As I delve into the world of precision shooting, I thought I might do a couple of reviews on some of the items that I pick up along the way. This is the first one. Being a relatively new precision shooter, I was in the market for a shooting mat to replace USGI foam pad I had been using. I was debating the Midway USA pro mat, but reading the reviews left me with some mixed feelings regarding the quality and longevity of it. When laid out, that mat is also black and in the GA sun, I don’t really need the extra warmth! I then happened across a thread here a while back on a shortened shooting mat from Skull Monkey Gear. Being somewhat of a minimalist, I like the idea of this approach and decided to pick one up and try it out.
I ordered over a weekend, and the mat showed up three business days later via USPS. Inside the package was a nice compact roll that was my new mat. It can be made even more compact by cinching down on the two buckled nylon straps. I’m not sure exactly what type of buckles they are, but they engage very solidly. With this particular application being a non load-bearing one, I don’t foresee any issues. I weighed the mat in at 1 lb, 8 oz. All rolled up it measures 10.5" x 4".
Once the buckles are unsnapped, the mat deploys almost instantaneously. It is made from two layers of 1000 denier Cordura – one side is coyote tan, and the other is digital woodland camo. There are no pockets, storage sleeves or padding to create additional bulk. I personally never saw the need for a lot of that stuff, as I use a separate ammo holder, and my data book holds my pens, calculator, etc. Unfolded, the mat is 39” long and 30” wide. In the prone position, my elbows fit on there with plenty of room to spare.
Edges are taped and double-stitched all the way around. The bipod strap runs the full width of the mat, with the exception of the very ends where the heavy-duty stitching is that serves as anchor points. The front of the bipod strap is double-stitched (difficult to see) along the entire length. Double and re-enforced stitching is used throughout the mat, and I don’t imagine any of it will give way anytime soon. All the stitching is neat, even, and with good attention to detail.
Now this mat is obviously not going to keep the lower part of my torso isolated from the ground, and I’m OK with that. I know it’s probably not for everyone. Even with a full-length mat, if the ground were that wet and crappy, and I knew I’d be there awhile, I’d probably throw a small tarp down first to serve as a water barrier and prevent me having to hose mud off the mat later.
What this mat does accomplish quite well IMHO, is to act as a compact platform to load my bipod, and keep my rifle and shooting accessories off the ground. It occupies very little space in my shooting bag, is well-made and a nice piece of kit. If I were to make a small suggestion for improvement, it would be to add grommets to the corners in case there was ever a need to stake it down. That said, this is not a large mat, and with the weight of the rifle on it – it’s not going anywhere.
I would think that this would be a good alternative to a full-sized mat for folks that need to minimize gear and weight (LE and competition shooters), or who are like me and want a minimal approach to things without all the ‘extras’. Besides some mil-surp stuff and a Triad rear bag, this is my first piece of gear that did not come from a mass production factory somewhere in Asia. It’s well made, does what I need it to, and I’m very happy with it so far. After I break it in a bit, I’ll try to remember to come back and update this some more.
ETA COST: Mat was $75 plus $8 shipping. I talked with the folks at Skull Monkey Gear yesterday. Since they are a custom shop, making a full-length version is no problem, and it'll only run an additional $10 in materials.
I ordered over a weekend, and the mat showed up three business days later via USPS. Inside the package was a nice compact roll that was my new mat. It can be made even more compact by cinching down on the two buckled nylon straps. I’m not sure exactly what type of buckles they are, but they engage very solidly. With this particular application being a non load-bearing one, I don’t foresee any issues. I weighed the mat in at 1 lb, 8 oz. All rolled up it measures 10.5" x 4".
Once the buckles are unsnapped, the mat deploys almost instantaneously. It is made from two layers of 1000 denier Cordura – one side is coyote tan, and the other is digital woodland camo. There are no pockets, storage sleeves or padding to create additional bulk. I personally never saw the need for a lot of that stuff, as I use a separate ammo holder, and my data book holds my pens, calculator, etc. Unfolded, the mat is 39” long and 30” wide. In the prone position, my elbows fit on there with plenty of room to spare.
Edges are taped and double-stitched all the way around. The bipod strap runs the full width of the mat, with the exception of the very ends where the heavy-duty stitching is that serves as anchor points. The front of the bipod strap is double-stitched (difficult to see) along the entire length. Double and re-enforced stitching is used throughout the mat, and I don’t imagine any of it will give way anytime soon. All the stitching is neat, even, and with good attention to detail.
Now this mat is obviously not going to keep the lower part of my torso isolated from the ground, and I’m OK with that. I know it’s probably not for everyone. Even with a full-length mat, if the ground were that wet and crappy, and I knew I’d be there awhile, I’d probably throw a small tarp down first to serve as a water barrier and prevent me having to hose mud off the mat later.
What this mat does accomplish quite well IMHO, is to act as a compact platform to load my bipod, and keep my rifle and shooting accessories off the ground. It occupies very little space in my shooting bag, is well-made and a nice piece of kit. If I were to make a small suggestion for improvement, it would be to add grommets to the corners in case there was ever a need to stake it down. That said, this is not a large mat, and with the weight of the rifle on it – it’s not going anywhere.
I would think that this would be a good alternative to a full-sized mat for folks that need to minimize gear and weight (LE and competition shooters), or who are like me and want a minimal approach to things without all the ‘extras’. Besides some mil-surp stuff and a Triad rear bag, this is my first piece of gear that did not come from a mass production factory somewhere in Asia. It’s well made, does what I need it to, and I’m very happy with it so far. After I break it in a bit, I’ll try to remember to come back and update this some more.
ETA COST: Mat was $75 plus $8 shipping. I talked with the folks at Skull Monkey Gear yesterday. Since they are a custom shop, making a full-length version is no problem, and it'll only run an additional $10 in materials.
