I don\u2019t know how many years I\u2019ve 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\u2019s not a cure-all for my situation. I\u2019ve needed a shooting mat, and finally took a swing at one. Here\u2019s the Savior Equipment Folding Shooting Mat<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s check the details before going hands-on.<\/p>\n Ok, so we\u2019ve got a mat. You lay on it to avoid getting muddy, wet, dusty, etc right? Well, there\u2019s a little more to it than that.<\/p>\n First, the Folding Shooting Mat is padded. If you\u2019ve 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\u2019t a small matter. It\u2019s harder to focus on making that tough shot when your elbows are battered because you\u2019ve been laying on a rocky surface for a while.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019re ready to get in position. Loading the bipod with the sling definitely helps with shot-to-shot consistency, and makes for a much<\/em> more stable firing position that on a bipod alone. If I don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Thirdly, if you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n Finally, the Folding Shooting Mat was designed to deploy, or pack back up, in a hurry. <\/p>\n 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\u2019re done shooting, this thing folds back up like it\u2019s yearning to be a square again.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s no reason not to remove some of the physical wear and tear on your body. Not to mention that if you\u2019re 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\u2019re prone, that often means a shooting mat. The Savior Equipment Folding Shooting Mat fits the bill, and runs $79.99<\/a>. This is a pretty competitive price for a mid-to-high end shooting mat, definitely worth your time to check out.<\/p>\nFolding Shooting Mat \u2013 Tech Specs<\/h2>\n
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Where To Buy<\/h2>\n
![\"Folding](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/4.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Folding](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/6.jpg\")
![\"Folding](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/5.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Folding](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWrap Up<\/h2>\n
![\"Folding](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/3.jpg\")