3M™ Compact Gel Wrist Rest for Keyboards, Soothing Gel Comfort, Product Protection, 18" Wide, Black

R Rousseau United States

Perspective of a PC gamer: A solid cheap option, and great for portable use.

The number of PC gamers who like to use a wrist rest (usually in combo with a non-palm grip) is small but not insignificant. There are many bad wrist rests out there; they are too squishy, too firm, too tall, or have a shape that interferes with mousepads or just plain using the thing while gaming. Even if a wrist rest doesn't have those problems, they could have a build or be made of materials that degrade over time. I'm sure many people reading this have enjoyed the common belkin gel wrist rest only to have it become disgusting at the pressure point and/or split and release gel. This pad might leak gel after a long time, it's not stitched and few wrist rests are, but otherwise it avoids all the problems I mentioned earlier. The size and shape are perfect for anyone not specifically wanting something closer to a square (get the "Glorious Gaming Mouse Wrist Pad" for that). It's not too narrow on the horizontal (x axis), so that your wrist will never fall off doing larger side to side movements, but it's also not too long (y axis), meaning it will fit on smaller tables and surfaces; both great qualities for mobile use. The front edge is straight, meaning it will align with 99% of mouse pads. The back edge is slightly curved outwards, this not only means a little extra space where it matters for extra support, but it also helps you place the pad on the edge of a table without it falling off, getting the wrest closer to your arm while saving desk space at the same time. Now for the gel: it's not too stiff, and not too supple; your wrist doesn't sink into it like memory foam (which limits movement and can make pressure points worse), but you will also feel a noticeable give, it doesn't feel like you wrist is resting on a wood block. There is no center concavity like some rests have, this is up to preference but personally I think an indent like that hampers side movement during gaming and it's more suited to desktop tasks. Materials: the "leatherette" surface is a great change coming from cloth which is what most rests use. Cloth picks up filth from your skin fast, and can degrade and get stiff/stained quickly as a result. many other pads use soft plastic/silicone as a surface material, which doesn't degrade like cloth but also sticks to your skin which is not only uncomfortable but bad for movement. The leatherette surface doesn't stick and feels cool and smooth on the skin, but not being made of fabric it also repels filth better. Hopefully it holds up over time. The height is also great. It's about the same as the glorious gaming pad: not so tall that it hurts more than helps, like some inch-tall rests, but not so small that it feels like you have no rest, you get the right elevation so your hand will align with the top of any mouse that isn't unusually high. So overall it's a great pad for home use, but let's talk about it's portable advantages to finish. As a portable, this is a great pairing for a thin, roll-able cloth pad like the SteelSeries QcK Mini. You simply roll the mouse pad around the wrist rest's solid, semi-flexible edge, and you end up with a mini burrito of mouse pad and wrist rest that can fit in a small space, either in a backpack or small carrying case. You generally cannot do this with a mouse pad + wrist rest combo unit, those you have to lay flat even in a bag, and the mouse pad itself on those models tends to be too small and the wrist rest not wide enough for gaming. If you use a gaming laptop, this will go a long way to giving you desktop comfort on the go, and is way better than just using a wireless mouse on a table with no wrist rest. All that said, if you want a wrist rest that is ONLY for home use, and if you want something about twice as wide (supporting more of you wrist and lower arm), and if you want a more foam cushioning that has the same amount of pliability, you may want to get the glorious gaming mouse pad, which is the one I use at home and ties with this for my favorite wrist rest. It is more expensive, and cloth so you have to keep it clean, but it is stitched and I think will last longer, and it has the bigger shape, which I think is more suitable for big desks and big pads that many PC gamers use these days.

wmk United States

Perfect wrist rest

I purchased this wrist-rest to use with a stand-up desk set-up. I had not used a wrist-rest previously when sitting, but have found this to be an advantageous tool whether standing or sitting. I bought the 18" model -- exactly the width of my Mac keyboard. Since I use an Apple Magic Trackpad positioned at the right end of my keyboard, I could have purchased the longest model and it would have extended the length of the keyboard and Trackpad, providing wrist support for the Trackpad as well. Something to consider if you have a similar set-up. This wrist-rest is extremely comfortable. The gel filling is firm but very soft. It comes with a thin plastic film covering the bottom of the item. Leave it on if you want the wrist-rest to slide easily back and forth with pressure from the heels of your hands (if such movement is desired), but take it off if you want the wrist-rest to remain stationary. The bottom (minus the plastic film) isn't adhesive so that it sticks to your desk, but "grippy" so it stays in place during normal use. My wrist-rest has no detectable odor during normal use (very faint vinyl smell if you press it against your nose -- not sure why anyone would use it that way, but hey -- ). Great product!

Reality Based Skeptic United States

A very nice wrist rest.

I really like this wrist rest. I purchased it mostly because I switched keyboards, from one that had an integrated wrist rest to one that didn't. I wanted a wrist rest that was the same length of my Lenovo keyboard and that was this one. I wanted a wrist rest that wasn't too deep because my keyboard is on a pull-out shelf and already comes pretty close to the edge. Also my keyboard has a sloping front edge that's about 1.5 inches wide. I discovered that I can drape this wrist rest over the edge of my keyboard to bring it closer to the keys and adjust it to suit me. I don't have to fasten it in place with Velcro or anything, it is heavy enough to stay in place by itself. The back of the wrist rest has a nice "tacky" surface so it stays in place exactly where I want it. The surface is nice and cushy and gel-feeling. Very glad I bought this. I use it more than I thought I would.

A-M United States

Great Support for Long Days at the Office

I bought this rest to help with wrist pain I am experiencing while using a mouse at work. I use CAD software and am typically using the mouse extensively from 8-12 hours per day. The pad is well made and should last a long time. It stays in place on the desk and is covered with a soft pleather type material. The wrist rest is filled with a gel like substance that allows the wrist to settle into a comfortable position. The material can be squished and moved around, but returns to its original shape quickly. It has just the right amount of "give" to it and supports the wrist well. It is easy to clean and resists stains well. I find that it is most comfortable to use if I use it off and on during the day. Overall, it has improved my wrist issues and expect it to last a long time.