
The Story of Manta
The Manta is a project designed by Bowl Keyboards and Alexotos. They wanted to create something that pays homage to classic designs while standing out in a market crowded with 65% layouts. It was a daunting challenge-after all, creating something entirely new should be easy, right? But as they quickly realized, innovation and functionality are two very different things. With that in mind, they made it their primary objective during discussions and brainstorming sessions to balance both. One idea that stood out was propping the keyboard up on copper or brass pillars that seamlessly flow into the bottom weight, or 'fin.' This design not only promised a striking aesthetic but also the potential for a distinctive sound profile.
The initial design for this was rather flat and boring. Originally, they wanted to machine a pattern on the bottom to give it some character. This was quickly transformed into what it is now, and it looked almost like a manta ray. And then the Manta was born.

The hope here is that the chambers in between the weight and bottom of the assembly will create a unique sound profile and really allow the board to stand out.
Bowl is an amazing designer, and he genuinely admire his other projects - so it's no surprise that the internal structure of the board is just as amazing. With the Manta, the goal was to offer a few solid mounting styles that let users customize the feel and sound without overwhelming people with endless options. Each mounting method is distinct, offering a unique feel and sound profile that sets it apart from the others.
The three mounting options as of now are gasket sock, gasket grommet, and gummy o-ring. These were very carefully considered, with plenty of back and forth discussions on mounting points, drawing from their combined experience, they refined these options to ensure they were not only functional but genuinely viable for users.
THE MANTA COLORWAYS
Price Starting 400 USD
Specifications
- Case Materials: 6063 Aluminum, Acrylic, Copper, Stainless steel
- Layout: 65%
- Typing Angle: 8 Degrees
- Front Height: 16.9mm
- EKH: 22.0mm
- Weight: 1.4-2.0 KG
- Mounting: Gasket Sock, Gasket Grommet, O-ring
- PCB Material: Black FR4, 1.6mm, VIA
- Connectivity: JST to Unified Daughterboard
- PCB Type: Solderable and Hotswap
- PCB Designer: Gondolindrim
SALES INFO
Vendors
- North America: Bowlkeyboards
- Canada: Keybaytech (your are here!)
- Europe: DeltaKeyCo
- China: NEXT
- Australia: KeebzNCables
- United Kingdom: ProtoTypist
- Singapore: PantheonKeys
- Korea: Swagkeys
- Thailand: Aiglatson
Group buy Timeline
- Launch: Augest 1st 2025
- Closes: September 1st 2025
- Expected to ship in early Q2 2026
- Price: Starting at $450 with optional copper bottom upgrade
Kit Contents
- 1 x Top Case
- 1 x Bottom Case
- 1 x External Weight
- 1 x Choice of Plate
- 1 x Solderable or Hotswap PCB
- 1 x C5 Unified Daughterboard + JST to JST Cable
- 1 x Carrying Case
- 6 x 30A and 60A Gaskets (sock and grommet)
- 1 x 50A O-ring
- All Screws/Parts/Etc for assembly
- *Note: Switches, keycaps and stabilizers are not included.