The 7 Best Shooting Mats of 2021

1. Best Overall Shooting Mat: Allen Company 27990

Starting off the list is Allen Company’s 27990 and this one is the overall best due to several reasons.

To begin with, the product is a 2-in-1 gear that is basically a gun case, which folds out to a full-sized 70-inch long shooting mat. As a gun case, the unit fits most scoped rifles that are up to 50 inches long.

When folded, the case is fitted with a durable web drag handle, removable padded backpack straps (with a chest strap), and heavy-duty carrying handles. These give you plenty of carrying options for comfortable transportation.

Once spread out, the mat gives you rifle securing straps, MOLLE web straps (8 rows), and an ID slot. You also get a nameplate hook-n-loop panel, morale patches, and a barrel pocket for better organization.

Other features include a gray lining for keeping you cool, anti-slip 5-grit panels for stability, 4 closure buckles for stability, heavy-duty padding, and weatherproof snap-out organizer flaps. The only problem is that this piece is quite expensive.

2. Best Budget Shooting Mat: Tourbon Gun Rifle Pad

Tourbon’s gun rifle pad is ideal for those on a tight budget because it is very affordable. Despite this, the mat is designed to be very comfortable because it has a soft fleece lining. This lining also helps to protect your rifle from marks and scratches.

That said, the bottom layer is made using a 600D material, which gives it some toughness. There are also 5 studded pockets for stitched above the fleece lining, which includes 4 small ones for holding brushes, patches, etc., and a large one for holding cleaning rods.

On the downside, the mat is quite small (41.5 x 20.3 inches), which is not suitable for tall people. It also lacks MOLLE straps for neatly organizing MOLLE compatible gear. On the bright side, this small size makes it very lightweight (1.19 lbs.) for easy carrying.

3. Best Ergonomic Shooting Mat: Redneck Convent Shooters Mat

With its fold-out wings, Redneck Convent’s shooters mat is designed to be very ergonomic because it fits your body shape as you lie down to shoot in a prone position. The wings give you an extra 47 inches of elbow space to protect your arms and sleeves as you shoot.

Other than that, the mat has 0.5-inch padding for maximum comfort and it is built using heavy-duty PVC material. This gives it a waterproof, weather, and chemical resistant outer layer while the thick padding makes it to use under a sleeping bag or as a pillow when rolled up.

More features are 2 removable gear pouches, a built-in pocket, and a removable ammo pouch with bullet slots. You also get UTX buckles and E clips for attaching the unit to your backpack and carry handles for carrying it on its own.

The only problem is that the mat is only 21 inches wide, which is very narrow. This might be an issue for a fat person.

4. Most Durable Shooting Mat: NcStar Vism CVSHMR2957B

NcStar’s Vism CVSHMR2957B also has a PVC construction that is reinforced using cross stitching in critical areas for maximum strength and durability. Additionally, this material is water and chemical resistant, which keeps you covered from muddy/contaminated ground.

Apart from that, the mat is fitted with slip-resistant knee and elbow panels for enhanced stability while its 0.3-inch thick padding keeps you comfortable in the prone position.

Two hook-n-loop straps are built in to secure the mat into a roll and you can use either the adjustable shoulder straps or carry handle for easy transportation. The shoulder strap can also be used to secure the firearm bipod or hold your rifle firmly during recoil.

On the downside, this piece lacks MOLLE webbing for holding MOLLE compatible gear.

5. Best Shooting Mat for Tall People: Boyt Harness BAT79021

Measuring 85 inches in length, Boyt Harness’ BAT79021 is the ideal shooting mat to use if you are a tall person. This is equivalent to 7’3”, which is the height of a very tall person.

The mat is also built to support heavy persons because it has a 0.5-inch thick closed-cell foam that is very firm and comfortable.

600D polyester is used to build the mat and this has a water-resistant coating plus poly webbing for additional strength. A black rubberized non-skid surface is placed at the front section to keep your elbows from slipping.

You also get sling and backpack style carrying options using poly webbing straps. However, no pockets are built in to organize your gear.

6. Stake-Down Designed Shooting Mat: OneTigris SD03

OneTigris’ SD03 is characterized by 6 grommet holes along the perimeter, which give it a stake-down design because it can be pinned to the ground when windy. This prevents it from being blown off after you get up.

That said, the unit is made using 1000D nylon material, which is very tough, and this is coated at the bottom using polyurethane for waterproofing. The mat is also double-stitched at the edges to keep the nylon fabric from unraveling.

Two rows of military spec 1-inch thick webbing are built in to hold MOLLE compatible gear. However, you don’t get any pockets and the mat is not padded for comfortable use.

On the bright side, the lack of padding makes the mat foldable to a very small 8 x 4 x 4-inch roll that weighs only 1.5 lbs. This makes it very easy to carry.

7. 2-in-1 Shooting Mat: NcStar Vism Mat-8

Just like Allen Company’s 27990 , this product is a 2-in-1 gear that can be used as a case to transport your rifle then folded out to be a padded shooting mat. It has 3 padded panels to protect your gun as you carry it and keep you comfortable when prone shooting.

The mat’s inside section is very well organized because it has a cleaning rod compartment, a muzzle pouch, two removable panels with zipped compartments, a transparent window compartment for keeping ballistic charts, and many other slots.

On the other hand, the outside section is fitted with an ID card window, heavy-duty zippers with extended protective zipper flaps, quick-connect buckles on adjustable compression straps for rolling it up, and many others.

Basically, the mat is fully-featured but this comes at a relatively high price. The piece is also very heavy (6.7 lbs.), which makes it a bit cumbersome to carry.