Hydrophobic mousepads are better against sweat, but the coating wears off.

Yes — but only for a few months.

Hydrophobic coatings repel water, which means liquid sweat beads up and doesn’t soak in right away. That helps prevent stains and keeps the pad feeling dry for your first few weeks of heavy use. But sweat isn’t just water — it’s got salt, oils, and dead skin cells that break down the coating over time. Once the coating degrades, it’s just a regular fabric pad again, and those areas will start staining like any cheap pad.

Meanwhile, a non-coated fabric pad will absorb sweat immediately, but you can throw it in the wash. Some even hold up for years. The coated pad? You can’t machine wash it without stripping the coating, so you’re stuck hand-wiping.

If you’re a heavy sweater and want long-term stain resistance, skip both and get a hard-surface mousepad. That thing wipes clean with a paper towel and never stains.