My previous chair mat lasted for 10 years without a problem. Then age began to take its toll and for 2 more years of ownership I put up with brittle plastic so that the old one had several holes in it. I'm happy to have a new version; it works perfectly on my low-pile carpet.
The carpet chair mat came on time and was the correct size BUT it was not the hard and thick mat I was expecting. It I had the opportunity to see it in the store I would not have bought it for that reason. The previous mat I purchased from Staples and used for at least two years was much thicker and still it splintered where my rolling office chair wheels rested repeatedly in the same spots. I was glad that I had not thrown the old one away because I had to place it UNDER this new one to support the new one. Still it is soft where the chair wheels rest.