Melee Mats DND Map Starter Set - 24” x 36", Wet & Dry Erase Battle Terrain Grid for Dungeons and Dragons - Ultimate Tabletop Gaming Experience with Accessories

I've enjoy Melee Mats for a few years now. This starter kit is just that: enough to get started. The material is fantastic; if you address it quickly, the dry erase method works great. If the marker sits too long, it wet erases very well with isopropanol. The accessories are fitting for the task and useful, and size properly to fit inside the tube with everything in place. Everything rolls up well for ease of transport. It's durable, simple, and effective. The tan color allows for good contrast for normal use. The squares help speed up range effects. However, most DMs will quickly outgrow this set. For not much more, Melee Mats offers double-sided mats as well as multiple mat sets that allow for larger maps and scenes that cost only a little more and include most of the same accessories (the set I had did not have the terrain decals, but these are easily drawn in). I just ordered a mat twice this size (albeit also single-sided) and look forward to using it. So, this is a good set, but I would recommend spending a little more from the same brand and getting something even better.

It's a very nice and affordable mat. So first, the mat itself - it's a bit different than other maps I have had. The expensive maps tend to be more like a neoprene with a top layer of plastic and cheaper ones are like laminated cardstock. This mat does a great job of splitting the difference. The thickness is a bit like plastic folder material but it is smoother. The top is very much like laminate. It also rolls up very smoothly and the grid print is very nice, clear and all around just what we wanted. It DOES have a tendency to keep the roll on the ends when you lay it out, so if possible, lay it out plat for an hour or so before play. (weight the corners if possible - we use little bags of dice) All around, the mat is exactly what I expected from the description. It wiped clean easily using water and the eraser or a soft cloth. No problems. (We didn't actually test the red, which is notorious for being annoying on dry erase though). Now for the best part of the mat: We had an issue with ours and the customer service was excellent! I bought this mat for my son for his birthday and I purchased it fairly early. With everything that was happening in summer 2020, he didn't really get to use the mat as quickly as possible, so it was several months AFTER my purchase that he laid the map out flat for a couple of weeks (on our gaming table between sessions), when we came back the top layer had wrinkled in several places. It didn't really make the mat entirely unusable, but it would have been annoying to clean, etc. I contacted the company (there is an info sticker on the back of the mat) and they immediately sent a replacement mat and followed up to make sure I received it. The new mat hasn't had the same issue so far and seems fine, but I will update it that changes.

Edit: Customer service from Melee Mats is fantastic and after I reached out to them for tips for removing the wrinkles, I was sent a replacement at no cost. It just arrived, so I have not had a chance to use it and verify that it will not develop the same issues, but I wanted to update my review in light of the customer service provided. I will revisit this review in a couple months of play to see if it earns the five stars or if this one wrinkles as well. Original Review: I purchased this mat just before we went into quarantine and the first time I used it, it seemed great. I stored it according to the instructions included, and when I took it out to use it a couple months later, it had developed a couple of wrinkles in the lamination. I was able to smooth them out to just ridges, but when I unrolled it to use at the next game the wrinkles had multiplied. I have used it for less than six games and it now has so many wrinkles that it is hard to erase and barely usable. I would not recommend this product unless you intend to lay it flat once and never move it again. Even then, I cannot vouch for it because I have not been able to test it in that manner.

This battle map has been a great addition to my D&D sessions. The grid is easy to see, the surface writes smoothly with dry erase markers, and it wipes clean without leaving stains or ghosting. The material feels durable, and it lays flat after a little use, making it easy to set up encounters quickly. It's much more convenient than drawing maps from scratch every session, and my players have really enjoyed having a visual layout for combat. If you're a DM looking for a reusable battle map that's easy to use and holds up well, I'd definitely recommend this one. It's become one of the most-used tools at my table.

Great mat. Love it.

The supports that keep the mat flat are very helpful, and keep you from having to find weighted items to keep the mat flat while using it. The mat erases beautifully but the clear layer began to delaminate from the mat during the first use. Very cheaply made. I would not recommend this item. When I have to replace it (which will be soon) I will spend a little more and something quality that will last. Disappointing. UPDATE: Changed my rating to 5 stars. I contacted these folks and sent some pictures and they immediately said that the mat was defective and sent me another one. Haven't had any issues with the replacement. Good company. I must have just gotten a bad one. Would buy this again now!

The map is great to look at! And it’s super easy to erase what you draw, and you can use either dry or wet erase markers, which most other maps you can only use wet erase markers. The downside to this map is that it’s super fragile. It creases very easily. I won’t return it, it works well as a backup or if my D&D group needs some extra drawing room, but we mainly use the Chessex mat. For the value, it works great. But if you want durability and a quality mat, I’d go with Chessex. The downside to Chessex mats is that you can only use wet erase markers (and need a spray and a towel to clear it) and the cost is probably about $15-20 higher depending on the size of the mat you get. If wish they had this style of mat, but sturdier and larger (although the size as is is perfectly suitable).

So I already reviewed the "dungeon" colored mat, but since I also got this one, I figured I'd add a similar review here. This mat is awesome. The color is light enough that you can use just about any color dry-erase or wet-erase markers, and they're easily visible. The dungeon mat was a bit too dark for the blue marker, but this one is excellently colored. I DM for a large group (8 people) and at a bigger table not everyone can always reach their minis, so being able to use the compass rose to call out directions is super helpful for moving PCs around. The mat rolls up really nicely, and when it unrolls it doesn't crease or warp. It can curl at the edges a little but that's easily solved with a couple small weights. I've actually used the spray bottle included to weigh down a corner and it works great. The spray bottle works great, and so do the markers. The only thing I don't love about the package is the eraser included, I'd recommend using a rag of some sort instead. But really, you're paying for the mat and the eraser's a bonus, I'm not exactly biasing the review because the eraser was bad. You do certainly need the spray bottle or another source of water to remove marker from the mat, but that's not a disappointment at all, in fact it's a point in favor. I can roll up the mat without erasing, pack it up, and unfurl it again the next week with only minor touch-ups. I really really recommend this mat. It's honestly so nice.