I bought these VW mats when we got our Cali 2 years ago. I thought they were the monster mats you were referring to. They have lasted well and are very effective. I've seen them for sale from OEM sellers on Ebay for a much better price than I got them for.
They fit securely on the two little pins in front of each of the seats.
If other people's mats are wearing out, could it be anything to do with hard soles on the heel of the shoe?
I drive in rubber soled shoes for comfort and fuel economy, I found that heavy shoes just made my right foot press further down.
View attachment 26132