I ordered this one on Monday from ebay for $32. It's about $60 on Amazon and reviewers say it works well with Mac. I also picked up the 3 year SquareTrade warranty for $4 since some have had issues with the soft/foam pads dying after a while. Figured it didn't cost much and could be worth it!
Edit/Update: After receiving the pad, even though they look very similar, I believe the $30 eBay model is different from the $60 Amazon model. The foam is thin and flexible and arrived folded. From what I understand, the Amazon model’s thick foam must be assembled like a jigsaw puzzle.
https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Revolution-Energy-Deluxe-Playstation-2/dp/B000GHG0BA
Its actually a foam mat but is pretty easy to disassemble and assemble so mabye this will help
If you are completely new to DDR, that pad is ok. It will last you a few months to a year depending on use and environment. At that point you can decide if you want to invest in a firm or hard pad.
If you play standard/heavy and expect to be playing regularly, I'd recommend a firm pad like this. I don't use mine as much since I got an arcade machine but it still works after 3 years of moderate use.
There are some on amazon, these two both seemed promising
I ordered two of these and had issues with both and returned them, though now it's unavailable.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H1B9B6A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These seemed good but are expensive as hell and not prime eligible, which means returning them could be a bitch, so I've hesitated to order one, let me know if you fine one as I'm looking as well.
That’s what I assumed. Thank you.
On a related note, I have decided against the pad I put in the OP, and am instead leaning towards this one.
Any opinion on either of them? Or any other suggestions for that matter? If so, I’m all ears.
For foam insert softpads, DDRGame Energy. I used mine heavily for about two years and it still works six years later (currently used by a newer player who I gave it to). There appears to be some quality control issues on this pad based on accounts from other users on this sub. Still the most affordable firm pad I've used and one of few still available.
If you are talking about the thin softpads (~25 USD), I have no clue since I haven't purchased or used one since over a decade ago.
Unless you are already playing harder standard or heavy songs and want to achieve high scores, I would suggest getting a simple, less expensive mat to get started.
I haven't personally used the D-force pads, which can be found on Amazon, but I've heard good things! If you are willing to spend the ~$90 the foam pads offer some support for your legs compared to pads w/o foam. And from my experiences playing on carpet, foam pads slide less than pads w/o. The plain dance mats ($50) without padding are still fine for beginners, but may slide more and will give less cushion, especially on hardwood.
This is the foam pad I have currently ($57). It works very well despite some "ghosting" of the down button which can occasionally cause errors. But I'm not too concerned with getting perfect combos on my home machine. There are some cheaper dance mats out there on amazon, but quality can be questionable, so always check reviews before you purchase! And make sure it has a USB if you want to play with Stepmania.
If you decide to stick with the hobby and want to maximize your scores, only then would I suggest shelling out money for a hard mat or the effort of hardmodding. Have fun!
I really recommend foam pads. Right now I use the Super Deluxe Energy Pad from DDRgame/hyperkin.
It has foam inside of it, so it keeps its shape and doesn't move around on the floor as much as a cheap pad. The foam is definitely the most foot-friendly comfortable thing to play on. Just be careful that you get the super deluxe energy pad, they also sell a cheaper energy pad that doesn't have foam.
I'd recommend this, assuming that you are in the US. Mine's lasted for over six years (two years of heavy use by me and I'm not light), recently donated to a friend. It had Xbox, USB, and PS2 connectors and are reasonably priced for foam pads ($60). A number of people on this sub, myself included, have recommended this pad, though it appears that there is a non-trival amount of factory defects going by some posts on this sub and the Amazon reviews.
I'm using this currently as my home pad.
Pros:
Cons:
I've been using this for ~3 months and it still works pretty well. The sensors seem not quite as sensitive as they were on day 1 but it's still very usable.
^ the foam pad that I bought, after about four months of use the inserts (that started out raised) are wearing flat, and the inserts don't stay interlocked all the way, but still works fine and I'd recommend over one of the flatter plastic mats
I'm actually saving up for a Polish hard one myself, so can't say how they are yet, but I've only heard good things. Trouble is shipping costs quite a bit for me in the US.