I've tried a few keyboards like this. I can't seem to find anything better than the Kinesis Advantage. There is something about the placement of the keys that makes typing low effort.
I'd like to try some other options with key wells. Like the glove 80.
I have a kinesis advantage (first version), along with several ergodox variants and other odd split keyboards. I still think it's the best keyboard I have, with the biggest complaint being the crappy esc (and fn keys).
Aside from the key well, the integrated palm rest is a big factor of how the keyboard works. The ergodox variants all require to raise your hands to operate, or use a dumb palm rest. But the position of a normal palm rest doesn't work with the shape of these keyboards.
I also don't get why so many try to reach for the small form factor, literally shaving 1-2 cm and loosing a ton of keys and then spend time adding layers later with all the complexity that this entails. This is also something I'm not fond of the advantage 360 -- loosing the fn row (I would likely have upgraded otherwise).
I wasn't aware of the glove 80 - that's a very nice option. Thanks for mentioning this. Just looking at this (without trying), I instinctively prefer the thumb cluster of the kinesis due to the double-length keys: these allow to move your hands vertically and still allow the thumb to hit the key without flexing). Considering space/bk/enter is placed there, this is not a small point.
However, this might just be bias after years of kinesis use.
I also paid a ton between shipping & customs (imported as well).
I don't regret it though. If there was a reasonable EU reseller I would actually have bought a second.
I have been using ergodox keyboards for a long while, I did not like the kinesis advantage much (not split). The glove 80 looks interesting and I would try it were it not for the fact that switches are soldered.
I have an ergodox as well. I got one of the first infinity versions. There were a few issues with the USB connector but epoxy seems to have fixed that up.
I find that I like it but not as much as the advantage. It's harder to use. One of the problems is that I picked too stiff of a key type (MX clear). The other is that the keys are just a little further out of reach.
I like that I can customize it but I find that I don't use many of the features such as layers. I really don't like that I have to use layers to access the F keys. I use F2 all the time to rename things, and F5 to refresh webpages. One extra modifier key is not much but it seems to make the experience much worse for me.
I like that it's split so I can set it to my wider than normal shoulders but I don't like that it keeps moving. That seems to throw off my muscle memory of where the keys are. I'm in the process of making a fixed mount to correct for that.
I 3D printed the default case in the repo - I'm yet to start poking around with customising the parameters and OpenSCAD but eventually I'd like to be able to make the case to fit my hands perfectly (as it stands the default thumb cluster on the 5x6 keyboard is a bit large for me).
Yes, but for it to function you have to solder them. I meant hot-swappable switches. On the ergodox, I have kept the same base and I just keep on replacing the switches as needed.
I'd like to try some other options with key wells. Like the glove 80.