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In this Mantis X review I’m going to answer the question I have gotten from countless people:
“Is it worth it or just a waste of money?”
After training with the X10 Elite for some time now, I will share my opinion and more if you make it to the end of this review. On the way we are going to highlight everything it offers, is capable of and all of its features.
It’s only natural to be skeptical of something before you invest your hard earned money into it. I get it. If you’re reading this then you are probably asking yourself the same question.
As we breakdown the Mantis X training system, we will give you a solid understanding of what it does and how it can help you so you can make an informed decision on if it’s right for you.
Looking to get right to the point?
What is the Mantis X?
So what is it exactly and what do they do?
In summary, Mantis X is a data-driven approach to mastering some of the fundamentals of shooting. While attached to ANY pistol, rifle, shotgun, or even a bow, it analyzes every shot and generates actionable data you can use to improve.
You attach the sensor to your chosen firearm, connect it to the app via Bluetooth and the app walks you through its setup guide and how to begin training.
Moreover, the Mantis X is an impressive training system, designed to easily attach to standard Picatinny rails or adaptors (they have adapters if needed). This little sensor gathers thousands of data points every second which looks at your shooting technique in real-time. Also, the sensor can pick up on the most subtle movements that we may not even notice. This capability makes it beneficial for identifying issues related to your grip and trigger press.
It is a powerful tool that can be a great addition to a proper dryfire training regimen.
What Mantis X Offers
Mantis X offers many different training systems and sensors to be flexible to everyone’s needs and budgets.
While this review is centered around the X10 Elite because it is what they sent me, they all share very similar features, pair to the app, and function nearly identically. There’s also additional targets, laser academies and special auto-resetting trigger kits you can utilize.
The X10 Elite:
The X10 Elite is the next generation of Mantis X systems making it the most advanced system they offer. Its benefits include:
- 40% reduction in size
- 50% decrease in weight
- Triple the battery life
- Quadruple the data transmission rate
- A quick detachment mechanism
Furthermore, it builds upon the previous model such as the X2 and X3, the X10 Elite introduces:
- Comprehensive Recoil Analysis
- In-depth Holster Draw Analysis
- Inclusive support for diverse shooting sports like pistol, rifle, shotgun, and archery
- Is able to be shot during live fire and dryfire practice
All of these new advancements create a more comprehensive and streamlined user experience.
Mantis X10 Elite
Impressive and powerful training tool.
*Price accurate at time of writing
X2:
The X2 is there more affordable and limited sensor. It is perfect for the person who only plans to use the tool during dryfire and with only their pistol and rifle.
While it is cheaper, it’s limited in its capability to analyze your shooting compared to the more advanced models.
Learn more about the X2 specifically here
X3:
The X3 bridges the gap a little bit between the X2 and X10. While it’s still only compatible with a pistol and rifle, it adds the capability of being able to handle live fire training in addition to dryfire practice.
It still doesn’t include the more advanced analysis of the X10 Elite though.
Learn more about the X3 specifically here
Other Offerings:
This is a review on the Mantis X training systems, particularly the X10 Elite, but they offer many other training tools that can be helpful in building your shooting abilities with different platforms.
View these tools here.
Check out my review on the Laser Academy with all the newest updates that just launched!
What Comes With The Mantis X?
Firstly, what comes in your kit depends on which product you order.
If you get the Mantis X10 Elite system then it comes with:
- Mantis X10 Elite sensor
- BR7 Barrel Mount Picatinny Rail for rifles and shotguns.
- Universal MagRail adapter for Archery, pistol, rifle, etc.
- USB charging cable
- Mantis X10 Case + Foam Insert
- Quick Start insert
Additionally, you get exclusive access to their training app which you will pair with the sensor to set up and train with.
Getting Started With The Mantis X
Again, the Mantis X tracks your movements on an extremely small level. Then, it analyzes them to see what you are doing and gives feedback as to what could be the cause of any bad shots and also gives you feedback as to what was good.
As an illustration, let’s walk through a session with the Mantis X10 Elite to see how it works and what it offers.
Setting It Up
First, you charge the sensor with the included USB charging cable, then you need to attach the sensor to your firearm of choice. The easiest method is to attach it to a Picatinny rail which is present on most modern handguns and rifles.
Furthermore, how you mount the sensor matters. You will be prompted to select which direction you mounted it, and its location, for calibrating the sensor.
Connect to the App
First off, you will need to download the app to your phone.
Once you do, you just connect your sensor to the app by turning it on and hitting the connect button on the app’s first page.
At this point, you get to browse the app and see all it has to offer.
That’s all there is to set it up so now let’s look at navigating the app and all of its features.
The Mantis X Training App
This is where all the magic from the sensor is displayed for you to analyze and use. There are quite a number of features for you to take advantage of.
Mantis X Drills
The app offers numerous drills for you to take advantage of and new ones are added periodically.
Some of the drills offered currently are:
- Open Training
- Shot timer
- Shoot No Shoot
- MantisX Benchmark
- Endurance
- Primary/Secondary Hand Only
- Reload
- Cadence
- Hostage Rescue
This isn’t a comprehensive list but you can see they have a lot to utilize in your training.
Mantis X Courses
In addition, you also get a number of in-depth specialized courses to choose from.
Some of the courses you can utilize are:
- Mantis X Intro
- Basic Marksmanship
- Advanced Marksmanship
- Elite Marksmanship
- Basic Combat
- Advanced Combat
- Elite Combat
- Double Action Diligence
As you can see, there’s a lot you can utilize to take your dryfire training to the next level.
Mantis X10 Elite Exclusive Options
The X10 Elite is the premiere training system and it has some exclusive training features that set it apart from the other offerings.
X10 Elite additional courses are:
Additionally, you get special software support for all shooting sports.
Holster Draw Analysis:
This drill will allow you to perform any number of holster draws in a session, giving you a detailed analysis of each draw, in two diagnostic screens.
First, Mantis X breaks down your holster draw into five key areas to identify inconsistent or slow phases:
- Grip: time from the start beep to when your hand grips the gun
- Pull: how long it takes you to pull the firearm out of the holster
- Horizontal: time from the pull to when the gun is drawn and rotated to horizontal alignment
- Target: how long it takes you to get on target after getting the gun horizontally
- Shot: time from being on-target to when the shot breaks
Secondly, Mantis X displays overlaid traces of all the holster draws in that session. This is valuable in assessing the path of the draw, the consistency of the draws across your session, and highlighting any variance in your draw.
Recoilmeter:
Next, the Mantis X10 Elite is the first device to accurately and reliably give you data on not just your gun’s recoil, but your response to that recoil.
This drill will allow you to shoot any number of shots, giving you a detailed analysis of each shot, and summary data, in a single screen.
Mantis measures and calculates four key components of recoil:
- Muzzle rise: the peak angular rise of the gun after the shot
- Recovery time: time for the gun to return and stabilize to the original point of aim
- Recoil angle: the angle to the left or right that the gun moved as it recoiled upward
- Recoil width: the width of the loop formed by the upward and downward movement of the gun
Clicking on each measure will show summary data for that session: the session average, and a chart showing a detailed comparison for all shots for that measure.
As a result, you can see these features really set the X10 Elite apart from other products out there and even their own products at lower price points.
Daily Challenge:
In addition, the Mantis X also has a daily challenge tab which is pretty interesting and keeps things engaging.
Each day brings a new challenge, ranging from familiar tasks like “10 shots with your primary hand only,” to more challenging ones like “10 pushups followed by 10 shots”.
These challenges are all meant for dryfire practice. Once you finish a challenge, you can compare your score with Mantis users worldwide to gauge your performance in the Mantis X online community.
Mantis X Groups:
Lastly, this is Mantis X’s in-house social media community. Here you can share your daily challenge results and compare/compete with others.
Further, you can also track, follow others, and train together with other Mantis X users who have created an account and signed in with the app. I haven’t used this feature but growing with others can be a valuable tool.
How the Mantis X Tracks And Measures Your Performance
The sensor tracks every single shot you take and displays all the data within the app for you to view and analyze. After your shooting or dry firing is done you should then review the summary to see your performance.
History and Session Summary:
Firstly, you can see your performance immediately after completing a drill. It will grade each shot individually from 0 to 100 with any associated times logged next to it. It also gives you an average score at the top.
Furthermore, in the “history” tab you can see a summary of your performance throughout the app with various time filters and metrics. It will tell you every drill you ever did on what day, what your score was and your times associated with each drill. This is a great tool to see your progress over time and to keep track of all your training progress.
Shot Chart With Feedback:
Secondly, swipe left from the summary page and you get to the score screen. Reading this page can be a little confusing at first but once you understand it then its intuitive.
Picture the center of the circle where the average score is displayed as the bullseye and the red bands surrounding it are where each shot was going. For every shot in each direction a red band is stacked on top of each other. For example, in the image above, I have two bands on the bottom so that means I had two shots trending low.
The app will give you an average assessment or tell you “great shooting” of you scored above a certain threshold. In addition, it will breakdown common occurrences for you to address which you can analyze for each individual shot by tapping on the red bands.
This is an extremely helpful feature and just might be the best part for newer shooters who are learning to diagnose their shooting skills. This shortens the curve to being able to “read your target” by quite a lot. It can save you a lot on ammunition costs in regards to gaining this experience.
Further, for every red band in each direction you tap on it will give you different possible causes and solutions for the shots in that area. It even provides videos or images of the correct way and wrong way of doing it. While it isn’t a substitute for hands-on training, this guidance alone can help you save a lot of money and gain valuable knowledge and experience.
Finally, keep in mind that these are only possible solutions and are based on common causes that are generally seen in shooters. There may be other factors that the app is unable to pick up on that affect your shot placement.
Hold and Trigger Movement:
Thirdly, swipe left again and you’ll land on this screen. It shows a chart of your scores for each shot during the session, and a chart for the hold movement before each shot.
“Hold movement” is calculated by looking at the movement before the trigger press.
“Trigger press movement” analyzes the movement during the quarter second before the shot breaks.
Gun Movement:
Lastly, swipe left once more and you’ll land on the gun movement screen. On this screen, you can see the movement of the gun in the different stages of each individual shot color-coded as blue, yellow, red and ending with a white “X”.
Blue: hold/sighting movement
Yellow: trigger pull movement
Red: shot break/recoil pattern
White X: where the shot landed
It will even give you a recording of the action if you hit the “play” icon in the bottom left of the target.
Refer to the image below for a good illustration.
By and large, I love all of these tools and have used them to help me further hone my own shooting abilities. It picks up on such subtle movements I would never be able to spot on my own and someone else watching intently probably wouldn’t be able to see in real time either.
Additionally, they will be extremely beneficial for newer shooters developing their shooting skills and dryfiring techniques
How Well Does The Mantis X Perform?
During my use of the Mantis X 10 Elite system, I have had a near-flawless experience. The app functions very smoothly and it has never crashed or unexpectedly disconnected on me if within Bluetooth range.
From a technical standpoint, it is very easy to set up and use. You charge the sensor, download the app, connect via Bluetooth, get familiar with the settings, and off you go.
Once you get a good grasp on the functions and features in the app, then you can use it rather efficiently as well. Lastly, I found it helpful for developing a regular dryfire training plan and it helped me to stay accountable to my training.
The Downside… At First:
All in all, my experience with the Mantis X has been overwhelmingly positive.
However, I did notice that it had difficulty picking up shots from light aftermarket triggers during dryfire practice when I first began training with it.
When I used it in conjunction with the Blackbeard on my rifle, I tried to perform cadence drills and other drills with recurring shots but during those sessions, I found that it wouldn’t register a large number of the shots, especially if mounted toward the end of the handguard.
However, it is worth noting that I could not replicate this with a handgun, and during live fire, it is a non-issue.
Here is the kicker… Now there are improved shot detection settings!
Since I had those issues, Mantis X has updated the app and their algorithms to include dryfire and some other specific configurations for better shot detection. They even have a special algorithm to use with their Blackbeard (which is totally worth it by the way) and it has resolved the issue I was having.
Unfortunately, I still get a shot here and there that wasn’t caught but it is a huge improvement.
Not only that, they have added a shot detection troubleshooter section to help you get it all squared away if you have any problems.
As a result, I’d say that that is a testament to Mantis X’s commitment to putting out a quality product and helping shooters improve. Which is exactly what it has helped me do.
How The Mantis X 10 Elite Has Helped Me Improve:
The Mantis X10 is an incredibly powerful little tool that has helped me find holes in my shooting abilities that I am not sure I would have found on my own without it.
Moreover, my shooting performance with both a pistol and a rifle has drastically improved since I have used the X10 Elite.
It will tell you what you need to work on after every practice session. This is invaluable for advanced shooters who are working hard to polish their shooting skills.
Additionally, it is also perfect for beginner shooters because it helps to build solid training habits, motivation to keep training and proper direction to continue learning more.
Is The Mantis X A Waste of Money Or Worth Every Penny?
It depends.
Let me explain: If you buy it and never use it, or rarely ever train at all, then you are not going to get enough out of it to feel that it was worth it.
That being said, if you go for it and plan to put in the work, I think that the Mantis X 10 Elite is incredibly worth it.
Finally, the exact same premise could be said for training without a Mantis X. Is it “worth it” to go burn through a few hundred bucks of ammo without any real direction or proper training to become a better shooter?
The Final Verdict
The Mantis X 10 Elite training system is far from a wasteful splurge. It’s a strategic investment for anyone looking to sharpen their shooting abilities.
First, it gives you unmatched precision and feedback. Also, it analyzes your every movement down to the tiniest details. This kind of feedback is perfect for any shooter looking to improve. It’s like having a personal instructor providing insights that are almost impossible to see with the naked eye.
Second, it adapts to your needs. You can use it for dryfire practice with handguns, rifles, shotguns, or even archery, making it versatile for various shooting disciplines. The training courses and drills it offers address specific aspects of shooting, helping you target your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.
Furthermore, the cost of ammunition can add up, especially for those who are committed to regular training. However, with a Mantis X, you can practice extensively in the comfort of your own home without burning through ammo. Therefore, giving you more training and improvement for less money in the long run.
In conclusion, it’s not just some gadget or gimmick that’s a waste of money. The Mantis X 10 Elite, and their other training systems, are incredibly powerful tools that can help elevate your shooting skills to new heights IF you put in the work.
Bonus Resources
Convinced and ready to get your hands on one to begin taking your training to the next level?
We’ve compiled these resources together for you to get the best price:
X10 Elite:
Mantis X10 Elite
Impressive and powerful training tool.
*Price accurate at time of writing
Also available here:
- Save on the Mantis X10 Elite with code “STRENGTH” from Optics Planet
- Get the X10 Elite on Brownells (SEPT20 for $20 off active at time of publishing)
- X10 Elite from one of my favorite online retailers, Primary Arms
- Mantis X10 Elite on Amazon
Worth Mentioning
Blackbeard:
Mantis X Blackbeard
Trigger auto-resetting AR15 dryfire tool.
*Price accurate at time of writing
Also available here:
- Save on the Mantis X Blackbeard with code “STRENGTH” from Optics Planet
- Get the Blackbeard on Brownells (SEPT20 for $20 off active at time of publishing)
- The Blackbeard from one of my favorite online retailers, Primary Arms
Laser Academy:
Laser Academy
Laser training system to take things to another level.
*Price accurate at time of writing
Also available here:
- Get the Laser Academy on Primary Arms
- Mantis X Laser Academy on Amazon
