Humidity messes with cloth pads more than hybrids.

Yes. Cloth pads absorb moisture from the air, which changes the surface feel and slows glide noticeably. Hybrid pads (a mix of cloth and hard materials, like a Cordura or a plastic-coated weave) are much less porous, so they don’t swell or get tacky when it’s humid.

I noticed this living in a coastal area. My pure cloth pad felt sluggish and “sticky” on damp days, especially near a window. Switched to a hybrid pad (the MPC450, but others work too) and the glide stayed consistent whether it was raining or bone dry. The hybrid just doesn’t drink humidity the way natural fibers do.

So if your room varies in humidity — or you live someplace muggy — a hybrid pad is a practical upgrade. Cloth pads are fine if you keep the environment controlled, but they’re always at the mercy of the air.