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Tether'd Mantis Review

swampsnyper said:
I’d really like some reviews from sitters. Just from the look of the mantis, I suspect it’s made more toward leaners. I tend to be more of a leaner with a platform and more of a sitter with ring of steps because of foot positioning. But regardless of platform, I like to give my feet a break and sit for a little while. My whole style may change with the predator platform. We will just have to see.
Also I haven’t seen a review on the ropes but have been hearing from those with them that it’s not like predator rope. It’s soft and snags on ruff bark trees. Not stiff enough for a linemans rope. I thought G2 mentioned it was very similar to predator just a different color. Probably was in the secret thread. Anyway, I sent an email to cancel the $90 of ropes on my order. Guess I need to get back to learning to splice predator.
Thanks for the review Dave. The compactness is awesome!!!
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I spent some time in various positions in my mantis: sitting, leaning, standing. Didn't seem any less comfortable than my kestrel. I'm admittedly more of a leaner, but occasionally sit to take load off my legs. Platforms are the bees knees for saddle hunting. Comfort is way better than steps. I still use ring of screw in steps on private land I hunt, but it really makes me wish for a platform.

The ropes are softer but I didn't have any issues with them on the elm bark I tested them on. Maybe on a more aggressive bark it would be an issue. I do have concerns about them fuzzing out over time, but not a deal breaker. The seem fine for a linemans belt. They do seem much lighter than predator/yale bandit that I have been using, though not any less bulky.
 
d_rek said:
I spent some time in various positions in my mantis: sitting, leaning, standing. Didn't seem any less comfortable than my kestrel. I'm admittedly more of a leaner, but occasionally sit to take load off my legs. Platforms are the bees knees for saddle hunting. Comfort is way better than steps. I still use ring of screw in steps on private land I hunt, but it really makes me wish for a platform.

The ropes are softer but I didn't have any issues with them on the elm bark I tested them on. Maybe on a more aggressive bark it would be an issue. I do have concerns about them fuzzing out over time, but not a deal breaker. The seem fine for a linemans belt. They do seem much lighter than predator/yale bandit that I have been using, though not any less bulky.
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I had a preset with screw ins I went to yesterday and I took my platform in and pulled two steps and put the predator in their place. Way more comfortable.
 
d_rek said:
I spent some time in various positions in my mantis: sitting, leaning, standing. Didn't seem any less comfortable than my kestrel. I'm admittedly more of a leaner, but occasionally sit to take load off my legs. Platforms are the bees knees for saddle hunting. Comfort is way better than steps. I still use ring of screw in steps on private land I hunt, but it really makes me wish for a platform.

The ropes are softer but I didn't have any issues with them on the elm bark I tested them on. Maybe on a more aggressive bark it would be an issue. I do have concerns about them fuzzing out over time, but not a deal breaker. The seem fine for a linemans belt. They do seem much lighter than predator/yale bandit that I have been using, though not any less bulky.
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Yeah I think I’ll change my hunting style to make to take advantage of the less bulk of the tethrds platform and saddle.
I remember having a hunters safety system rope that reminded me of what I’m hearing about the tethrd ropes. The more I used it, the more it fuzzed out and the more it grabbed bark.
I think tethrd phase 2 will address a lot of the fine tuning the public will find with it over the hunting season. Then it may live up to all the hype.
 
swampsnyper said:
I’d really like some reviews from sitters. Just from the look of the mantis, I suspect it’s made more toward leaners. I tend to be more of a leaner with a platform and more of a sitter with ring of steps because of foot positioning. But regardless of platform, I like to give my feet a break and sit for a little while. My whole style may change with the predator platform. We will just have to see.
Also I haven’t seen a review on the ropes but have been hearing from those with them that it’s not like predator rope. It’s soft and snags on ruff bark trees. Not stiff enough for a linemans rope. I thought G2 mentioned it was very similar to predator just a different color. Probably was in the secret thread. Anyway, I sent an email to cancel the $90 of ropes on my order. Guess I need to get back to learning to splice predator.
Thanks for the review Dave. The compactness is awesome!!!
Click to expand...
I spend more time sitting than leaning. To me the platform isn’t as comfortable for sitting because your feet are farther from the tree than with a ring of steps. It’s still doable and works but just not quite where I want to be with my feet under me and my knees in the tree. That said platforms are new to me. I sense it working better using a seat cushion like @flinginairos uses vs knee pads. I had a hard time getting comfortable in the mantis sitting until I moved the tether down to around chin high. Then it was plenty comfy but doesn’t leave a lot of room to move around a tree. I do not have my micro adjusters in yet. I’m going to diy a set just to see if it makes it easier for me to use a higher tether. I believe it will. I should know after this weekend since my son is going to on the predator platform while I sit with a ring of wild edge stepps. When using the platform the low tether is nice. Very little chance of interference between bow and bridge. Just when pivoting to your weak side have to put arm and bow over tether instead of under.
 
The ropes are softer. I had my LB snag on a rough barked tree and pull a thread out. It seems the splicer could have milked the sheath down about 6” before melting the end. This would have made the rope stiffer with less chance to snag. I was going to do that but the melt looked nice and figured I would try it out how it was. I do like that they are softer, easier to pack and lighter without the knots, although I no longer have any predator to do a side by side comparison, I feel it was more durable/abrasion resistant as it never fussed or snagged in the 2+ years I used it.


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EricS said:
I spend more time sitting than leaning. To me the platform isn’t as comfortable for sitting because your feet are farther from the tree than with a ring of steps. It’s still doable and works but just not quite where I want to be with my feet under me and my knees in the tree. That said platforms are new to me. I sense it working better using a seat cushion like @flinginairos uses vs knee pads. I had a hard time getting comfortable in the mantis sitting until I moved the tether down to around chin high. Then it was plenty comfy but doesn’t leave a lot of room to move around a tree. I do not have my micro adjusters in yet. I’m going to diy a set just to see if it makes it easier for me to use a higher tether. I believe it will. I should know after this weekend since my son is going to on the predator platform while I sit with a ring of wild edge stepps. When using the platform the low tether is nice. Very little chance of interference between bow and bridge. Just when pivoting to your weak side have to put arm and bow over tether instead of under.
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That’s what I’m thinking. I’ll be learning to saddle hunt all over again. Lol
 
Good review Dave. Hope I like it as good as you do. I wore the Kite to the glades 1 time and sold it. I put a Cobra buckle on it right out of the bag and that worked great the deal breaker was the leg straps for me. If I didn’t wear it in which I couldn’t do due to waist deep water the leg buckles were to hard to use in the water. My Kestrel worked great but not the leg buckles on the Kite. Looks like Greg & Ernie came up with a good alternative for the leg buckle. I hang in my saddle a lot so the leg straps are a deal breaker for me. I hardly ever use a lineman’s belt so lineman’s loops are just in the way and add weight for me. I’m like you and don’t see the need for separate loops for lineman’s belt. I knew I wouldn’t have one for early season so maybe I’ll have one when I get home. The Kite was well made but leg straps were a pain.


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Got mine Thursday and sat in it a little Thursday and tonight. Love it. Going to put it to work in the morning with the predator. Thanks for letting me be more mobile than I have ever been. I want Thank each and every one at Tethrd for all of their hard work.
 
DaveT1963 said:
the leg straps are easy to hook up. I originally was hooking then up wrong in the video. I love this saddle.
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That’s good to hear from you. As similarly as we hunt, I think it will work for me just as well.


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The Mantis leg strap/buckles are freaking awesome. The new standard going forward. It is definitely a difference is design philosophy vs. New tribe, but I can't see any situation where it would be a safety problem.

Another difference is the reinforced bridge attachment portion being larger and smoother than the Kite/kestrel. With the Kites being shorter there through the reinforced portion, there is a catch point there. Not dangerous just gives you a little jolt when it snags I don't much enjoy sitting 20 feet up. Totally alleviated in the Mantis. The way they used tubular webbing to reinforce that is brilliance.

I could take or leave the Mantis waist buckle but it's not terrible. I like the Kites waist buckle and will put something comparable on my Mantis.

I am not going to use the Amsteel bridge. Assuming that is a fairly expensive component it's kind of a shame to hack it off. Would be nice to have an option to buy without the bridge.

My Mantis originally came last week with a bit of a QC sewing issue. Molles are all sewn shut but I was able to hang from it still. Ernie and Greg were not just prompt, they were practically instantaneous responding to the issue. Can't wait to get a good one delivered and get some hunts in it. Overall just a really intelligent design clearly born of a lot of experience.
 
elk yinzer said:
The Mantis leg strap/buckles are freaking awesome. The new standard going forward. It is definitely a difference is design philosophy vs. New tribe, but I can't see any situation where it would be a safety problem.

Another difference is the reinforced bridge attachment portion being larger and smoother than the Kite/kestrel. With the Kites being shorter there through the reinforced portion, there is a catch point there. Not dangerous just gives you a little jolt when it snags I don't much enjoy sitting 20 feet up. Totally alleviated in the Mantis. The way they used tubular webbing to reinforce that is brilliance.

I could take or leave the Mantis waist buckle but it's not terrible. I like the Kites waist buckle and will put something comparable on my Mantis.

I am not going to use the Amsteel bridge. Assuming that is a fairly expensive component it's kind of a shame to hack it off. Would be nice to have an option to buy without the bridge.

My Mantis originally came last week with a bit of a QC sewing issue. Molles are all sewn shut but I was able to hang from it still. Ernie and Greg were not just prompt, they were practically instantaneous responding to the issue. Can't wait to get a good one delivered and get some hunts in it. Overall just a really intelligent design clearly born of a lot of experience.
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haha I just picture myself trying to shove things through the loops wondering why I cant get it separated enough to get it done, getting all frazzled before realizing what was wrong.
 
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