Comparing to a competitor product the Ulti-mat is approximately the same size however the surfaces are quite a bit different. Coming in at approximately 12.0" x 10.0", there is plenty of space to navigate any input device. While the eXactMat has dual sides and can be flipped over, the Ulti-mat does not require dual surfaces and therefore does not have that option. While both surfaces attract finger prints, the Ulti-mat is prone to finger prints and smudges and should be wiped clean with a clean cloth from time to time for premium performance.

The Ulti-mat is heavier than most pads we have used, but that doesn't mean that’s a hindrance. This fact will aid in keeping the Ulti-mat secure to table or desk, keeping it from sliding and moving during game play or work. Now we are going to check out the Skates.

The Mouse Skates are essentially PTFE tape (Teflon tape) and this will assist in making the mouse you use glide effortlessly a cross the Ulti-mat. You get three strips so that you can repair and replace the PTFE tape a number of times. If you cut the strips just right you can treat a similar mouse as show below, with up to six full sets of skates.

The yellow side of the PTFE tape is the backing and that is the part you will discard after use. The tan or light brown color is the PTFE surfaces which are the skates themselves. Once you peel back the yellow liner, you just install the skates as shown below. I busted out the scissors and fabricated my new skates with a few chops coming from the Fiskars.

Here we see a close-up of the Ulti-mat Skates installed on a IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 USB mouse. This was a simple task only requiring a pair of scissors and about 2-3 minutes to complete the job. These skates will make a big difference according to Ulti-mat, making the mouse "skate" a cross the Ulti-mat with effortless precision.

Since the Teflon tape is applied to the IntelliMouse, I wanted to see if these things jived up to the hype and compared them to one of the worlds best gaming mice. After all the Diamondback Plasma uses Teflon Zero Acoustic skates, so what's better for the Ulti-mat surface? Well read on and find out...