At Unique Boutique Travel we like nothing more than relaxing after a hard day of sightseeing. And what better way to unwind than a game of backgammon over a glass or two of wine. We always pack a travel backgammon set on our journey’s. Recently, we have been in Australia and one of the first things we packed was our Thomas Lyte travel backgammon roll to pass away our evenings. This post is courtesy of Deluxe Backgammon, the best online source for all things related to luxury backgammon sets.
Thomas Lyte produces a range of travel backgammons sets crafted from leather. They come in a range of colours, from traditional browns and blues to eye-catching mustard. Our preferred colour was plum, it has a lovely rich lustre. All of the sets are crafted from grained leather. The sets can be personalised with an embossed name or initials on the outer roll. On a recent trip to Australia, we enjoyed playing this backgammon set on our stays at Tumbling Waters and Jonah’s.
Construction
This premium backgammon set is manufactured from grained leather, the grain is clearly visible on the outer roll. The leather has been dyed plum, which is a really rich colour with a luxuriously glossy finish. The leather is vegetable tanned, which is a natural and sustainable tanning process. The set can be rolled up and secured by twin leather straps. The set viewed by Deluxe Backgammon rolled out nicely and laid flat without significant curling at the ends. The whole set has been handcrafted in England and will undoubtedly last a lifetime or more. The playing field is a creamy natural suede with sewn points of black and plum grained leather. The quality and consistency of the stitching are superb.
Dimensions
The roll is quite light, as you would expect for a travel backgammon set. We estimated that it weighed about 500g. The set rolls neatly up into a small package about the size of a travel umbrella (29cm long x 6cm diameter). When rolled out it measures 29 x 36.5cm. The rolled-up set can easily fit into an overnight bag or hand luggage.
Accessories
The set includes a pair of clear acrylic dice and a doubling cube. The wooden checkers are brown and white. They nicely complement the natural materials of the backgammon roll. All of the pieces fit neatly into the zippered compartment at the side of the board. As this is a travel set, there is no dice cup, which is not needed for social play, as long as you trust your playing opponent!
Conclusion
This premium backgammon set is a pleasure to look at, touch and play with. The grained leather and suede give the set a fabulous tactile quality. It’s an elegant and quality piece, which matches the brand’s aspirations. The craftsmanship is superb and the set is destined to last and be enjoyed for generations. It’s the perfect travel backgammon set, stylish, beautiful and great fun to play on. RRP at the time of writing £185.