I'm under the impression that Hayate is the only pad that tracks optimally with optical sensors - (still waiting for more feedback on this)
I've heard Hein is ok but it has different horizontal and vertical glides.

I saw the triangle graph. When I was first looking into the pads I didn't find it very useful at introducing/presenting the products to me.

How easy is it to clean the Hayate?
Please say it's easier to clean than the QCK

[zig_ziglar]

I've never had to do more than whipe it down with a damp cloth every month or so. Takes under a minute from thought to clean.

[demik]

Whats the hype around these?

[hcry4]

Whats the hype around these?

Fancy mouse pads with many choices.

[demik]

Oh. Japanese.

[zig_ziglar]

Honestly, I didn't realise there was such hype about them. I got mine about a year ago directly from Japan and it cost me $15 delivered. At that time there weren't any local suppliers. Now I see them locally for $45 plus shipping 0.0

[munch]

well-deserved hype IMO, most cloth pads aren't really as durable or have materials nearly as good as these. lots of pads on the market I haven't tried but I've kinda given up on cloth for my picky tastes durability and precision (micro movements and initial movement mostly) always seem to disappoint. if it's good at first, it usually gets bad after a month or two

[Novus]

The bottom of my logitech G240 started wearing out in a bunch of places.
I haven't even gamed online on it once.
That's really disappointing.
Anyways, Logitech is sending me another one free of charge.

[zig_ziglar]

well-deserved hype IMO, most cloth pads aren't really as durable or have materials nearly as good as these. lots of pads on the market I haven't tried but I've kinda given up on cloth for my picky tastes durability and precision (micro movements and initial movement mostly) always seem to disappoint. if it's good at first, it usually gets bad after a month or two

I don't mind spending money on my obsessions, so I wouldn't mind buying another cloth pad every so often. That being said, the Artisan pad I have is a year old and still tracking as good as day one. Nothing more than a periodic wipe down to maintain it. I have two kids under 3 who have given it a run for its money too.

I don't have any problem with acceleration or precision on it, but I don't know whether or not my skill/accuracy with a mouse is good enough to notice such subtleties. If it helps, I have around 180apm in SC2 (and don't spam much) and usually maintain 1.5:1 K:D in most FPS, but I don't play competitively or anything. Once I've used a mouse for a couple of weeks with the same settings under the same conditions, I tend to adapt well enough to perform equally as I did before.

[pr1me]

I have a hien mid wine red, and its great.

[munch]

well there's one thing having to pay 30 every 3-5 months for a new mousepad to have performance as good as when new, and not having to do so for 2 years (my experience. I so sound like a sketchy marketing guy)
but I might be overly picky with performance so YMMV, of course. and I use my gaming gear a whole lot too.

[Novus]

well there's one thing having to pay 30 every 3-5 months for a new mousepad to have performance as good as when new, and not having to do so for 2 years (my experience. I so sound like a sketchy marketing guy)
but I might be overly picky with performance so YMMV, of course. and I use my gaming gear a whole lot too.

Yea that's one of the reasons I started using hard pads for a while. That and cleaning the gunk out from some cloth pads is really frustrating sometimes.

What are some of your favorite hard pads aside from the slamepad you mentioned earlier?

[munch]

fUnc F30R has lasted me a great while as well, and is super fast. but the control is really not that good. took me a while to get used to it. but it's only sold as the double-sided one that has a pretty bad rubber backing and is $$$ for what you get.
I also really like the Razer Manticor, another aluminium pad. it's super thin and really smooth. performance not quite as good as on the Slamepad but close. not sure why, the slamepad just feels a bit smoother.
Steelseries 9HD, if it lasted a bit longer (5 months for me) it would have been awesome. same with the SP. though the latter didn't work too well with all my mice. S&S was also great but didn't last more than a few months. and the Qpad HeatoN same story. really nice feel for the first month or two though.
and I really like the Icemat of course, but it just is too tall... had mine forever, 2nd edition that is a bit larger than the original. only need nail polish to fix the paint chipping on the backside so the sensors read properly.
I wish I could recommend the fUnc F10S pads but they just scratch too easily and control is even worse than on the F30R. but the feel is nice and somewhat smooth. though pales in comparison to the Manticor and Slamepad IMO. it's weird how Razer could mess up the Ironclad (previous metal pad by Razer) so bad when the Manticor is so nice.

been meaning to try the Mionix aluminium pad as well, just need to find some place that has a demo for it.

though they're definitely not for everyone, as they require wiping down a few times a day I got a dedicated microcloth for mine. and the sound can be a bit annoying if you're sensitive to noise. need to keep the mouse feet really really smooth and even to get the optimal performance. they're not quite as fast as plastic, and not as slow as cloth. easier to control than plastic, though not as good as some cloth - however not a problem with my style of playing. perfect inbetween for me.
and they do get quite cold. and not the most comfortable for your wrist if you're sensitive.

sorry, a bit tired. hope the reply is satisfactory and actually readable. got many pads left to try but I think my journey is done with the Slamepad. just remains to be seen how long it will last me!

[Novus]

fUnc F30R has lasted me a great while as well, and is super fast. but the control is really not that good. took me a while to get used to it. but it's only sold as the double-sided one that has a pretty bad rubber backing and is $$$ for what you get.
I also really like the Razer Manticor, another aluminium pad. it's super thin and really smooth. performance not quite as good as on the Slamepad but close. not sure why, the slamepad just feels a bit smoother.
Steelseries 9HD, if it lasted a bit longer (5 months for me) it would have been awesome. same with the SP. though the latter didn't work too well with all my mice. S&S was also great but didn't last more than a few months. and the Qpad HeatoN same story. really nice feel for the first month or two though.
and I really like the Icemat of course, but it just is too tall... had mine forever, 2nd edition that is a bit larger than the original. only need nail polish to fix the paint chipping on the backside so the sensors read properly.
I wish I could recommend the fUnc F10S pads but they just scratch too easily and control is even worse than on the F30R. but the feel is nice and somewhat smooth. though pales in comparison to the Manticor and Slamepad IMO. it's weird how Razer could mess up the Ironclad (previous metal pad by Razer) so bad when the Manticor is so nice.

been meaning to try the Mionix aluminium pad as well, just need to find some place that has a demo for it.

though they're definitely not for everyone, as they require wiping down a few times a day I got a dedicated microcloth for mine. and the sound can be a bit annoying if you're sensitive to noise. need to keep the mouse feet really really smooth and even to get the optimal performance. they're not quite as fast as plastic, and not as slow as cloth. easier to control than plastic, though not as good as some cloth - however not a problem with my style of playing. perfect inbetween for me.
and they do get quite cold. and not the most comfortable for your wrist if you're sensitive.

sorry, a bit tired. hope the reply is satisfactory and actually readable. got many pads left to try but I think my journey is done with the Slamepad. just remains to be seen how long it will last me!

Thanks!
Very insightful.

Oh right one more question.
Does the slamepad or any of these aluminum pads kill your mouse feet (I've heard that's a common issue)?

[munch]

well, kill is a strong word... but I have only had it for a few months and have used 3 mice with it so far. the two that I have used Puretrak HD with it have been no problem, but the softer Hyperglide feet for example are getting worn down a bit faster.
the Puretrak HD feet are 1.2mm thick, so I think they will last quite some time. really hard material too. didn't feel worn down much at all after 2 months of use on my G400s.
and they don't seem to get to the stage where they get really noisy like most people complain about with aluminium/glass pads. I think that has more to do with not cleaning the pad properly? at least in my case.
so, I'd recommend the Puretrak HD as they seem to be the best for use with a really hard pad like this one. the performance is really good as well.

[Mastoras]

Anyone have a combo of 3310 optical sensor and Artisan Hien ? I have ordered a Corsair Raptor M45 and now i am worried they will not work well together.

[munch]

that's the same as the Rival right? PixArt something3310? actually heard the Hien works great with it. can't confirm or deny but I wouldn't really be too worried.

[combataran]

Sorry to threadjack, but I'm interested in getting higher quality mousepads. I've been using a QCK+ Tyloo edition, but it feels relatively rough to me after a few months. What's with the Artisan pads that justify their premium(?) prices?

[munch]

durability and performance, really. quality is higher than the QcK by quite a bit IMO/IME. The Hayate is really smooth, but it's also one of their more expensive ones.
ZERO is quite smooth too, though have no idea how durable it is. HIEN is rough at first but has a really smooth glide once it's been worn down a little bit. and a bit cheaper too.

[combataran]

durability and performance, really. quality is higher than the QcK by quite a bit IMO/IME. The Hayate is really smooth, but it's also one of their more expensive ones.
ZERO is quite smooth too, though have no idea how durable it is. HIEN is rough at first but has a really smooth glide once it's been worn down a little bit. and a bit cheaper too.

Which would you recommend as a middle ground? It should go well with my black on black Realforce 87U.

[munch]

I'd say the HIEN black would be very nice then just give it a week or two of intense gaming to 'wear down' a bit. Also your CM Storm Spawn is kind of perfect for it in the sense that it has big mouse feet, it didn't do very well with my G400s' small mousefoot that it has on the left side.

edit: although if you want smooth feel on the hand too, maybe the ZERO would be better. it's really smooth from the beginning and is smooth weave too! closer to the QcK in feel.

[combataran]

I'd say the HIEN black would be very nice then just give it a week or two of intense gaming to 'wear down' a bit. Also your CM Storm Spawn is kind of perfect for it in the sense that it has big mouse feet, it didn't do very well with my G400s' small mousefoot that it has on the left side.

edit: although if you want smooth feel on the hand too, maybe the ZERO would be better. it's really smooth from the beginning and is smooth weave too! closer to the QcK in feel.

What's the difference between the two?

[Mastoras]

I'd say the HIEN black would be very nice then just give it a week or two of intense gaming to 'wear down' a bit. Also your CM Storm Spawn is kind of perfect for it in the sense that it has big mouse feet, it didn't do very well with my G400s' small mousefoot that it has on the left side.

edit: although if you want smooth feel on the hand too, maybe the ZERO would be better. it's really smooth from the beginning and is smooth weave too! closer to the QcK in feel.

I am using Artisan Hien black VE. Munch is right. This pad shines after 1-2 weeks of break in period. The build is flat and solid. The edge and material did irritate my wrist at start but after each day of use it feels better and better. Looks like a pad that will last long and becouse of relatively hard surface easy to clean. Not the smoothest pad on market for sure. You better check artisan site for details or the pdf review on first post of this topic

[munch]

the HIEN has a noticeably textured surface, it'd be considered 'rough' in feel when you glide your hand across it. but mice glide super smooth and a bit faster on it.
ZERO is super smooth texture, feels smooth to the touch and with the mouse. but it isn't as fast or precise as the HIEN (with the mice I used for it etc)

[combataran]

the HIEN has a noticeably textured surface, it'd be considered 'rough' in feel when you glide your hand across it. but mice glide super smooth and a bit faster on it.
ZERO is super smooth texture, feels smooth to the touch and with the mouse. but it isn't as fast or precise as the HIEN (with the mice I used for it etc)

I personally am a little more concerned about the fraying rather than the feel, but I still take that into consideration. How large is the L size? Could it fit both my board and mouse?

edit: I checked the size of the Hien L. It's 16.5 x 13 x 0.16 inch, whereas my QCK+ is 15.7 x 17.7 x 0.16 inch. Do they have something larger, like the Tekmat (12 x 36 inches x 0.25 inch)? Thickness I personally don't care for.

[munch]

not as far as I know unfortunately, I used the entire pad just to move mouse around on when I used my artisan.