Surfers: what are they and what are they for in a mouse ?? ️❓

Far from what you may think, this article is not about sun and waves. Many of you will recognize surfers if I point them out to you, but you may not know what they are just by name or their real relevance. Today in Professional Review we are going to show you how important they are. Let's go!

Index of contents

What are surfers

Surfers are extremely smooth and polished plastic pieces that we find at the base of our mouse. Generally it has a glossy black finish and its number usually varies between two to four units, although there may be cases when there are more.

What are they for

These pieces fulfill a very specific function: to reduce the friction force of the mouse when moving it over the mat. And you will think: friction force? What is this, a class in physics? well… we can say yes. The friction force is the one that exists between two surfaces in contact that opposes the relative movement. This in Christian refers to the friction or resistance that we find when moving the mouse on the table. The function of surfers is therefore to reduce it to the minimum possible.

When we use the mouse, we exert two forces:

• Weight: generally it is not an intentional effort but it is generated with the force and tension with which we hold and move the mouse. Movement: it is the directional force to move the mouse.

How do they work

Surfers are the direct contact surface between the mouse and the table or mat.

You will suppose that the smoother the surface the better, but… that is not exactly like that either. You will see, as Aristotle already said "In the middle point is virtue" . The thing is not to achieve an extremely sliding surface, but to have a comfortable friction force. You must think that if the mouse moves around our table without resistance we can obtain irregular or imprecise movements in our games or everyday use. After all, it is for this reason that mouse pads exist.

Factors that affect the performance of surfers

Surfers are smooth by default because it is easy for the user to put it on surfaces that are not so smooth. This is why they all have an almost identical touch and such similar shapes. It is easy to expect that the more surfers our mouse has the better it will move, but this is not necessarily the case. An uneven surface or rough mat are also setbacks that affect your mobility.

Another issue to consider is wear. Surfers are made of plastic and being made to make constant friction from here to there obviously leaves sequels. This is the reason why we should not use our mouse directly on our wooden table (for example) but on a fabric, plastic or similar mousepad .

Cloth mats are the most popular, not only because of the pleasant movement of the mouse on them, but also because the wear generated by surfers is much less than those made of plastic, aluminum or glass.

Position to observe the wear of surfers

To check the status of our surfers, all you have to do is turn the mouse and observe its edges or swipe your finger over them. If the surface is free of nicks, irregularities or scratches, they will be in good condition and will do their job well. Otherwise they will need a replacement.

Some brands are aware of this type of problem or the possibility that due to a blow the surfers “jump” out of the mold. For this reason it is possible to find replacements in the box of some mice, but this depends entirely on the consideration or generosity of the manufacturer.

We recommend reading the following guides:

In conclusion

We recommend that you treat your mice with care and try to use them on a suitable mat or surface. As a general rule they are very resistant and should last for many years. Despite their apparent delicacy, surfers are quite sturdy and not easy to wear.