split · integrated trackball · open source
Charybdis: ergonomic keyboard with a trackball
No more hunting for the mouse, no more wrist pain. Highly ergonomic layout for serious typers.
Charybdis
A powerful ergonomic keyboard with an integrated trackball.
Concave keywell: helps with RSI
Split & adjustable angle: for a neutral posture
Mouse under thumb: never reach again
3‑year warranty: made in EU
Choose your size
Full size, Mini, or Nano: pick the fit that’s right for your workflow.
Complete your setup
Everything you need to personalize your Charybdis.
Fits Full-Size and Nano
Magnetic plates
Magnetic metal plates to attach your keyboard anywhere.
A lot of keys
Charybdis MDA keycaps
Ergonomic keycaps for the Charybdis and other 4×6 keyboards.
A bunch of keys
C. Nano MDA keycaps
Ergonomic keycaps for the Charybdis Nano and other 3×5 keyboards.
Concave keywell: keys at perfect depth
Split & adjustable angle: for a neutral posture
Mouse under thumb: never reach again
3‑year warranty: made in EU
Fully customizable keymap
3-year warranty
International shipping
Open-source
5000+ on Discord
Your hands were made for this.
A mouse just in the right spot.
With the trackball nestled right under your thumb, you never have to lift your hand again.
Scroll, click, drag – all without leaving the home row. A complete end to the arm‑reach that strains your shoulder.
Adapts to your workflow.
The Charybdis ships with a powerful QWERTY layout that already includes click, scroll, and layer keys. Want to tweak something? Use VIA in your browser with no coding required. Or go deeper with full QMK support.
Keys that work with your fingers.
The concave keywell follows the natural length of your fingers. No more stretching or curling, just pure, relaxed typing.
The split design lets you position each half to match your shoulder width, keeping your spine neutral.
Here's everything that you get.
Feature‑full firmware
Drag‑scroll, Miryoku, RGB, DPI—all included. Regular updates.
3‑year warranty
Handcrafted in The Netherlands, EU. Fully covered. We’ve got your back.
Premium materials
Prusament PLA, custom PCBs, selected hardware. Built to outlast.
Rigorous QA
Multiple checkpoints during assembly. Spare parts in every box.
Guides that don’t assume
Illustrated, step‑by‑step—build or tweak keymaps with ease.
Future‑proof
RP2040, 16MB storage. New features keep coming, backwards compatible.
Real human support
Email and Discord. No bots, no AI, just people who know the board.
Thousands‑strong community
Discord full of enthusiasts, modders, and creators.
Which size is right for me?
Made in The Netherlands, EU
Every Charybdis is assembled by hand in The Netherlands, tested at multiple stages, and shipped with spare parts.
It’s backed by a 3‑year warranty and a team that answers emails personally – because we believe a tool this personal deserves lasting support.
Iterated for years, based on how you really type.
Every curve, every key position has been refined through hundreds of iterations and real feedback from the community.
We keep tuning and upgrading our designs, our firmware, and our 3d printers.
When you buy a Charybdis, you get the best keyboard we’ve ever made.
Open values.
All Bastard Keyboards are open-source: 3d models, PCB schematics, Bills of Materials, firmware.
They have been forked on Github countless times, and inspired a whole wave of new DIY ergonomic keyboards – serving as a reference and example.
Their hardware is designed to be modified, reused, adapted for other creations. They are also easy to repair, with open schematics and detailed guides and examples.
Customer support
We stand behind our products, and on top of our warranty you will find extensive documentation to guide you through using and customizing your keyboard.
We are also always available by email or Discord, and will provide spare parts and replacements on demand if anything goes wrong.
Discord community
Connect with 5,000+ ergonomic enthusiasts, modders, and creators. Get help, share builds, and shape future designs.
Frequently asked questions
Standard keyboards force your hands together, wrists bent, and arms reaching—leading to strain, pain, and RSI over time.
The Charybdis solves this with:
Split design: Position each half shoulder-width apart for a neutral posture
Concave keywell: Keys follow your finger lengths—no stretching
Integrated trackball: Never reach for a mouse again
Tenting option: Angle the halves to reduce wrist strain
Full (56 keys): maximum keys, an excellent starting point for beginners. Our most popular keyboard
Mini (41 keys): for those familiar with layers but that still want the comfort of mod keys
Nano (35 keys): for enthusiasts with complex keymaps and homerow mods
The Charybdis keyboards are compatible with all MX-format switches including Boba, Kailh, Zealios, Gateron, Cherry, and many more.
It is not compatible with low profile switches (Kailh Choc, MX low profile).
If you get a Charybdis MK2 prebuilt, you can choose to get keycaps with it.
If you get another keyboard or a DIY kit, you will need to get your own keycaps, from us or elsewhere.
The keyboard works with DSA, XDA, SA, MT3, and DES profiles. We recommend searching for ‘ortho’ keycap sets. MT3 is a favorite.
All Charybdis keyboards come with a 3-year warranty on parts. Each keyboard is handcrafted in our atelier in Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Yes, we offer left-handed configurations with the trackball on the left half. Please select “trackball on left side” when ordering.
The Dactyl is an open-source keyboard loved by many that you may have heard of.
The Charybdis, while similar, brings a trackball, a powerful keymap, online support and discord community.
Yes, all Bastard Keyboards are open-source. The 3D models, PCB schematics, Bills of Materials, and firmware are available on GitHub.
Yes, we ship internationally from The Netherlands with regular and express shipping options available. Shipping costs are calculated at checkout.
Kits ship within 1 week of ordering.
Prebuilt times are indicated on the product pages.
EU delivery takes 2-4 days, international 5-10 days depending on customs.
Technical specifications
Physical
Material: Prusament Galaxy Black PLA
Tenting: 30 degrees, optional, adjustable
Sizes: full (56 keys), Mini (41 keys), Nano (35 keys)
Electronics
MCU: RP2040
Memory: 16MB flash
Connectivity: USB-C / TRRS
RGB: per-key RGB, optional
Trackball
Position: right thumb (left optional)
DPI: 400-3600, adjustable by firmware
Features: left and right click, scroll, precision move
Compatibility
Switches: MX format (Cherry, Gateron, Kailh…)
Keycaps: MDA, DES DSA, XDA, SA, MT3
OS: Windows, macOs, Linux, Android
In the box
Prebuilt: Assembled keyboard, cables, spare switches and hardware, optional keycaps
Kit: 3d prints, PCBs, hardware, optional per-key RGB, trackball
Support
Warranty: 3 years
Support: Email, Discord
Origin: Dordrecht, The Netherlands