Why I'm giving up on my Moonlander Keyboard after 6 months of use

You have angered the moonlanders .... now you must read walls of comfortably written text!!!

I've been using the moonlander for about 6 months as well. Learned Colemak on it and made the perfect layouts for coding and productivity. I also disagree with your problem with constantly modifying layouts. To me it's a game changer since it's up to the individual and his needs. I believe, if your constantly modifying than the root of the problem isn't the learning curve of the new layout, but the fact that you keep switching it. Constant change is bad to begin with. Really sit down and try to make the layouts to your needs. Love my layout and only modify it to add shortcuts, or when I learn new tricks, such as hitting one key to spit open tabs in half, or adding apps to one click shortcuts. Hope you stick with it. One thing I do agree with you is the beginning learning curve, but it's actually fun, typing isn't boring anymore XD.

Wow that's crazy, all the things you pointed out are why I love it. I usually think pretty carefully about my keyboard layouts, so the problem you had with constantly modifying it has never popped up. If anything I think it's a great problem to have, especially if you're able to change something on your keyboard that bothers you. The gui modifier is fantastic to change things like this on the fly. It's interesting to see someone else's opinion, nice video!

I am neither a programmer, nor a person with knowledge or interest on keyboards. However, I started having issues with carpal tunnel. I bought my first moonlander as a way to reduce the wrist pain. It actually helped alot. I set it up in a way that by pressing twice in the numbers, they give you the symbols. I travel alot ( every week). it is true that you cannot use it while traveling, but I do use it in meetings, it became quite efficient. Now I have just bought a second one, that one will stay in my office, and the first one for home. I think your points are totally valid, but I would still use at least half of it for gaming, if I were your. cheers.

My wife got it and my main issue is like you said, if you hit it slightly it moves and you have to readjust. You can buy the platform for a more solid mount though.

Moonlander just arrived. Flashed to Colmak DH and loving it for coding . Planning layers for the right side for Blender, Zbrush, Maya, Substance Painter. Left hand operates Wacom pen.

Something I've been using as a transitional tool in preparation for additional layers on the Moonlander is TouchCursor in Windows (I think there's an equivalent for Mac / Linux?). Holding down my spacebar functions like a "Function" key on a laptop, giving me an extra layer on my regular keyboard - and brings all the other keys that I use frequently, right under and next to my home row. I use my right hand for my trackball (Elecom Huge, wonderful so far) - so to balance out the workload, I moved a number pad under my left hand (I do a lot of numbers entry), have arrow keys under my right home row, plus all the extras - Insert, Delete, Home, End, etc... right where I can easily reach them without moving my hands from the home position - even gave me something to do with my Caps Lock key. It feels fantastic - the only thing I move my hand for is to use the trackball. Designing and learning this extra layer on the board has been an iterative process, lots of tweaking like he's describing on the Moonlander - but I can take the config file onto any machine running TouchCursor and have the same experience. I think this has been a really invaluable transitional tool for moving into layers on a mechanical keyboard, and a rewarding journey. For some extra background, I have been typing a Dvorak layout for around 15 years (had some RSI issues in college, this shift away from Qwerty cleared it up for me) and have been using a Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard for a while - so reprogramming my mind's keymap is something I had some experience with. Taking inspiration from Ben Vallack's YouTube videos, I got a Moonlander and am currently working on a 20-key layout (based on ISRT) to minimize finger travel as much as possible.

7:40, totally agree. Thanks for the video

When I changed keyboards a bit over a year ago I was switching to ortho and a much smaller keyboard so I decide to switch layouts to something new as well. I decided that if I was going to go through the learning curve of a new board, I might as well try something more radical and get the pain all done an over with at once. After I had about a month of practice on it I was still bad but getting better and I started using the qwerty board at work so that I would retain those skills as well as the new ones I was developing. Overall I've had a great time with it, and can't wait to go split board since that's largely how my layout exists now. I hope that all these months later you've found something you love to type with.

Honestly after modifying my Moonlander a lot, I eventually stopped. There was just no more need to modify as I reached the peak of what I wanted. One things I go into my layout now is to add new functionality. I feel the only keyboard that I would even consider outside of Moonlander now is one with either more thumb keys or one where each key has a screen which would make some stuff that I don't remember by memory easier to understand.

When I was younger, the first keyboard on the market that was similar to this was the Nostromo n52, which these remind me of. I loved that thing, but it was a hassle for 2 months, trying to go back to a regular keyboard.

I've been pretty happy with the default layout, I've made a few mods now, namely, having another layer for working on Mac laptops/Mac Mini.

I also went from a kinda natural keyboard (Alice/Arisu layout) to a Moonlander and I do not share your experience in regard to the additional keys towards the inner sides of the split parts. I just have some more keys in the middle. But I completely understand your wish to move it all one column towards the center to get a similar configuration as on a natural keyboard. I have set up my Moonlander really wide, ever so slightly wider than shoulder width, and I angle the split parts very slightly outward, only a few degrees. The main reason for getting the Moonlander is my CTS in both wrists, RSI in my right arm, and my back/shoulder/neck pain. Having it set up at shoulder width with tenting is so much better for me. Also, I'm using a vertical mouse that I have put right in front of me, between the two keyboard parts. This is also a way more relaxed mouse position for me personally.

I’ve had my moonlander for 6months too and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. All my hand and forearm pain has gone away, I’ve learned colemak and I enjoy typing on it.

I used the Cloud Nine, I love it so much I got two of them, and is not as pricey still split, mecanical and I dont need to rewire my brain all around, besides the cloud nine comes with the numpad too

Did you try the Tap-XR? It would work fine on the train.

I also felt like this, im a programmer so i use all my keys. I bought blanks and now I use 36keys over two layers. its okay to hate it for a long time, just practice 10-20 mins aday on blank keys. You will smash it!

Too bad this keyboard didn’t work out for you. But hey, at least now you know! Thanks for the helpful review!

Same problem, I need to take my laptop everywhere is annoying to set up, end up going back to kinesis adventage 2 or a bluetooth keyboard it depend what I'm feeling. I move a lot but is me using the laptop at home or at work place so I'm not realy worry about taking up lot of space.

Good insights. I think you saved me a bunch money!