klimber's idea sound like a serious contender.

My thought would be to have the connectors that hold the spreader bar to the harness configured like a mini version of a seat belt buckle. Instead of the spreader bar going into the fixed u-shaped connectors of the harness, put seat belt type connectors on the harness so that the spreader bar is clicked into place. This idea would require 2 release points, though, one on the left and one on the right end of the spreader bar..

yes, if the release mechanism is simple and discrete. and, really, klimber is on to something.

but every good thing has its limits. i mean whats next? quickrelease velcro wetsuit? ejection seat harness?

winds

I would not dismiss the idea of a releasable harness. If the whole harness could be released, it would solve not only the problem of getting rid of lines accidentally snagged on the hook, but also, any lines which were snagged on the buckles, or other parts of the harness or spreader bar or even the board leash (if used).

The mechanism of such a release would be much simpler to design for a waist harness, than for a seat harness, since the leg straps would be a major difficulty.

For instance, a waist harness could be designed to be split into 2 pieces, just behind the riders hip bone. I can think of at least 3 types of mechanism that could be used to accomplish this task.

(1) A "lace-up" style release using a "daisy chain" type of mechanism, acting like a loose thread on a sweater...You pull it and it un-zips the seam.

(2) A "three ring circus" mechanism, maybe using more than 3 rings. When you pull a release the rings slip through the adjacent slightly larger ring, and fall like dominoes, allowing the seam to open and splitting the harness into 2 pieces.

(3) An automobile seat belt style release. (this was already suggested by the poster "Blowhard")

It could be that even a large, wide strip of velcro could be used to connect the 2 halves. Someone should look into the design of those gigolo, male stripper, rip-away pants. Darn!...now, I regret having gotten rid of mine, when I donated them to the Salvation Army.

Good starting point. It would be cool if the above system had a natural pull.

In a kite looping incident I think its important to be able to release using the left or right hand.
Pro limit had a spreader bar that you could release from one side, the other problem with it was that under load it was difficult to get a release, and then only from one side.

Bumping this thread. i've been using my slinggshot surefire bar but they are not being made any longer. i understand Dynabar has something similar but so far i have not found pictures of the release. still searching...

Would be interested in a releasable harness. I got pulled (not looping) after I released my cabrinha IDS, the kite was flying upside down just by the center lines connected to the IDS line to the chicken loop. The kite still had significant power but was no longer controllable (flying upside down). I was being dragged slowly and needed to release the kite and ended up releasing QR2. Since I had some time though I tried to get my harness off and couldnt. It was like a straight jacket. If I could have released my spreader bar even from one side, I could have released my entire harness because after the hook it just uses velcro. (naish harness).

The spreader bar clips are almost impossible to release even on land and the buckles the straps are passed through are also hard to release.

I personally would want something that would release my entire harness.

Would be interested in a releasable harness. I got pulled (not looping) after I released my cabrinha IDS, the kite was flying upside down just by the center lines connected to the IDS line to the chicken loop. The kite still had significant power but was no longer controllable (flying upside down). I was being dragged slowly and needed to release the kite and ended up releasing QR2. Since I had some time though I tried to get my harness off and couldnt. It was like a straight jacket. If I could have released my spreader bar even from one side, I could have released my entire harness because after the hook it just uses velcro. (naish harness).

The spreader bar clips are almost impossible to release even on land and the buckles the straps are passed through are also hard to release.

I personally would want something that would release my entire harness.

interesting post this one... I wonder if in 2012 have yet been developed any releasable spreader bars?

I've found myself in a pretty nasty incident a month ago, I was on a 'death ride' in the full meaning of it. My RRD Obsession 7m 2012 decided to loop after the chicken loop came off all of a sudden (this is a privilege of the RRD chicken loop ). The 40kn of wind accelerated the kite loop to nearly an helicopter force and I was dragged by my safety leash which got stuck at the back of my harness in the handle pass. While drowning due to the extreme high speed and the water splashes I was trying everything to detach myself from the freak kite, but no luck. I couldn't even find my safety knife stuck somewhere in the harness (never used before)... All I wanted was to detach myself from the death ride, but there was no way to release my harness / bar. Suddenly I passed out and got pulled underwater for over a minute, I got to shore totally drowned, my face was blue and I was all bloated.. My mates arrived quickly and started CPR, which after a few minutes worked and I resuscitated also with help of the oxygen. I got taken to intensive care for 2 days and I made it, thanks to my exceptionally strong lungs, and of course to the prompt first aid on the beach.

One month after, and I'm now considering to go back into my big passion of kiting but I'm changing all my gear and safety now comes first.

I'm looking for a harness with a detachable bar, a good safety leash (that I'll only clip to the front), and a good chicken loop which won't ever come off unless I'll release it!!!

I'll write a post soon with the full version of the events, as I would like to help others prevent the same nightmare and give safety tips..

Life is beautiful...

safety-wise it makes sense...all harnesses should have it...and an attachment point for the leash, so you have a second chance...

exactly... I think the industry should put a lot more effort in the safety systems design and development to make the sport safer, instead to just try to improve kite flying and changing colour schemes!