Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Grovemade Introduces Extra-Large Felt Desk Pad and We Are Here For It

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re a regular reader of The Manual, you know Grovemade for its great design speakers made from wood, its phone cases and wooden watches, its streamlined and minimalist monitor shelves, and its cork-fronted wireless charging pad for smartphones. Now, the Portland-based company has added to its roster of felt desk pads the biggest yet: the XL Desk Pad.

Recommended Videos

Made from the same felt fans went crazy over before, this huge desk pad is large enough to cover all the workspace that is typically required of someone chained to his or her computer station all day.

“But, what are the benefits of using a desk pad? Because doesn’t it seem like a sort of superfluous thing to have on hand?”

To those questions, we answer: Many and no.

Grovemade Wool Felt Desk Pad Extra Large

Think of the XL Desk Pad as a landing place for all your work gear. It not only provides you a soft surface for writing on (that is, if you’re still even writing by hand), but it also serves as an organizational tool, helping to keep your various chargers, battery packs, mice, styluses, folders, and charging pads all contained in one area.

Other benefits? No need to use a cupholder, since the felt will absorb any moisture from sweating cups or glasses; no need for a mouse pad, since the desk pad will do the work for your; your keyboard won’t go sliding around your desktop since the felt will keep it securely in place; and even if you’re a total slob, having a desk pad makes you look like you have a place for everything and have everything in its place. Remember, illusion is sometimes more powerful than reality.

For more from Grovemade, check out the latest rendition of the famous wooden watch or check back with our podcast The Manual podcast in June when they will be giving us the lowdown on what it’s like to bootstrap a lifestyle brand from the ground up. To get yourself your own XL Desk Pad or to see Grovemade’s other, smaller versions, head over to the

brand’s website

.

Predator: Badlands is giving Predator fans the movie they’ve always wanted
The movie is set to hit theaters in November, years after the debut of Prey.
Elle Fanning in Predator Badlands

After the success of Prey, there's some new energy in the Predator franchise. What's even better for Predator fans, though, is that the next installment seems designed to give them something they've always wanted. Namely, a movie that follows a predator's POV.

In the first trailer for Predator: Badlands, a predator named Dek is exiled from his clan, only to meet a humanoid-looking life-form played by Elle Fanning. The two of them team up to take on something that "can't be killed," and a long the way, we get some pretty incredible looks at the homeworld of the predators.

Read more
The next Hunger Games movie has found its lead actors
The movie will be set 24 years before the original Hunger Games.
Sunrise on the Reaping cover

Following the success of Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest book in the Hunger Games series, Deadline is reporting that the film adaptation that is set to release in 2026 has found its lead actors. Joseph Zada will play Haymitch in the film, while Whitney Peak will play Lenore Dove, Haymitch's romantic partner.

The film will be set 40 years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister's place in the Hunger Games. The book follows Haymitch, the District 12 victor who mentors Katniss and Peeta, as he wins his own Games on their 50th anniversary.

Read more
The 9 best golf documentaries to watch this year
Here's a glimpse into the amazing history of golf, including how the sport has evolved
Tiger (HBO)

Depending on how you look at it, golf is either one of the simplest sports or one of the most complex. The objective is very easy to wrap your head around: This ball has got to wind up in a hole that's maybe a quarter mile away. Everything that happens after that, though, is where things get interesting. Of course, people who love golf love it for a wide array of reasons. Some people love the beautiful courses, while others love the stories behind their favorite players.
There are plenty of people who love golf but don't play it much themselves, and those are the people who this list is really for. Golf's full of amazing stories, and we've even gotten our fair share of great golf movies as a result. Sometimes, though, a documentary is an even better fit for a particular story set in the world of golf. As someone who doesn't play much golf but loves to watch it, these documentaries are right up my alley. They're the kinds of movies that can inspire and perplex you, and also remind you that at its best, golf is filled with legendary moments. These movies might not be on the shortlist for any awards, but that's only because sports documentaries are so recognized for how well they put stories together.
After careful consideration, we've brought you this list of the best golf documentaries you can stream now.

Full Swing (2023)

Read more