I purchased this playmat from the Polish company playmats.eu. Sadly, as soon as I opened the package, a very strong, unpleasant chemical smell hit me. The backside literally smells like a burnt car tyre. I hung it outside but this nasty thing doesn't seem to go away. 😥
Ah ah! Very unexpected yet clever reference.
I personally belong to the category of people who just cannot see what a playmat could possibly be used for. I have one for a few games, including Puzzle Dungeon, and never, never use them. Add to that that they are impossible to stack properly, and I really hold a grudge against these.
I like the mats that organize your play space. They have outlines for where to place draw decks and where to put tokens. I find those can be useful. Storage is always a pain though.
I bought it because the table I have in the balcony has gaps between the planks, so cards and stuff may fall if I play on it. Otherwise, yes, not really necessary.
Play a racing game on it and you can enjoy the thematic smell of the race track.
😄