During TAXA’s takeover this month, we did a Facebook live talking about how much we love our Mantis. As the video didn’t quite go as planned, I thought I would create a post to accompany the original concept!
- Quality
- Traditional RVs and campers traditionally have lower quality materials as the sole focus is on weight. Aside from boutique teardrops, we could not find anything as high of a quality standard as the TAXA line of habitats.
- Towability
- Coming in under 3,000 pounds dry allows us to not only tow the Mantis all over the Earth, but it also opens up the possibilities of bringing it to more areas where a lot of traditional models can’t access. Plus, it’s size provides a great advantage as its size has allowed us to get into areas that larger units can’t fit into.
- Off-Grid Capabilities
- The one accessory we purchased alongside the Mantis was the ZAMP 140-Watt Portable Kit. This not only is a great way to keep the power flowing while we’re away from standard hookups, but it’s also a great way to keep your battery charged while in storage.
- Outdoor Connection
- Alex and I are super passionate about passing on our love of the outdoors to our boys. Being Texas based we had to focus the majority of our trips in the fall and winter months since the heat really puts a damper on a lot of things, with the exception of water destinations. The Mantis was like the holy grail of camper options for us. It naturally brings us closer to the outdoors by acting as a basecamp, but not a distraction.
- Thoughtful Features
- The Mantis is littered with features that really speak to any outdoor enthusiast
- Multiple spots for carabiners for cargo nets, hanging towels that need to dry, extra hats and all kinds of other possibilities.
- An included roof rack if you want to haul a kayak or extra cargo basket to expand your storage capabilities even further.
- The awning provides shelter from the elements and also acts as a great way to define your outdoor living space.
- The interior and exterior storage compartments allow you to organize your gear the way you want.
- Insulated windows with integrated screen & shade are a great touch for when you need to keep the sun out or conversely let the cool breeze in.
- The Mantis is littered with features that really speak to any outdoor enthusiast
- Minimal Vibe
- We were adamant about not wanting a living room on wheels. The point of adventuring for us is to get outdoors, not simply haul a portable house around so our kids can just watch TV from a different location. The Mantis provides all the creature comforts that we think are essential, without adding in features that are tempting distractions.
- Bunks
- This was one of the top selling points for us. We travel with our two boys who are 7 and 4 and although they’ll sleep on the ground and be content, we really wanted them each to have a dedicated spot to sleep. The versatility here is such a win as we can keep the bunks put away when on the road and use the space beneath for temporary storage, as well as utilize the space under the bottom bunk while it’s in place.
- Convenience
- It sort of goes without saying, but the sheer convenience of having a place to cook/store food, sleep and access our own private facilities is great. The latter is something that’s especially handy in the current climate since minimizing the use of areas that are highly trafficked, like rest rooms, is a great luxury to have. Not to mention we’ve got a 20 gallon fresh water tank available if we want to venture out to locations without hookups. As a bonus, the Dometic fridge running off of battery power is a huge win since we can keep perishables fresh throughout our entire trip.
- Organization & Storage
- The designated storage areas within the Mantis offer tons of options on how you choose to organize your gear. Sometimes simplicity is truly the best route.
- The built in storage at the top is where we keep our heavily accessed items; charging devices, sunglasses, first aid kit, cleaning supplies, etc. The beauty of this open storage is it can evolve depending on the type of trip we’re on. In the warm months, you’ll see after-sun lotions and sunscreen. In the cool months, you’ll find gloves and beanies. These areas evolve alongside us.
- The crates were a great way for us to compartmentalize our gear and help us focus on bringing only what we need, not a bunch of clutter. Our main crates are broken out between, kitchen essentials, clothing, operational gear and our mini pantry.
- The kitchen essentials crate has honestly been the one that’s evolved the most since each trip helps us define what we do and don’t need.
- The clothing crate stays extra organized as each of us have a packing cube for our personal effects, so there’s no question on where to find a clean shirt.
- The ops crate has a handful of key items focused on the Mantis itself. Here we house the manuals for equipment within the camper, our bug screen, extra fuses (which have come in handy a few times already), stakes for the awning and a hatchet.
- Upgrade Flexibility
- Speaking of power, one of our other favorite features in the Mantis was the ability to upgrade the battery system. We haven’t made the jump yet, but we’re looking to go to a dual, Lithium battery setup in the near future so we can stay out and powered even longer.
