Slow spots on mousepads are caused by you, not the mousepad.

Yes. The main factor is uneven pressure from your wrist or palm resting on one spot of the pad for hours a day, compressing the fabric or coating and mixing in oils and dead skin. That area eventually feels slower than the rest.

The second factor is dirt and oil buildup. Your arm sweat and skin cells accumulate in that same spot, making it tacky or sluggish. Cheap cloth pads with no coating wear faster, but even premium pads will develop a slow spot if you never move your mouse hand position.

Prevention is dead simple: rotate your mousepad 180 degrees every few weeks. That spreads the wear evenly. Also clean the surface regularly with a damp microfiber cloth and mild soap. If you’re heavy-handed or rest your entire forearm on the pad, consider a separate wrist rest or a hard pad (glass or aluminum) that doesn’t compress.

Rotate and wash. That’s it.