I LOVE the look of this rug, but OMG it shed so much at first that I had to vacuum it about five times as soon as I laid it down. The very first time I vacuumed it (right after rolling it out) my vacuum canister filled up!

I've had it now for almost a year and I love it! It's very thick, so the only pad you need is a non-slip pad unless you use rug tape - I prefer rug tape myself. It's much easier and the rug stays exactly where it should, but if you need to move it you can. It's not difficult to pull it up and re-tape it afterward. I just tape it around the edges. 

It is also great at resisting stains. I have the runner in my kitchen, right between the sink and island. For the record, I eat a ton of beets (bright red) and make pour-over coffee which sometimes spatters. Every time something has gotten on the rug I just get some cold water on a clean, white rug and blot it out. It comes out every time!