This disc is what made me wish that there were more brick and mortar DG stores, so players can grip a disc before buying it. I was looking for something similar to a Buzz SS and while the Manta seemed to fit the bill in terms of flight numbers, that's about where the similarities end. I was baffled to learn that this disc is described as beadless when by all accounts it should be considered to have a BIG BEAD. I suppose then it must just be how the rim is shaped, but in the hand it feels no different than a beaded mid and actually worse IMO as the faux-bead is rather large. On a positive note, if you're someone who enjoys beaded mids then you'll probably like the feel of this "beadless" beaded mid. 

In regards to flight, the Manta I threw in champ plastic flew a bit more stable than expected, but still had an US flight pattern. I don't mind beads on putters, but as someone with smaller hands beaded mids just don't feel great in my hand, so I never threw the Manta other than during field work. I can't recommend it for any BH/FH player who dislikes beads, but I'd recommend it for those who do as it flies as expected. 

!!THIS DISCS REVIEW GREATLY VARIES ON THE PLASTIC USED!!

DX/GSTAR = VERY UNDERSTABLE FOR EXPERIENCED PLAYERS

ALTHOUGH DX/GSTAR = SLIGHTLY UNDERSTABLE-STRAIGHT FOR BEGINNER/SLOW ARM SPEED PLAYERS.

CHAMPION PLASTIC = VERY STRAIGHT FLYING DISC FOR EXPERIENCED PLAYERS YET PRETTY OVERSTABLE FOR BEGGINERS/SLOW ARM SPEED PLAYERS!

Overall though, this disc is very interesting for a lot of different reasons. First off, as listed above.. This discs "flight ratings" Very greatly on the plastic in which you buy. For example, the overall flight ratings for this particular disc is normally known as pretty understable, the plastic that would most accurately fly with these ratings overall is the star plastic. although those with slower arm speeds will experience a slightly more stable flight then say an experienced player with a higher arm speed. Beginners can take a DX Manta.. which mind you for experience players, is very understable. with a very slow arm speed, can take the DX Manta, and fly it very straight. Yet an experienced player with a higher arm speed can take the same DX Manta, and only get it 100ft before it hooks far right onto the field, which probably would end up as a roller, that is if it doesn't cut into the ground and roll out in a half circle. 
 

Now let's take a champion manta at 175g and give it to a beginner with a slow arm speed. They would probably only be able to throw it 100ft-200ft before it faded pretty hard left. Although an experienced player with a higher arm speed can take that 175g champion manta.. throw it, and have it be the most straightest flying mid range they ever have.
 

Plastic and weight is very important, yet I have never seen, nor have I ever thrown a disc where plastic and weight varies it's flight pattern so drastically. Overall, it's a very versatile, comfortable, and fun disc to use. despite the players arm speed and/or level. Just choose wisely on the plastic. Hopefully the information I have provided above helps those purchase a manta that flies towards the pattern in which they wish and/or expect it to fly upon.

The Manta is a good disc, but I have found that it seems to be much more overstable than the rating lets on. The disc wants to go straight for only a bit, but then it quickly turns into a very left finish (RHBH). If I throw it decently hard on anhyzer, it will hold that line, but then wants to lose its velocity and die off back left rather quickly. This disc is VERY nice for forehands, however. I have used it on forehand approaches and it seems to work very well, though not as the numbers say. I shall update later if I learn anything new.

Update: After this disc gets beat in a bit, it flies VERY true to the numbers! Out of the box, this disc is as I mentioned above, but after being beat in, this disc is INCREDIBLE! I can throw it flat and it will want to turn just a touch right with a nice gentle fade at the end. If I throw it on a slight hyzer, it will flip up to flat and then have that gentle fade. If thrown on a hyzer, this disc will want to keep that hyzer line for most of the flight, but if I throw it on anhyzer, this disc wants to hold that line for almost the entire flight and then a gentle straight fade at the end. Something important to note is this mid-range is much more sensitive to nose angle than any other mid-range I have thrown and will want to stall and die left if thrown nose-up.

Did not like this disc at all. I got almost no turn out of it unless I threw it hard. The rim is convex and has a notch jutting out that feels kind of like a bead but its sharper, and it just feels uncomfortable and weird. If you are fan of Innova, they make a bunch of midranges that are better than the manta. A worn in roc is far better, but if you don't have the patience or time for that just get a light weight mako3.

Been playing for half a year now; during that time i've been working on developing different shots, learning my discs and expanding the lines available to me at each tee box.  

That being said, I wanted to give my honest review of the Manta.  

The Manta was one of the original three discs I started with.  (Boss, Manta, Pig)  Growing up with a baseball background, forehand throwing came naturally, and still to this day remains my primary method of throwing.  The Manta at first left a sour taste in my mouth, simply because I would throw it too hard, causing it to turn over and crash straight into the ground.  All I wanted to do was throw hard, and the Manta wasn't having it.  It sat in my bag, largely unused, and continued seeing less and less use as I bought new discs to compensate for my lack of a trustworthy mid range.  (My pig was amazing fyi, but lost it in a tree, oops.)

Enter the Fall/Winter season.  I begin to realize that maybe throwing my discs with extra mustard on 'em isn't the best play.  I start shaping shots; hyzer flipping, anhyzer s-bends, tomahawk/thumbers, etc.  And thats when it struck me:  The Manta was the closest disc I had that would mimic a throw seen in my head, every time.  Taking a lot off the disc caused it to react perfectly. This disc will turn beautifully for a hyzer flip and glide, it will hold an Anhyzer line with a tiny fade towards the end, and it even doubles as a great tomahawk disc; threw a 200 foot tomahawk Ace over the weekend with my Manta, and the crazy thing was that even though it was my virgin ace, it didn't cause me to run around in joy or celebrate excessively, because the disc did exactly what I wanted it to do and the result wasn't too surprising.  

I cannot recommend the Manta enough for folks who enjoy finessing their shots and being creative.  If you're looking for a bomber or something that you can get distance out of without tomahawking, look elsewhere.  

I am still new to disc golf and began by throwing the Buzzz as my first midrange disc. I recently found a Champion Manta when retrieving my Buzzz from a creek (my fault, not the disc). I started throwing the Manta and was surprised how much control and distance I had with this disc. I definitely believe this disc is beginner friendly and it is currently competing with my Buzzz for shot selection. I get more distance with my Buzzz but feel like I have more control with this beat in Manta. 

The manta surprised me when I first took it out to the course. I hadn't heard much about it and I did not have high expectations, but I quickly realized I found a disc that would be making my bag. Thrown flat and smooth, it may turn right a tad, but ultimately it just goes straight all the way until it hits the ground. It's also extremely responsive to power, if you want to turn the disc right, it'll go right without much effort. A very good beginner hyzerflip disc to boot. The manta is now one of the discs I keep a few extras of just to give out to newer players, and I also bag one. If you're looking for a straight to understable mid in the innova line up, look no farther.

Been throwing the champ manta for 2 months. (rhfh) What a great disc. A beaded stingray, what's not to like? I mainly throw discraft mids but this is in contention for the buzz, and buzzz ss/meteor slot. Very workable, flip to straight with hyzer finish, long sweeping anhyzers, and is a tree dodger. Don't normally write reviews unless I run into something that I think is that exceptional. The disc I purchased in champ had a different feel than the champ plastic being produced in the past yr or so. It feels better, more grippy, more opaque, not as hard. Was skeptical of the vtech rims and this is the first I tried, but I am sold. The disc I purchased was very flat similar profile to my Sanny stingray, but with a bead. Love throwing flippy mids and this disc is a mixture of both control to slightly flippy. THIS DISC IS NOT JUST ANOTHER FLIPTASTIC MID. There is something different about this disc that appeals to me. It is a must for the woods. Only thing that I can say I kind of dislike is that it is a large diameter mid, but that's personal preference and on ocaision it bombs (like the stingray) when I don't want it to, but that's me and not the disc. I have yet to beat this disc in but 5,5,-2,2 is where the manta I own is. Stable enough to pull off buzz shots but more power you can get it to turn for that long sweeping understable anny shot.