Soft cloth pads are easiest on mouse feet.

Yes, surface texture directly affects wear rate. Hard pads — plastic, glass, or aluminum — will shred PTFE feet noticeably faster than soft cloth pads. The reason is simple: PTFE is a soft polymer, and hard, rough surfaces act like sandpaper over time. Cloth pads have a yielding, woven surface that creates less abrasive contact.

If you want to maximize the life of your mouse feet, go with a fine-weave cloth pad like a Steelseries QcK or a Zowie G-SR. Speed pads with a hard coating (like the older Razer Sphex) or glass pads (Skypad, etc.) will wear down your feet in weeks or months, depending on use. The tradeoff is that hard pads offer lower friction for fast gliding — but you’ll be replacing feet more often.

If you’re not competing at a high level, just stick with cloth. Your mouse feet will last years instead of months.