Let's talk shooting mats

redneckbmxer24

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  • Jan 15, 2005
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    Gulf Coast, FL
    I'm looking for a good shooting mat. I've had a TAB gear mat for years and haven't managed to wear it out. It's a great packable field mat and I don't intend to replace it for my pack mat but it leaves a lot to be desired in the way of comfort. I do a lot of load development and prone shooting off of my patio which is stamped concrete and absolutely miserable to get down on so I'm looking to buy something better suited for shooting at my house.

    I have an Armageddon Gear Numero Uno bag and thought about getting a second to put end to end and run a tripod in front but I'm afraid I'd fall asleep while shooting.


    What I want:

    1. Comfort. It doesn't need to feel like I'm on a therapeutic mattress, but I'd like good heavy/dense padding. Doesn't have to be overly thick though.

    2. Quality. Something that will last. I bought the more premium midway mat several years ago and it was coming apart after a couple outings. They sent a new one and were great to deal with but the next one did the same thing shortly after. I used it until it was falling apart and trashed it, wasn't worth calling for another replacement. I liked everything else about it though.

    3. Easy quick deployment/packing up. It doesn't need to fold up small, or have super nice buckles or anything else since I probably won't use them. It will get hastily folded up and carried 20' inside and set against the wall or something. A tri/quad fold would be ideal vs. a roll up.

    4. A little weight to it. It won't be carried or hauled anywhere so the thing could weigh 40lbs and not matter. I can't stake it down to the concrete and would rather not have to put weights on the corners to hold it down in wind.

    5. Waterproof bottom or entirely waterproof.


    I wouldn't mind have something with the build in strap area used to load a bipod. I typically just put the bipod in grass so it's not a issue if it doesn't but it would be nice to be able to scoot back a little out of the sun and still load the bipod. It doesn't need to have a muzzle blast flap, pockets, or anything else.

    Recommendations? I don't mind paying for quality so I'm not looking for anything budget minded. Getting the features listed are most important.

    Thanks
     
    I've had a midway premium mat for years and it has held up very well, even use it for work under the truck. Could be you just got a bad one. Anyway, been thinking of upgrading to the one below for awhile, sounds pretty comfortable and it may do double duty in the truck backseat for the dog on camping trips lol.

    Added a link for the crosstac mat too, also a nice mate. Both have bipod straps.


    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/76...mat-olive-drab
    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/26...ng-mat-cordura
     
    Last edited:
    Thanks for the replies guys, that cross tac is exactly what I'm looking for. I've never heard of them before but they've got some pretty cool kit. I'll probably pic up a couple of their maintenance mats too, I've been looking for something like that as well.
     
    Crosstac makes a great shooting mat. You may to have cut the rubber handles that cover the carrying straps off. They always seem to be in the wrong place when laying prone.
     
    The crosstac is great; agreed about the handles being in the 'wrong place.' I didn't cut my handles off but just work around them.
     
    This is one of those times you may want to look outside of the "tactical" realm, in particular what the XTC guys are using. For what you describe, you do not need cordura and camo, but rather a good solid water resistant well padded mat. Portability is not an issue. Take a look at the offerings from Champions Choice or Creedmoor. Their mats run under $100, and are extremely well made and durable. I do not recall who made my XTC mat, but I have had it for over 30 years and it has held up great...and since you won't be squirting Hawkeye on your knee and elbow, it will hold up even better.
     
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    I've had a midway premium mat for years and it has held up very well, even use it for work under the truck. Could be you just got a bad one. Anyway, been thinking of upgrading to the one below for awhile, sounds pretty comfortable and it may do double duty in the truck backseat for the dog on camping trips lol.

    Added a link for the crosstac mat too, also a nice mate. Both have bipod straps.


    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/76...mat-olive-drab
    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/26...ng-mat-cordura

    As a follow-up, just got the "half acre padded shooting mat" from midway, on sale for $79, outfrigginstanding". No more rocks jamming into my hip bones for this boy now lol......
     
    You can contact Creedmoor Sports and custom order a mat. I did. It is their tri fold model made to my order. The first section ( forward or head area) is constructed of three layers of foam vs two.
    It has the standard two sections of rubber matting sewed on top. The middle or second section has two layers of foam vs. the standard one. It also has a additional section of rubber matting on the right hand side as per my request. The last section is the standard one layer of foam. The price for these mods is very reasonable. This mat is very comfortable and the size is adequate for me ( I'm 5' 10"). I use this mat to shoot off a concrete surface during Service Rifle at the club.
     
    I've been liking the Voodoo Tactical shooting mat. Great padding, rolls up small and has some molle straps with buckles for attaching to a pack or whatever. I have abused the hell out of it myself and loaned it out numerous times as a mat for match stages to be trampled on and abused all day long and had zero issues. It is a bit narrow, so if you don't need to pack it around then you might enjoy a bit more real estate.
     
    I shoot smallbore prone and I have a mat from Creedmoor sports in Alabama. Smallbore matches are shot on a concrete pad and are hell on you elbows even with a shooting jacket on. The creedmoor mat has double pad on the front part and single pad on the two other sections. it is a tri fold mat and has a handle. Mine has been going for about 4-5 years and show very little wear. Mike
     
    Crosstac or the Midway Half Acre shooting mat. Midway has a little more padding and is cheaper. The Crosstac mat has a sewn in piece of foam at the front to load the bipod off of - I could not get it to work well for me and my bipod kept slipping up and over when I really pushed against it (I’m sure I was overloading back then but still). The Midway mat comes with the sewn in straps and the bipod isn’t going anywhere when locked in there. Both fold up to about the same size.
     
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    A prone or 3P shooting mat like the Creedmoor is excellent, and the Crosstac looks great. However for doing what your doing an old school military puss pad (roll up therm-a-rest basically) is the way to fly! I have been shooting off one for many years, it is very durable, water proof, very well insulated (I shoot all winter in Maine in temps well below zero and on ice / snow), and quite comfortable. The best part is you can get them for under $20 at your local surplus store.
     
    Any of these can carry a rifle? I currently have the Galati gear mat that also doubles as my rifle case.

    Its thick foam and is very comfortable but it’s starting to rip where the zipper is. Looking for another solution like this one.

    I also think it was $250 plus or something like that and the quality is not where I would expect it to be.
     
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    Reactions: Downtown
    Any of these can carry a rifle? I currently have the Galati gear mat that also doubles as my rifle case.

    Its thick foam and is very comfortable but it’s starting to rip where the zipper is. Looking for another solution like this one.

    I also think it was $250 plus or something like that and the quality is not where I would expect it to be.

    Surprised the Galati is failing. I'd first contact them to see it they'll repair it for you. The Galati is in my sights. I have drag bag from them for several years and very happy.
     
    I think case / mat combos work poorly. They are not great at either task and you get grass, dirt and other crap inside your rifle bag.

    If you have the cash, the Crosstac is a great option, nice people too.
     
    An old style cotton lined sleeping bag opened on top of a hardware store H.D. poly tarp. Not very high tech or tacticool, but simple, warm and inexpensive. You could even forget the tarp. Also works great on frozen ground and snowbanks.

    Another option is a moving tarp.
     

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    Anyone else here running an Eagle Industries Hybrid Drag Bag/Shooting Mat? I love that thing but its getting pretty old these days and the black rubber anti-skid pads are wearing off. Anyone else run into this issue? If so, how did you fix it? I'm thinking of taking to one of the local sew shops to see if they can replace it with something else.

    Other than that, which isn't a big deal seeing as how its expected after 11 years of heavy use, I highly recommend it.
     
    Anyone else here running an Eagle Industries Hybrid Drag Bag/Shooting Mat? I love that thing but its getting pretty old these days and the black rubber anti-skid pads are wearing off. Anyone else run into this issue? If so, how did you fix it? I'm thinking of taking to one of the local sew shops to see if they can replace it with something else.

    Other than that, which isn't a big deal seeing as how its expected after 11 years of heavy use, I highly recommend it.

    You can buy sheets of the pebbly rubber that you see on elbows and shoulders of shooting coats from Champion's Choice and then have a local shop sew it on where you want it.