rutjr
Well-Known Member
I have a few days off next week it would be nice to have my Kestrel.
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MANTIS...... WHATS UP TETHRDNATION
- Thread starter Drslyr
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2018
- Messages
- 1,377
I thought I'd start with a Mantis this season and maybe try something different next season but jumped to a sitdrag/rch when Tethrd got backed up. The sitdrag blew my mind and it's not a dedicated "saddle"! I can only imagine how badass the Mantis and Kestrel will be. I'm sure they're both worth the wait even though we all hate waiting!!
@Smokey_Mountain_Hunter - "I'm your huckleberry" One of the greatest movies
@Smokey_Mountain_Hunter - "I'm your huckleberry" One of the greatest movies
Let me know if you do. I'd buy.
Got my shipping notice yesterday for a large Mantis and accessories. Order 9401, Sept. 21.
As my rutcation comes to an end this year I thought I’d share my thoughts on the Tethrd products I hunted almost exclusively with this year. I know every saddle hunter is different and has different fits to different saddles but these are my impressions. As a reference I have hunted using my Tethrd products for 46 sits averaging 3.5 hours per sit including one all day sit so far this year. That’s an approximate total of 170 hours using the Mantis and Predator.
Tethrd Mantis:
Last year I hunted out of the Kestrel and thought that saddle comfort could not get better than that. In the Kestrel (and AeroEvo before that) I was primarily a leaner. I could not get comfortable in a sitting position and generally felt like the saddle was continually riding up when sitting. This year in the Mantis I became a dedicated sitter and my hunting experience improved considerably. As a fair comparison I did break out my Kestrel for a sit in the middle of my vacation but found it less comfortable than the Mantis so I stuck with the Mantis for the remainder of my Rutcation. I sat in temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the low teens without any discomfort. I did not notice an effect of the cold due to the mesh seat, I’m already wearing plenty of insulation for those conditions.
Pros:
The light weight of the Mantis is incredible. I wore it walking in for every sit without noticing it was there. With the Kestrel I needed suspenders to keep the saddle up while walking. Not so with the Mantis, in fact, I could rarely tell I was wearing it. The only thing I attach directly to the saddle while walking is a small plastic bobbin upon which is wound my pull up/rope retrieval line attached with a carabiner to a @Nutterbuster ring (ziptie in a small diameter plastic tube) through the molle loop in the middle of my backside.
The Mantis mesh must be a little wider or have more give than the Kestrel’s solid fabric as it seemed to stay put much better when pulled low on my posterior. It cupped well and provided a seat much like sitting on a swing set. I experienced almost no shifting of the Mantis straps once my weight was placed on them.
Having a fixed, lightweight bridge was very nice, although I used it almost exclusively for climbing only (more about that in cons). The fact that it was lightweight and fixed to the saddle made one less accessory I needed to worry about.
Cons:
The fixed 30“ bridge was too short for me to completely eliminate hip pinch. Personal preference as it is, I prefer a bridge length about 36-38 inches. For me it alleviates hip pinch and moves the bridge carabiner above my forehead as I lean forward on the bridge to rest. The fact is this was a minor inconvenience as I just swapped out my adjustable linesman’s belt for the fixed bridge once I was up and settled.
The micro-adjusters did almost nothing for me. I took them off after only two sits. I actually liked the saddle as made and did not feel a need to adjust it but I also noticed very little effect from the adjusters.
Another minor bother was the leg strap attachments. I did have some slight trouble keeping the buckles in place as I was walking but it was a minor inconvenience and was worth the light weight of the buckles. For the record they never came undone while I was climbing or in the tree, I would just notice them dangling while I was walking and would have to reattach them.
Tethrd Predator:
This product was an absolute game changer for me. Looking back on my season, this is the one piece of equipment I wouldn’t trade for anything. Ironically I ordered it later on a second order as I thought I was all set on platforms but then thought I’d give it a try. Last year I used a small homemade platform but it didn’t fold flat and was difficult to carry or attach to my pack. My plan this year was to use a Lone Wolf climber seat that I picked up in the off season. This Predator is smaller and folded flat and it fit right in the game pouch of the turkey vest I use as a pack.
Pros:
Super lightweight and just the right size. I’m a pretty large guy (250#, size 13 boots) and this Predator was exactly the size I needed. Any bigger it would have been difficult to pack but I still felt like there was plenty of room for both my feet on it.
The cam action was very solid. I hand cammed mine every sit and it stuck to the tree like it was glued on. I ended up placing my climbing stick at the 5 o’clock position on the tree and that allowed me to walk around the tree if necessary to get shots on my 11 to 3 o’clock positions.
Cons:
I was not a big fan of the stock strap. I only used the strap in my initial trial in the backyard. I replaced the strap with a daisy chained piece of ¼ inch amsteel. The brummel spliced amsteel loops provided a quick, quiet method of attaching the Predator to the tree without any metal buckles or associated noise. I used this daisy chain all year on trees of varying size with no issues or real evidence of wear and, as I stated above, I’m a larger than average guy.
I realize all saddle preferences are very personal choices so take these comments as one man’s opinions but I for one couldn’t have been more pleased with my Tethrd products this year. Hope this helps some of you on the fence about these products.
Tethrd Mantis:
Last year I hunted out of the Kestrel and thought that saddle comfort could not get better than that. In the Kestrel (and AeroEvo before that) I was primarily a leaner. I could not get comfortable in a sitting position and generally felt like the saddle was continually riding up when sitting. This year in the Mantis I became a dedicated sitter and my hunting experience improved considerably. As a fair comparison I did break out my Kestrel for a sit in the middle of my vacation but found it less comfortable than the Mantis so I stuck with the Mantis for the remainder of my Rutcation. I sat in temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the low teens without any discomfort. I did not notice an effect of the cold due to the mesh seat, I’m already wearing plenty of insulation for those conditions.
Pros:
The light weight of the Mantis is incredible. I wore it walking in for every sit without noticing it was there. With the Kestrel I needed suspenders to keep the saddle up while walking. Not so with the Mantis, in fact, I could rarely tell I was wearing it. The only thing I attach directly to the saddle while walking is a small plastic bobbin upon which is wound my pull up/rope retrieval line attached with a carabiner to a @Nutterbuster ring (ziptie in a small diameter plastic tube) through the molle loop in the middle of my backside.
The Mantis mesh must be a little wider or have more give than the Kestrel’s solid fabric as it seemed to stay put much better when pulled low on my posterior. It cupped well and provided a seat much like sitting on a swing set. I experienced almost no shifting of the Mantis straps once my weight was placed on them.
Having a fixed, lightweight bridge was very nice, although I used it almost exclusively for climbing only (more about that in cons). The fact that it was lightweight and fixed to the saddle made one less accessory I needed to worry about.
Cons:
The fixed 30“ bridge was too short for me to completely eliminate hip pinch. Personal preference as it is, I prefer a bridge length about 36-38 inches. For me it alleviates hip pinch and moves the bridge carabiner above my forehead as I lean forward on the bridge to rest. The fact is this was a minor inconvenience as I just swapped out my adjustable linesman’s belt for the fixed bridge once I was up and settled.
The micro-adjusters did almost nothing for me. I took them off after only two sits. I actually liked the saddle as made and did not feel a need to adjust it but I also noticed very little effect from the adjusters.
Another minor bother was the leg strap attachments. I did have some slight trouble keeping the buckles in place as I was walking but it was a minor inconvenience and was worth the light weight of the buckles. For the record they never came undone while I was climbing or in the tree, I would just notice them dangling while I was walking and would have to reattach them.
Tethrd Predator:
This product was an absolute game changer for me. Looking back on my season, this is the one piece of equipment I wouldn’t trade for anything. Ironically I ordered it later on a second order as I thought I was all set on platforms but then thought I’d give it a try. Last year I used a small homemade platform but it didn’t fold flat and was difficult to carry or attach to my pack. My plan this year was to use a Lone Wolf climber seat that I picked up in the off season. This Predator is smaller and folded flat and it fit right in the game pouch of the turkey vest I use as a pack.
Pros:
Super lightweight and just the right size. I’m a pretty large guy (250#, size 13 boots) and this Predator was exactly the size I needed. Any bigger it would have been difficult to pack but I still felt like there was plenty of room for both my feet on it.
The cam action was very solid. I hand cammed mine every sit and it stuck to the tree like it was glued on. I ended up placing my climbing stick at the 5 o’clock position on the tree and that allowed me to walk around the tree if necessary to get shots on my 11 to 3 o’clock positions.
Cons:
I was not a big fan of the stock strap. I only used the strap in my initial trial in the backyard. I replaced the strap with a daisy chained piece of ¼ inch amsteel. The brummel spliced amsteel loops provided a quick, quiet method of attaching the Predator to the tree without any metal buckles or associated noise. I used this daisy chain all year on trees of varying size with no issues or real evidence of wear and, as I stated above, I’m a larger than average guy.
I realize all saddle preferences are very personal choices so take these comments as one man’s opinions but I for one couldn’t have been more pleased with my Tethrd products this year. Hope this helps some of you on the fence about these products.
valerio024
Well-Known Member
Do you have a picture of your daisy chained amsteel? That seems like a interesting option. Did you learn to do that via YouTube?
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The daisy chain was something I picked up on here from a post from @BCHunter. He posted a youtube video of the process. https://saddlehunter.com/community/...hain-rope-mod-for-climbing-sticks.3792/page-2 . Here's some pics of the daisy chain mod to my predator.
Attachments
I want one. I won’t order it until February though. If lead time is 6 weeks, that doesn’t bother me in itself because I know things take time, and I ordered it right now my season would be over by the time I got it, with 0 time to practice, and late season SUCKS in northern il. At least end of February 6 weeks is is mid April. Lovely spring weather to practice, and all summer to get comfortable and get my set up perfected for opening day. I might even be able to sell my stands in time!
Mikerkulbeth
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2017
- Messages
- 37
Order 9383 , placed September 25th
Received shipping notification on Saturday!!!! oh happy day
Received shipping notification on Saturday!!!! oh happy day
Did you ever run into a tree that you couldn't get the daisy chain tight? It seems like you would have the potential to need an "in between" loop.
I made the loops just large enough to fit over the button so there are a lot of options. I did occasionally have to use the "next available loop" but when I pushed the post down to snug it against the tree the rope still fit under the top bracket so it was able to cam tight. I always hand cammed it so that I had a good feel for how much pressure I was putting on the platform ears. I never had a tree that I couldn't get the Predator tight on. Also, my 46 sits were in 38 different trees all varying in size from about 20 to around 7 inches in diameter.
Smokey_Mountain_Hunter
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2018
- Messages
- 27
Mikerkulbeth
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2017
- Messages
- 37
Got a Large mantis and recliner, Although tracking number search sounded like it hasn't actually been shipped yet
grich
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2018
- Messages
- 21
I got one to #9465 but not shipped
I don't expect it to till after holiday
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Thanks for sharing. I will attempt to splice this daisy chain this evening. Just finished splicing 5/32" amsteel on my WE STEPPS this morning. Did you follow @BCHunter s pictorial? Should be pretty simple if so.
Yes, word of advice. Splice the multi loop end first. That saves you from having to pull the doubled width of rope thru multiple splices. If you do the single loop end last you only have to pull the doubled up rope thru one time.
Just an FYI for splicing amsteel or anything else. These D-SLICER's do amazing work and will make life super easy for you especially if you are splicing smaller diameters. I've been using the brummel eye splice for spearfishing for a while now and its SUCKS trying to use wire for the small stuff.
Attachments
Made this daisy chain last night. Only had a minute to try on the one tree I have in the yard. It seamed hard to gain the tension to allow for the proper cam action. Any tips on setting the platform with a daisy chain would be great.
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