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If you’re looking to shoot at long range, there’s a high chance that you are looking for a shooting mat as essential gear. In fact, most competitive marksman prefer using shooting mats when shooting at long distances. If you’re unsure what to look for, I laid out some of the best shooting mat models right now.
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My Top Shooting Mat Reviews
Shooting outdoors is a great experience. However, some outdoor shooting ranges don’t have comfortable shooting bays. That’s where having your own shooting mat comes in handy. Some outdoor shooting ranges also let you experience real outdoor shooting and shooting mats come in handy.
Shooting mats give you protection and extra padding from outdoor surfaces like rough terrain, rocky terrain, sand, sticks, and thorns. It also protects your rifle from this unwanted dirt so you won’t have to do much when you clean your gun. Below are some of the best shooting mats you can use for your shooting activities.
NcSTAR VISM Roll Up Shooting Mat
The NcSTAR VISM Roll Up Shooting Mat is one of the best and useful shooting mat on the list.
First off, this shooting mat is compact in size so it’s definitely portable. It’s also one of the most comfortable shooting mats on the market.
This shooting mat is the best roll up shooting mat around. Its design gives you a built-in handle and a shoulder strap. This makes carrying the shooting mat easy like carrying a duffle bag.
There are also two hook and loop straps that you can use to secure the mat into a roll.
In terms of protection, the VISM Roll Up Shooting Mat contains slightly thicker elbow padding which is at 0.3 inches thick. This makes it comfortable around the knees and elbows when in shooting position.
This mat consists of tough, durable PVC material resistant to water and chemicals. This shooting mat is also anti-slip and will help you maintain your shooting position.
When it comes to durability, the materials make it durable and the re-enforced cross-stitching placed in critical areas ensures the shooting mat will last long.
The shooting mat’s dimension when opened is 35 inches wide x 69 inches long. When closed, it’s 19.5 inches wide x 8.5 inches in length. The shooting mat weighs around 3.95 pounds so it’s on the lighter side.
This shooting mat comes in a variety of color options to fit your preference and can even provide camouflage to outdoor shooting.
If you were to find a fault, it would be that it isn’t as foldable as other shooting mats. However, It’s still portable and even a lot easy to move around with.
If you’re looking for a shooting mat that will do you good and usable for a long time then the NcSTAR VISM Roll Up Shooting Mat might be the choice for you.
Product Highlight
- Comfortable with anti-slip and extra padding features
- Easy to transport and portable
- Made of durable PVC material
VooDoo Tactical Roll Up Shooter’s Mat
The Voodoo Tactical Roll Up Shooter’s Mat might be a shock to you as it is more expensive compared to other shooting mats. This is mainly because of its unique shape and design. It’s also really lightweight.
This shooting mat comes in a T-shape design when unrolled and fits most bodies of shooters. It’s really long with a dimension of 69 inches x 48 inches although you can roll it to be smaller at 8 inches x 20 inches.
The Voodoo Tactical Roll Up Shooter’s Mat is padded at about ½ inches. Although it’s slightly thin, it’s enough to feel comfortable on slightly uneven surfaces.
There are elbow wings to the side to protect your sleeves and elbow area in the outdoors when you assume sniper position. You can even use it on wet or muddy surfaces and it will protect your equipment. You can thank the padded cell foam that keeps off moisture from seeping in.
This shooting mat is surprisingly light and compact. This is perfect for snipers who want to be mobile if you want to shoot in different areas.
You also have added pockets on this shooting mat. It’s great for storing weapon accessories and gun cleaning equipment. You have a sewn-in pocket with a pen holder, an ammo pouch, bullet slots, and even a removable tool pouch.
You can also clip it onto your gun range backpack thanks to its male and E buckles for an easier carry. It also has adjustable straps that feature quick-release buckles.
Unfortunately, this mat is not thick enough to really be comfortable in extremely uneven and rough surfaces. In this case, you will need to find a more suitable surface area to position your shot.
Overall, this shooting mat is solid and a great pick for snipers as it was specifically designed for sniper use. The fact that its T-shape assumes a sniper position is really perfect for snipers.
Product Highlights
- Perfect for snipers
- Padded elbow wings
- Long and wide without bulky
- Lightweight at 4.8 pounds
Boyt Harness Bob Allen Tactical Shooting Mat
The Bob Allen Tactical Tactical Shooting Mat is a quality shooting mat. It’s decently sized, lightweight, and durable.
This shooting mat is large and tough enough for usage on damp or even muddy surfaces.
The shooting mat measures 27 inches x 85 inches. This is enough for tall people. The padded area takes up 73 out of the 85 inches while the rest of the space is taken by the cover.
The shooting mat is comprised of polymer with the webbing strap also made from the same material. The polymer material is durable, lightweight, and is also water-resistant.
The padding consists of closed-cell foam (CCF) and it feels comfortable on your body. The surface is anti-skid which makes the map stay in place when you lie down.
It’s a non-slip surface that will help with gun recoil and it being water-resistant also helps with it.
This shooting mat is easily one of the more comfortable mats on the market. It rolls up neatly and is compact to be able to carry around.
Shooting from a slight incline or uneven surface isn’t a problem. This shooting mat helps keep your posture steady for a highly accurate and precise shot.
This shooting mat also contains an external pocket for storage with some self-healing zippers and robust poly webbing which helps with durability.
Weighing at around 2.2 pounds, this shooting mat is one of the lightweight shooting mats around. It’s also easy to carry thanks to its carry handle and strap.
This shooting mat is really durable and you can even use it on cold or hard ground, giving you additional protection. Expect this shooting mat to give you service for years.
If you were to look for a downside, then this shooting mat might be too bulky for you. While this shooting mat is also tall which is great for tall people, it’s not wide enough. You might not have enough space to place your shooting gear on it.
Overall, it’s astounding that this shooting mat is 2.2 pounds in weight while being bulky. This shooting mat being durable and lightweight makes this worth it for you.
Product Highlights
- Excellent durability for long usage
- Materials are really durable and CCF is comfortable
- Non-slip surface helps with recoil and stable shooting position
VISM by NcStar Rifle Case Shooting Mat
The NcSTAR VISM Rifle Case Shooting Mat is a heavy-duty mat that consists of PVC-coated material. When rolled out, it measures 66 inches by 35 inches. The dimensions fit comfortably enough for most people.
The mat contains a handful of compartments that is great for putting in your other shooting gears aside from a gun range backpack. The compartments can fit in things such as cartridges, gun cleaning kit, and even a pair of binoculars.
You can choose a variety of colors for this shooting mat. Some colors are similar to the military or camouflage. There’s also a plain color model for a simple design.
The fact that this shooting mat is a roll-up makes it easy to carry around. You even have drag straps, a carry handle, and shoulder straps that make it easy and comfortable to move with.
The VISM Rifle Case Shooting Mat weighs at 6.2 pounds and it is on the heavy side. However, the weight is manageable and it also gives you a slight idea of what soldiers experience during combat carrying heavy weight with them most of the time.
This shooting mat also has an anti-slip material that will handle your knees and elbows. This will help keep your body position in place. There’s also thick padding around the elbow area that will make you feel comfortable.
The bag is close to 3 feet wide and it should be wide enough to fit you in. Adding shooting gear alongside it might prove difficult.
The build quality is excellent so it more than makes up for it. Expect this shooting mat to last long as it also has some quality stitching and the material is waterproof.
If you’re tall, you might find this shooting mat a bit small for you. I wouldn’t personally recommend it for tall people as it can be rather small, which is justified if you want this shooting mat to be easy to carry around.
Overall, the NcSTAR VISM Rifle Case Shooting Mat is one of the best shooting mats for all of its features and usability.
Product Highlights
- Comfortable and anti-slip with some extra padding features
- Can hold up to 2 AR 15 rifles, ammo, and other gear
- PVC-Coating makes it water-resistant
- Portable and easy to carry
What Makes a Good Shooting Mat
Picking and buying a good shooting mat can be a difficult choice especially when there are plenty of excellent options. Depending on your needs, one shooting mat might be better for you than the other. These are some features you need to consider when buying the best shooting mat.
Padding
Shooting mats are designed for comfort and protection. Therefore, it’s important that your shooting mat has paddings that do this function excellently. A well-padded shooting mat will give you the most comfortable shooting experience no matter the terrain.
Durability
If you’re using a shooting mat for outdoor shooting then it needs to be durable. The shooting mat should consist of durable materials. It should be able to withstand long usage and wear and tear. This holds true especially if you are constantly on harsh and rough terrains.
Gun Protection
Some shooting mats are water-resistant and prevent water from the ground surface to reach your guns.
They are even designed to be used in muddy terrains and still, protects your gun from getting unwanted dirt. An added bonus would be pockets to store safely your gun accessories.
Non-Slip
Non-slip shooting mats can make a lot of difference in your shooting. You don’t want to miss a target just because your elbow slipped on the mat. Non-slip shooting mats should be useful especially in wet and moist conditions to maintain your shooting position.
Conclusion
These are the best shooting mats you can get in 2020. If you want it to last long, you also need to take care of it properly. Some of the features like durability are only true if the shooting mat is used properly. The information above should help you decide what shooting mat is best for you.
