Hard mousepads chew through mouse feet faster.

Yes, significantly. Hard surfaces like plastic or aluminum are essentially abrasives for PTFE (Teflon) feet. Cloth pads are soft fibers that let the feet glide with minimal friction wear. The harder the surface, the faster the feet get polished down.

It’s physics: PTFE is soft relative to rigid plastic or aluminum. Each swipe grinds a microscopic layer off. On cloth, the fibers bend and absorb most of that friction. You’ll notice the difference in a few months on hard pads versus a year or more on cloth.

That said, replacement mouse feet are cheap ($5–$10) and easy to swap. The trade-off is speed and consistency. Hard pads offer lower friction and more predictable glide, but you’ll be replacing feet more often. If that bothers you, stick with cloth.

Nobody ever said “I love my mousepad because the feet last forever.” Choose your priority.