A new experimental method was developed in order to estimate the decay of the laser‐generated shock waves and the dynamic spall pressure. Experiments were performed on aluminum, copper, and unidirectional carbon fiber epoxy composites with impact strain rates of the order of 107s−1. The following values for dynamic spall pressure and pressure gradient were obtained (to an accuracy of a factor of two): aluminum [25 kb (kb=kilobars), 60 kb/mm]; copper (20 kb, 180 kb/mm); carbon fiber epoxy composite (0.3 kb, 15 kb/mm) perpendicular to the fiber direction; and (7 kb, 100 kb/mm) when the impact is parallel to the fiber direction.