Last Updated on 5 December 2023 by Colette
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Until now, I’ve always bought fairly standard supermarket picnic blankets – you know the plastic backed ones with a rough fabric top which don’t really wash very well? In fact most picnic blankets aren’t actually supposed to be machine washable at all but what’s the point in that? Who gets through a picnic without spilling food on their picnic blanket? I’ve tended to just shove them in the machine anyway and accept that the mid layers are likely to bunch up or deteriorate over time.
Eventually I realised that these standard sized picnic blankets are no longer big enough for our family of five to comfortably sit and eat together. I started researching picnic blankets for large families and found that they were few and far between – and the ones I did find were expensive and bulky. If you’re already carrying a picnic for five, the last thing you need is an enormous picnic blanket which takes up another bag!
Pacmat Picnic Blankets
The Pacmat picnic mats had been on my radar for a little while but I’d put off investing as 50ish quid felt a bit steep. (The fancy patterned ones are £49.99 whereas the plain “Signature XL mats” are £39.99). Of course having gone through a number of cheaper picnic blankets that weren’t really fit for purpose I now know this was a false economy and I should have just bought better in the first place – or at least sooner! I actually bought our Harlequin XL picnic blanket at the end of last summer – and then didn’t get chance to use it until the middle of last month but it’s already been out several times since then and I know the “cost per use” will end up being minimal over the years!
The Pacmat comes in various sizes from the individual sized patch (which we have five of and adore) to the XXL (280cm x 240cm) and, after a bit of thinking, I decided that the XL should meet our needs as a family of five – I didn’t want to over egg the pudding as, after all I’ve still got to fold and carry it!
The Pacmat XL Picnic Mat
The XL mat measures a generous 140cm x 240cm (which is plenty big enough for our family of five) but, thanks to the light water-proof rip stop nylon base it isn’t bulky and folds down into a fairly compact, easy-to-carry, mesh bag – though it takes a bit of skill as the waterproof surfaces can make it tricky to fold neatly!
Buy the pegs – they make such a difference!
Because the mat is so lightweight (just 630g), it can be a bit of a pain in a breeze so for that reason I wholeheartedly recommend investing in the pegs which sit neatly into the embroidered button holes in each corner and hold the mat down. This is also really helpful for stopping the mat from rucking up when the kids are wriggling around! (You can also buy clips to use the mat as a table cloth on a picnic bench but we haven’t had reason to use those yet!)
A machine washable picnic blanket
One of the key features for me is that all the Pacmat mats are machine washable and quick to dry. Which essentially means it goes in the machine after almost every use with our family, keeping it clean and fresh smelling.
Waterproof backed picnic mat
The mat is waterproof both on the bottom to keep your bum dry on damp grass but also the soft polyester surface sheds water and dries fast which means spills are easy to mop up and don’t soak into the mat (Ben is fascinated by watching droplets of water sit on the surface!)
All the fancy patterns for a great gift!
The pacmat is available in a wide range of colours and patterns (ours is the Harlequin) including maps of many areas in the UK which make a lovely gift. We tend up use our patches when we are out walking as everyone has their own in their bag and they are great for a pitstop but the XL is ideal for a family picnic or a day on the beach.
Update . . . So I got the XXL too
OK I think I have a big of a pacmat addiction but they’re so bloody useful! Whilst I do love our XL for a family picnic and days out, I found myself wanting an XXL for beach days – you know those times when you need something to lie on and not just sit down for a picnic?
The XXL is absolutely massive at 280cm x 240cm but still has all the Rubbastuff features I love- it’s machine washable, folds up to impressively small considering it’s size and has embroidered peg holes to you can peg it down (though we find that the pegs don’t really work on sand and you still need to use shoes / bags etc on the corners to stop it flapping about in the wind!).
We finally got chance to use the XXL on the beach last weekend and at one point all five of us were lying on it (with our sandy feet and legs hanging off) – bearing in mind that four of us are basically adult sized that should give you an idea of just how big this picnic mat is!
Is now the right time to admit I’ve also bought Poppy a Solo for camping?
Why not read these posts next:
Read our guide to picnics!
Check out our favourite outdoor clothing brands here
Find out more about our favourite beaches near Manchester
Get your kids to start carrying their own kit in one of our recommended backpacks
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I actually think that looks excellent. We ended up with 3 smaller mats, but now we are down to 4 of us, a family sized mat would be great. It is a big investment, but I love the washability – that really is what lets down other waterproof mats.