Don’t you just LOVE a picnic? Sunshine, warmth, fresh air and food that tastes better outdoors.
If you’re a dedicated UK picnicker a waterproof picnic blanket is a must. I wouldn’t be without mine for family outdoor adventures and children’s outdoor activities of all kinds, though it’s bulky and heavy to cart around.
If you’ve got a heavy picnic rug, read on for my review of the super-lightweight Pacmat.
That said, we’ve hardly eaten outside this year, mostly due to Beasts from the East leaving few opportunities for al fresco dining.
Yes we had TONS of fun in the snow, like Snow Fires & Night Sledging but bitter cold has meant not one meal in the garden, just two camper van picnics and two ‘actual’ picnics. Remember those? On a picnic rug. On the ground? Not recently.
Mat in a Pack
Enter the innovative PACMAT, a waterproof family-sized picnic rug (140cm x 140cm) so light and compact it’s barely noticeable among the bottles and clothes in an average family backpack. And for in-car space saving it even fits in a welly boot!
Soft, strong and very, very light!
Pacmat seemed flimsier then our old rug so I was nervous using it in woodland for fear of tearing but it’s sturdier than it looks, with no damage from use in forests, hills, rocks, beaches or dog’s claws!
To test portability we backpacked it up a Cumbrian fell, picnicking at the top and bottom. It came on a family canoe trip on Lake Windermere – 3 people, a bear and a backpack; still plenty of room for Pacmat and a picnic.
Weighing so little it can blow around, resolved with clever eyelets for pegs (not included) at each corner.
The Signature Pacmat has an elastic strap. We lost our old picnic rug strap but this one can be cleverly tied through a peg hole to avoid loss. Genius.
Deluxe designs include a handy stuff sack and a thermal mid-layer, excellent for winter picnics, and I LOVE the Thermal Patch, a one-person mat ideal for walkers and hikers.
My Pacmat washes thoroughly at 30 degrees, including muddy pawprints. It dries quickly, and in the unlikely event of a rip, Tenacious Tape would repair it beautifully and virtually invisibly.
Pros
- Made in Britain
- Small family business
- Comfortable, soft fabric top layer
- Waterproof base layer
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Choice of size and colour
- Insulated options available (middle layer for warmth – specific designs only)
- Eco-friendly credentials
Cons
- Lightweight design makes older bones more aware of bumpy ground!
- Not as warm as our old rug (pay extra for the thermal lining)
- Stuff bag only available with certain ranges
- Security pegs not included (£2 or use your own)
Pacmat is a brilliant option for year-round family picnics especially when you want to walk a distance before eating.
In fact it’s so good I need to add it to 5 Things to Make you The Best Wild Parent in the World!
Get the Gear
Click the images below to buy your Pacmat or accessories at Amazon.
Family sized waterproof Pacmat
Ground sheet pegs
Family picnic hamper
iSpy Summer book
10% Discount
OR, PACMAT are offering Kids of the Wild readers an exclusive 10% discount using the code KIDSOFTHEWILD from the Rubbastuff website!
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Caught with a mouthful of food!
Wild wishes for a thousand perfect picnics!
NB Kids of the Wild received a PACMAT for the purposes of this review (and one to give away). All thoughts and observations are my own.
This looks like a lot of fun! Picnics are always a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get some sunshine. Thanks for sharing your pictures and the mat in pack information Have a healthy, happy & blessed day!
Thanks Marla, I say you can’t have too many picnics! Roll on a bit of sunshine though..
So handy! We’ve got some small fold up sit on mats that are great. It’s always good to have somewhere dry to sit for a picnic #CountryKids
Interestingly I’ve never seen individual mats like the thermal patches, such a good idea for hikers. The Pacmat is just great for families. Thanks for reading
We have a “waterproof” picnic mat that usually get soaked through in about 30 minutes. We don’t use it unless it is dry.
Interesting. This one is definitely good and waterproof so highly recommended.
My replies aren’t holding for some reason. Interesting that your mat doesn’t stay waterproof. This one definitely does – highly recommended
We love picnics and go camping quite a lot so things would come in very handy. Will look out for the competition #countrykids
Fab, the giveaway will be going live soon.
We do love a good outdoor picnic, both here on the farm and out on the beaches and Moor close by. I am very much ready for the warmer weather and some alfresco dining time. The waterproof picnic mat sounds perfect for keeping the damp off little bottoms.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
Roll on sunshine!!
That looks very useful. We’ve got a picnic mat which is fleece on top with waterproof bottom, but it’s a bit bulky compared to this. #CountryKids
Our old mat is really bulky, but a fair bit warmer so we’ll keep both and use the Pacmat for backpacks and beach adventures!
Good idea 🙂👍x
These look great! I need to invest before our next holiday; we are inveterate picnickers! #CountryKids
You could try and win one in our Picnic Pack Giveaway..!
I can’t wait to start picnicking again, we haven’t managed one yet this year! Looks like a great option for a picnic blanket. #countrykids
It is if you’re after a lightweight waterproof mat. Check out the giveaway too, you could win one with some sandwich wraps!
It sounds like you really did put it to the test. Love a great picnic. #CountryKids
I need one of those! Last weekend when we hiked to a lake high in the Wicklow Mountains, all I could think of was, wouldn’t it be great to sit on a PACMAT rather than the boggy ground?
#CountryKids
Yeay!! Good luck in the competition! Those mountains look incredible
modern innovations make life a lot simpler. Look how much kit the likes of Scott took on his pole trek!!
Lightweight sounds great for carrying and a handy shelter in the event of an emergency. #countrykids
Oh those first polar trekkers, everything was made of wool! The Pacmat is certainly great for backpacking. Thanks for reading
wow! amazing idea, thanks for the great post.