Groundsheet, Not Fluffy Rug: The Truth About the GUSUWU Waterproof Picnic Blanket

The blanket-versus-groundsheet mix-up that causes most of the bad reviews

Here is the single fact that predicts whether you will love or hate this mat. It has a waterproof PVC backing and a smooth Oxford-cloth top, which means it feels closer to a canvas groundsheet than a cosy tartan rug. Buyers who wanted the fluffy, quilted picnic blanket of childhood memory are the ones leaving one and two-star reviews.

You can see it plainly in the wording. One buyer, Mossy, wrote simply: "This is a plastic sheet on both sides it is not a blanket." JD called it "very large" but "not padded like similar products I've had." Both are accurate descriptions. They are also arguably describing a feature rather than a fault, depending on what you need.

The buyers who understood what they were getting tend to prefer it this way. Keith summed it up well: "I would describe the material as a canvas rather than a blanket type material. If you want easy clean with a hose, this is great. If you prefer blanket/fleece material, this isn't the one." Debbie liked that "it's not fluffy like other blankets I've had so grass, sand etc doesn't stick to it." Same material, opposite conclusion, entirely down to what each person was after before they clicked buy.

So before anything else: if you want something soft and warm to snuggle under, look elsewhere. If you want a big, wipeable barrier between you and cold damp ground, keep reading.

What 200 x 200cm actually gets you on the grass

The size is the thing almost nobody complains about, and it is the loudest note of praise across the whole review set. At 2 metres by 2 metres, the listing rates it for four to six people, and buyers back that up repeatedly with real numbers.

Sammie88 used the largest size for an indoor teddy bears' picnic and sat "around 20 small kids on it." Hannah Savory fitted "our sons 10 friends around it" at a children's party. Rosie called the large size "great for 6 of us picnicking." For a family of four or five with a spread of food in the middle, several reviewers describe having room to actually stretch out rather than perching shoulder to shoulder.

That generous footprint is also why people keep it. Rebecca (28 April) called it "probably one of the best products I bought last year," and one happy buyer, Melissa, liked it enough to end up owning two. If your current blanket is a supermarket special that barely fits one adult and a toddler, the jump to this size is the main reason to consider it.

One fair caveat from a happy buyer: ema loved the build quality but found it "much too big for me" and planned to give it to a charity shop. Two metres square is a lot of mat for a solo picnicker or a couple. Match the size to your group.

Waterproofing: excellent for most, a letdown for a few

The waterproof backing is the reason this mat exists, and for the majority it does the job. Anna Nugent said it "works well on damp grass," Katie used it on "slightly damp-ish sand" at the beach, and the recurring theme is spills and wet ground staying on the mat rather than soaking through to your clothes. Natalie Fraser summed up the appeal: "It is waterproof, so I didn't have to worry about any spills."

It is not flawless, though, and this is a real issue worth flagging rather than glossing over. A small number of buyers ran into backing problems. bjiaysb reported that "the waterproof backing begun to peel away after just one use so dirty water was seeping through," and Rebecca (20 November) left a blunt "not waterproof as described." Nas gave three stars and felt "the bottom layer doesn't completely block water."

These are a minority of the 100 reviews, but they are not one-offs either, so it is worth checking your mat over when it arrives and being realistic about long-term wear on the PVC layer. For sitting on damp grass and shrugging off the odd knocked-over drink, most buyers are well covered. For standing water or a proper puddle, no thin coated mat is a miracle worker.

The smell nobody warns you about at checkout

If there is one complaint that comes up again and again, it is the smell out of the packaging. This is the most consistent negative in the whole set, so go in expecting it.

The descriptions are vivid. One buyer, dw, said that after a week it had "a very strong smell of copydex (anyone who remembers the fishy fabric glue)." Maria Viviani left it "to air out for 5 days and it still smells terrible." Roy Crouch flagged the important detail from the instructions: "Manufacturers state that it should be washed and dried before use due to an odour. They weren't joking."

Two things to take from this. First, that odour is a known quantity, and the maker's own guidance is to air or wipe it down before first use, so budget a day or two of it hanging in the garage or over a line. Second, plenty of buyers never mention a smell at all, and some specifically praise its absence. Sewhappy wrote: "No smell either and easy to fold and transport." It may vary batch to batch, or it may simply be that some noses are more forgiving. Either way, do not use it fresh out of the plastic for an important day out. Give it that airing first and the problem largely fades for most people.

Weight: the price you pay for a mat this tough

The GUSUWU is a substantial mat, listed at around 1.3kg, and one careful reviewer, Rikachu, weighed their own at 1.24kg. That heft is a direct result of the thick, hardwearing build people praise, but it cuts both ways depending on how you travel.

For car-campers and anyone with a boot, a buggy or a short walk from the car park, the weight is a non-issue. Rikachu put it neatly: "Fine if you have a car or buggy but I wouldn't want to carry it around all day." That is the trade-off in one sentence.

Backpackers and anyone doing a long walk-in to their picnic spot should think harder. Jordan Jewell dropped to one star purely on this point: "Didn't realise that picnic blankets could be heavy... would really add weight to your bag if you were going for a walk and picnic." If every gram in your rucksack matters, this is not your mat. For everyone else, the weight buys you a mat that survives twigs, stones and years of use, which most buyers consider a fair swap.

Cleaning is easy, refolding is a bit of a puzzle

Two practical points come up often enough to plan around. The good news first: cleaning is a real strength. Because the surface is smooth rather than fluffy, sand and crumbs shake straight off and mud wipes away. Sammie88 took hers to a sandy beach and "the material meant that the sand just fell off it when it was given a good shake." Holly called it "easy to clean, really big and cute pattern."

One firm warning, though: do not machine wash it. Lerato learned this the hard way, discovering "you cant pop it in the washing machine as it completely crumbles away." Stick to a wipe-down or a hose, as the listing suggests, and it will last.

The other quirk is folding. It arrives packed neatly with a velcro flap and a handle, but getting it back to that compact size takes practice. Keith said it "folds like a map so takes a while to get the right combination to become a pouch again," and Hannah noted you have to "turn the blanket upside down to fold it meaning the part you sit on touches the ground." Mrs E Mason offers the practical tip: check how it is folded when you first open it, because the fold lines are not obvious once you have unpacked it. None of this is a dealbreaker, just a five-minute faff at the end of the day until you get the knack.

Who should buy it, and who should skip it

After 100 reviews, the picture is clear and it is a good one, as long as you know what you are ordering. At £10.99 for a 2 metre square waterproof mat that comfortably seats a family and wipes clean in seconds, the value is obvious, which is why so many buyers recommend it and one even ended up buying a second.

Buy it if you are a car-camper, a family doing park picnics and beach days, or anyone who wants a tough barrier against damp UK grass and sand. It also doubles up well: buyers have used it as a tent carpet, a baby crawling mat and even bedding protection from muddy paws. For those jobs the plastic-backed, wipe-clean design is exactly right.

Skip it if you want a soft, warm, cuddly blanket, or if you are a backpacker counting grams. The 1.3kg weight and canvas feel that most buyers happily accept are the very things a minority regret. And whoever you are, give it a day airing out before its first outing to head off that packaging smell.

Set your expectations to "big waterproof groundsheet" rather than "fluffy rug" and this is one of the easiest recommendations at the price. Score it 4.3 out of 5, marked down only for the initial odour and the occasional backing complaint, both of which are manageable if you know they are coming.