Both the KAT and regular felt beaters do have a nap to them, so the fibers may still degrade the mesh after some time. Felt has a much smaller nap to it, and therefore perhaps that's why it tend to work its way into the mesh. The "tennis ball" of the KAT is still a rough surface, and to be honest, I have been using an Evans patch anyway. I tend to switch beaters depending on the feel I want for a particular genre I'm practicing. Easier to have the patch on just in case. I don't notice that it has any effect on my playing. My DW beater is foam and plastic, and I'm starting to think it's the best compromise so far.