The Ultimate Buyer's Guide for Purchasing Rollable Wargaming Mats

A game mat, also called a battle mat or wargaming mat, is a play mat that is positioned on top of your gaming table to represent the battlefield where your game will take place.

It adds realism and immersion to your session, compared to playing directly on top of a plastic table. Another advantage of using play mats is to protect your table from scratching or other gaming incidents, and of course, give a more consistent grip to your miniatures (this depends on the material used).

Click here to get more.

Storm Strike battle mat from Games Workshop Age of Sigmar starter set

In addition, a game mat of the right dimension will cover your entire gameplay area, so that you don&#;t need to calculate the borders and mark them with dice or other materials like tape. Of course, having multiple mats for each game and format supported may be unrealistic. So you may want to concentrate on the sizes that you use the most or a bigger size that covers them all

But which one is the best type of mat to purchase? Let&#;s have a look at the various materials you can get game mats in.

Warcry Bloodhunt box with cardboard mat

Affiliate Link Disclosure
Age of Miniatures is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about that here.

Which materials are available for different game mats?

Cardboard

Let&#;s start with the cheapest material available: cardboard. You may be familiar with them if you bought any starter set from most wargaming companies, as an example Warcry boxes or 40K/Age of Sigmar starter sets. Those have different levels of thickness but the main advantage is that they are foldable, easy to store and transport and, in particular, they are cheaper than other solutions.

If you play a game that provides the mat, that is all you need to start playing. On the downside, creases and gaps may show up, especially after some time you use the product. Even worse if the entire battlefield is covered by multiple mats that need to stick together by magic to avoid inadvertently moving them during the game (for example the Age of Sigmar sets are made of 4 different foldable mats).

Vinyl

Going up in price we find the vinyl mats. PVC is the most commonly used type of vinyl, which is a kind of plastic and one of the most widely produced. Those can have better designs, and multiple sizes and greatly vary in quality. One particularity is that they can&#;t be folded and should be rolled with the graphics side on the outside.

This means that storing them can occupy more space, but in exchange, you obtain a sharper surface without creases or gaps and they are more durable (if it&#;s well stored). They can be protected with anti-scratch and anti-reflexes materials for a better feeling. Another advantage is that in some models you can write with specific pens and then clean it, perfect for RPG sessions or marking objectives in a wargame.

However PVC mats tend to have edges that lift so you&#;ll have to weigh it down when playing, they are thinner so rolling dice or dropping miniatures will immediately impact the surface below without cushioning, and can be a bit less comfortable picking up sleeved cards.

Space Nebula wargame mat from Pwork Games

Cloth

Then we have cloth or fabric. This is much easier to store as it can be folded and the creases easily ironed out. At the same time, cloth mats will adapt to the surface of the table they are in, so any bump will come through. Accidental spillage of liquids will most likely be harder to remove as it would soak the mat, while other materials are easier to clean.

A neoprene mat with Star Wars Shatterpoint terrain on top

Neoprene

Finally, the most expensive but also the most widely advertised when purchasing premium products or deluxe editions, especially in board games, is the neoprene. This is a type of synthetic rubber that is extremely resistant to oil, heat, and weathering sometimes also called mousepad mat as one of the top quality neoprene mats.

Neoprene is rolled instead of being folded, but the side does not matter. It is usually waterproof and allows for extreme durability, a much softer feeling when placing miniatures or rolling dice, and more comfortable picking up cards, sleeved or not.

You can often find the question if it&#;s better with stitched edges or not (basically the printed portion is stitched on the edges like a fabric for better adhesion) and the answer really depends on the quality of the product you are buying. Like for PVC, there can be great differences in what you are getting into, a stitched edge can prolong the lifetime of a cheaper mat to avoid the printed top to start peeling off. However, top-quality neoprene mats don&#;t require it as the printing process already prevents peeling.

Custom Boards

One last mention is custom boards. Those are usually made with different materials like foam, cork, resin or basing materials and they are the best looking ones. They recreate exactly the terrain you want to represent and provide vertical depth. They are also the more difficult to create, expensive to buy if you find third parties making them and difficult to store and clean. Few companies, like Dwarven Forge, use different materials like magnets and iron for some amazing (but expensive) results.

A 3D printed Board for Blood Bowl

Best Gamemats for your War or Skirmish game?

So, what is the best game mat? The answer depends on many factors, starting from the budget.

Above we have listed the different materials in order of price, and listed some pros and cons of each one of them.

Eventually, you will need to consider different elements starting from the design. This should complement the type of game that you are playing, so that if you are in a fantasy setting you would need a traditional grassland or forest terrain, but if you are playing X-Wing, you may want a nebula background.

The size is also important. Smaller mats are easier to store and pick up, but would not cover games needing larger space. Bigger mats cover all your needs, but you may need to identify the correct size each time you change game.

One suggestion, that works well with neoprene, is to use removable fabric tape (or any other easy to remove tape). Some PVC allows to draw marks making it easy to identify not only borders but also deployment zones and objectives in wargames.

You may want also to consider the easiness of cleaning and storing them. Foldable mats occupy less space and are easier to transport. However waterproof PVC and neoprene mats protect you from accidental spillage and can be easier to clean.

Independently on which material you are interested in, quality is important. There can be a great difference between a bad PVC mat and a good neoprene mat, but once you compare top-quality products, the difference will be more about how you think to use them.

Personally, I prefer a neoprene for large-scale games like Age of Sigmar and I&#;m happy to use PVC for smaller games like Warcry, although I have plenty of cardboard mats included in their boxes, and for a quick and occasional game they still work well.

Product Sample Disclosure

Pwork Wargames sent me a mat as a product sample. I have agreed to include the mat in an article, but I have promised Pwork Wargames nothing more than that. No money has changed hands and Pwork Wargames does not get to approve this article before it is published.

You can read more about our Review Copy Policy Here (TLDR: I take this stuff very seriously)

A Pwork Wargames mat in action while testing Old World

If you are thinking about your next game mat, you need to find a reputable supplier that covers your area. Pwork Wargames ships worldwide and has a great selection of game mats, in high quality PVC (anti-scratch and anti-reflective), cloth or neoprene, covering any type of setting you may be interested to, from galaxies to grassland, from volcanoes to futuristic urban cities.

Having a beautiful gaming table is the dream of many board gamers. These are beautiful pieces of furniture that make playing games an even better experience. However, you don&#;t have to have thousands of dollars to drop on a game table to enjoy the experience of playing on one! Board game mats are an excellent way to turn your home table into a game table in a snap!

But not all game mats are created equal! Many come in different colors, shapes, and sizes. And a bad mat can pull your game night down fast! So how do you know which board game mat is the best for your table? 

I collected the top rated game mats and put them all to the test! 

Wondering why you might like a game mat? Check out this post with 5 reasons why!

The biggest things I was looking for were overall design, durability, ease of play, plushness, and of course how great games looked on them! 

My goal is for this to be a helpful resource for you and take the risk out of guessing which mat is best for your needs before buying. If you&#;re ready to upgrade your family game table, I&#;m confident there&#;s a mat for you here!

All mats are shown on a standard card table or our dining table which measures: 44&#; x 72&#;

Here&#;s how they all shook out:

Size: 2&#;x3&#; + 3&#;x4&#;
Price: $34 &#; $50
Features: Carrying bag
Our Mat: 2&#;x3&#;

We purchased this mat thinking that it would be a great fit for smaller card games. Overall we thought the size of the mat worked well for this purpose. Small games fit well on the mat, but the mat itself was too small to accommodate much of anything else. 

Despite many attempts, we couldn&#;t get the mat to lose the wave from being rolled. This was quite annoying visually and impacts the games while laying on top. 

Due to this and it&#;s small size, we wouldn&#;t recommend this mat. 

Size Options: 32.6in x 32.6in
Price: $32
Features: Three colors, carrying bag

The Mahjong mat has a lot going for it from the outside. It comes in a carrying bag so it can be protected during storage. It&#;s a really nice blue color and also comes in both green and black with no branding on the mat itself. It fits well on a card table if this is your primary playing surface. It felt the most like an oversized mouse pad of all the mats we sampled. 

Unfortunately it began to show a lot of wave over time due to being rolled for storage. Because of this, we wouldn&#;t recommend this mat. 

Size Options: 32.6in x 32.6in
Price: $30
Features: Available also in Blue and Green

Of all the budget options, this one rose to the top! There are no frills here but what it lacks in wow factor it makes up in practicality. The Gameland mat is a square card table size, perfect for most small and medium size footprint games. It feels like a large mouse pad and has not shown signs of waving after repeated rolling for storage. It lays flat and has crisp edges without stitching.

For storage it has two velcro straps to keep it wrapped up and is compact enough to store on the floor or in the over the door vinyl storage turned game mat organizer we recently picked up. (this will only hold mats this size and smaller.)

Size Options: 61&#; x 37&#; (only size option)
Price: $119
Features: 5 Prints
Our Mat: Ashwood

We love the design of this mat. As a photographer I love the cool grey/black tones of the Ashwood print. Games pop off the mat and shine in photos while the wood grain provides some understated interest in the background. For these reasons, I fully expect this mat to hit the table often for photos alone. It is also a nice size for our table and will fit most any game you wish to play.

Silipi Technology contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.

It&#;s not all rainbows though. This mat came to us in the saddest shipping state of perhaps any product we have ever received. The entire top half of the flimsy shipping box was ripped off with the mat taped and exposed for who knows how long. This, understandably, led to the mat being damaged, though not as bad as you&#;d expect. The entire long edge of the exposed edge is wavy. No amount of being laid flat on the table, or in the sun as was suggested by the manufacturing company changed its condition. 

The Game Theory Tables board game mat is also by far the thinnest mat we received. We find that slightly plusher board game mats make for a better play experience. The thinness of the mat is also what we think lends it to waving more easily. I worry that over time this mat would show wear and tear quicker than some of our higher rated options. In fact, ours already has a rip in the bottom. This mat also came with no storage protection options such as a tube to roll it around or store inside, velcro straps, or a zip up case. 

At $119, it is our most expensive, single size option mat, compounding the negatives. 

Full disclosure: if I would have ordered this mat as our family&#;s sole game mat, I would have returned it. 

Size Options: 2 sizes
Price Range: $55 + $95
Features: Storage Tube
Our Mat Size: 36&#; x 48&#; 

The most unique mat we tried, the Tabletop Companion board game mat is made of felt with a rubber backing. I did not expect to love this mat as much as I did. The felt makes for an excellent playing surface perfect for anyone who dislikes the mousepad feel. 

The red color has a certain luxurious quality about it. The felt texture was different at first, but I now love playing games on this mat. A downside to the felt is that it does collect dust and crumbs. Luckily, a quick lint roll is all it needs to be back in top shape. The rubber backing kept this mat stuck to the table! You can also flip the mat over and play on the rubber backing. While this is a good option for tile games, I found that the rubber provided too much friction and much preferred playing on the felt. 

The Tabletop Companion board game mats come in a sturdy tube when shipped to you which also doubles as its storage case. 

Size Options: Multiple and custom shape options
Price Range: $59 &#; $157
Features: geometric shape options. 5mm thick neoprene
Our Mat Size: 73.5&#; x 38.5&#; + Custom

We bought a Big Viking Mat for our table years ago and it&#;s still a top choice today! Big Viking Mats are extra thick and very plush. We find them to be incredibly comfortable to play on. You can really notice the difference when it comes to picking components up. Cards and tiles lift off easily without issue. 

There is no rubber backing on a Big Viking Mat. This makes the mat lighter, but also opens it up to damage. Ours has sustained a few scrapes and scratches over the years. You need to carefully store these mats. The neoprene can become crimped and pinched if something with a hard edge puts pressure on it for a period of time. A few areas of our mat have crinkling from it being against things over the years. When we leave the mat to lay flat, the majority of all bruises pop out. 

All Big Viking Mats come with a D-ring strap to keep it rolled when not in use. However, you need to be careful. If it is too tight around the mat, it will leave indentations. The straps are great for traveling short distance, but not for extended storage between games. We leave ours off the mat and store it rolled on the floor.

Custom Board Game Mat sizes

The best part about Big Viking Mats is the ability to have them custom cut to fit your table. If custom board game mats are what you&#;re looking for, Big Viking Mats is our top choice! We had the green mat custom cut to fit our table! When sending in our measurements, we left the mat short in length by a few inches so that we would have a section of table to sit our water tumblers on when playing! We couldn&#;t be happier with the results.

If you have a circle or other geometric shaped table, Big Viking Mats is the only game mat provider we reviewed able to create a mat for your table. 

Size Options: Multiple size options
Price Range: $89 &#; $189
Features: multiple colors + designs. premium storage case included.
Our Mat Size: both are 36&#; x 48&#; (Adler size)

If you&#;re looking for a mat with personality, the board game mats from Game Toppers are our top choice! We sampled the Pirate mat and the gorgeous Ryan Laukat mat. The thematic backgrounds were so fun and made the games look great! 

The mats are 3.6mm thick with non-skid neoprene. Though barely thicker than the budget mat options, the thickness was discernible by everyone we asked and the mat felt much smoother to the touch. The Game Topper game mats have edge stitching and roll incredibly easy.

We LOVED the zip up case they come with. Each mat gets its own storage and travel case with a little window so you can see which mat design you&#;re grabbing. The combination of their more compact size, excellent storage case, and plethora of design styles puts this mat comfortably in the number two slot. 

Of the two mat designs we played, I would recommend the Ryan Laukat mat first. Nearly every game looks amazing on this mat. The pirate mat is great for ocean themed games, but we find that some games clash with the ocean design making it not a great choice for general use unless you&#;re really into pirates. (see image of Cascadia below) Game Toppers also has multiple solid design options as well.

Size Options: Three size options
Price Range: $59 &#; $79*
Features: 5mm thick neoprene, 5 color options, carrying bag included
Our Mat Size: 3.5&#; x 5.5&#;

Thickness comparison to Game Theory Table Mat

The Board Game Tables game mat combines the best of all game mat features making it our TOP overall board game mat choice. 

We love the 5mm thick neoprene playing surface combined with the stitched edging that provides extra protection and a nice finished look. With a rubber backing to eliminate slips, this mat is a beast! It is large and heavy. Considerably bigger than other mats of the same size. 

This mat has so far proven durable and sturdy, showing no wear from being stored either on the floor or standing up. These mats come 5 different solid colors which make it a great option for your all around mat.

It was shipped the most securely out of all the mats we received. The mat itself was sealed in plastic, rolled into its storage bag that comes included, and then shipped in a sturdy cardboard box. 

We have no complaints of this product. It is exceptional. The color and size options, thick neoprene surface, rubber backing, edge stitching, and storage bag combined with it&#;s insanely low price of $79 for a large mat pushed the Board Game Tables game mat into our number one spot!

*Price on Amazon is $97 for a large mat to include taxes and shipping. All sizes and colors currently available as of posting.

Things to Consider When Selecting Your Board Game Mat: 

Color and Design

When it comes to color and design, personal preference plays the biggest role in what you should choose. 

That said, we intentionally ordered all different colors and designs to see which worked best visually with the most games. 

Solid colors by far were the best overall in showcasing the game. Specifically the blue color which most games looked excellent on. Black was my least favorite option. Though not horrible, it shows the most dust of all the solids. 

Mats with busy art on them can make it more difficult to see the components of your game. When choosing a mat with art for general use, we recommend that you select one with a relatively neutral scene that can go with most any themed game. The Ryan Laukat mat from Game Toppers is a great example of this.

a too small or too busy mat can negatively impact play compared to a neutral, well sized mat.

Mat Size 

Three Things are going to be the main factors in finding the right game mat size: 

• Your main gaming table
• Average size game you play
• Storage Preference

In my opinion, if you are looking between two sizes, wondering if you should get a smaller or larger mat, I think a bigger mat is better over a smaller mat. A bigger, rectangular mat that is at least 3&#;x5&#; has been our favorite to play on. 

If however you rarely or never play large games that take up your entire table, opting for more medium or small box games, a smaller game mat would be a great fit!

It&#;s not an either or thing between a small or large mat. You can take board game mats with no edge stitching like the budget friendly Gameland mat or the plush Big Viking Mat, purchase two smaller sizes, use one mat when playing a small game and lay them both side by side for larger games.

This gives you the benefits of both small and large board game mats! 

What board game mat are you most interested in for your home? Come share with us on Instagram and let us know what board game product we should compare and contrast next!

Left: Game Theory Tables Mat. Right: Board Game Tables Mat.

A special thank you to the teams at Board Game Tables, Game Toppers, Big Viking Mats, Tabletop Companion, and Game Theory Tables for providing mat samples for review and making this guide possible. As always, our thoughts and opinions are our own.

The company is the world’s best Rollable Wargaming Mats supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.