Cole-Tac is located in the North Eastern US and has grown to become one of our favorite companies. They manufacture shooting gear and accessories here in the USA. Cole-Tac started with suppressor covers and quickly expanded. Currently they offer a wide range of products for shooting enthusiasts of all types. We have had the pleasure of spending time with Dustin, both in our shop and shooting long range in the desert. We enjoyed sharing ideas and discussing the industry as a whole with him during SHOT Show 2018. Below we have highlighted our favorite Cole-Tac products.

Cuddle Bag Photo credit: Justin Collett/Real Shooter Media

The Cuddle Bag can be a pretty unassuming name for a piece of shooting gear and it honestly looks out of place. None the less, it has proven to be valuable for both hunting and competition. The main function of the cuddle bag is to help you build a stable shooting position when firing from tripods, barricades, etc. The large size allows it to make up the space between your knee and your elbow (see above photo). The malleability of the cuddle bag helps it take on odd forms and even squeeze into tight spaces. When firing down hill you may find the oversize Cuddle Bag useful as a rear bag, and it makes a great pillow when taking a nap on a hillside. The cuddle bag has a large volume but remains light (12 oz) due to the fill material utilized.

Cole-Tac Trap bag

The Trap Bag got its name the from its trapezoid shape. This bag serves as a “buffer” between hard surfaces you may be shooting from and the hard surfaces of your rifle. By using a bag, less movement will be transferred, similar to how the shocks on a car allow for a smoother ride. The Trap Bag also increases the amount of surface area between the support and your rifle (in our image the “support” is my truck), the added contact surface area increases stability in your shooting position. The heavy fill and trapezoid shape adapts to different surfaces but it isn’t a lightweight at 3.75 lbs. When needed you can also use the Trap Bag as a rear shooting bag.

Go-To Shooting Mat

The Go-To Shooting Mat is definitely one of my favorite Cole-Tac products. I really like its minimalistic and purposeful design. Many shooting mats have become big which makes them most useful at the shooting range. The Go-To is the opposite. Its small and compact design makes it easy to pack while scouting or hunting. The mat is only padded where its needed and all hardware used is made from steel! The bi-pod lanyard allows you to “pre-load” your rifle with the other end anchored to the Go-To Shooting Mat. The sturdy eyelets are handy for nailing it down with tent stakes and the water resistant 1000D Cordura allow it to be used as a blast mat in a pinch. The Go-To Shooting Mat has taken up residency in my truck to make sure it is always handy when I’m shooting.

Image from Cole-Tac website

We encourage you to check out the Cole-Tac website and visit often. Cole-Tac is always looking to improve their products and incorporate new ideas. One of the latest is the Backbone Bag Frame which will be a great option for competition shooters. The Backbone is available with both ARCA or Picatinny attachment methods and will interface with many of the support bags manufactured by Cole-Tac.

“The beauty of the Backbone Bag System (BBS) is the adaptability and versatility.  The frame can be used on any of our other BBS compatible bags, offering you the best support for your shooting scenario.  Once you remove the frame, the bag can be used just like any other standard bag as there is no sewn in metal frame. This interchangeable design makes both the bags and frame extremely versatile.  Our Cuddle Bag, Little Cuddle Bag, Trap Bag V2, and Flat Bag are all compatible and can be purchased separately.

The frame ships with our Flat Bag, which is constructed from mil-spec 1000D Cordura nylon and filled with crushed polypropylene. Like all of our rugged gear, this product is made in the USA and offers our lifetime warranty.  Buy your system today and give your bags a backbone.” -Cole Tac website