Ursa Keycaps: A New Topre Switch Experience
▼ Summary
– Ursa keycaps are a new option for Topre electrocapacitive keyboards like the HHKB, which previously had limited keycap choices.
– These keycaps feature white-on-black spherical caps with crisp legends and a comfortable, well-defined typing surface.
– Preorders are shipping in November, with extras available for purchase on October 30th at 5am Eastern time.
– Ursa keycaps come in multiple color options, including cream-and-grey, black with white legends, and a limited-edition retro-inspired design.
– Pricing starts at $80 for an HHKB set, and the keycaps offer an affordable, high-quality upgrade without requiring keyboard modification.
For Topre keyboard enthusiasts, finding high-quality, stylish keycaps has often been a frustrating challenge. Ursa keycaps now provide a fresh alternative for owners of Happy Hacking Keyboards, Realforce models, and other boards using Topre electrocapacitive switches. Until recently, these users were mostly limited to basic OEM-profile PBT caps in standard colors like grey or white, with even simple black keycaps featuring white legends being unavailable for unmodified Topre keyboards.
The Ursa keycap design introduces a welcome change to this landscape. After first being announced during a group buy earlier in 2024, these caps are now becoming available, with preorders shipping in November and remaining inventory going on sale October 30th.
Having tested a nearly final version of the white-on-black Ursa set for several weeks, they stand out as an excellent upgrade for Topre users. The scooped spherical keycaps offer a comfortable typing experience with well-defined edges that aren’t overly sharp. A subtle texture on the typing surface provides good grip, while the centered legends appear crisp and properly aligned, echoing the aesthetic of classic SA and DSA profiles without directly copying them. The stems on these caps demonstrate better stability than some other aftermarket options, avoiding the twisting issue that can plague third-party keycaps. Perhaps most notably, the entire bottom row features convex shaping similar to the spacebar, creating an unusually comfortable typing experience that seems unique among keyboard keycap profiles.
Compared to standard Leopold OEM keycaps, Ursa caps are taller and feature spherical rather than cylindrical typing surfaces. The bottom-row modifiers are convex instead of concave, contributing to their distinctive feel. While tested on a Leopold FC660C, these caps also fit the more common Happy Hacking Keyboard layout.
Available color options include cream-and-grey, black with white legends (with optional red or blue modifier keys), and a limited-edition retro-inspired brown, green, and cream combination called Minicom. Blank versions are also offered in the classic and black colorways.
Pricing for the remaining inventory matches the original group buy rates: $80 covers an HHKB layout, while tenkeyless or full-sized boards require the $120 set. Blank full-sized sets are available for $60, and a new $8 accent kit offers just Escape and Enter keys in red or blue. The Minicom colorway represents a limited edition that won’t be restocked, though the company plans to maintain availability of other colors and introduce new variants in the future.
For dedicated Topre users, Ursa keycaps represent an accessible, high-quality option that doesn’t require keyboard modification for MX switch compatibility. While not an essential purchase, they deliver a refined typing experience that justifies the investment for those seeking to refresh their keyboard’s look and feel.
(Source: The Verge)