Thickness
Anyone who has ever used any of the QcK pads can tell you about one of the most unique features they offer. If you are used to using a Supermat or comparable pad, you are amazed with how thin the QcK’s are. This is not the case with the Heavy. One of the first things you will notice when taking this pad out of its packaging, is just how thick the pad really is. While it is three times as thick as its QcK brethren, at 6mm (about a quarter of an inch), it is even thicker than the DKT pad or Supermats.

Why make a pad so thick? According to the folks over at SteelSeries, the QcK Heavy was designed to provide a uniquely soft feel as well as provide an even surface at all times. While all of the other pads from SteelSeries are designed to make the pad as thin, and as close to the table surface as possible, this pad provides a similarly smooth surface, when used on even the most beat up table tops.

To test this out, the pad was placed over a dented and scratched piece of plywood. Just as advertised, the QcK Heavy provided a uniform feel, despite the ruggedness and imperfections of the plywood surface.

One of the things which make cloth pads so wonderful, is the ability to have them hang over the edge of your desk about an inch or two. Using the pad in this manner really helps demonstrates why a thick pad might be useful. The extra padding really eased the strain on the wrist and forearm, especially during some marathons, best of three matches, 10-man episodes.


Feel
Due to the unique thickness of this pad, it delivered a soft, almost delicate feeling. To the touch, the surface feels just as smooth and quick as the other Qck’s, but as soon as a mouse is deployed, the sponge-like feeling of the thick padding changes the entire character of the pad. The best way to describe it would be writing in a notebook on your lap, compared to writing on a single sheet over a hard desk. The mouse almost feels like it “digs in” to the cloth, although the smooth surface of the pad helps to eliminate the feeling of drag.

If the QcK Heavy was placed in a lineup with other cloth pads, it would fall somewhere between the DKT pad, and the other QcK’s. Since the surface is the same as the other QcK’s, it glides a bit faster than the DKT pad.

Size
The QcK Heavy is simply gargantuan. Removing it from its packaging is comparable to unrolling a picnic blanket. If you have an entire desk worth of empty space, and desire to use an in-game sensitivity of one and a Windows sensitivity of one, then this is the pad for you. With normal settings, you will NEVER run out of room, even when performing the patented, “bootman flickshot.” If you have limited space, then you may want to consider a smaller pad or you can pull out mommy’s sewing shears and cut this bad boy up (although this isn’t recommended).