I don’t know how many years I’ve spent shooting in the dirt and mud, wishing for a better way. While I finally caved and picked up a tripod a couple years ago, that’s not a cure-all for my situation. I’ve needed a shooting mat, and finally took a swing at one. Here’s the Savior Equipment Folding Shooting Mat.
Let’s check the details before going hands-on.
Folding Shooting Mat – Tech Specs
- Accordion Folding Mat
- Multiple Preload Options
- Built-In Preload Bar
- Removable and Adjustable Preload Strap
- Built-In Dust Mat
- Imported
- 600D Polyester Exterior Shell
- EVA Foam Padding
- Duraflex Hardware
- Double-Stitched Seams
- Full Size | 89” x 41”
- Padded Area | 56” x 41”
- Dust Mat | 33” x 38.75”
- Folded | 19.5” x 19” x 3.5”
- Padding Thickness | 0.3”
Where To Buy
Ok, so we’ve got a mat. You lay on it to avoid getting muddy, wet, dusty, etc right? Well, there’s a little more to it than that.
First, the Folding Shooting Mat is padded. If you’ve ever spent a few days in an overwatch position, or even a couple hours laying prone during a range day, you know that shooter comfort isn’t a small matter. It’s harder to focus on making that tough shot when your elbows are battered because you’ve been laying on a rocky surface for a while.
Yes, this makes a big difference. The FSM uses EVA foam padding, which cuts down on discomfort considerably. Bonus points here as the Folding Shooting Mat is long enough and padded enough to double as a sleeping mat.
Second, the Folding Shooting Mat offers a pre-loading sling. This little loop of fabric is connected to a quick detach buckle, and is used for shooters to load the bipod. If you’re unfamiliar with the technique, it involves putting forward pressure onto the gun, taking up any slack. Not only does this provide a more consistent shooting position, that forward pressure also keeps the bipod from hopping around during recoil, forcing you to reset your shooting position after every shot.
It only takes a few moments to get the loop set up, I just squeeze the bipod legs together and drop them inside the loop, then let the bipod legs go and slide the rifle forward and you’re ready to get in position. Loading the bipod with the sling definitely helps with shot-to-shot consistency, and makes for a much more stable firing position that on a bipod alone. If I don’t have a lead sled available, this is the new standard firing position for my accuracy testing. The sling loop is also adjustable so you can make sure the end of your barrel is over the end section of mat mentioned in the next paragraph.
Thirdly, if you’re worried about your massive muzzle break kicking up a huge cloud of dust every round, the Folding Shooting Mat has a fold-out flap designed to help mitigate just that issue.
Finally, the Folding Shooting Mat was designed to deploy, or pack back up, in a hurry.
This was definitely accomplished. It takes only seconds to unsnap the buckle by the handles, then flap the mat out like a flag to get it to lay in place. When you’re done shooting, this thing folds back up like it’s yearning to be a square again.
Wrap Up
Shooting prone is a necessary skill, one of the basic positions. While certain situations require you to get in the mud or clamber over some rocks to make the shot, there’s no reason not to remove some of the physical wear and tear on your body. Not to mention that if you’re working on testing new handloads or shooting groups you really need accurate data from, you should be in the best possible shooting position. If you’re prone, that often means a shooting mat. The Savior Equipment Folding Shooting Mat fits the bill, and runs $79.99. This is a pretty competitive price for a mid-to-high end shooting mat, definitely worth your time to check out.
–Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer
@Rexnanorum
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