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Staying comfortable

MOhunter

MOhunter

New Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
17
Location
Saint Charles, Missouri
Hey guys, I am fairly new in the saddle hunting world. I had my first real hunt in my new Mantis today. Let me just start by saying that the Mantis amazing. I was previously using the trophyline saddle which is much larger than the mantis. My question is how are you staying comfortable in the saddle? I just got to a point in the trophyline saddle to where I could sit for a long time. However, with the new saddle this morning I couldn’t seem
To stay still. I would consider myself more of a leaner but today I couldn’t lean for very long without having to resort to sitting to take the tension off the waist line of the saddle. I felt like the bottom of the saddle wanted to ride up higher than I am used too. I altered my tether several times and could not find a good potision to where I was staying comfortable. I know I have to be doing something wrong here. Any ideas or tips?
 
MOhunter said:
Hey guys, I am fairly new in the saddle hunting world. I had my first real hunt in my new Mantis today. Let me just start by saying that the Mantis amazing. I was previously using the trophyline saddle which is much larger than the mantis. My question is how are you staying comfortable in the saddle? I just got to a point in the trophyline saddle to where I could sit for a long time. However, with the new saddle this morning I couldn’t seem
To stay still. I would consider myself more of a leaner but today I couldn’t lean for very long without having to resort to sitting to take the tension off the waist line of the saddle. I felt like the bottom of the saddle wanted to ride up higher than I am used too. I altered my tether several times and could not find a good potision to where I was staying comfortable. I know I have to be doing something wrong here. Any ideas or tips?
Click to expand...

Do you have the micro fit adjusters? Waiting for mine yet. I think they will make a difference. There is a discussion on comfort in the mantis.......what’s up tethrd nation and official mantis review threads.


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Last edited:
Chistavocat said:
Do you have the micro fit adjusters? Waiting for mine yet. I think they will make a difference. There is a discussion on comfort in the mantis.......what’s up tethrd nation and original mantis review threads.


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Click to expand...
I do not currently have the micro fit adjusters. I will take a look. Thanks for the heads up.
 
Im the same way man. Just can not get comfortable in my XL Mantis. I literally have bruises from the Mantis around my hips. Just noticed today


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MOhunter said:
Hey guys, I am fairly new in the saddle hunting world. I had my first real hunt in my new Mantis today. Let me just start by saying that the Mantis amazing. I was previously using the trophyline saddle which is much larger than the mantis. My question is how are you staying comfortable in the saddle? I just got to a point in the trophyline saddle to where I could sit for a long time. However, with the new saddle this morning I couldn’t seem
To stay still. I would consider myself more of a leaner but today I couldn’t lean for very long without having to resort to sitting to take the tension off the waist line of the saddle. I felt like the bottom of the saddle wanted to ride up higher than I am used too. I altered my tether several times and could not find a good potision to where I was staying comfortable. I know I have to be doing something wrong here. Any ideas or tips?
Click to expand...
Loosen your waist belt once your settled in the tree and try wearing it a little lower. Below your belt. May work may not.
 
Aeds151 said:
Im the same way man. Just can not get comfortable in my XL Mantis. I literally have bruises from the Mantis around my hips. Just noticed today


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Click to expand...
What part of the saddle was digging into your hips?
 
I think it is the top part of the saddle as well as the bridge loops. I just took the tiny stock bridge off my Mantis and put on amsteel bridge that I can wear over my neck. Hopefully it is not too long now.


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Anyone make any leeway in staying comfortable in the Mantis? I am currently in it as I am typing this. Been in the tree for about 3.5 hours and my lower back is screaming. It seems the issue I am having is that the mantis wants to slide up when I am leaning. This results in strain on my lower back. If I force the saddle further down, I wind up with a lot of hip pinch and the saddle will eventually wind up sliding back up anyways. I have tried adjusting my tether higher, lower, you name it. Not sure how I can effectively hunt given how much movement I am making in such a short time frame. I have the micro fit adjusters ordered, but have not yet received them. I was told they would ship last week but never received a shipping confirmation email. Anyone using the micro fit adjusters and finding the saddle more comfortable? Considering resorting back to my old TL, which I am not too excited about either.


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I have been in Mantis since 630 this morning (6 hours). The things I am willing to do just to be able to turn around and lean against this short leaf pine im in. My back is pissed right now as well. I did it for a half day yesterday an was beat as well. My wife laughed at me because the big saddle switch was to help not having to carry my Summit Titan Climber in to hunt everytime. Which my back really never felt this sore since it was so easy to nap and rest in. I do a lot of moving now in the saddle. Im in same boat as you, ordered micro adjusters and all the accessories as well. If we get them, lets hope the recliner helps.


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Not sure how long you guys have been using a saddle but it takes a little while to get your saddle time figured out. Not sure modification is the way until you have figured out the learning curve. When I started in 07, I struggled too and didn't have this great site to refer too. Dave T posted on this this am, check out his post, it may help.

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Well I can unfortunately concur. I'm a newbie, but my Kestrel seems to fit me much better and it does not ride up like my Mantis does. To get any level of sustainable comfort in the Mantis, I have to put the belt well below my normal belt line (hanging low off my a$$ basically), otherwise it just wants to slide up on me. I haven't tried much in the way of adjustments to it yet since I got it so late. It's on the shelf for this year. I do not believe the micro adjusters will make it more comfortable from my experience on the Kestrel (though I do have them ordered). When I tighten them on the Kestrel it indeed "cups" you better, but I find that annoyingly cuts into the back of my legs pretty quickly. I go about 6', 220lbs and have a size 2 in the Kestrel and XL in the Mantis for reference. Good luck fellas.
 
I had my first sit in mantis yesterday. I like it so far, I had my tether high at first then chin height was better. I had adjusters snugged up at first, felt better when just snug not loose. Sat 6hrs, so I'm happy so far. I have usually spent over 2 weeks in a saddle by now but not this year so far. So I'm not even close to saddle shape so to speak. I'll post back when I am, been hunting out of a saddle since 08. Love the lightweight.

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I like the mantis a lot over other saddles I have hunted out of in the past. Right now, it’s just a matter of finding that sweet spot for me. I think the micro fit adjusters will help my situation immensely. Hoping these will distribute weight throughout the saddle a little better. I have two solid days of hunting coming up and should be spending a total of 16 hours in the mantis. This should definitely help me get closer to saddle shape.


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I read alot on here about sitters or leaners. I adjust to sit like in a chair with knees on tree, then if I need to adjust I can push out to extend my legs and I'm leaning, so there are literally a multitude of small movements you can do to reposition for comfort, etc, and can be done slowly or fast if need be. Alot of us on here have been doing this along time, we didn't figure it out in a day, week, or month, it takes hunting and dealing with the situations that arise in a actual hunt. No tree will sit the same as the last one, no platform method will be in the exact spot you need it every time. That's why being able to adjust for a shot makes hunting of a saddle way different than a climber, ladder, or loc-on. We are never gonna reach 100% shot angle success no matter how you hunt.

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Scoutman said:
I read alot on here about sitters or leaners. I adjust to sit like in a chair with knees on tree, then if I need to adjust I can push out to extend my legs and I'm leaning, so there are literally a multitude of small movements you can do to reposition for comfort, etc, and can be done slowly or fast if need be. Alot of us on here have been doing this along time, we didn't figure it out in a day, week, or month, it takes hunting and dealing with the situations that arise in a actual hunt. No tree will sit the same as the last one, no platform method will be in the exact spot you need it every time. That's why being able to adjust for a shot makes hunting of a saddle way different than a climber, ladder, or loc-on. We are never gonna reach 100% shot angle success no matter how you hunt.

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Click to expand...

Great post!
 
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