Having a ravishing gaming desk is the dream of many board avid gamers. These are lovely items of furnishings that make taking part in video games an excellent higher expertise. However, you don’t need to have 1000’s of {dollars} to drop on a sport desk to benefit from the expertise of taking part in on one! Board sport mats are a superb approach to flip your own home desk right into a sport desk in a snap!
But not all sport mats are created equal! Many come in several colours, shapes, and sizes. And a nasty mat can pull your sport evening down quick! So how have you learnt which board sport mat is one of the best to your desk?
I collected the highest rated sport mats and put all of them to the check!
Wondering why you may like a sport mat? Check out this submit with 5 explanation why!
The greatest issues I used to be searching for had been general design, sturdiness, ease of play, plushness, and naturally how nice video games regarded on them!
My objective is for this to be a useful useful resource for you and take the danger out of guessing which mat is greatest to your wants earlier than shopping for. If you’re able to improve your loved ones sport desk, I’m assured there’s a mat for you right here!
All mats are proven on an ordinary card desk or our eating desk which measures: 44″ x 72″
Here’s how all of them shook out:
Size: 2’x3’ + 3’x4’
Price: $34 – $50
Features: Carrying bag
Our Mat: 2’x3′
We bought this mat considering that it might be an awesome match for smaller card video games. Overall we thought the scale of the mat labored properly for this goal. Small video games match properly on the mat, however the mat itself was too small to accommodate a lot of the rest.
Despite many makes an attempt, we couldn’t get the mat to lose the wave from being rolled. This was fairly annoying visually and impacts the video games whereas laying on high.
Due to this and it’s small measurement, we wouldn’t advocate this mat.
Size Options: 32.6in x 32.6in
Price: $32
Features: Three colours, carrying bag
The Mahjong mat has so much going for it from the surface. It is available in a carrying bag so it may be protected throughout storage. It’s a very nice blue colour and in addition is available in each inexperienced and black with no branding on the mat itself. It suits properly on a card desk if that is your major taking part in floor. It felt essentially the most like an outsized mouse pad of all of the mats we sampled.
Unfortunately it started to point out a variety of wave over time on account of being rolled for storage. Because of this, we wouldn’t advocate this mat.
Size Options: 32.6in x 32.6in
Price: $30
Features: Available additionally in Blue and Green
Of all of the funds choices, this one rose to the highest! There aren’t any frills right here however what it lacks in wow issue it makes up in practicality. The Gameland mat is a sq. card desk measurement, good for many small and medium measurement footprint video games. It seems like a big mouse pad and has not proven indicators of waving after repeated rolling for storage. It lays flat and has crisp edges with out stitching.
For storage it has two velcro straps to maintain it wrapped up and is compact sufficient to retailer on the ground or within the over the door vinyl storage turned sport mat organizer we just lately picked up. (this can solely maintain mats this measurement and smaller.)
Size Options: 61” x 37” (solely measurement possibility)
Price: $119
Features: 5 Prints
Our Mat: Ashwood
We love the design of this mat. As a photographer I really like the cool gray/black tones of the Ashwood print. Games pop off the mat and shine in images whereas the wooden grain gives some understated curiosity within the background. For these causes, I absolutely anticipate this mat to hit the desk typically for images alone. It can also be a pleasant measurement for our desk and can match most any sport you want to play.
It’s not all rainbows although. This mat got here to us within the saddest delivery state of maybe any product we have now ever acquired. The whole high half of the flimsy delivery field was ripped off with the mat taped and uncovered for who is aware of how lengthy. This, understandably, led to the mat being broken, although not as unhealthy as you’d anticipate. The whole lengthy fringe of the uncovered edge is wavy. No quantity of being laid flat on the desk, or within the solar as was advised by the manufacturing firm modified its situation.
The Game Theory Tables board sport mat can also be by far the thinnest mat we acquired. We discover that barely plusher board sport mats make for a greater play expertise. The thinness of the mat can also be what we predict lends it to waving extra simply. I fear that over time this mat would present put on and tear faster than a few of our larger rated choices. In truth, ours already has a rip within the backside. This mat additionally got here with no storage safety choices similar to a tube to roll it round or retailer inside, velcro straps, or a zipper up case.
At $119, it’s our costliest, single measurement possibility mat, compounding the negatives.
Full disclosure: if I might have ordered this mat as our household’s sole sport mat, I might have returned it.
Size Options: 2 sizes
Price Range: $55 + $95
Features: Storage Tube
Our Mat Size: 36” x 48”
The most original mat we tried, the Tabletop Companion board sport mat is product of felt with a rubber backing. I didn’t anticipate to like this mat as a lot as I did. The felt makes for a superb taking part in floor good for anybody who dislikes the mousepad really feel.
The purple colour has a sure luxurious high quality about it. The felt texture was completely different at first, however I now love taking part in video games on this mat. A draw back to the felt is that it does acquire mud and crumbs. Luckily, a fast lint roll is all it must be again in high form. The rubber backing stored this mat caught to the desk! You can even flip the mat over and play on the rubber backing. While it is a good possibility for tile video games, I discovered that the rubber supplied an excessive amount of friction and far most popular taking part in on the felt.
The Tabletop Companion board sport mats are available a sturdy tube when shipped to you which of them additionally doubles as its storage case.
Size Options: Multiple and customized form choices
Price Range: $59 – $157
Features: geometric form choices. 5mm thick neoprene
Our Mat Size: 73.5” x 38.5” + Custom
We purchased a Big Viking Mat for our desk years in the past and it’s nonetheless a best choice as we speak! Big Viking Mats are additional thick and really plush. We discover them to be extremely snug to play on. You can actually discover the distinction in relation to selecting parts up. Cards and tiles raise off simply with out problem.
There is not any rubber backing on a Big Viking Mat. This makes the mat lighter, but additionally opens it as much as injury. Ours has sustained a number of scrapes and scratches through the years. You have to rigorously retailer these mats. The neoprene can turn into crimped and pinched if one thing with a tough edge places strain on it for a time frame. A couple of areas of our mat have crinkling from it being towards issues through the years. When we depart the mat to put flat, nearly all of all bruises come out.
All Big Viking Mats include a D-ring strap to maintain it rolled when not in use. However, that you must watch out. If it’s too tight across the mat, it’s going to depart indentations. The straps are nice for touring brief distance, however not for prolonged storage between video games. We depart ours off the mat and retailer it rolled on the ground.
Custom Board Game Mat sizes
The better part about Big Viking Mats is the power to have them customized lower to suit your desk. If customized board sport mats are what you’re searching for, Big Viking Mats is our best choice! We had the inexperienced mat customized lower to suit our desk! When sending in our measurements, we left the mat brief in size by a number of inches in order that we might have a bit of desk to sit down our water tumblers on when taking part in! We couldn’t be happier with the outcomes.
If you will have a circle or different geometric formed desk, Big Viking Mats is the one sport mat supplier we reviewed capable of create a mat to your desk.
Size Options: Multiple measurement choices
Price Range: $89 – $189
Features: a number of colours + designs. premium storage case included.
Our Mat Size: each are 36” x 48” (Adler measurement)
If you’re searching for a mat with persona, the board sport mats from Game Toppers are our best choice! We sampled the Pirate mat and the attractive Ryan Laukat mat. The thematic backgrounds had been so enjoyable and made the video games look nice!
The mats are 3.6mm thick with non-skid neoprene. Though barely thicker than the funds mat choices, the thickness was discernible by everybody we requested and the mat felt a lot smoother to the contact. The Game Topper sport mats have edge stitching and roll extremely straightforward.
We LOVED the zip up case they arrive with. Each mat will get its personal storage and journey case with somewhat window so you’ll be able to see which mat design you’re grabbing. The mixture of their extra compact measurement, glorious storage case, and plethora of design types places this mat comfortably within the quantity two slot.
Of the 2 mat designs we performed, I might advocate the Ryan Laukat mat first. Nearly each sport appears wonderful on this mat. The pirate mat is nice for ocean themed video games, however we discover that some video games conflict with the ocean design making it not an awesome alternative for normal use except you’re actually into pirates. (see picture of Cascadia beneath) Game Toppers additionally has a number of stable design choices as properly.
Size Options: Three measurement choices
Price Range: $59 – $79*
Features: 5mm thick neoprene, 5 colour choices, carrying bag included
Our Mat Size: 3.5’ x 5.5’
The Board Game Tables sport mat combines one of the best of all sport mat options making it our TOP general board sport mat alternative.
We love the 5mm thick neoprene taking part in floor mixed with the stitched edging that gives additional safety and a pleasant completed look. With a rubber backing to eradicate slips, this mat is a beast! It is massive and heavy. Considerably greater than different mats of the identical measurement.
This mat has thus far confirmed sturdy and durable, displaying no put on from being saved both on the ground or standing up. These mats come 5 completely different stable colours which make it an awesome possibility to your throughout mat.
It was shipped essentially the most securely out of all of the mats we acquired. The mat itself was sealed in plastic, rolled into its storage bag that comes included, after which shipped in a sturdy cardboard field.
We don’t have any complaints of this product. It is phenomenal. The colour and measurement choices, thick neoprene floor, rubber backing, edge stitching, and storage bag mixed with it’s insanely low value of $79 for a big mat pushed the Board Game Tables sport mat into our primary spot!
*Price on Amazon is $97 for a big mat to incorporate taxes and delivery. All sizes and colours at present obtainable as of posting.
Things to Consider When Selecting Your Board Game Mat:
Color and Design
When it comes to paint and design, private desire performs the largest position in what you need to select.
That mentioned, we deliberately ordered all completely different colours and designs to see which labored greatest visually with essentially the most video games.
Solid colours by far had been one of the best general in showcasing the sport. Specifically the blue colour which most video games regarded glorious on. Black was my least favourite possibility. Though not horrible, it exhibits essentially the most mud of all of the solids.
Mats with busy artwork on them could make it tougher to see the parts of your sport. When selecting a mat with artwork for normal use, we advocate that you choose one with a comparatively impartial scene that may go along with most any themed sport. The Ryan Laukat mat from Game Toppers is a superb instance of this.
Mat Size
Three Things are going to be the principle elements to find the best sport mat measurement:
- Your predominant gaming desk
- Average measurement sport you play
- Storage Preference
In my opinion, if you’re wanting between two sizes, questioning in the event you ought to get a smaller or bigger mat, I believe an even bigger mat is best over a smaller mat. A much bigger, rectangular mat that’s at the least 3’x5’ has been our favourite to play on.
If nonetheless you hardly ever or by no means play massive video games that take up your whole desk, choosing extra medium or small field video games, a smaller sport mat can be an awesome match!
It’s not an both or factor between a small or massive mat. You can take board sport mats with no edge stitching just like the funds pleasant Gameland mat or the plush Big Viking Mat, buy two smaller sizes, use one mat when taking part in a small sport and lay them each facet by facet for bigger video games.
This offers you the advantages of each small and huge board sport mats!
What board sport mat are you most curious about to your residence? Come share with us on Instagram and tell us what board sport product we must always evaluate and distinction subsequent!
A particular thanks to the groups at Board Game Tables, Game Toppers, Big Viking Mats, Tabletop Companion, and Game Theory Tables for offering mat samples for evaluate and making this information doable. As all the time, our ideas and opinions are our personal.
