GLSSWRKS Hana—The Queen of Control Glass
The basics of Hana
GLSSWRKS Hana is a pad that was released by GLSSWRKS in Q4 of 2024. At $149, it’s not the cheapest glass pad, but there’s a good reason. Tekkusai, the owner of GLSSWRKS, has written a detailed post about this topic. The base production price of this pad is $48 and additionally there’s the cost of skates, packaging, and shipping, which isn’t cheap. That does not include anything else about the company, from the animations that were uniquely made for Hana to the artist who helped design them. The goal of this pad is to have a controlled glass surface, and I’m going to dive into the depths of this pad and my experience of using it over the past 4 months.
Unboxing Experience
The GLSSWRKS Hana comes in an extremely well-made box that has a magnetic latch. I was super surprised to experience that, and it made the unboxing experience feel more high quality. When you open the box, you are presented with a card and the pad itself with a protective sheet covering it. You immediately notice the significant improvement in clarity compared to the previous releases from GLSSWRKS; it surpasses the clarity of the Kazemi and Akari models by a significant margin. You will be surprised at how light the pad is compared to other glass mousepads when you take it out of the box. Underneath the pad, you are presented with a cutout that holds a pair of silver Fox skates with custom Hana packaging and a microfiber cloth that also has Hana branding on it.
When I took this pad out of the box, I noticed its thinness, weight, and clarity. Hana’s glass is only 2mm thick, or 3mm if you include the base. It stands in stark contrast to many other glass pads, which are noticeably heavier and thicker. It makes it easy to move around, but don’t be afraid of it not sticking to the desk, as it comes with a custom base featuring the GLSSWRKS logo. The background is more glossy and has almost a mirror effect, whereas the logo is more matte to make it stand out. The pad itself sticks to the desk extremely well, and you practically have to pry it off with your fingernails to get it off. It does pick up a lot of dirt, though, but you can wipe it away with a wet cloth pretty easily.
Summary of first impressions:
- The magnetic latch makes the unboxing feel more high quality.
- The card note on top is holographic and provides a QR code to a pretty cool video.
- The pad is extremely thin and light, almost half the weight of the Kazemi.
- The colors immediately pop, and the clarity is unmatched by its predecessors.
- The Silver Fox skates with custom packaging are a nice touch.
- The entire experience feels extremely high quality and, in general, premium.
Hana’s Surface
Hana is said to be a controlled glass surface; it is the lowest r/a of any of the GLSSWRKS pads, meaning that it is also the smoothest. After testing the Kazemi and Akari, I found that Hana surpasses both of them in terms of smoothness. The result is the smoothest glass pad I have ever experienced out of over 11 different glass pads that I own. People might assume that the smoothness of this pad means it lacks grip. Actually, the pad’s friction pushes against you instead of slowing you down with its texture. I feel the best way to explain this is that when you push your mouse across the pad, it feels like wind is pushing your hand back, slowing you down in the process instead of going supersonic across the pad. It is like nothing I have experienced with a glass pad and probablyIt’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced with a glass pad, and it’s certainly one of my favorite mousepad experiences overall. Hana), which allows for there to be that smooth and precise glide that makes it feel like you’re playing against the wind.
Long-Term Use
I have had issues in the past with glass pads slowly gaining slow spots on them, and it has been a big issue for large flicks that take over your entire mousepad, with the middle being slower than the sides, but I haven’t had this experience in the four months of use of the Hana, and in general, my experience has been amazing when it comes to this pad. Beforehand, I used the Kazemi frequently, but after using this pad, there hasn’t been a single pad that has made me stop maining this mousepad. It provides a buttery smooth surface that doesn’t stick or require me to use a sleeve; it allows me to make easy micro adjustments and not overflick due to the wind-like feeling it gives me, and it contrasts well with most skates in my experience, from Ghostglides Edgerunners to Silverfoxs to Obsidian Airs and many more. Honestly, the included Silverfoxes have probably been my favorite skates to use on this pad, but they struggle to maintain speed over long-term use. I don’t really have any critiques for this pad besides some sensor issues on some mice that cause skipping due to Hana’s clarity, but besides that, it has allowed me to fully main Glass and, in general, just have an amazing experience.
Summary/Pros and Cons
+Premium Unboxing Experience
+Extreme clarity and beautiful colors on the pad
+Extremely low static friction and high smoothness allowing for easy movement but precise micro adjustments
+Lightweight and thin, allowing for easy transport and lifting
+Custom base that sticks well to the desk and doesn’t slide
+ Extra bonuses, like skates and a microfiber cloth, that allow for a more premium experience.
+Long-lasting and no slowdown in speed over time
=Price (149$), not the worst price, but at the same time extremely expensive for some
-Some mouse skipping issues, rare and only on some mice, more of a firmware issue due to Hana being so clear
– If you get dust/dirt on the base, it’s a bit annoying as it sticks well to it and you have to clean it.
