Skates (Mouse Feet)

Skates = the small pads on the bottom that slide on your mousepad. It's Top 6 part TOP 6 (#6).

• They decide glide: how easily the mouse starts moving + how well it stops.

~ like: ice skates under a player - same player, different blades = totally different feel.

• Fresh skates on a worn mouse can make it feel brand new - often the cheapest real upgrade.

1. The 2 kinds of friction (MOST important idea)

~ like: pushing a heavy box: the first push is hardest (static), keeping it sliding is easier (dynamic).

• Low static = easy micro-adjustments. Some static = better stopping power for flicks.

• Asymmetric glide: some skates start fast but then slow down (fast start, slower glide).

  e.g. West Lab Yellow dots (UHMW-PE) are sold exactly like this - aimed at low-TTK games.

2. Materials (+ why they're called that)

UHMW-PE - more control PTFE Ceramic Glass - more speed

(rough guide - brand, shape + pad change this a lot)

• PTFE: PolyTetraFluoroEthylene. "Teflon" is a brand name for it - the same slippery stuff on non-stick pans. Balanced glide, quiet, wears faster on rough pads.

  ~ like: a non-stick tawa - food (your mouse) just slides.

• Stock vs virgin PTFE: stock skates often use recycled / lower-purity PTFE (can feel scratchy). "Virgin" = pure, never recycled.

  e.g. Corepad, Tiger Arc, Hotline Games, Ghostglides Edgerunner = marketed as 100% virgin / pure PTFE.

• Reinforced / hardened PTFE: tougher PTFE, often made for glass + hard pads.

  e.g. UNWS Magic Ice + Silver Fox (reinforced PTFE), X-raypad Obsidian + Ghostglides Cyclone (hardened PTFE).

• Powdered PTFE: pure white, NOT see-through. Sold as more durable with balanced speed.

  e.g. West Lab Cream dots.

• UHMW-PE / UPE: Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight PolyEthylene - plastic with super long molecule chains = very tough. Lasts longer than PTFE, more control.

  ~ like: the tough white plastic of a heavy-duty chopping board.

  e.g. X-raypad U9, West Lab Gray + Yellow, KIBU x WAIZOWL Washi, UNWS Black Fox (UPE + resin fibres).

• Glass: aluminosilicate glass - same family as tough phone screen glass. Almost zero static friction, barely wears.

  e.g. Pulsar Superglide / Superglide 2, LGG glass skates, PWNAGE Ultraglide.

• Ceramic: speed close to glass, a bit more stopping power, very durable, can be noisier.

  e.g. Sapphire Skates, Corepad Ceramics.

• Exotic: TJ Exclusives PlastiX, nTech aluminium skates.

What skates does a mouse come with?

• Most mice: ship with PTFE skates - about 95% of gaming mice. Many stock sets use lower-purity PTFE, so they can feel scratchy vs aftermarket.
• Premium stock PTFE: pure white PTFE now comes in the box on mice like Logitech Superlight + Razer V3 series.

  e.g. Ninjutso ships its own HyperSkates on mice like the Ninjutso Ten.

• Mouse brands selling glass / ceramic upgrades: NOT in the box, sold as extras for their own mice:

  e.g. Corsair M75 Performance Glass Skates (aluminosilicate glass) - made for Corsair M75.

  e.g. HyperX Glass Skates for Pulsefire Haste mice - best on cloth pads, may be worse on hard desks; set includes a PTFE sensor skate.

  e.g. G-Wolves Ceramic Skates for G Pro-class mice. Pulsar Superglide for Pulsar, Razer + Logitech mice.

• Stock skates can be weak: e.g. testers found the Logitech Superstrike's stock skates wear down quickly + get scratched even on glass pads.

  ~ like: a new phone comes with a basic screen guard - it works, but many people upgrade it.

-> Buying tip: ask the seller what skate the mouse ships with, how it feels day 1, and after 2-4 weeks.

3. Shapes

• Less contact = faster + lighter. More contact = stable + more stopping power.
• Full-size skates keep the pad's ORIGINAL feel. Dots on a slow pad can make it feel much faster.

e.g. Ghostglides Cyclone comes as dots, mini-doughnuts (8mm) + pills. UNWS donuts: 10mm, 0.82mm thick.

~ like: tyre tread patterns - same rubber, different pattern = different grip.

4. How skates are built

• Thickness: commonly ~0.7-0.85mm. Changes sensor-to-pad distance (NOT the LOD setting).

  e.g. Superglide: 0.8mm only. UNWS Magic Ice 0.8mm, Silver Fox 0.7mm. West Lab Orange: thin 0.7-0.8mm, good for low-LOD mice.

• Anti-collapse / anti-dent layer: foam or PU in the middle stops the skate sinking or denting under pressure.

  e.g. X-raypad Jade + Obsidian Ultra, West Lab (PU on all dots), KIBU x WAIZOWL two-layer build, Ghostglides PORON foam versions.

• Noise reduction: softer layers make hard skates quieter, especially on glass pads.

  e.g. UNWS "Black PRO" layer in Silver Fox.

• Curved / 2.5D edge: rounded edge so the skate doesn't catch or cut the pad.

  e.g. ESPTIGER arc-edge design (the "Arc" name comes from this).

• Break-in period: some skates feel too fast out of the box, then settle.

  e.g. Superglides: hardest to control at first, easier after about a week.

  ~ like: new shoes feel stiff for a few days before they fit perfectly.

5. The skate brands (big list)

(each brand usually sells SEVERAL skates with different feel - speed orders below are the brand's / retailer's own claims)

Corepad (Skatez)

• 100% pure PTFE + 3M adhesive, shapes for tons of mice.
• Feels more CONTROLLED / slower than Jade or Tiger Ice - a safe baseline to start with.
• Also makes Corepad Ceramics.

ESPTIGER (Esports Tiger)

• Arc 1 + Arc 2: safe choice, a middle ground - close to good stock skates.
• Ice / Ice V2: PTFE, ~0.8mm, arc edge, feels faster.
• Yanzi: pure SPEED on glass + quiet, harder material but wears faster than other hardened PTFE.

X-raypad

• Jade: fastest in their range, PTFE, made for cloth.
• Obsidian (Control, Pro, Air): hardened PTFE for glass + plastic pads, keeps a hint of control.
• U9: UHMW-PE dots for durability + control on glass. Jade/Obsidian Ultra: anti-collapse foam + noise reduction.

UNWS Gear (Unusual Way Sports)

• Brand started Oct 9, 2020. Full skates for many mice + universal dots + donuts.
• Magic Ice (white): reinforced PTFE, 0.8mm - their fastest. Dots: 20 per pack.
• Magic Ice Plus (red dots): Magic Ice speed + Silver Fox cushioning -> quieter, more durable, anti-collapse.
• Pink Fox / Pink Silver Fox: reinforced PTFE + Black PRO layer, 0.7mm.
• Silver Fox (grey): reinforced PTFE + Black PRO, 0.7mm - quieter, made with glass pads in mind. Dots: 40 per pack.
• Black Fox (black): UHMW-PE / UPE (+ resin fibres) + Black PRO, 0.8mm - most controlled + durable.
• Donuts (10mm x 0.82mm): Pink + Cyan = tougher "enhanced Magic Ice" (a bit less slippery), Black = Black Fox material, Grey = Silver Fox material.
• UNWS says donut colour barely changes glide - the material matters, not the colour.

Speed order (brand/retailer): Magic Ice > Magic Ice Plus > Pink Fox > Silver Fox > Black Fox.

!! Some older listings put Silver Fox above Pink Fox - sellers disagree, so test both yourself.

Testers found UNWS dots need no break-in period (softer than hardened PTFE = a bit more control, wears slightly faster).

West Lab

• Universal dots, all layered with PU (anti-collapse + quieter).
• Speed: Orange = Black > White = Blue > Cream > Yellow = Gray.
• Orange: thin + very fast on glass / mid-hard pads (avoid soft pads). White: pure PTFE, harder. Blue: speed + control.
• Cream: powdered PTFE. Yellow: UHMW-PE fast start, slow glide. Gray: UHMW-PE, most control.
• Also "Control" skates made for specific mice like Endgame Gear OP1.

KIBU x WAIZOWL

• 160 dots per pack (6.6mm x 0.8mm) - great value. Two-layer build stops centre denting. Comes with alcohol wipes.
• Shiro ("snowy owl"): high-PTFE, speed, best on hard / glass pads.
• Karahuto: quieter, easy-to-control glide - good for beginners.
• Washi: UPE, much less slippery + much more wear resistant - for glass pad users.

GHOSTGLIDES

• Cyclone: hardened PTFE, balanced speed, more durable than normal PTFE - dots, mini-doughnuts, pills.
• Cyclone with PORON foam layer = shock absorbing. Popular for being quiet on glass.
• Edgerunner dots: 100% virgin PTFE. Also sells PORON skate spacers.

Pulsar Superglide / Superglide 2

• Aluminosilicate glass skates, 0.8mm, very fast, long-lasting.
• Break-in about a week. Pulsar does NOT recommend them on glass pads.

Lethal Gaming Gear (LGG)

• Big skate + pad retailer, also sells its own glass skates.

PWNAGE

• Ultraglide: glass skates. Some shop listings say "all pad types", but PWNAGE's OWN product page says do NOT use on a glass pad.
• SmoothGlide: PTFE universal dots.

TALONGAMES

• Kumo series (Kumo = "cloud" in Japanese): PTFE dots for CLOTH pads - high speed, low noise, curved edge.
• Kumo Mini: 4mm PTFE dots for GLASS pads, high speed. S-1 White: high-density PTFE dots made for glass pads.
• Classic V2: rounded PTFE, 0.8mm. Also sells 6mm glass skates.

Mouse brands' own upgrade skates

• HyperX Glass Skates (Pulsefire Haste): best on cloth, worse on hard surfaces.
• Corsair M75 Performance Glass Skates: aluminosilicate glass.
• G-Wolves Ceramic Skates (G Pro-class mice).

Others worth knowing

• Hotline Games (virgin PTFE), Wallhack (PTFE dots), Hystar Aero Glides (glass-pad dots), Hyperglide (the name everyone uses).
• Ninjutso HyperSkates, Sapphire (ceramic), TJ Exclusives PlastiX + nTech (exotic).

6. All brands on one speed line

Every brand on the SAME line: left = CONTROL, right = SPEED. Compare any two skates by how far left/right they sit. Order inside a brand = brand/seller claims. Positions across brands = rough estimate (material + reviews).

control balanced speed

• Want CONTROL: UNWS Black Fox, X-raypad U9, West Lab Gray, KIBU Washi.
• Want BALANCED: Corepad Skatez, ESPTIGER Arc, UNWS Silver Fox, Ghostglides Cyclone.
• Want SPEED: UNWS Magic Ice, X-raypad Jade, West Lab Orange, KIBU Shiro.
• Want MAX SPEED: glass skates (Superglide, LGG, PWNAGE).

e.g. X-raypad U9 sits far LEFT (control), UNWS Silver Fox sits in the MIDDLE (balanced).

-> Silver Fox is faster, U9 gives more control.

Not on the line (no speed data published): TJ Exclusives PlastiX + nTech aluminium skates.

TALONGAMES / Hotline / Wallhack / Hystar / Hyperglide / Ninjutso positions have the LEAST data - treat as very rough.

~ like: a running race photo: everyone is on the same track, so you can see who is ahead of whom.

!! Your PAD changes everything - the same skate feels faster on glass than on a control cloth pad.

6B. All brands compared together

Every skate from every brand in ONE list, fastest at the top. Wear = how fast it wears out.

!! Brands don't test on the same pad, so this mixes brand claims + material type + reviews. Treat it as a rough guide.

1. Glass, top speed: Pulsar Superglide / Superglide 2, PWNAGE Ultraglide, TALONGAMES glass dots, HyperX Glass Skates, Corsair M75 - very durable, best on cloth; avoid on glass pads (brands disagree, check the box).
2. Hard PTFE / ceramic, very fast: ESPTIGER Yanzi, UNWS Magic Ice, X-raypad Jade, West Lab Orange / Black, Sapphire / Corepad Ceramics, G-Wolves Ceramic - fast to medium wear; ceramics can be noisier on glass.
3. Fast, medium wear: UNWS Magic Ice Plus, KIBU Shiro, ESPTIGER Ice / Ice V2, TALONGAMES Kumo, Hystar Aero Glides.
4. Balanced, works on both pads: UNWS Pink Fox, UNWS Silver Fox, X-raypad Obsidian Pro / Air / Control, Ghostglides Cyclone, Ghostglides Edgerunner, West Lab White / Blue / Cream, TALONGAMES S-1, Wallhack PTFE dots, Hotline Games, ESPTIGER Arc 1 / 2.
5. Fast, but speed data not published: KIBU Karahuto, TALONGAMES Classic V2, Ninjutso HyperSkates, Hyperglide, Corepad Skatez.
6. UHMW-PE / UPE, most control, slow wear: X-raypad U9, UNWS Black Fox, West Lab Gray / Yellow, KIBU Washi.
7. Exotic, no speed data: TJ Exclusives PlastiX, nTech aluminium skates.

? = brand has not published it. Wear colours in the notes: green = lasts long, orange = medium, red = wears out faster. Pad colours: green = best, orange = ok, red = avoid.

Quick guide by pad

• Glass pad: hardened / reinforced PTFE or UPE - UNWS Silver Fox / Pink Fox / Black Fox, X-raypad Obsidian + U9, Ghostglides Cyclone, KIBU Washi, ESPTIGER Yanzi, West Lab Orange.
• Cloth pad: normal PTFE - Corepad Skatez, ESPTIGER Arc / Ice, X-raypad Jade, UNWS Magic Ice, KIBU Karahuto, West Lab White / Blue. Glass skates also work on cloth (not soft pads).
• Both: UNWS Silver Fox, Pink Fox, Magic Ice Plus, Black Fox + Ghostglides Cyclone.

~ like: tyres: summer tyres (cloth PTFE), ice tyres (glass-pad skates), all-season tyres (skates that work on both).

!! Rough guide only - your PAD changes everything.

7. The big comparison

• PTFE: medium-fast speed, medium control, low-medium durability, medium noise on glass, best on cloth.
• Hardened PTFE: fast speed, medium control, medium durability, low noise, best on glass / hard pads.
• UHMW-PE: medium speed, high control, high durability, low noise, best on glass / hard pads.
• Ceramic: very fast speed, low-medium control, very high durability, higher noise, best on hard pads.
• Glass: fastest speed, low control, very high durability, noise varies, best on cloth / hard*.

* brands disagree on glass skates + glass pads. Rough guide - each brand's version differs.

~ like: cooking oils: same job, but each suits a different dish.

8. Skate + pad combos

PTFE	→	control cloth pad	balanced, great stopping (CS2 / Valorant)
PTFE / dots	→	speed or glass pad	fast glide, less stopping
Hardened PTFE / UPE	→	glass pad	durable + quieter - the usual glass pick
Glass skates	→	soft cloth pad	can sink when pressing -> inconsistent
Glass skates	→	glass pad	brands DISAGREE - check the box

e.g. Pulsar Superglide + PWNAGE Ultraglide official pages say no glass pads, but some SHOP listings claim "all pads".

-> Trust the brand's own page, not the seller copy.

9. When to replace + how to fit

• Worn signs: scratchy feel, slow start on flicks, inconsistent small corrections, peeling edges.

  ~ like: a bald tyre - it still rolls, but you lose grip + control.

• Fitting: remove ALL old feet + glue, clean with an alcohol wipe, press firmly. Some skates have a thin film to peel first (KIBU Shiro + Washi).
• Re-adapt: new skates change how your sensitivity FEELS - play a few days before changing in-game sens.

10. Skate dictionary

• PTFE: PolyTetraFluoroEthylene - the main skate material.
• Teflon: a brand name for PTFE (like Surf for washing powder).
• Virgin PTFE: pure PTFE, never recycled.
• Reinforced / hardened PTFE: tougher PTFE, often for glass.
• Powdered PTFE: opaque white PTFE, sold as more durable.
• UHMW-PE / UPE: Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight PolyEthylene - super tough plastic.
• Aluminosilicate: the tough glass type used in glass skates.
• PU: PolyUrethane - soft layer that stops collapse + reduces noise.
• PORON: a brand of high-quality polyurethane foam used as a shock-absorbing layer.
• Static / dynamic friction: force to start / resistance while moving.
• Break-in: the first days when skates feel different before settling.
• Arc / curved / 2.5D edge: rounded edge so skates don't catch the pad.
• Dots / donuts / pills: small skate shapes you place yourself.
• Hyperglides: brand name that became a word for all skates.
• 3M adhesive: common strong sticky layer (3M = big adhesive company).

11. How to judge skates before you buy

1. Test on the same reference pads every time: 1 control cloth, 1 speed cloth, 1 glass.
2. Check static feel: tiny micro-adjustments - sticky or smooth?
3. Check dynamic feel + stopping: big flicks - does it overshoot?
4. Check the edges - do they catch or scratch? any denting after pressing hard?
5. Check noise on a glass pad.
6. Give it a break-in period: compare day 1 vs day 7.
7. Check back on wear after 2-4 weeks - it's the real long-term test.
8. Read the brand's own pad compatibility note, and check where to buy in India (see box above).