Anyone else here use the Mantis arrow rest that came with your package?

[Paradox]

If so and you are getting unexpected flyers once in awhile or not so tight arrow groupings I may have a cure. After shooting many arrows and driving myself nuts playing with the horizontal adjustment on my sight pins and cursing what I thought was just bad shooting form, I decided to take a good look at the rest. What I noticed was the little trap door rubber thing that allows you to load the arrow was hitting my vane. Maybe with slimmer arrows this wouldn't be an issue but I'm shooting 2215's and the blazer vane had left coloring all over the trap door. Since it doesn't really do anything I just clipped it off.......my arrow groups were instantly much better and hitting where I pointed them. Not sure this is the best arrow rest anyway and I may change it but I thought other users may be able to use this information. I'm pretty sure Martin includes the Mantis with all it's RTH packages.

[droppixel]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say probably not. For giggles look into another rest and see if you like that any better. Whisker Biscuits are insanely popular for whatever reason. I shot a NAP 360 capture for a while and liked that. Currently shooting the NAP Apache Dropaway - can't beat it for the money. Plenty of other options out there that might give you more consistent shooting.

Just my $.02

[Chip]

If so and you are getting unexpected flyers once in awhile or not so tight arrow groupings I may have a cure. After shooting many arrows and driving myself nuts playing with the horizontal adjustment on my sight pins and cursing what I thought was just bad shooting form, I decided to take a good look at the rest. What I noticed was the little trap door rubber thing that allows you to load the arrow was hitting my vane. Maybe with slimmer arrows this wouldn't be an issue but I'm shooting 2215's and the blazer vane had left coloring all over the trap door. Since it doesn't really do anything I just clipped it off.......my arrow groups were instantly much better and hitting where I pointed them. Not sure this is the best arrow rest anyway and I may change it but I thought other users may be able to use this information. I'm pretty sure Martin includes the Mantis with all it's RTH packages.

Hello, I used one on my Threshold Friday I had no problems with it. I shoot 60lbs. draw weight, 5575 shafts, blazer vanes, and 100 grain field points. Welcome and have fun shooting your bow.

[Paradox]

Hey Chip

Thanks for your reply. Keep your eye on that rubber trap door for marking from the vanes. If it went back to home, meaning creating a nice circle it would have been fine but for some reason, mine started sagging inward just enough to hit the left vane. I'm probably going to go to a rip cord drop away. I love the bow (2011 Exile). The only thing a bit wonky to me is the Mantis. This is the first package bow I ever purchased and I got such a great deal on it I can't really complain but I do not think I would do it again. I think in the end for me, buying a bare bow and outfitting it A la carte would make more sense.

[bfisher]

I've only seen one of the Mantis rests on a bow and that one had a broken support arm. I believe it was the left one. I entertained the thought of trying one just to see what it was all about, but that made up my mind pretty quick. IMO it's a pretty flimsy rest. I would choose something else.

I'm neither a fan of capture rests nor Blazer vanes simply because of the possibility of contact issues. I shoot mostly feathers but when I do shoot vanes they are the low profile sort. I don't hunt any more so have no need of a capture rest and rankly I never used a capture rest when I did hunt. Star Hunter is my all-time favorite. Old school? Yes, but it was simple and nothing could go wrong. I still use one at times.

[Chip]

Hey Chip

Thanks for your reply. Keep your eye on that rubber trap door for marking from the vanes. If it went back to home, meaning creating a nice circle it would have been fine but for some reason, mine started sagging inward just enough to hit the left vane. I'm probably going to go to a rip cord drop away. I love the bow (2011 Exile). The only thing a bit wonky to me is the Mantis. This is the first package bow I ever purchased and I got such a great deal on it I can't really complain but I do not think I would do it again. I think in the end for me, buying a bare bow and outfitting it A la carte would make more sense.

Hi, thank you for the heads up. I will be spending this winter and summer practicing for next deer season, so I think I'll keep using the Mantis unless it starts to become a problem. To be honest I have been away from bows for thirty years so all of the new stuff is close to Greek for me. Berger buttons were hot items when I was last shooting a bow. I was reading some post on here about a rest called the Revolution it seemed to be a pretty cool rest. Anyway have fun with your new bow and shoot whenever you get a chance.

[bfisher]

Hey Chip, Berger Buttons were the rage just a few years after I started shooting, too. One difference between us is that I never quit shooting. You go ahead and keep shooting the Mantis. At least you'll get to shoot and have time to look around at all the new stuff. If you find something that tickles your fancy give us a shout. Just don't listen to me all the time. I'm an old-school type of guy although I do try a lot of the newer stuff.

There are a lot of good guys here on this forum. Join in the talks any time.

[Chip]

Hey Chip, Berger Buttons were the rage just a few years after I started shooting, too. One difference between us is that I never quit shooting. You go ahead and keep shooting the Mantis. At least you'll get to shoot and have time to look around at all the new stuff. If you find something that tickles your fancy give us a shout. Just don't listen to me all the time. I'm an old-school type of guy although I do try a lot of the newer stuff.

There are a lot of good guys here on this forum. Join in the talks any time.

Hi bfisher,

Thank you for the welcome. I look forward to talking with the fine folks on this board and shooting bow again. I got a little fired up when I started banging arrows together the first time I shot my new bow. I know it was only 20 yards but you got love hearing the arrows smack each other as they hit the target. Well I was fired up at first until I thought wait an minute those are 7 bucks a pop.

[bfisher]

Hi bfisher,

I know it was only 20 yards but you got love hearing the arrows smack each other as they hit the target. Well I was fired up at first until I thought wait an minute those are 7 bucks a pop.

Now you're getting smarter.