Especially if your projects involve high temperatures, such as soldering, you really need a protective project mat that can withstand high temperatures. And if your projects center around electronics, then you should also be using a grounding strap to prevent electrostatic discharge from zapping your components. This Bertech ESD High Temperature Rubber Mat solves both problems.
The Bertech ESD High Temperature Rubber Mat is a 2’ wide by 3’ long by 0.06" thick blue project mat. The mat, made in the USA, is made of two layers of elastomer–the top layer is static dissipative rubber laminated to a conductive rubber layer. The mat has a surface resistivity of 10^5 - 10^5 ohms.
The mat has a slightly textured surface and has a matte finish, reducing the glare from overhead lights.In two corners there are snaps where you can attach a grounding cable and an adjustable wrist strap. And just to note–the grounding cord is very long! The wrist strap comes with an alligator clip to attach to the ground.
On rolling the mat out on my tabletop work surface, the mat became a perfectly flat surface very quickly, though it did benefit from a quick wiping down with a damp rag to remove packaging/factory dirt and a slight stickiness.
In use, I found this mat has plenty of room for soldering iron, parts, vices, and tools–I do not feel cramped at all using this mat. Right now I’m primarily working on guitar pedals and small circuit boards, and this mat is the perfect size.
All in all, especially for its ability to withstand the high temperatures of a soldering iron, I’m very happy with the Bertech ESD High Temperature Rubber Mat. The ESD protection is an added bonus.
Availability and Pricing on Amazon: Bertech ESD High Temperature Rubber Mat (aff)