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Mantis and Spliced Rope Review

swampsnyper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
4,463
Location
Warrior, Al
Got 20ft of predator with 2 5in splices from WesSpur. They spliced each end and I’ll just cut it to length for a tether and linemans belt. It even came with 2 castration bands on the splices.
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My mantis and tethrd spliced ropes should be coming in today as well. Exciting times.
 
Mantis and ropes just arrived. Pulling the mantis out of the bag is just what I wanted to feel as far as weight and bulk! Great job on that!!!
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Carabiners are great also.
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The mantis ropes are what I expected from others reviews. The sheath is made softer than the predator and it’s thicker and more pliable. Some say to cut the melted end and milk the sheath tight and it will stiffen up. I haven’t tried that yet. I definitely like the predator rope better but the tethrd ropes are not bad at all.

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More testing to come.
 
1st 15min sit in mantis:

Walked to tree with leg straps attached to the lower micro adjuster strap loop. Lots of pulling. Didn’t like it at all. Worked a lot better attached to the spot by the bridge loops off of the waist belt. The g-hooks are great!
Don’t think I like the waist buckle. Works great and it’s a great size. The release buttons are small and I’m guessing they will be an issue with gloves. Yet to be determined. I do like how I can adjust the buckle from both ends so I can keep it centered.
I need more time in the mantis to determine if it’s comfortable for me. In those 15min it wasn’t. I’m a sitter and it’s obviously design for a leaner. I didn’t like the way the Kestrel felt at 1st either but after a few hunts I had it dialed in. So I can’t give a final opinion on my comfort out of the mantis yet. Lots of things are different than I’m use to. I’ll have to find the right tether height, bridge hook up to tether height, bridge length and where to wear it on my waist. I’m use to a 34in bridge with head hookup and I think the mantis has a 30in. I think it would be easier for a leaner to get comfortable in it than a sitter. A sitter will just have to spend more time finding the sweet spots or become a leaner. And I think I’ll do more leaning once I get the predator. So I’m learning all over again.
I never like stepping into a bridge so I’m sure I’ll change that. It’s just a personal preference thing. I can’t say that I love it. Maybe with time I will. It is well made.
Courious what other sitters are using for hook up heights and such.
 
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2nd sit in mantis, 20min


BAM!!! Ready to hunt!
I couldn’t get comfortable in the mantis. Moved the tether up and down the tree, adjusted where bridge attached to the tether but still wasn’t right. Felt like I was being squeezed at the hips. Went get my old bridge that is longer and instant comfort. I can even sit! It doesn’t sit as well as my Kestrel but it’s plenty good enough to take advantage of the less bulkiness of the mantis. I’m now a mantis fan.
For all you new guys, don’t give up. I know a lot of you got WOW’ed with the videos on Facebook. They were pretty impressive. Got me to give a mantis a chance and I was happy with my current saddle. If I didn’t have experience in saddles, I wouldn’t have been happy with it right out the box. Saddles are very personal. You have to find the sweet spot. You can’t just think it will get comfortable with time. You got to keep adjusting until you find your fitting.


Bridge comparison.

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I like my adjustable bridge... long is comfortable for me a sitter in my kestrel. Size 2 kestrel is better for me with a 36 waist. Size 1 worked last year but size 2 is best.
I am still waiting for my mantis... large soon???
 
Great review! How much was the rope with spices?

Like $90 but almost $20 was for shipping. I seen someone say that if the order was over $100, shipping was a lot cheaper. If I knew that, I would have bought more stuff.
Live and learn.
Rope was .90/ft and each splice was $20ea. Wasn’t cheap
 
Last edited:
2nd sit in mantis, 20min


BAM!!! Ready to hunt!
I couldn’t get comfortable in the mantis. Moved the tether up and down the tree, adjusted where bridge attached to the tether but still wasn’t right. Felt like I was being squeezed at the hips. Went get my old bridge that is longer and instant comfort. I can even sit! It doesn’t sit as well as my Kestrel but it’s plenty good enough to take advantage of the less bulkiness of the mantis. I’m now a mantis fan.
For all you new guys, don’t give up. I know a lot of you got WOW’ed with the videos on Facebook. They were pretty impressive. Got me to give a mantis a chance and I was happy with my current saddle. If I didn’t have experience in saddles, I wouldn’t have been happy with it right out the box. Saddles are very personal. You have to find the sweet spot. You can’t just think it will get comfortable with time. You got to keep adjusting until you find your fitting.


Bridge comparison.

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I think sitters will really benefit from MicroFit Adjusters.
 
Good Job Swamp. I still ain’t much on the kestrel. I’m waiting on it to get comfortable. I think I will make my bridge longer to see if it will relieve some pain caused by the kestrel. I think the biggest thing with the kestrel is I feel like I’m in between sizes. The size one pinched across my hip bone. I literally came out of the tree and just sat on the ground after 3 hr. The size 2 fixed that but it puts pressure under my thighs like it has too much “cup” for me.
I can wait to try the Mantis!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Good Job Swamp. I still ain’t much on the kestrel. I’m waiting on it to get comfortable. I think I will make my bridge longer to see if it will relieve some pain caused by the kestrel. I think the biggest thing with the kestrel is I feel like I’m in between sizes. The size one pinched across my hip bone. I literally came out of the tree and just sat on the ground after 3 hr. The size 2 fixed that nut it puts pressure under my thighs like it has too much “cup” for me.
I can wait to try the Mantis!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Exactly. I was getting pressure on my hips and was hanging in the tree looking at it thinking I need a bigger saddle to get the bridge loops further out but that didn’t make sense, just make the bridge longer stupid, is what I told myself. Lol
Depending on how it’s made, a bigger saddle may make it more comfortable for me to sit in. It will cup under me more if the sizes expand that way.
I wear a 33-34 jean so I thought the large was gonna be roomy. I’d like to try an xl but am happy with the lg.
 
I don’t think. Not for me anyway. I feel I need more slack on that bottom strap, not take it up. But some sitters loved it on the Kestrel. I liked it let all the way loose.
Me as well. Mine all way loose on the Kestrel and for overall is more comfortable. Will try a longer bridge before the Mantis is pushed to a backup loaner.
 
Good Job Swamp. I still ain’t much on the kestrel. I’m waiting on it to get comfortable. I think I will make my bridge longer to see if it will relieve some pain caused by the kestrel. I think the biggest thing with the kestrel is I feel like I’m in between sizes. The size one pinched across my hip bone. I literally came out of the tree and just sat on the ground after 3 hr. The size 2 fixed that but it puts pressure under my thighs like it has too much “cup” for me.
I can wait to try the Mantis!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What were you using as a platform? Were your feet together in between you and the tree or onbeither side of the tree? Tree size? Tether height, bridge length, length between anchor and point of bridge?

May be able to identify hip pinch issue with some of this info
 
What were you using as a platform? Were your feet together in between you and the tree or onbeither side of the tree? Tree size? Tether height, bridge length, length between anchor and point of bridge?

May be able to identify hip pinch issue with some of this info

Ameristeps.
I keep 2 in front of me and 1 on each side of the tree. I sit with my knees in the tree or straddle the tree

I like smaller trees 8-10”

Tether height tried chin to above my head

Bridge from 18” to 36” now. I was using a 24” bridge.

The pinch comes from where the bridge loops come across my belt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The only thing that worked for me to sit with my knees in the tree was a long long bridge and tether height as high as I could reach (roughly 7.5' from my feet, similar to how Boswell rocked it. I don't remember how long the bridge was but it was long. I was surprised at the difference. It does create a bit of change in your setup, but might be something to try. I don't know that even a bigger saddle would fix it, but could be worth a try. I also found that comfort improves significantly after a few hunts, not sure how many times you've hunted the kestrel.

I equate what it does to your muscles to a foam roller. That thing is the devil the first few times you use it to stretch/reposition muscles, but it becomes less painful each time. I actually use mine before the season to work myself into saddle shape.

I've also come to realize, i'm just not cut out for long term sitting in a minimal saddle. I still end up leaning most times.
 
I can’t stay in any position for real long. Maybe 30min per position. But I’m happy with being comfortable for 30min in a few different positions.
 
Update

Finally got to go hunting this week. Spent several days in the Mantis for the 1st time while hunting for hours. I’m just not happy with it. I feel it got minimized too much for me as a sitter. Even while using the linemans belt, I felt the 1in belt webbing putting pressure on my lower back. That strap needs to be wider. The pouch for rope storage is to far back around me to easily move ropes in and out. The Molle loops just don’t come far enough around. Cool idea. Looks good in video but not in reality for me.

Being a sitter I kept having to pull the saddle down to cup my rear and it would once again sneak on up my back. I felt pressure on my lower back from that skinny 1in belt strap the whole hunt. I just couldn’t stay comfortable. I could make adjustments and feel like everything was ok but after several minutes, pressure points again. Adjust adjust adjust, over and over all day, everyday. I don’t have the micro adjusters to transfer pressure from the back belt to the under thigh belt. Maybe that would have made a difference but the under thigh belt was good where it was. I don’t want any more pressure there. I never used it on my Kestrel. Always had the slack let all the way out. Didn’t like it.

I went with my longer 34 in bridge and it helped for a while. It was better but not good enough for me to grab the mantis over my old Kestrel. I didn’t bring my Kestrel on the week long trip. So I gave the mantis all I could to satisfy me. It’s just not where I hoped it to be. Give me a few ounces for comfort anyday. I didn’t even find the mantis that much smaller of a package once the carabiners and ropes added. That’s where most of the bulk is at with saddles. Saddle to saddle isn’t much difference in bulk. Not enough to prefer one over the other anyway. Comfort is the true game changer when it comes to hunting. I’m not new to saddle hunting, so I know how to adjust to change pressure points.

I think I’ll go back to working on my hammock saddle design. Trying to make a seat comfortable and life supportive, you have to make too many compromises. A light rock climbing harness to catch you only if you fall an inch, but has no pressure applied to it while sitting in a comfortable saddle is what I’m striving far. Putting the 2 together in one unit just isn’t working. We can do better.

Not everyone will agree with my opinion. But that’s all it is. Just an opinion. I’m not trying to bash anything. I’m not affiliated with any hunting gear manufactures at this time. This is just what I experienced this week. My true, honest opinion.

By the way I had a great well needed week off at a camp with a bunch of good ole Louisiana buddies but while in Alabama. Lol. Excellent food 3 meals a day. Didn’t take a deer but had a great time working my dog. He was the hero of the trip. He got spoiled all week. Had 3 tracking jobs. He is turning out to be a great pup. The old man wanted a picture with his new best friend. He didn’t think he was gonna find that deer. Very little blood.

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