Reviewed by the Jiu Jitsu Hobbyist
23 December 2023
Overall Rating
The Origin Raw Edge Leather Mouse Pad is a premium American-made product that has the look and feel of a top-quality product. Despite its high quality, it does have a couple of areas of opportunity that keep it from a 5-star rating.
| Pros | Cons |
| Quality | Mouse Use Performance |
| Design | Initial Chemical Smell |
| American Made | Cost |
| Connection to Jiu Jitsu |
Why I Bought the Origin Raw Edge Leather Mouse Pad
I primarily work from home at a desk job on the computer for an entire shift. I used the same cheap o mouse pad for about 7 years. The mouse pad was worn out and had multiple drinks and food spilled on it over the years. Over the years I’ve come to realize that it is usually a good thing to spend money on quality products that make you happy when they are used frequently. With the shape of my old mouse pad I thought now was the time to replace it with a cool quality mouse pad.
I currently wear Origin GIs and one day while perusing their site I was pleasantly surprised to see that they offered leather mouse pads. I was in the process of buying a new rash guard and GI and thought why not try upgrading my mouse pad with a Jiu Jitsu company’s product whose items I’ve loved in the past.
What is the Origin Raw Edge Leather Mouse Pad
The Origin Raw Edge Leather Mouse pad is a 100% cowhide full-grain tanned leather mouse pad. It measures 9” X 8” and is tanned with high oil and wax that will patina over time with use.
How I tested the Origin Raw Edge Leather Mouse Pad
I work from home at a desk job where I use my keyboard and mouse for about 8 hours a day 5 days a week. I use an optical wireless mouse on a wooden desk. Before writing this product review I’ve been testing the mouse pad for about a month.
What I liked about the Origin Raw Edge Leather Mouse Pad
- American Made
- Looks nice
- Feels high quality
- Reminds me of Jiu Jitsu throughout the day
I like that the product is 100% sourced and made in the United States. It feels good to support an American-made company that strives to source and produce high-quality products. When I received the mouse pad my first impression was that it had some weight to it and overall felt like a high-quality mouse pad. The leather was soft and tuff at the same time while having nice stitching around the border and a nice Origin logo embossed in one of the corners. The mouse pad looked great on my desk.
What I disliked about the Origin Raw Edge Leather Mouse Pad
- Had a strong chemical smell initially
- My mouse was a bit sticky at first when moving around the pad
- My mouse pad would sometimes move around my desk while moving the mouse
- The cost is high compared to other mouse pads
When I first unpackaged the mouse pad it had a strong chemical smell to it. Origin says that it uses high tanning oil and wax when producing the pad and I’m sure that was the source of the smell. After about a week of use, the smell did go away. The biggest drawback of this mouse pad is the stickiness of the mouse on the top of the pad and the smoothness of the bottom of the mouse pad. When I use the mouse continuously, the mouse pad moves around my desk. I do think this is probably a temporary issue that will go away as the leather breaks in and patinas. The top has gotten smoother over a month of use and the slippage is less, but I will still probably put some no-slip material under the mouse pad. I think a non-slip material should be put on the bottom of the leather mouse pad to begin with. Cost is also a consideration as this is a full leather premium product, it costs more than the run-of-mill mouse pads. Origin does run many sales throughout the year and I got an excellent black Friday deal when I bought this mouse pad.
Jiu Jitsu Hobbyist Recommendation
Overall, I like the Origin Raw Edge mouse pad. It looks great on my desk and it reminds me of Jiu Jitsu throughout the day. Once I put a grippy pad under the mouse pad and the stop broke in performance concerns went away. If you need a mouse pad upgrade and like high-quality American-made Jiu Jitsu you will like this mouse pad. 4 stars!