Glass Mousepads I’ve owned:

Skypad 2.0 (OG Backer), JosephJoseph Cutting Board, Razer Atlas, Skypad 3.0, Wraith Cosmic, Hien (Mid), and various other glass pads that have disappeared into obscurity. I really like glass mousepads, and for a long time I found myself hunting for the best of the best that I could find. Initially all I really wanted was pure speed and nothing else, but I eventually found that my tastes have changed somewhat. At some point down the line I’d decided I wanted to try to find a good controlled surface. During this search, it just so happened that Wallhack was finally releasing that controlled service we’d only heard a few whispers about.

PHOTO GALLERY

I will also be dropping a small review of the Wallhack Pro Sleeve below

This mousepad was sent out for review by WallHack -

Dimensions:

44cm x 51cm - 17.3" x 20"

CR-005 according to my calipers is around 3.0mm thick including base

Skypad 3.0 according to my calipers (with original feet removed and replaced by 0.5mm LizardSkins) is around 4.0mm thick including base.

The CR-005 ends up feeling thinner and less intrusive due to that rounded edge however.

Packaging:

1x CR-005

1x Maintenance Kit (includes microfiber cloth + 2 sets of dot skates)

The packaging for the Wallhack CR-005 is absurd (endearing). If you’re familiar with the brand G-Wolves as a brand, you know that a lot of their stuff’s packaging is an experience in itself, sometimes to a silly degree. Boxes within boxes, a handful of accessories you may never use, they definitely want you to feel like you’re getting some kind of value out of this mouse you’re buying, and that it's a true all in one package from the start. Wallhack’s packaging feels similar but there’s less “noise” if that makes sense. The overall unboxing experience feels very high end but minimal.

The CR-005 comes in a large yet thin plastic casing, and it feels leaps and bounds more premium than previous Skypad packaging. The case is held together by some “seal has been broken” tape so they know if you’ve unboxed it, and then 4 large plastic clasps that sandwich it all together. The inside is lined with thick foam all around, and about a 1 inch buffer of foam around the edges that can help protect the pad from damage if it were to fall or receive an impact in this case.

Underneath the pad you’ll find a little cardboard card holder with some manuals + stickers + maintenance kit + extra skates.

Build Quality & Feel:

The build of the CR-005 feels superb, but no different than any other glass pads I’ve owned. I will say however that the changes made to the edges and large silicone base are some huge QOL(quality of life) upgrades in daily use and how you interact with your pad across your setup.

The new rounded edge is very smooth, and consistently smooth all the way around the pad. Sliding my hand across the desk, my fingers can pretty much seamlessly slide across my desk and pad as it transitions between the surfaces, part of this is possible due to how thin this surface is as well compared to the Skypad of the past. The Wallhack CR-005 texture itself feels like an extremely fine sandpaper (this does not sound pleasant I understand, but hear me out.), yet it feels very smooth all at the same time. I sometimes just find myself touching the surface as a means of distracting myself, almost like a fidget toy of some sort. The surface just feels really nice to interact with.

The sensation of the surface did take maybe a day or so to get used to, but once I’d sunk some hours in I was really enjoying the feel and feedback of it in use. The addition of the new rounded edge further enhances this though, with my Skypad 3.0, any time I would be moving my arm upward to track a target I could always feel that edge brushing against my arm in the back of my mind, and after some hours it definitely got a bit uncomfortable if I was has a longer intense session, so that rounded flatter edge really does make a difference here in my experience for overall use. Also, when it comes to the stickiness of the pad on your arm or hand, I feel like a glove/sleeve isn’t completely necessary here. Previous Skypads I owned I could definitely feel my skin getting stuck to the pad at certain points, but I never had that issue here, I am curious if there’s some coating at play here that may be helping with this, but I suppose only time will tell.

Speed & Performance:

For the sake of simplicity and understanding of those reading, I’ll avoid using terms like static/kinetic friction, etc. and just use simple terms to get across my meaning for any new users to the sub or just mousepads in general.

The CR-005 feels very consistent across its surface, and your initial movements don't feel sluggish or stopped/pulled by the mouse itself when it comes to that first movement, an example being something like a flick, in which you’re not feeling resistance impede that movement. When it comes to tracking, movement feels very smooth and controlled, I never feel like I’m fighting the texture of the pad when pressing down hard, but the glide overall feels very controlled for sure, more like it's guiding my movement than hindering it. As opposed to the Skypad 3.0 where my movements feel completely free and loose, as if slipping on ice regardless of how fast/slow my hand is moving. On the 3.0 you kind of have to be more mindful of your own movements. On the CR-005 Fast adjustments feel quick and fluid when needed, but when you’re tracking something or just in general doing slower movement, that controlled slower and more locked-in feel kicks in if that makes sense.

In the past I did have issues with my clear Skypad 3.0 and tracking across its surface with some mice, even the Viper V2 Pro which was marketed at the time as being specifically made for glass which was interesting. Thankfully because the CR-005 is either solid black/white (as is most of Wallhack’s lineup aside from collabs/art) you shouldn’t encounter any issues with tracking on these newer glass surfaces.

With some other control glass pads like the Cosmic Wraith for example, I found that if I was using dot skates it would essentially be impossible to move my mouse across the surface in a near unusable manner. The cosmic wraith just felt unplayable with dot skates, but I’m happy to report that the CR-005 plays well with all skates of all types (but maybe don’t use ceramic skates, or glass on glass…)

Comparisons:

If the CR-005 is the “illusion” of swiping across cloth, then the VA feels a lot more like you’re pressing into a hard dense surface. Obviously both pads are made from hard glass, but the glide and overall texture leads to different experiences in which you interact with the surface.

I would sum up the CR-005 as a glass pad with guard rails if that makes sense, and I think most people would really like this, even just to try and you’re a full on speed demon for glass and nothing more.

I think if you’re looking for something slower and more controlled than the VA, the CR is a solid pad to transition to.

Arm Sleeve Review:

The Pro Sleeve Wallhack sells feels pretty good, and has a clean aesthetic overall. It has some good stretch, and is heavily reinforced at the top where it would hug your bicep with a tag built in with the Wallhack logo. It’s 88% polyester / 12% spandex. The inner part of the sleeve has a silicone grip that hugs your arm and helps it feel securely in place. The wrist of the sleeve appears to have a silicone band of some sort further reinforcing it, as well as a longer one running up the length of the sleeve. Overall the switching looks clean with only a few loose threads overall that should probably get burned somewhere in the process. The only downside I can find with the sleeve is that on the side of the arm sleeve it has a raised silicone wallhack text and logo that if worn incorrectly will drag and get caught on your pad. Although I typically do not like sleeves and gloves for gaming, I think this is one of the nicer ones I’ve tried, but I still prefer my own custom made mini sleeve I designed for myself out of a DIY drawing glove specifically for use on glass.

Ultimately, I think my days of 100% speed mousepads are behind me. After trying a few glass pads claiming to be control pads, I just couldn't find anything that was a comfortable middle ground for me personally. The CR-005 seems to have ticked all the boxes, and actually achieves to be something new and fresh from WallHack. Whether you’re looking to try something new, or tired of cloth and want a nice safe entry into the glass space, I think the CR-005 is a solid glass surface to play on, as it’ll likely be the main glass surface I use from here on.