Pulsar is not pulling at any stops releasing new gaming gear. On top of the impressive Supergrip grip tape, Pulsar has just released their new eS Arm Sleeve, designed for eSports professionals and enthusiasts. Pulsar eS Arm Sleeve retails for US$14.95, and has up to 7 variants to choose from. The units I have for review in this article are:
- ES Arm Sleeve Arm Long – Size M
- ES Arm Sleeve Finger Long – Size M
Why get a gaming sleeve
The main purpose is for consistent aim, as the contact between your mouse pad and the sleeve is kept constant with minimal variables. This helps to provide a consistent feel on your forearm. If you have hairy forearms, you may want to consider getting a arm sleeve for gaming to reduce friction. Also, it helps to reduce sweat from getting on to your mousepad.
Build quality and user experience
The material of the eS Arm Sleeve is really comfortable due to its thin material that also has a slight cooling sensation it. Wearing this for hours when gaming didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. The elasticity on the eS Arm Sleeve was also nicely tensioned so it didn’t feel overly tight.
I also like the clean and understated design of the arm sleeve. The ends of the arm sleeve features a band to strengthen grip and prevent it from slipping. There doesn’t seem to be any visible stitching on these, so I can only assume they are hidden really well or they are joined via fabric glue.
ES Arm Sleeve Arm Long
I personally preferred using the eS Arm Sleeve Arm Long as I mainly gaming on a cloth-based Artisan FX Zero mouse pad.
The surface at my wrist didn’t cause any interruptions in my mouse movement. I liked having my forearm covered so it feels more comfortable when resting against the edges of the mouse pad. I generally felt an increase in the consistency and control in my arm movements compared to playing without.
ES Arm Sleeve Finger Long
The eS Arm Sleeve Finger Long variant will cover your palm and a slight portion of your pinky finger. You should get this variant of the arm sleeve if your hands tends to sweat, and if you’re using a glass mouse pad. Also, this would suit a fingertip or claw grip as your palm would have contact on your mouse pad.
Using the eS Arm Sleeve with a glass mouse pad will provide very low friction between your arm and mouse pad. If you’re an arm aimer and have a large range of motion, the eS Arm Sleeve combined with the glass mouse pad can let you dial in quicker and more accurate movements.
I tested the eS Arm Sleeve Finger Long with three cloth mouse pads to feel the “friction” against each cloth surface. The cloth mouse pads in the test are:
- Artisan FX Zero (Soft)
- Steelseries Qck
- Logitech G240
Out of the three mouse pads, the Artisan FX Zero had the most friction with the the arm sleeve. If you’re a high sens player and use the Artisan FX Zero, you might not want to use an arm sleeve with a palm cover. The eS Arm Sleeve Arm Long variant works fine with it. Logitech G240 was the smoothest of them all, and is definitely usable with the a palm covered arm sleeve.
Conclusion
The Pulsar eS Arm Sleeve is a high quality arm sleeve that offers a comfortable fit with cooling fabric. If your arm tends to contact your mouse pad or table a lot when gaming, you should consider getting an arm sleeve as the reduced friction with the table or mouse pad does provide you a more consistent feel and aim.
There is a total of 7 variants to choose from, so there should definitely be one that fits you preference and play style.