Vinyl vs. Silicone Chess Set: The Key Differences
Can't decide between vinyl vs silicone chess set for your on-the-go chess adventures? You're in the right place! This question has left many players perplexed, as both materials offer unique advantages, and making a comparison can be difficult.
Don’t worry — we have the answers to your questions! This blog will be your ultimate guide to which of the two, vinyl or silicone chess set, is a suitable choice for you. So, let’s get right into it!
What is a Vinyl Chess Set?
Vinyl chess sets are made of a type of plastic called Polyvinyl Chloride. They have been around for decades, rising in popularity as public demand for the game heightened during the Soviet era.
These lightweight, flexible boards entertained players and allowed them to practice their skills anywhere, anytime. Despite being inferior to conventional chess sets, their unique features helped them skyrocket in popularity.
What is a Silicone Chess Board?
A silicone chess board is made from silicone, a synthetic form of a rubber-like material that offers users a range of highly unique benefits, such as heat resistance, a non-slip surface, lightweight design, and more. Silicone is a polymer of oxygen and silicon, meaning it is made up of many alternative repeating sub-units of the two elements.
These highly customized boards offer users a fun and cool playing platform. They are also portable and durable. They offer countless benefits for chess players, and with the recent rise in the game’s popularity, they have started to dominate the market.
[product skus="BRDV2,BRDV225,BRDV225-CHESS-NEW"]Vinyl vs. Silicone Chess Sets: What’s the Difference?
On the surface, a vinyl vs silicone chess set might appear similar. They’re both flexible, portable and can be rolled up to carry anywhere. However, there are a number of distinctions among the two, so let’s dissect them one by one.
1. Primary Material
The base material used in vinyl boards is Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)—a type of plastic, whereas Silicone boards are constructed using oxygen and silicon atoms.
PVC is a durable plastic material that is slightly stiffer than silicone. This provides more structure to the chess board created using PVC. On the other hand, silicone boards are way more flexible than vinyl boards. Their malleable nature makes them ideal as folding boards. These boards are also eco-friendlier and more non-toxic than vinyl boards.
2. Flexibility
Due to its stiffer nature, vinyl boards can form creases when folded or rolled long-term. So, if you’re planning on storing your board in a tight space, you’ll be better off with a silicone board.
Still, with their ability to maintain a rigid shape, vinyl boards are preferred for rough or irregular surfaces, as pieces might fall off from a silicone board. Read this blog if you’re particularly interested in foldable chess boards.
3. Durability and Heat Tolerance
Although both types of chess sets offer great durability, silicone boards are generally more enduring than vinyl boards. Vinyl boards are prone to long-term damage by stress and friction. Over time, the board can peel or crackle at the edges, especially due to frequent rolling and folding. Additionally, it is unable to tolerate heat very well and can get distorted.
In contrast to vinyl, silicone boards can minimize these problems due to their inherent resistance to prolonged strains and their ability to withstand higher temperatures.
4. Washability and Water Resistance
While vinyl boards are somewhat resistant to water, their endurance threshold is lower than silicone boards. If water spills over your vinyl board, you can usually wipe it off without any problem, but if your board is old and worn out, the water may seep through small crevices and cracks, causing damage to the board.
If the spill is not attended to, there is a high chance your vinyl board will likely stain due to a spill, especially if it's food or drink. In comparison, silicone boards are superior to vinyl in terms of washability as they are completely waterproof. Their non-porous structure means water will slide over it. You can even wash or submerge it in water without harming the board’s structural integrity. Thus, silicone boards are an excellent pick for an outdoor game, as they do not absorb moisture at all.
5. Portability
Both vinyl and silicone share similar features when it comes to portability. However, silicone is the better option between the two. Refer to the table below that explains this conclusion:
| Feature | Silicone Chess Board | Vinyl Chess Board |
| Foldability | Can be folded or rolled | Can be rolled; avoid folding |
| Weight | Lighter than vinyl boards | Lightweight |
| Storage | Can be stored in extremely small spaces | Can be stored in small spaces |
| Overall Travel Friendliness | Excellent | Good |
6. Surface Feel
The vinyl board has a smooth surface, making it slippery and glazed. Chess pieces easily move over the surface, making it the optimal choice for quick gameplay, especially bullet and blitz games. However, if the surface is creased, it might affect the overall feel and gameplay of the board.
In contrast, silicone boards are designed to offer a smooth but non-slippery surface, so pieces are less likely to be moved to the wrong square unintentionally during blitz games.
7. Appearance
Both vinyl and silicon boards come in a variety of colors, from the typical black and white check to vibrant colors such as red or green.
Vinyl boards mostly have a glossy or smooth finish, giving them a sleek look. This shiny look gives them a stylish or fancy appearance, but keep in mind that this glossy surface makes it prone to glare during gameplay in bright light.
The finished look of a silicone board is matt or slightly textured, which gives it a contemporary look. Due to its flexible nature, it resists creasing and can have a better appearance when set up than vinyl boards.
8. Pricing
The widespread availability of PVCs in the last century has enabled manufacturers to mass-produce items comprised of PVCs cheaply. Although both silicone and vinyl chess sets are cheaper compared to conventional options, vinyl boards are generally less pricey than silicone boards.
Vinyl vs Silicone Chess Set: Similarities and Comparison with Traditional Wooden Chess Sets
Both silicone and vinyl chess sets are similar in many ways. In this section, we’ll explore various factors, including durability, portability, affordability, and ease of cleaning, comparing them to traditional wooden chess sets. This is important when choosing vinyl vs. silicone chess sets.
Flexibility
Unlike wooden chess boards, vinyl and silicone boards can be easily folded, giving them a compact design. This feature allows vinyl and silicone boards to offer several advantages, including:
- Quick set-up
- Less damage risk
- Versatile gameplay
Their ability to resist damage by impacts makes them the perfect choice for young kids or households with young children.
Synthetic Materials
The materials used in these two types of boards are synthetic, making them easy to produce and relatively inexpensive compared to traditional wooden chess boards. While they may not exude the elegance of classic wooden sets, they provide a more casual and comfortable feel.
Water Resistance
Throughout its history, chess enthusiasts have faced one common issue: moisture corroding the integrity of their boards. Here is where vinyl vs silicone chess sets come into the picture. They’re both highly resistant to damage by water, and if you accidentally spill some on them, you can just let them dry and they’ll be as good as new. Wooden boards, on the other hand, can absorb water and accumulate damage over time.
Final Thoughts Vinyl vs Silicone Chess Set
When considering vinyl vs silicone chess set, we can say that silicone chess sets are generally superior to vinyl boards in terms of practical advantages they offer. They provide greater portability, flexibility, durability, and eco-friendliness. However, it all comes down to personal preferences as some players might find the feel and appearance of vinyl boards more appealing than silicone boards. The only notable and quantifiable advantage vinyl has over silicone is its low cost.