Why We Made a Non-Slip Version of the Settle Mat

Every week we hear from people using the Settle Mat somewhere we didn't originally design it for. On a canoe. On the tile at an agility gym. Laid onto the back seat during a lake trip. The mat handled it, but it wasn't built for it, and that gap is what led to the Non-Slip Settle Mat.

Why a second mat, not a replacement

The original Settle Mat is still the mat most people should buy. It's 100% recycled polyester, it's as light as 8.5 ounces in Small, and it rolls up small enough to disappear into a backpack. That's exactly right for restaurant patios, hotel rooms, and the trailhead.

What it isn't built for is a surface that's actively trying to slide out from under your dog. A wet boat deck. A car seat during hard braking. A gym floor or target during agility work. Those situations don't need a lighter mat, they need a mat that grips.

So instead of redesigning the original and losing what makes it work, we built a second version with a waterproof grip backing and kept everything else that already works: the same recycled ECOPAK™ top layer, the same colors, the same removable carry strap.

How to choose: it's about the surface, not your dog

Both mats train the same settle cue the same way. The difference is where you're using it.

Reach for the Ultralight Settle Mat for backpacking, hiking, patios, and everyday travel, anywhere weight and packability matter more than grip.

Reach for the Non-Slip Settle Mat for boats, car seats, agility and target training, and hard indoor floors, anywhere your dog needs a spot that won't shift under them.

If you're not sure, think about the last place your dog actually slid or struggled to settle. That's your answer.

Built for agility and target training too

Gym floors, rubber matting, and turf all behave differently underfoot, and a dog driving hard into a stationed position needs that spot to hold still under real movement, not just body weight. The waterproof grip backing keeps the mat planted through target work, send-outs, and stationing drills, and the channel stitching keeps the top layer from bunching or shifting as your dog hits the mat at speed. It also travels the way target training gear needs to: rolled up with the included carry strap, it fits in a crate bag alongside the rest of your ring gear and sets down flat and ready between runs.

What's different under the hood

The Non-Slip Settle Mat keeps the recycled ECOPAK™ EPX200 top layer, so it still wipes clean and resists fur and dirt the way the original does. Underneath, it swaps the soft backing for a REACH-compliant grip backing that's waterproof and tested to hold up against 12,000 abrasion cycles and temperatures down to -40°F. A layer of 1/8" spacer mesh in between keeps some breathability, and channel stitching through the top keeps the mat from bunching up when it's used on an incline, like a boat hull or a sloped deck.

Because only the top layer is recycled material, the mat overall is about 33% recycled by weight instead of the original's 100%. It's a real tradeoff, and we'd rather tell you that directly than let the grip backing speak for itself.

It's slightly heavier than the original as a result, and it's handcrafted in the USA the same way everything else we make is. Like the rest of our lineup, 10% of every sale goes to Ethos Discovery's E-PUSH program, supporting canine cancer clinical trials.

Available for preorder now

The Non-Slip Settle Mat is open for preorder now in Small, Medium, and Large, with shipping expected mid-August through early September. If your dog's "place" cue needs to hold on a dock, a car seat, or a training floor, this is the one built for it.

Preorder the Non-Slip Settle Mat