11 Best Drum Rugs. We Rug Experts Now, WOW!
Posted in Gear | Last Updated on September 7, 2019
In pursuit of their own unique sound and playing skill, many drummers spend tons of money on equipment. But very often they suffer from creeping. Because of vibrations, pieces of set creep away from drummer making his playing worse with every extra cm from the original position. To prevent this drummers use special rugs. Though these rugs are almost necessary, many novice drummers forget about them.
On Stage - DMA6450 DrumFire Non Slip Drum Mat
If you’re tight on a budget, take a look at OnStage DMA6450. Made of polyvinyl chloride, it protects your drumkit from slipping. Also, it remains flat after a long time being rolled. 6x4 feet area provides enough space for standard five-piece kit. It can be easily enrolled before a gig in seconds and rolled back to included transporting bag after a gig in seconds. Also, it comes with a pair of Viс Firth American Classic 5A drum sticks and a clamp-on stick holder.
Roland - TDM25 (77" x 63")
Roland are widely known for their great synthesizers and electronic drum sets. But they also provide accessories for them. And one of these accessories is the Roland TDM-25 drum rug. Made of non-flammable polyester, it gives you a very good grip between the floor and your drum set. Unfortunately, the bag is not included, but the rug has built-in nylon straps for holding it rolled while transported or in storage.
Kaces
The Kaces KCP-5 may seem a typical drum rug, but it has some interesting features. The main of them is a wooden barrier located at the center of the long side of the rug. This barrier helps the bass drum to stay exactly in a place. Polypropylene fiber provides heavy anchoring for stands. The transporting bag made of nylon is also included. The rug is available in 5 different sizes.
Road Runner
The RoadRunner Drum Rug also has a barrier that stops moving of a bass drum, but it’s not the last feature of this rug. Though it’s not made of PVC which is free from curling, this rug will be flat after the enrolling thanks to its weighted corners. The rubber trim edging provides great friction between rug and floor and prevents it from slipping. The area is enough for a five-piece drum kit.
Meinl - MDR-BK
If you want to show off your kit, take a look at the Meinl Cymbals MDR-BK. This 6.5x5.25 feet classical style black rug will emphasize your kit in every situation. The upper side of it is made of woven fabric, so the stands will dig into it and gain additional stability. The bottom of the rug is made of rubber so it won’t “travel” anywhere. The combination of full rubber underside and fabric upper side provides extreme grip, so you can be sure that all your stands will stay in place. Comes with carrying bag, so just roll it after the show and it’s ready for the next gig or studio session.
Meinl - MDR-OR (78 x 63 Inches Non-Slip Grip Bottom)
Almost the same as MDR-BK, the MDR-OR provides you the same features as its black counterpart but also gives you the vibe of oriental style. Your kit will sit tight in its place and you won’t suffer from creeping. Relatively large area provides you an opportunity to add extra cymbal stands to your kit and they won’t slip away from you.
TAMA - Drum Set Rug (TDRTL)
The Tama TDRTL is a rug for the drummers with big kits or for those who plan to buy many pieces of additional equipment. Yes, the price is high, but for the money, you will get almost four square meters of space which can accommodate large drum kits with two bass drums and plenty of extra cymbal stands. The rug provides enough friction to keep the bass drum in place even without spikes.
Stagg
Another budget solution, the Stagg SCADRU1815 gives you enough space for standard kit and slightly more. The underside is made of rubber so the rug isn’t moving at all when enrolled. Another feature is its height. As it’s just 3 mm high, the rug is extremely compact when rolled and ready for carrying. The corners are weighted to prevent the rug from unprompted rolling. Also, the rug has a wooden barrier for the bass drum.
Roland - TDM-3
If you own an electronic drum kit you still need a rug. And the Roland TDM-3 is a small and inexpensive solution. First, it has all the features of full-size rugs. Rubber underside prevents from slipping, PVC upper side increases friction between the kit and the rug. Also, this rug greatly reduces vibrations from pads and pedals, so you can easily practice at home. Your floor will be kept untouched and undamaged.
Black Widow
The Black Widow is the most unique mat in our list. First of all, it’s extremely small. There’s enough space only for stool and pedals. And here the innovations start. The pedals should be attached to the Black Widow via Velcro straps – like guitar FX pedals are attached to pedalboards. This may seem strange and unreliable, but it works. This system is not better that classic rug. It’s just different. You will have to be ready that your drums will bounce forward and backwards during playing while you’re not moving. The Black Widow is extremely easy in use thanks to its materials. It’s made of military grade nylon so the cleaning is not a problem anymore.
DW - 5x7 Feet
This is the most simple and the biggest mat in our list. The Drum Workshop Drum Rug is 5x7 feet all-black rug that can accommodate large kits. The bottom is made of rubber, so its firm grip won’t give the movement a chance. The black surface makes marking of stands positions very easy. And if you prefer simple look of your kit, this is the perfect choice for you. But if you play aggressively and after one show your sticks wear out you will have to vacuum the rug very often as every piece of wood is visible on a black surface.
Buyer's Guide
The first thing a novice drummer can think about the rug is, “Do I really need this?” And the answer is yes. When you play, the vibration from the drums is transferred to its stand, and it slowly creeps away from you, making playing harder and harder with every second. Sometimes the drum or cymbal can slip away in one song so far that it becomes inaccessible. So the show slows down, a drummer or an assistant returns the cymbal to its place. And this situation can occur many times during the gig.
The next thing the rug protects is a floor. Stands can make scratches on a floor or a stage, also damaging themselves. And the damaged floor can cause fines from the venue’s owner.
The drum rug is a simple thing. Rubber bottom to prevent slipping on the floor and polymer upper side to keep the kit in place. So the differences are in materials, size, price, and accessories.
The first thing to know before buying a rug is an approximate area used by your drum kit. Of course, you can buy a small and cheap rug with enough space for only bass drum and stool, but what about the rest? Yes, your main parts would stay strong in their places, but what’s the point of it when other drums and cymbals are creeping around? So don’t be afraid of big rugs. And of course, if the rug is big enough, you can install additional drum and cymbal stands. But remember, the bigger the rug, the bigger its price.
The next thing to think of is materials.
Rubber is the most universal material of the underside of the rug, but also the most expensive. It can be used on almost any surface type. If you’re playing in a room with a carpeted floor, the rug can be made of anything, or even you can play without it. On other types of floor, you will definitely need the best rug you can find. The best here means full rubber underside. But this makes the rug a bit pricey. Also, the lamination of the underside will improve overall durability and extend the lifetime of the rug.
The non-slip protection is not limited with only rubber underside and rubberized corners. Many rugs have wooden barriers that prevent drums from moving by locking them in place.
The rug also should stay flat. Wrinkles will decrease the friction between the rug and the floor. So the entire rug can start to move. Also, rolled edges can become a hazard for bandmates and crew members. Nobody wants to be hurt or to damage their equipment.
Also, most of the rugs are made of non-flammable materials, which means greater safety during shows with flamethrowers.
As you can see on the list, there are many rugs with different visual styles, but the most common is a standard black rug. And yes, many tour musicians use rugs like these, with color tape markers of hardware positions. But if you want, you, of course, can use the rug that can be a part of your stage look and make your drum kit even flashier. But some design patterns make rugs more expensive.
Also, the rug can save you some time to soundcheck. You know, the quicker you set up your kit, the more time you will have to perform the soundcheck. So don’t be afraid of using color spike tape to mark positions of your equipment. Electrical tape can quickly wear out and be lost.
Also, any other man will have the ability to set up your kit for you when you are preparing for the gig. And this also grants you the same set up every show in every venue.
The last thing to know about the mat is its weight. Typically its weight is relatively small, so you won’t feel uncomfortable while touring with your kit. And your kit won’t give you bad surprises during shows.
Recent Guides:
