Erasable Play Grids

[Vespero]

Heyo,

So, Christmas is coming up and I was looking in to getting an erasable grid to help with the campaign I'm running-- you know, one of those dry-erase or vinyl things.

Here's my question: anyone have any suggestions? From what I've seen on Amazon, there's two choices: A dry erase 24x36 double-sided laminated grid, or a 24x26(?) (description was kind of weird) vinyl wet-erase with hexes on the back, made by Chessex.

At first I was like "24x36 Dry-Erase sounds awesome!" but then I read that it's durability might not be great and I'm going to need durability.

The vinyl one sounds like good quality, but wet-erase is a downside and I'm never going to use the hexes. The main complaint I've read against is that it's small.

So, does anyone have any suggestions? Any other grids for me to look at? What's your experience (if any) with erasable play grids?

Thanks!

[SethoMarkus]

For what it's worth, my group generally uses hand-drawn/printed out maps in transparent sleeves with either dry-erase or wet-erase markers. When the map/grid needed is lager than one letter-sized sheet, we just spread out multiple pages overlaid on top of each other.

It isn't the prettiest set-up, but it gets the job done and allows for a hard-lined map with edits/character placements in marker.

[hymer]

We have a Chessex 32x46 in each place where we regularly play. Main drawback is the price of the pens to use on it. Water erase means it doesn't come off unil you want it gone, which is kinda nice IMO. Wet cloth once-over (or twice-over, if you got sticky pens), then once over with dry cloth or paper, and you're done. Rinse wet cloth and you're ready for round two. There may be some faint markings on the mat after cleanup, but these will fade, and don't distract from actual lines drawn. We were kinda worried at first, but it turned out to be a small deal.
But we also have some big rolls of paper we use when the DM can put things down in advance. This helps cut down on set-up time, which is considerable with large and detailed places on the 32x46.

[Vespero]

We have a Chessex 32x46 in each place where we regularly play. Main drawback is the price of the pens to use on it. Water erase means it doesn't come off unil you want it gone, which is kinda nice IMO. Wet cloth once-over (or twice-over, if you got sticky pens), then once over with dry cloth or paper, and you're done. Rinse wet cloth and you're ready for round two. There may be some faint markings on the mat after cleanup, but these will fade, and don't distract from actual lines drawn. We were kinda worried at first, but it turned out to be a small deal.
But we also have some big rolls of paper we use when the DM can put things down in advance. This helps cut down on set-up time, which is considerable with large and detailed places on the 32x46.

In your experience, how hard is it properly erase on a vinyl mat? I've read that blue and red don't erase well, but all I would be using is black. How long is it safe to leave the drawings on there?

[Airk]

In your experience, how hard is it properly erase on a vinyl mat? I've read that blue and red don't erase well, but all I would be using is black. How long is it safe to leave the drawings on there?

We have a vinyl mat that we've been using for over a decade, and you can definitely see the 'echoes' of battlemaps past on it. Red is particularly tenacious, but all colors linger if you leave them on there for too long. I'm not precisely sure how long 'too long' is - it's somewhere between 4 hours and one week, because if we don't finish a battle in one night's session, the map stayed on there for a week until the next session, and then there were inevitably some faint lines, even from black.

And as has been mentioned, these do fade over time, and they are nowhere near the level of darkness that would cause you to confuse them with 'active' maps, but it does get pretty smudgy after ten years of irregular use.

[Slavakion]

With the vinyl mats, another important thing to keep in mind is to occasionally wipe them down with some soapy water (I usually do it after 5 or 6 sessions).

This is extremely important to do when you first get the mat. It comes coated with residue from the manufacturing process that will cause any markings to sort of bead up and dissolve.

[Rhynn]

My experiences line up pretty much exactly with Airk's, and I've definitely noticed that red and blue seem to stick the worst, but not enough to matter (after years of use). I definitely recommend cleaning it up after each session, though, unless you absolutely must leave a battle map on there. (Really, I'd recommend taking pictures or drawing a diagram on something else rather than leaving the drawings on there.)

[Vespero]

What about a Crystal Caste?
The main complaint I've read against them is that they erase too easily (which doesn't sound so bad to me).

I've read that you have to be really careful with Chessex about what kind of markers you use, but I think I read that Crystal Caste will take pretty much anything.

And I can get a 24x36 for $10 on Amazon, which isn't bad even if I screw it up.

**EDIT**
I read that Crayola Children's Markers erase off of Chessex like a breeze. Can anyone confirm?

[Airk]

Yeah; Good point. In these days of smartphone cameras, it's definitely better to take a picture because then you'll also know where all the moveable bits were, and it'll save you some wear on your map (though it'll cost you some time as you draw it again for the next session.)

Another alternative is to get something like this (http://tinyurl.com/myf3k2l) - it's more expensive over time than a battle map, but you can spend a lot more time drawing your maps before your session, and can theoretically re-use them later if you want.

[hymer]

In your experience, how hard is it properly erase on a vinyl mat? I've read that blue and red don't erase well, but all I would be using is black. How long is it safe to leave the drawings on there?

I'm with Airk here, except for one thing: Experiments have shown that the actual time it sits doesn't seem to affect how much it sticks, at least not in 24 hours or less. Sometimes it's on for fifteen minutes and sticks, sometimes it sits for most of a day, and comes off nicely. We can't seem to find the factors that affect it. One day the black seems to stick, the next the red seems to.
But in the end, if you really wanna get rid of the echoes, just use a simple pencil eraser. Just be careful, since that can take the grid off as well.

[BWR]

The one we use can, according to my friend who made it, double as a bullet-resistant shield, giving decent protection against most handguns and shotguns. Don't know what the material is called though, and I doubt you will find it in normal hobby stores.

[lytokk]

My group uses a standard vinyl wet erase mat. Once, after a campaign, it was about 2 years until I started a new one up, and the markings from the last battle were still on there. Took a little time and a lot of water but the markings finally came up.

Wet erase has also started a tradition in our group of using the same paper towel to erase all of the markings until the end of the storyline. Its a wierd tradition I'd admit, but its just something we do.

[GybeMark]

My group has a generic "dungeon tile" grid photocopied onto paper and printed out, as well as the DM sometimes prints out custom grids. We play at one of two venues. One of them has a glass tabletop (slide the grid under the glass, and you can use the glass as a dry erase). At the other venue (my house) I picked up a 24x36 sheet of acrylic (again, slide paper with preprinted grid underneath and use dry-erase markers on the acrylic).

The downside to these systems is that you have to print the gird on the paper. I've been toying with the idea of drawing permanent grid on the acrylic using permanent markers, or scoring it in with an x-acto, but am too lazy to get around to it.

[valadil]

I'm happy with the Chessex battlemats.

[DrBurr]

I've been using a Chessex map for the last year or so. Quality is very nice, like others have said as long as you clean up your maps after every session you should be fine and every two months I tend to give it a good scrubbing with a detergent to remove any lasting marks. You can leave large maps on there for a little while, I've only done it once, but I wouldn't make a habit of it.

As for markers, I just bought some wet erase at Walmart for like 10 bucks and they work just fine.

[Calen]

The downside to these systems is that you have to print the gird on the paper. I've been toying with the idea of drawing permanent grid on the acrylic using permanent markers, or scoring it in with an x-acto, but am too lazy to get around to it.

I actually just did this. Plexiglass with marker grid lines. (I tried scoring lines with a knife first and they didn't sow up that well) I am placing my drawn maps underneath, but now I don't have to worry about my maps rolling themselves up or having to place grids on every single map I draw.

[CombatOwl]

What about a Crystal Caste?
The main complaint I've read against them is that they erase too easily (which doesn't sound so bad to me).

I've read that you have to be really careful with Chessex about what kind of markers you use, but I think I read that Crystal Caste will take pretty much anything.

And I can get a 24x36 for $10 on Amazon, which isn't bad even if I screw it up.

**EDIT**
I read that Crayola Children's Markers erase off of Chessex like a breeze. Can anyone confirm?

Chessex simply requires wet erase. It's not like one brand erases and another doesn't. It just doesn't do dry erase.

Incidentally, if you get a soft battlemap, you may want to either buy a table that is larger than the battlemap or a piece of acrylic that's the same size. Makes it easier to keep it flat on less-than-planar tables. Plus, you can put the acrylic over top if you absolutely have to use dry erase markers when wet erase markers run dry.

[Magesmiley]

I'll offer my voice in favor of the Chessex mats too. I've used a variety of other erasable maps over the years and we always come back to the vinyl Chessex one that has held up to nearly twenty years of gaming.

I have a massive selection of dungeon tiles and other scenery, but the erasable battle mat gets used probably 60-70% of the time.

I have a couple of other brands of mats that I've picked up over the years, but they've gotten somewhat stiff due to age. I'd really recommend spending the money for a good Chessex one.

As previously mentioned wet erase only (mine still has a clover a guy doodled on the corner with a dry erase marker over 10 years ago), and avoid leaving reds on the mat. If left on too long (multiple months), even black can be a bit troublesome to remove.

Another surface I've seen used for an erasable battlemat is a whiteboard that had the grid lines drawn on in permanent marker. There are other pluses, as they're easy to hang on the wall for storage (or even play) and are typically magnetic too.

[KillianHawkeye]

My group's been using Chessex mats for years and we've been pretty happy with them. Just make sure you don't get any dry-erase or permanent markers mixed up with your wet-erase markers!

[Vespero]

Well, you've convinced me. I think I'll try and get a megamat to run my campaigns from now on.

You guys have been a huge help!

[Kerrin]

Another alternative is to get something like this (http://tinyurl.com/myf3k2l) - it's more expensive over time than a battle map, but you can spend a lot more time drawing your maps before your session, and can theoretically re-use them later if you want.
Yep, that's what we've been using for some time now. It's worked well for us.

[Mutazoia]

The one we use can, according to my friend who made it, double as a bullet-resistant shield, giving decent protection against most handguns and shotguns. Don't know what the material is called though, and I doubt you will find it in normal hobby stores.

Lexan. You can get it from places that sell glass (there are store devoted entirely to glass) but it's a tad expensive and serious overkill. Any sheet of plexi-glass will work. They're just harder to store.

Another rout is to print a blank grid (or hex) on regular paper...just toss when done. Most print shops will print you a 24 x 36 black and white sheet for about $2. If you really want to get fancy, buy a piece of poster board (about $1), have them print grid on one side, hex on the other, ($2 per side) then get it laminated (about $3). Total investment about $10 with tax. You can use dry erase markers all day long on that.

[CombatOwl]

Lexan. You can get it from places that sell glass (there are store devoted entirely to glass) but it's a tad expensive and serious overkill. Any sheet of plexi-glass will work. They're just harder to store.

Another rout is to print a blank grid (or hex) on regular paper...just toss when done. Most print shops will print you a 24 x 36 black and white sheet for about $2. If you really want to get fancy, buy a piece of poster board (about $1), have them print grid on one side, hex on the other, ($2 per side) then get it laminated (about $3). Total investment about $10 with tax. You can use dry erase markers all day long on that.

Downside: laminated sheets that large tend to acquire permanent bends that shift minis.

[BWR]

Lexan. You can get it from places that sell glass (there are store devoted entirely to glass) but it's a tad expensive and serious overkill.

Could be. All I know is there was a sheet of it 'lying around' at his work. Knowing him, it was probably going to be thrown anyway so he just asked if he could have it and didn't steal it, however suspicious that sounded.

[Mutazoia]

Downside: laminated sheets that large tend to acquire permanent bends that shift minis.

That's what the poster board is for. It keeps the whole thing from bending easily. Unless you leave it rolled up for several months. Roll it loosely with the side you use most often on the outside. If roll the other way the day before gaming and weight the corners during play.

[doc225]

My group uses whatever map we have available, from blank grids to prepackaged maps that come with modules like RHOD or anything else...

We got a sheet of tempered glass, 2x4, that we got from a remodel on a store.

You can find tempered glass just about anywhere if you're willing to look.

Most cities have a "habitat for humanity" or similar store that sells old doors and windows, or furniture, that you can scavenge a decent sized pane.

Glass is the best option, unless weight is a problem. Once it's on the table, though, it keeps the map flat, doesn't move easily, and is a breeze to wipe off with regular expo markers.

I'd go glass or lexan if possible. it's well worth it.

I saw a 3x4 window at the local habitat store that was tempered (most windows over 9sq have to be tempered now, per code.) for 22 dollars. Just bust the frame off and that would give two sheets 3x4. Enough to cover a pretty big table and never have to move it.Just lift up one side to slide the maps under. Leave a white tablecloth on the table, and you can make character notes, track hp, initiative, whatever, right on the tabletop with color coded expos.

[TheOOB]

My 2cp.

Chessex mats work very well, and you can often find factory second mats for dirt cheap(their lines are not perfectly lined up to the edge, but it's hard to notice). You might want to pay an extra couple of bucks to get a hex grid on the back, you'd be surprised when you'll use it once you have it.

You should never leave any markings on a map overnight, and red especially should never be used to draw anything over large, in case you forget to erase it. Cleaning is easy, spray with some water, grab a towel and wipe, done. Occasionally use soap.

Avoid dry erase mats, they are harder to clean and maintain.

[BWR]

Lexan. You can get it from places that sell glass (there are store devoted entirely to glass) but it's a tad expensive and serious overkill. Any sheet of plexi-glass will work. They're just harder to store.

Another rout is to print a blank grid (or hex) on regular paper...just toss when done. Most print shops will print you a 24 x 36 black and white sheet for about $2. If you really want to get fancy, buy a piece of poster board (about $1), have them print grid on one side, hex on the other, ($2 per side) then get it laminated (about $3). Total investment about $10 with tax. You can use dry erase markers all day long on that.

Just checked with my friend, and yes, it is a polycarbonate.