Last updated on April 20, 2024
The Smythson Mara collection is instantly identifiable by the embossed crocodile print calf leather. The Mara Travel Backgammon Roll is available in four colours brown, navy, ochre and bluette. The ochre is by far the most striking of the colour variations, but at Deluxe Backgammon our favourite was the brown. This quality backgammon set carries a hint of old-world luxury that’s particularly welcome when passing time on a long journey.
Construction
This luxury backgammon set is crafted from calf leather with an embossed crocodile print. The set Deluxe Backgammon viewed was straight out of the packaging. It is a beautiful piece that would be treasured by frequent travellers. It could also be a decorative piece for the home. The leather was pliant and the set rolled out and laid flat without any curling at the ends. The playing field consists of camel-brown nubuck leather with a black and white topstitched board. The set is secured by a push-stud fastening strap.
Dimensions
The set is light, as you would expect for a travel piece. We estimated that it weighed about 300g. The set rolls neatly up into a small package about the size of a travel umbrella (25.4cm long x 4.5cm diameter). When rolled out it measures 25.4 x 39.5cm. The entire package would fit neatly into a suitcase or overnight bag.
Accessories
The set includes a full set of acrylic checkers and dice, plus a doubling cube. All of the pieces fit into the zippered compartment at the side of the board. The pieces are well-sized and weighted and entirely suited for a travel backgammon set. However, compared to the quality leather material used on the board we found the acrylic pieces to be a little uninspiring. Leather and plastic don’t really belong together. The Deluxe Backgammon team would substitute all of these accessories with replacements crafted from wood or leather.
Conclusion
This luxury backgammon set is just simply beautiful to look at and to hold. It’s stylish and decorative, but still practical to use as a travel backgammon set. The team has no hesitation in recommending this as a Deluxe Backgammon set because of the quality of the leather and the overall aesthetics. RRP at the time of writing is £395.
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I went for the Symthson Panama backgammon travel roll in black. It is made in Spain using cross grain calf leather. The playing field is made from smooth calf leather.