Kammok Mantis Review

At only 35 ounces for the entire shelter, including but netting, rainfly, and straps, the Kammok Mantis UL is lighter than almost every full shelter we tested. Its lightweight materials and slightly shorter length allow it to pack in features like a double-sided fully removable bug net and a full-coverage rectangular tarp. The Mantis ranks at the lower end of our favorite hammocks but is every bit a high-performing backcountry model.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

The Mantis is quite a comfortable hammock, surpassing others that are shorter or lack certain features, but not quite stacking up to those with additional length and asymmetry design. It isn't asymmetric but is still fairly long. At 10 feet long, this means there will be some restrictions of movement for taller folks, but those under 5 feet, 8 inches may feel that it has plenty of space for their feet. The hammock is designed symmetrically in reference to right and left but there is a difference between the head and foot ends so you'll need to set up accordingly. Typically your head end should be slightly lower than your foot end for the flattest lay.

Tie-outs on either side of the head end increase the interior space and give you a spot to a few store small items but the space is limited and these items can fall out when you open the zipper. Both sides zip open which is convenient since it means you don't have to remember each night which side the zipper is on. We don't know why that is hard but somehow, with the models that have one-sided entry, we regularly found ourselves standing on the wrong side.

A fixed ridgeline holds the bug netting off your face and gives you a place to store things but the Mantis' ridgeline doesn't sit high enough for most users to be able to sit up underneath. We really like the soft smooth fabric in this hammock. It feels great against the face and other bare skin.

Weight

One of the lightest hammocks tested other than the very small models, the Mantis alone weighs 11.3 ounces and 14.4 ounces with the included suspension straps. For this low weight, the Mantis offers a mid-range width of 4 feet, 9 inches, giving you more space to get comfortable than some of the other tiny models but we feel a few extra inches of width would have been worth a couple of ounces.

The full shelter weighs in at an incredibly low 35 ounces, heavier than only one other hammock shelter we tested, and then only heavier by 3 ounces. A light material used in the hammock, rainfly, and straps contribute to shaving ounces off the shelter but also mean that, as with any ultralight equipment, you'll need to be gentle.

Durability and Protection

The Mantis UL comes as a complete kit with a large rain fly, bug netting, and sewn loops for attaching an underquilt. We appreciate that in such a lightweight system, Kammock left the tarp with its full coverage dimensions giving you more protection from the rain than with other very light hammock tarps.

As one might expect of an ultralight hammock that packs in so many features, the materials used are some of the thinner ones among the models we tested. They won't be able to withstand as much abrasion as thicker yet heavier models.

Ease of Set Up

End-gathered hammocks are mostly the same when it comes to setup: clip the carabiner to the strap. The Mantis is no exception to this but it does come with a few features that we feel add to the ease of setup. The hammock has one carabiner sticking out the end of the stuff sack which allows you to clip into the suspension straps before unfurling the whole hammock. Then you can walk the hammock out to the other tree strap, keeping it off the ground and out of the mud.

We like how light and long the Kammok straps are. They weigh only 3 ounces and are 124 inches long. Even if you don't have a hammock from Kammok, these suspension straps would be a great addition to another hammock set up to save weight. They use thinner webbing than many but incorporate a ladder-like design to spread the weight and reduce damage to the tree. In testing, we found that the additional seams and openings of this ladder design lend themselves to snagging tree branches and each other. This makes it a little tougher to put up and take down the straps.

Versatility

Fully removable bug netting that zips off gives you the option to fold it back for sunset views or leave it at home to save weight in less buggy areas. You can also use the Mantis as a chill-at-the-park hammock and not have bug netting in the way but because the ridgeline is not removable, it's going to be less convenient for sitting. You'll need to lean back if sitting sideways or just go ahead and lay down the length of the hammock.

Value

The Mantis stacks up well against other shelter models in our test but just ranks slightly lower in some metrics. The price is in line with similar setups and we think it offers good value to someone who is shorter or prioritizes the lower weight and wants a full shelter package that is ready to go out of the box, no decisions or additional purchases necessary.

Conclusion

All things considered, we find the Kammok Mantis UL to be a fantastic hammock shelter that we wouldn't hesitate to recommend. It doesn't rank at the top of the charts in our test but only falls short by a little bit. It is comfortable and spacious but its comfort is slightly eclipsed by the longer and asymmetrical models. We love the versatility offered by the removable bug netting and appreciate the full coverage tarp included in the package where other ultralight hammocks try and save weight by shrinking the rain fly. If weight is one of your primary considerations or you are under 5 feet, 6 inches or so, the Mantis might be your perfect hammock.