Review: TheTerrainGuy.com Gaming Mats et al

My first review!  I have mentioned TheTerrainGuy.com several times on the WWPD forums and the awesome terrain they offer for very decent prices.  You have seen some of their products in pretty much every picture I post of my figures...the ground cover the minis are sitting on in the pictures is their "woods" area terrain. 

In this review I will go into detail on the base products that all go together....Gaming Mat...Hills...and Woods Area Terrain.  TheTerrainGuy.com makes several different styles of gaming mats with matching hills (flocked with the same material as the mats) and woods area terrain (flocked a little bit differently to set it apart, but still matches).  The have several different color styles for this system ranging from green, brown-green, desert, dryland, and even invasion maps with a beach section.  The Mat system I have is their green mat.  Wanted to portray the bulk of Europe.

The Gaming Mat:

(No, that's not me...that's one of the German players in our group at our first FoW Demos in Huntsville Alabama)

As said earlier, these can come in a variety of colors and sizes ranging from 4'x4' to 6'x9'.  The description from their website says:

"Heavy duty flocked game mat...Canvas base, rubber coated, with flocking embedded in the rubber. This flocking is permanent and will not come off. Unlike many game mats, this mat has some variety in colors (greens and browns) for a more realistic look. It does not look like a putting green! Very portable, just roll up and take with you!"

They are spot on in their description.

Cant say enough good about the mats. I have used my mat for about 9 months now...rolling and unrolling it numerous times as I take it to different game sites and very little flocking has come off at all. Even with all that rolling and unrolling still lies very flat.

                                                                                    Closeup of the mat

  I am seeing a little fraying on the edge with strings coming off the canvas but even that is minor...and sort of to be expected. 

Back side of the Mat

14.5 out of 15 spend shell casings if you use this as a traveling mat and 17 out of 17 live rounds if you leave it set up on a table.

Hills:

They have several different sizes you can select and match the gaming mats EXACTLY.  From the website:  "These hills are made from high density EVA foam rubber (not soft foam rubber) and coated with a rubberized paint and flocked. The flocking is permanent and will not come off. These hills are nearly indestructible, you can even stand on them without damaging them."

The have varying heights (low, medium, high) and different sizes varying from long and narrow, 3 corner and "circular" from 7"x11 to 11"x21"

I have the medium hills to match the Green mat.

Back of the Hills

The hills really are very sturdy and the flocking doesn't come off either. Since the hills are foam you can use trees that stick into the foam as opposed to the ones with little bases and not leave any damage.

The only thing I dislike is that you can see cut marks of some other type of distortion in the tops of the hills. You can hide this with terrain and it isn't THAT noticeable at gaming distance.  I can only speak for the hills that I have and this could be a limited issue.

Cut Marks

Close up of Cut Marks

Overall I would say ...hmmmmm..13 out of 16 chinstraps

Woods:

The last item to discuss are the woods. The description, again from TheTerrainGuy.com's website" :

"These woods are available in four base sizes, all of which use a mix of 2.5 inch, 3 inch and 4 inch tall trees, perfect for gaming in 15mm scales.

These woods areas use a high density EVA foam rubber base with separate trees which are pinned to attach to the base. The base is coated with a rubberized paint and flocked."

For the most part I love these as well. Mostly I love the area terrain piece. This is nicely flocked to look like the forest floor...some nice bare patches with clutter around it. Its in a darker color so it stands out from the gaming mat.  I wish the mat was made the same way as the Woods Area Terrain piece. I love the patches of open ground, but for such a big piece I doubt it would be as portable.... one can always dream right?

I guess since the woods piece is smaller, the edges to have a little trouble staying flat....and DO NOT use tape to hold them down as that will take flock off of the gaming mat. Storing them flat with something heavier on top will greatly minimize this.
 

Woods Area Terrain

Closeup

Closer up

Overall a clear 14 out of 15 cute forest bunny wabbits for the area terrain piece.

The trees that are included are a different matter. I really dislike these.  The bright kelly green color...really? and they look like a thick pipe cleaner.  The bases however are very nice.  2 out of 11 pine cones for the actual trees.

Overall for the woods, I still say 14 out 15 wabbits.  Get them just for the area terrain piece and make /use your own trees.

I hope this was helpful and check out TheTerrainGuy.com website.  They have great deals on lots of stuff from what I discussed here to buildings and rivers and roads, etc...

*** DISCLAIMER:  The information presented above is strictly my opinion as a customer of TheTerrainGuy.com...I have not received any form or payment or compensation for this opinion. ***