Gen-1 · In development

Your whole setup. Ready in moments.

Deployed from one platform, with the devices you already own.

Gen-1 · In development

Everything folds in.

The screens stow in the upper chassis. Your laptop folds into the lower.

Gen-1 · In development

Held in place.

Your laptop, or another device within its size and weight limits, is designed to stay secured to the lower chassis, even while it is carried.

Gen-1 · In development

Carry it your way.

By the handle or over the shoulder. Backpack carry is in development.

MANTLE open with a laptop and two screens deployed to the sides, packing down into one closed chassis as you scroll — Design render

Design render · Shown with two display mounts: one is included, more sold separately. Bring your own devices. No electronics included. Open

The problem

Your setup was never built to travel.

Marcus's setup before MANTLE: a laptop on a stand, an iPad with keyboard, a separate keyboard and mouse, a light on a mini tripod, a charger and cables on a small desk — Marcus's setup before MANTLE. About 2 minutes to set up, 2 more to pack away.

Scattered

Laptop, screen, stand, keyboard, mouse, charger, cables. Every bag becomes a puzzle.

Strained

Work off the laptop alone and your neck and back pay for it, on a couch, in bed, at whatever table you find.

Exposed

A laptop on a table is one spill, knock or tug away from damage.

Slow

Unpack, arrange, plug in. Then pack it all again.

MANTLE keeps your setup assembled in one platform: carry it as one piece, open it into a workspace that is held, raised and ready.

Proof

A working prototype, not a concept.

Footage and photographs of the current build. Final materials, finish and hardware will differ.

Functional prototype

Prototype holding a laptop and a tablet on a wooden desk, with a separate keyboard and mouse

Functional prototype, shown with a Mac and iPad. Bring the devices you already own.

The system

Modular by design.

A frame that takes what you bring, and rails that hold it where you want it.

MANTLE open and empty: upper chassis, friction-hinge spine, crossbar and lower chassis

Design render · Open, nothing mounted.

01 · Upper chassis

Screens mount here.

Rails along the upper chassis take display mounts. One universal mount, for a portable screen or a tablet, is included; more are sold separately.

02 · Friction-hinge spine

Set it, and it stays.

The spine is designed to hold the upper chassis at the angle you set, so your screens sit raised instead of flat on the table.

03 · Crossbar

Your laptop, held in place.

The crossbar is designed to secure your laptop, or another device within its size and weight limits, even while MANTLE is carried.

04 · Lower chassis

Room below.

Space under the crossbar is designed for a charger, hub and cables, so your setup stays assembled between uses.

05 · Shell

Closes over everything.

The shell closes over the whole setup for carrying, by the handle or over the shoulder.

06 · Hardware

Swap the details.

The handle, latch and strap points are designed as separate parts, so hardware can be changed or upgraded as more options are released.

Rails are designed to take laptops, screens, compact computers, mics and studio lights, within the frame's weight and clearance limits. More modules are in development for the same rails.

The chassis, not the electronics.

No proprietary electronics. Bring your own devices; none are included. MANTLE is designed to take a laptop, portable screens and tablets, or other devices within its size, weight and mounting limits. Exact compatibility will be confirmed on a finished unit before production.

Style · Concepts, not confirmed for launch

Make it yours.

Concepts for how MANTLE could look. Pick the one you would carry: your vote helps decide which styles are made first.

Finish concept: Stealth, matte black with red accents, techwear style — **Stealth***Techwear · matte black, red accents*

Finish concept: Tactical, olive and coyote panels with MOLLE webbing, shown with backpack straps (in development) — **Tactical***Expedition · olive and coyote, MOLLE. Backpack straps in development*

Finish concept: Forged Carbon, forged carbon fibre, motorsport style — **Forged Carbon***Motorsport · forged carbon fibre*

Finish concept: Navy Facet, faceted navy shell with a red frame — **Navy Facet***Faceted navy, red frame*

Finish concept: Mecha, panelled silver-white, mecha style — **Mecha***Mecha · panelled silver-white*

Finish concept: Onyx & Cognac, black shell with a cognac strap, heritage style — **Onyx & Cognac***Heritage · black, cognac strap*

Finish concept: Suede & Cognac, charcoal suede with cognac leather, heritage style — **Suede & Cognac***Heritage · charcoal suede, cognac*

Finish concept: Shearling, cream shearling with cognac leather, natural style — **Shearling***Natural · cream shearling, cognac leather*

Finish concept: Pearl, iridescent pearl, pastel style — **Pearl***Pastel · iridescent*

Finish concept: Rose Gold, brushed rose gold, pastel style — **Rose Gold***Pastel · brushed rose gold*

Finish concept: Plush, pastel plush with a paw print, kawaii style — **Plush***Kawaii · pastel plush, paw print*

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Where it is going

What else can it do?

Keep scrolling.

Where it is going

Start empty.

Upper and lower chassis, nothing inside. What goes in is up to you.

Where it is going · Concept

Bring your own compute.

No laptop. A compact computer, power and display glasses, all in one chassis. Concept, not yet confirmed for launch.

Where it is going · Concept

Go live anywhere.

Light, camera and mic on the rail. Keyboard and mouse out front. Concept, not yet confirmed for launch.

Design render: MANTLE open with a laptop and two displays swung out to the sides — Design render

Design render: MANTLE open and empty — Design render

Concept: MANTLE open with a compact computer, power module and display glasses in the lower chassis — Concept

Concept: MANTLE open with a laptop, two wing displays, a light, webcam and microphone on the rail above, and a keyboard and mouse in front — Concept

Design renders and concepts · Bring your own devices. None included.

Marcus working standing up with the prototype mounted on a tripod

Who is building it

Built from a real setup.

MANTLE started as Marcus's own working setup: a laptop and a second screen he wanted to carry as one piece and open anywhere. The prototype on this page is that build. He spent years maintaining aircraft systems in the RCAF and then working in the field in telecom, and wanted his gear to be as dependable as the equipment he used to work on.

The work now is turning it into a product, and learning which setups matter most to the people who would use it.

marcus@takemantle.com

Launch List

Be first to hear when it is ready.

Development updates, honestly reported, and the first chance to reserve.

Questions

Is this a finished product?

No. MANTLE is a functional prototype and the production design is in development. No ship date is being committed at this stage.

Does it include a laptop or screen?

No. MANTLE is the platform: the chassis your devices mount to and carry in. Bring your own devices; none are included. MANTLE is designed to take a laptop, portable screens and tablets, or other devices within its size, weight and mounting limits. Exact compatibility will be confirmed on a finished unit before production.

Does MANTLE power or connect my devices?

No. MANTLE is the chassis, not the electronics. It does not provide power, USB, HDMI or any other electronic connection. It is designed to hold your devices and route your cables; you bring your own cables, chargers and docking hardware. A rail-mounted USB hub module is in development: not included, and not yet confirmed for launch.

Will my equipment fit?

Gen-1 is designed to secure your laptop, or another device within its size, weight and mounting limits, in the lower chassis. The upper chassis has rails for display mounts: one universal mount, for a portable screen or a tablet, is included, and more mounts will be available to buy at launch. So far the prototype has been used with a laptop and one screen, and has held an iPad on the top rail with two stand-in screens on the side rails (fit check only); a fold-out support stand for multi-screen setups is in development. Exact compatibility, weight and dimensions will be confirmed on a finished unit before production, and people on the list hear first.

How big and heavy is it?

The size target is about 400 × 300 × 77 mm closed, with the handle folded flat, chosen with airline personal-item limits in mind. Airline rules vary by carrier. The current design weighs about 4 kg (8.8 lb) empty, before your devices, and bringing that down is a development priority. Final size and weight will be confirmed on a finished unit before production.

Is it modular?

Yes, by design. The rails are designed to take laptops, screens, compact computers, mics and lights, and more modules are in development. Mounts are being designed to adapt to common standards such as VESA, MagSafe, 1/4"-20 and Arca. Cameras, lights and mics have been mounted on the prototype's rails; other modules have not yet been tested. The offer page lists exactly what a reservation covers.

What are the concepts on this page?

The finish concepts and the compact computer and creator setups are ideas being explored. Some may be ready at launch and some may come later; none are confirmed yet. The offer page lists exactly what a reservation covers.

What does joining the list cost?

Nothing. You get development updates and the first chance to reserve. You can unsubscribe at any time.