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Fellowes Argento
by jacb1983
~~An Initial Lack of Support~~
I spend quite a lot of time on the computer both at home and at work, but using several below par mouse mats over the years, and not supporting my wrists meant that I started to get a strain in them, particularly my right hand which is the one I use a mouse with. After picking up the kettle and ... feeling a stabbing pain shoot up my hand and wrist, I decided to get myself checked at the doctors. A few tests later and I was diagnosed with mild Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, an injury where the Median Nerve of the hand/wrist becomes compressed through pressure on the wrist.
I was advised to reduce the amount of time I spent working at the computer, which can cause and then worsen Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but with this not being practical - I need to be on the PC for work - I decided to purchase a supportive mouse mat, and chose the Fellowes Argento mat.
I bought this several years ago from Tescos for £4.99; I'm not sure if they are still available at this supermarket, but they are readily available online. Mine has worked well and lasted me years with no problems so I can recommend it...
~~Great for Opticals~~
The area where your mouse goes is silvery grey, and despite being a solid coloured design, I have had no problems whatsoever in using an optical mouse with this mat. I'm not sure whether that's because my mouse is very sensitive, or the mat is very good, but I always prefer optical mice so the fact that this mat is compatible with them is great for me. This area is made of a plastic-coated solid foam material, and is easily wiped down for cleaning purposes.
~~Supportive Action~~
At the back of the mouse mat there is a black cushion made from memory foam but covered in a fabric layer on top to make any movements of your wrist over it smoother. When you rest your wrist on the foam cushion, it gives way a little, comfortably supporting your wrist as it lays there. When you take your wrist off, the memory foam slowly returns back into it's original place. This isn't a quick process, it doesn't spring back up into place, but 20-30 seconds later it will be back to normal. I found this has stayed the same for a few years, since it's first use.
~~Non-Slip Winner~~
The bottom of the mouse mat is made from a rubbery, very shiny black material, which makes it non-slip. This aspect works very well, as sometimes I've literally had to peel the mouse mat off my desk to give it a clean! In warmer weather this is even more apparent, but there's no harm in this, it just means it's doing it's job well and the mat doesn't move around when you're using the mouse.
~~Injury Impact?~~
Over the first month of using this, although there wasn't an immediate improvement in my wrist condition despite the good level of comfort the mat provided, the deterioration stopped. A few months later, the discomfort of using a mouse was minimal, and now, I find that I only have the odd twinge of pain if I use the mouse constantly for several days at a time.
~~Overall~~
Compared to other mouse mats I've used, the Fellowes Argento is very good. It offers comfort and support for my wrist, it lets me use an optical mouse, it's non-slip and it was cheap to boot, so I'm impressed with the item I bought.
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Hama Mouse Pad Pro Water
by InchyInchy
Hama Mouse Pad "pro", Water
If you can have such a thing as a favourite mouse mat then this is mine. I spend a lot of time at my computer and I sometimes suffer form a sore pain in my hand, it was my husband that initially suggested trying out a more supportive mouse mat and I was pleasantly surprised that this ... did help to relieve some of the pain.
As well as being much more comfortable to use than a basic flat mouse mat this also looks really nice with an idyllic cool blue water pattern. The mat has a wrist cushion which is made from a foamy type material that squishes down to the curve of my wrist when I use it. However, it soon bounces back to its usual shape when not in use.
Due to the fact that this mouse mat had been sitting in a storage box waiting for me to finally get round to unpacking, it was a tad dusty. I gave it a quick wipe down with a dry cloth, then a quick wash with a damp cloth and a squirt of Dettol. It cleaned up very nicely and it looks pretty much back to how it was when it was initially purchased.
The back of the mat is made of a non slip rubber type material, which comes in handy when in use. When you place this down somewhere as long as you aren't been too rough with it then it shouldn't move around while you are using it.
The mouse mat is very sturdy and it has a plastic border which makes sure that it holds its shape well, and it
won't crinkle or curl at the edges, which can be a pet peeve of mine. I have managed to spill some tea over it and it cleaned up well, which isn't necessarily true of all mouse mats. The material of the mat means that even my optical mouse responds better than it does when placed directly on my desk.
I bought mine from Amazon where it is currently available for £11.96, although this is expensive for a mouse mat, it is a quality item that has so far done me well and I am sure will continue to do so for a long time yet.
This gets a full five out of five stars from me. I would happily recommend this mouse mat to anyone else, it does look nice and although it is pricey it is by far the best mouse mat I have owned. I have had this for quite a while now and it really been a good mouse mat that still looks as attractive as it did when I bought it.
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Fellowes Mouse Pad With Microban Protection
by 1st2thebar
Fellowes Gel Mouse-Pad
Harry Fellowes founder of Fellowes was established in 1917
Since the dawning of my adult-hood I kept a miserly watch for any bodily functional deterioration which is destined to occur during each stage of my aging process. Not that I'm too far gone down the track of irreversible aging, I'm ... fully aware the signs are progressive - one being - comfort. Especially when comfort is so vital while on a workstation, because when you prefer the personalised intimate desktop experience, like I do, surrounded by all that you treasure at arms length; resembling a safe embryonic cocoon; invitation via request only. Basically the only movement warranted is wrist and hand action and eye-ball movement, notably at the same time. Who says that men aren't good at multi-tasking?
Over time I've been slowly aware that my right handed wrist wasn't what it was, that being, soft, supple and very flexible. I'd noticed changes to my once spongy lower palm, it had hardened up quite considerably, and it predominately was where I rested my lower palm on my slide-out keyboard panel next to the mouse and mouse-pad. Rapid movements whilst working with the mouse caused mild irritation and sometimes made a protruding red area appear, with heed I measured the reddened area and documented the dimensions just in-case any other abnormalities would derive in the same vein elsewhere. One major mistake was searching the internet after a night-out on Jim Bean (it's a whiskey) the horrors that transcended medically kept me staring at my fifty pence sore area for days, and it got redder due to my incessant over examination from testing its hardness.
After several more sleepless nights pondering possible frightening self diagnosis's - I spoke to a sensible person about my poorly wrist. After the spontaneous hilarity subsided and calmness resumed; it was advised I was to change by faithful 'flat as a pancake mouse-pad' to add support to my aging wrist which had signs of repetitive strain injury - at this point I was resigned to aiding my right wrist and hand to a more suitable, decadent style of living. I had to get a protective mouse-pad gear to provide cushion type support to my decrepit wrist and irritant right palm; this was the first realisation that wrists too, get old. My comfort regime had now gone as far as my wrists. What next, will it be cushioned soled slippers with an internal heater? So I looked up some Fellowes to help me out.
Fellowes Gel - works in the same means as memory foam. Exactly the same material that expensive bed-ware is made-of for those of you required to really pamper the body from persisting creaking bodily ailments; except my right wrist gets a bed for itself, while working tirelessly, what a contradiction in terms 'bed' and 'work.' The size of the Fellowes Gel mouse-pad: Height - . 875" x Width 8.25" x Diameter 9.875" - Two gel parcels sit at the base of the mouse-pad where you rest you're wrist lower palm; it works as a support pivotal point to the hand holding the mouse. The clever ergonometric padding moves with ease depending where you take the mouse on the pad. It does take about a couple of days to getting use to and in effect the gel has to get to know your wrist positioning also for it to be as smooth as transition as possible. Memory foam has similar traits in use - making the benefits long-term, with comfort and health at the fore of this products unique selling point.
The common agent working as a foam type product is called polyurethane polymers which were pioneered by German, Otto Bayer (1902 - 1982) in 1937 - this material is in all forms of modern life, and has been a tremendous health addition for the elderly and their dysfunctional joints. Another bonus factor on this product is the Microban is in-built into the mouse-pad to stop a build-up of microbes from festering over time. Impressive foresight considering the product is in constant contact with hands and therefore inevitably bits of unsavoury luncheon and snack particles, something I didn't think about while using a desktop mouse; helping to stop the transmitting of viral infections.
For he's a jolly good Fellowes
Priced at 9.99 GBP it isn't just a healthy option for your wrist but also overall, price-wise, it is a five pound bigger investment compared to the average standard mouse-pad - then again the comfort factor over-rides all of that - I've opted for the sky blue so it goes with my eyes. Aesthetically the mouse-pad doesn't look out of place; although the two protruding oblong gel addition (that is supposed to rest below the palm of you're hand while using the mouse) teeters on the geriatric, I can't help but marvel at the simple innovativeness - especially as now comfort is shamefully rising in my lifestyles priorities. Soon I'll be croaking to party revelers, "It's freezing, put a coat on!" - I wonder if Fellowes has thought about 'heated gel mouse-pads?' There is no hope for me is there, although my wrist has improved and lower palm almost back to baby softness.
This mouse-pad is highly recommended for all wrists.
Thank you for reading.
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