Office Depot/staples Desktop Writing Pad.

[LWW]

They both sell what appears to be the identical item.

 

COST/VALUE:

 

$30 to $35 depending on the size selected. Mine is the 20 X 36, which actually measures 19 X 35. Measures 5/32 thick including foam pad, and this is after 15 years. All measurements in inches. Due to it's low cost and long life I would assign it 10/10.

 

MATERIALS:

 

Very thin foam backing, just enough to keep the writing pad from floating around the desktop. The top writing surface Is made of rhinolin, which is the same product sprayon truck bedliners are made from. 9.5/10.

 

BUILD QUALITY:

 

Ptetty much bulletproof. After 15 years the bottom foam is getting a bit sketchy right at the edges where it is exposed to the environment, but not nearly bad enough to warrant replacement. This wear in invisible from above, and was only discovered when I recently refinished my desk surface. The top writing surface looks as if it just came out of the packaging other than one scuff which has no effect on performance. 9.5/10.

 

FUNCTIONALITY:

 

This is where it shines. Not an extremely hard surface, but hard enough IMHO for this application. It has just enough compression to alleviate writing fatigue, but not enough to feel as squishy as a desktop blotter can feel. It avoids the elbow on desktop fatigue entirely. It's flat black appearance casts no glare or reflection under any circumstance that I have encountered, and my office has 4 daylight bulbs overhead and both an east and west facing window.

 

I like lots of light and this has never created even the slightest issue, even though the desk surface itself is quite shiny.

 

As to temperatures, this is quite the odd thing in that it never seems to get warm even sitting in bright sunlight and being flat black.

 

It is somewhat like marble in that it always feels slightly less tan room temperature to the touch. 10/10.

 

APPEARANCE:

 

This may be te deal breaker for some, it isn't fancy at all. It's thin presentation and flat black color seems to go better with darker woods/colors and it, IMHO, goes better with either an art deco or contemporary setting. My office is a combination of late Victorian and early art deco and it works well to my taste. Others have referred to it in this setting as anywhere from understated elegance to standing out like a sore thumb.

 

For the aforementioned reasons I will assign it a 5 of 10, knowing that the individual viewer might assign a value significantly higher ... or lower .... than this.

 

WOULD I PURCHASE AGAIN:

 

Without qualm nor trepidation. In fact, in spite of my frugal nature, I'm considering a purchaser of the larger 24 X 38.

 

I hope this has helped a fellow penman/penlady somewhere.

Edited June 10, 2012 by LWW

[LWW]

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a247/lww/Office/Desktop003.jpg

[LWW]

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a247/lww/Office/Desktop002.jpg

 

Taken from a side view.

[LWW]

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a247/lww/Office/Desktop001.jpg

 

Taken from in front of the desk.

[Gcouch]

That's the same one I have to protect my glass desktop. I'd give it an overall 10/10 as I'd imagine you would.

[LWW]

That's the same one I have to protect my glass desktop. I'd give it an overall 10/10 as I'd imagine you would.

If you want eye candy, it's probably not a great choice.

 

If you want functional excellence, I don't know what would beat it.

[stano679]

Out of curiosity, what are the pens you have on your desk? Are your Montblancs that color or is it the flash/photography?

 

Thanks!

[LWW]

Out of curiosity, what are the pens you have on your desk? Are your Montblancs that color or is it the flash/photography?

 

Thanks!

 

They are black MB pens plus a WACOM BAMBOO stylus for the iPad, and flash was used rather than set up a tripod indoors.

 

Photos taken with a D50 and SB600 flash.

Edited June 29, 2012 by LWW

[PJohnP]

If you want functional excellence, I don't know what would beat it.

 

 

I'd have to heartily agree with this comment.

 

I have one of these pads on my home study desk and another on my office desk, respectively eighteen and twelve years old, and they're still holding up extremely well. The office one has a couple of marks from some white-out that took a bit of the surface when scraped off, but it's otherwise unmarred from a serious period of use. The home study one is older, but still looks very neutrally smart (I think the matte black colour of these is understatedly elegant, actually).

 

I've actually wondered about putting this material into a portable writing desk surface or a custom-built desk.

 

 

 

 

John P.

[wkiffin]

Nice layout

[LWW]

Thanks.

[Physalis]

Thanks for this review. You brought to my attention a product which I was totally unaware of! I very much like that your pad has has held up for so long. Went out and got one myself, it's great.

[LWW]

Thanks for this review. You brought to my attention a product which I was totally unaware of! I very much like that your pad has has held up for so long. Went out and got one myself, it's great.

 

Thanks for the kind words, and i'm glad I could help another forum member.