Mantis Tips

[BassBoysLLP]

A couple mantis tips for those guys working through the tethrd system.

Having trouble keeping the G hooks in place? Tie a small piece of elastic shock cord to the g hooks and attach accordingly. They arent going anywhere and modularity of the system is preserved. Make sure the shock cord is small enough so you can still feed the webbing.

Need to shorten your Amsteel bridge on the fly? Ranger wrap a carabiner and attach it to your bridge loops. I generally use my lineman belt carabiner. Each wrap will reduce your bridge by 1 - 1.5". This is especially a good tip when you are hunting trees leaning toward you.

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[3 Blade Rage]

Nice writeup! I just recieved my mantis yesterday and hung in it for abouta half hour. It was definetly different but I did like it so I will be praticing more this week.
The only issues that I noticed was I got hip pinch and remembered reading on here before that the cause is most likely tether height. I adjusted my tether and that solved the problem. The other issue that I seemed to have is it seemed like I had to keep pulling the saddle back down as it wanted to keep riding up higher and it felt like I was going to slip out of it. I did not figure out a solution to that issue yet. I did tighten the wastebelt and even change the legstrap positions and didn't make any differance. If you could maybe give a tip on that I awesome.
One other thing is I noticed it is a pain in the butt to adjust the tether as it locks down pretty tight. Any tips on being able to move that easier without spending the money on a ropeman?
Thanks in advance!

 

[BassBoysLLP]

Keep moving that tether down. If its pulling up, the tether is high.

As for the prussic, they are a pain. Best bet is to stand on your platform, adjust perfect, and sit. That is why you see ropemans on a lot of setups. So easy to make those small adjustments. A blakes hitch is easier to adjust but is a lot more touchy. May be worth a shot.

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[longbowwoman]

3 Blade Rage I have the same problem. I just got my Mantis today and set up close to ground level to do any adjustments. I got the Micro fit adjusters where I wanted them and got my tether height. I am a 5'4" woman just to give you an idea on my size. Got the waist belt snug and leg straps adjusted. I hung and moved around for a while and the Mantis kept riding up and up towards my back and had to keep pulling it down under my butt. I cinched the micro adjusters tighter thinking this would help and it didn't. It's like the bottom of the Mantis doesn't cup your butt to form a seat. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Nice writeup! I just recieved my mantis yesterday and hung in it for abouta half hour. It was definetly different but I did like it so I will be praticing more this week.
The only issues that I noticed was I got hip pinch and remembered reading on here before that the cause is most likely tether height. I adjusted my tether and that solved the problem. The other issue that I seemed to have is it seemed like I had to keep pulling the saddle back down as it wanted to keep riding up higher and it felt like I was going to slip out of it. I did not figure out a solution to that issue yet. I did tighten the wastebelt and even change the legstrap positions and didn't make any differance. If you could maybe give a tip on that I awesome.
One other thing is I noticed it is a pain in the butt to adjust the tether as it locks down pretty tight. Any tips on being able to move that easier without spending the money on a ropeman?
Thanks in advance!

I know its counterintuitive but I actually loosen my waist belt once set up. Once its a little loose I can pull it down slightly so the bottom straps are a little lower and it cups better.

 

[pesqimon]

I know its counterintuitive but I actually loosen my waist belt once set up. Once its a little loose I can pull it down slightly so the bottom straps are a little lower and it cups better.

Still messing with this myself, but I did try loosening the belt a lot and then really pulled the mantis down so that both straps were cupping under and this has promise. As I said, still messing with everything to find what really works.


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[Cajunshooter]

It's like the bottom of the Mantis doesn't cup your butt to form a seat. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Bingo! You nailed it. This is the problem. The mesh needs to be more cupped outward. I’m half tempted to cut some horizontal slits in mine where each butt cheek sits. I’m pretty certain this would solve the problem.


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[Cory T]

Keep moving that tether down. If its pulling up, the tether is high.

As for the prussic, they are a pain. Best bet is to stand on your platform, adjust perfect, and sit. That is why you see ropemans on a lot of setups. So easy to make those small adjustments. A blakes hitch is easier to adjust but is a lot more touchy. May be worth a shot.

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I actually started using a schwabish hitch on mine and I love it. Holds awesome. Easy to adjust.

 

[DaveT1963]

physically push both straps under your butt like sitting in a swing. top strap should be just at or below poop chute

 

[swampsnyper]

3 Blade Rage I have the same problem. I just got my Mantis today and set up close to ground level to do any adjustments. I got the Micro fit adjusters where I wanted them and got my tether height. I am a 5'4" woman just to give you an idea on my size. Got the waist belt snug and leg straps adjusted. I hung and moved around for a while and the Mantis kept riding up and up towards my back and had to keep pulling it down under my butt. I cinched the micro adjusters tighter thinking this would help and it didn't. It's like the bottom of the Mantis doesn't cup your butt to form a seat. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I keep my waist belt and leg straps loose so I can position my saddle wear it fits best for sitting. Where your tether is tied to the tree will affect the sliding up feeling of the saddle. Micro adjusters never helped me. They only added more pressure to the bottom strap under my thigh. I didn’t like that feeling but for some it made all the difference in the world to create more saddle cup, and that’s what it does, I just didn’t like the pressure. The squeeze of the saddle from hip to hip is created from the bridge length. No way one size bridge will work for everyone with different size hips. A fixed bridge on a modular saddle just doesn’t make sense. Waste of good amsteel. That’s like selling everyone a non adjustable belt. But it adds to weight savings for advertisement. Make an adjustable bridge out of rope and use it until you find a comfortable bridge length for your body shape. You can make a lighter fixed bridge later. Longer the bridge, the less hip pinch. Once I find a comfortable bridge length, then I make my point where I tie my tether to the tree as low as possible, where my bridge is butted up to the tree on the tether (bridge as high as I can slide it up my tether). This makes my system as comfortable as I can get it. My bridge is long enough not to pinch my hips and my tether is as low as it can go around the tree to minimize the sliding up my back of the saddle.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

I keep my waist belt and leg straps loose so I can position my saddle wear it fits best for sitting. Where your tether is tied to the tree will affect the sliding up feeling of the saddle. Micro adjusters never helped me. They only added more pressure to the bottom strap under my thigh. I didn’t like that feeling but for some it made all the difference in the world to create more saddle cup, and that’s what it does, I just didn’t like the pressure. The squeeze of the saddle from hip to hip is created from the bridge length. No way one size bridge will work for everyone with different size hips. A fixed bridge on a modular saddle just doesn’t make sense. Waste of good amsteel. That’s like selling everyone a non adjustable belt. But it adds to weight savings for advertisement. Make an adjustable bridge out of rope and use it until you find a comfortable bridge length for your body shape. You can make a lighter fixed bridge later. Longer the bridge, the less hip pinch. Once I find a comfortable bridge length, then I make my point where I tie my tether to the tree as low as possible, where my bridge is butted up to the tree on the tether (bridge as high as I can slide it up my tether). This makes my system as comfortable as I can get it. My bridge is long enough not to pinch my hips and my tether is as low as it can go around the tree to minimize the sliding up my back of the saddle.

Amen on the one size fits all bridge. I do like the lightweight amsteel bridge for walking in and climbing but I carry an adjustable lineman's belt too for climbing. After I'm up in the tree I attach the linemans to my bridge loops above the amsteel and slip it into the tether carabiner and then slip the amsteel out. This gives me an adjustable (personally I like a longer bridge than 30") bridge at no weight cost., I was carrying the lineman's belt anyway.

 

[kyler1945]

Castration bands on the loops side keep the hook in place too. Slide up take hook off or on, slide down tight against hook.

 

[Ontariofarmer]

I keep my waist belt and leg straps loose so I can position my saddle wear it fits best for sitting. Where your tether is tied to the tree will affect the sliding up feeling of the saddle. Micro adjusters never helped me. They only added more pressure to the bottom strap under my thigh. I didn’t like that feeling but for some it made all the difference in the world to create more saddle cup, and that’s what it does, I just didn’t like the pressure. The squeeze of the saddle from hip to hip is created from the bridge length. No way one size bridge will work for everyone with different size hips. A fixed bridge on a modular saddle just doesn’t make sense. Waste of good amsteel. That’s like selling everyone a non adjustable belt. But it adds to weight savings for advertisement. Make an adjustable bridge out of rope and use it until you find a comfortable bridge length for your body shape. You can make a lighter fixed bridge later. Longer the bridge, the less hip pinch. Once I find a comfortable bridge length, then I make my point where I tie my tether to the tree as low as possible, where my bridge is butted up to the tree on the tether (bridge as high as I can slide it up my tether). This makes my system as comfortable as I can get it. My bridge is long enough not to pinch my hips and my tether is as low as it can go around the tree to minimize the sliding up my back of the saddle.

N
Nice simple idea...for an adjustable bridge.

 

[3 Blade Rage]

Thank you guys for the tips! I agree that there isn't any cupping to the saddle and that is why it wants to keep creeping up. So with all these tips I should treat this saddle as sitting on a swing. I guess then the leg sraps and wastbelt are only there to catch you in case of an accident. If you would happen to have the straps that loose and if for some unknown reason you would slip upside down wouldn't you slip out of the saddle? With the top strap below the "Poop shoot" it seems like a backwards fall could possibly end up in slipping out. I will experiment some more tonight at ground level to see what works.
I will also look into the different prussic hitches to see what I can do with the suggestions above.
One other thing that I noticed was I seemed to be very comfortable standing on the top of my diy sticks with just a pair of sneakers on so I may not need a platform. Way to early to tell yet on that though.
Thanks again and keep the tips coming as I've only been a saddle owner since Saturday.

 

[Cajunshooter]

physically push both straps under your butt like sitting in a swing. top strap should be just at or below poop chute

I’m sure this will work for some people but it doesn’t work for me. It just keeps sliding up. If I push the upper strap under my butt then the lower strap is mid way down my thigh. That cuts off the circulation to my legs. About the only way I’d be able to stop it from sliding up would be to put the upper strap under my butt (gluteal fold) and I’m not doing that. The lower strap should be able to cradle under the butt, while the upper strap cradles the upper pelvic bone.

I have a feeling this works well for people with a flat butt. But if you have a butt the mesh just acts like a ramp, sliding you right out of it.


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[DaveT1963]

I’m sure this will work for some people but it doesn’t work for me. It just keeps sliding up. If I push the upper strap under my butt then the lower strap is mid way down my thigh. That cuts off the circulation to my legs. About the only way I’d be able to stop it from sliding up would be to put the upper strap under my butt (gluteal fold) and I’m not doing that. The lower strap should be able to cradle under the butt, while the upper strap cradles the upper pelvic bone.

I have a feeling this works well for people with a flat butt. But if you have a butt the mesh just acts like a ramp, sliding you right out of it.


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I push the two straps both under my arse.... I would never have one strap under mid-thigh.... the mesh is flexible so put the straps where you want them.

 

[Cajunshooter]

I push the two straps both under my arse.... I would never have one strap under mid-thigh.... the mesh is flexible so put the straps where you want them.

So you’re basically creating a sitdrag, right? Not sure what the point of a saddle is if that’s the case.


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[BayouBeauxhunter]

I asked this in another thread but this one may have more traffic. Rather than wear a belt if you ran the waist strap through a couple belt loops of your pants would that help keep the mantis from riding up? Would it cause additional discomfort?

 

[Cajunshooter]

I asked this in another thread but this one may have more traffic. Rather than wear a belt if you ran the waist strap through a couple belt loops of your pants would that help keep the mantis from riding up? Would it cause additional discomfort?

Pretty sure that would pull your pants up into your crotch.


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[DaveT1963]

So you’re basically creating a sitdrag, right? Not sure what the point of a saddle is if that’s the case.


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Guess it depends on what you think a saddle is. I am not riding a horse or watching TV - I am using a device to hang from a tree and allow me to quietly and effectively position myself 360 degrees around that tree. The way I use a "saddle' allows me to do just that and I am comfortable doing so. I don't buy into the whole cradle your butt thing as that creates pressure points unnecessarily. I use mine like a swing. and I place the straps where God gave me the most padding. Like I said above I would never place a strap under my thighs or on my lower back. The netting is NOT what gives you support (netting stretches) - the straps do so wherever you put those straps that is where you will get most of the pressure from. If you want true comfort and equal distribution of weight - then try a fleece saddle as that was the most comfortable saddle I have tried. For me I will give up a bit of comfort to get a modular, lightweight saddle without using a RCH - my choice is the new Mantis - I find it incredibly comfortable and efficient.

I do not like to sit a lot - I am a leaner and I stay ready to shoot at any moment. I will occasionally sit just to give my legs a break after long days/periods of hunting - but most of the time I am between a sit and a lean and I am super comfortable with no hip pinch and no unnecessary pain on feet and rear side.

Others will find their own method that works for them - but as a reasonably heavy dude (200#) this is what works for me and I just do not get picked off like I use to when I sat and used a ring of steps. I have honed this to work for me over many years.