zlacker

They are L-TEK Ex Pro X. Shipped all the way from Poland!

They seem to work pretty well. Have been using them frequently for more than a year with no issues yet.

>>kenton+(OP)
Thanks, those were the main recommendation the last time I looked into it (a few years ago), good to hear you recommend them too!

>>kenton+(OP)
Is Stepmania still the go-to DDR clone? This is very nostalgic. :)

>>manbas+2U
To be honest I've been using the same Stepmania 3 installation for decades. Never updated to Stepmania 5 because the step chart format changed and I didn't want to find all the songs again. I have not kept up on recent developments.

>>kenton+(OP)
What do you use for the other controls? Start, select, exit, confirm... I have an older L-Tek and I really wish I had one with all nine step buttons (for other dance games) plus control button on top. Also kudos for not using a cheater bar :D. I don't see the old-school no-bar playing much anymore but I find it much more impressive.

>>garfie+KF7
I have a wireless keyboard nearby that I used to select songs.

Yeah I have never used the bar. Probably because I learned to play at home, starting on a basic foam pad, and so obviously didn't have the bar available.

>>jgeral+u3
L-Tek is probably the best option by far that is somewhat affordable.

Definitely penny-mod them too (just remove the panels, tape washers under the edge of each metal contact point - it makes the pads way more responsive and more fun to use).

You can also buy a portable barre bar on amazon, that's what I use. Super stable and easy to stow away. A bar lets you maintain form on crossovers/jumps, and I recommend for anyone not super casual (playing 12+).

Lastly, if you are really serious, you can buy a replica DDR pad from China for about 4-5k, or a used real pad for similar. The arcade feel is much better than L-Tek, but you need a lot of space for these. [1]

1: https://www.globalsources.com/Dance-pad/DDR-metal-dance-pads...