Maps & terrain · Battle mat

heyTrace Battle Mat Review

From HEYii

PlayedCritical hit
  • A painted tree-creature miniature standing on the heyTrace grid mat in a beam of sunlight
  • The heyTrace mat folded into a small stack on a wooden table
  • The smaller heyTrace mat lifted over the large one, the grid underneath showing through it
3 photos · swipe for more

Score

Critical hit

Blaine

Quality
20/20
Usability
20/20
Look
20/20
Value
18/20

20 + 20 + 20 + 18 = 78 ÷ 4 = 19.5 , rounded to 20

Joe

No score/20

Failed a Sanity check.

Filed under battle mats and terrain. How we score

What works

  • Wipes clean even after a map has sat on it for weeks
  • Folds flat and stays flat, no more rolled mats that curl forever
  • Semi-translucent, so you can trace a printed map straight onto it
  • Folds small enough to throw in a bag

What doesn't

  • Expensive up front
  • Only available through HEYii's crowdfunding campaigns for now

This is the best battle mat I've ever owned. It's not cheap, but it's going to outlast everything else on my table, and it's the reason I backed heyTrace's second campaign the moment it showed up.

What I reviewed

The grid version of the heyTrace mat, from HEYii's first campaign on Gamefound. I went with the Gamer Combo Kit for $150: a large mat and a smaller one, a travel case, markers, and a cleaning rag. I've used it at my table, so this isn't a first impression.

Quality

It's silicone and semi-translucent, and it's tough. I can leave a map drawn on it for days, even weeks, and it still wipes clean. Anyone who's used an old Chessex mat knows why that matters. Leave marker on one of those too long and it's a permanent part of the mat.

Quality: 20.

Usability

It folds. That sounds small until you remember the old mats had to be rolled up, and once they'd been rolled, they never really lay flat again. This one folds up, goes in my bag or a small case, and lies flat the second it hits the table. It's portable enough that I've barely touched the travel case that came with it.

Because it's semi-translucent, you can lay it over a printout or an image and see it well enough to trace the map straight onto the mat.

Usability: 20.

Look

Clean and sleek. It looks and feels durable, and I can't find anything wrong with it.

Look: 20.

Value

$150 is a lot for a battle mat. But that bought the full setup, two mats and everything to use them, and it's going to last forever. It's a huge upgrade over the old-school mats, and I'd pay it again. I'm only knocking off two points because that price will be rough for some people.

Value: 18.

Who it's for

If you play in person and want a great mat, this is the one. Right now it's only sold through HEYii's crowdfunding campaigns, so keep an eye on their Kickstarter.

The verdict

A 20 out of 20, our first perfect score. For a battle mat, it's perfect. The only thing holding it back is the price. Expensive, durable, and worth it. Time to ditch the old Chessex mats and upgrade.