Should I start with Waist or seat harness?

[yotamss]

Hey
I am a beginner who just finished my lessons...
I just bought the kite and everything, but a harness. (you people helped me☺)
my weight is 60KG
what is the ideal harness for me? waist or seat, for the beginning?
If you think that a seat harness is, so does starting with a waist harness will be a problem?

[yotamss]

You should go to a store and try different ones ... Make sure to hang onto something to see how it fits under pressure. Some could cause some pain.

I for example, have a bad back ... I cannot use a waist harness. If I test one and hang myself with pressure I immediately feel pain.

And since everyone is different, also have different bodies, one cannot say this out that is good for you.

So, go ahead and try, makes sure the shop has a setup with a line, where you can lean against with your body weight and see how it feels under pressure.

[matth]

Seats are more comfortable, won't ride up, won't twist, and will allow you to focus on the kite and not on readjusting your tit harness every five minutes.

[Toby]

I had a kiting friend, he could only use a waist harness...he had a bad back as well, but different type of problems.

[danlar]

Seat harness are good for beginner while they learn transition because the kite is often at 12 and pull you up. Personally I did switch back to seat harness for a while when I was learning to jump, but I would say it’s a little harder to put the board on.

[Matteo V]

Everything is a tradeoff. If you can stand the discomfort of a waist harness, then you can look cool. If you can't, then you will have to progress, get good, and then make up for wearing a seat harness with actual skill.

[Havre]

Haha.

I do think seat harnesses have an undeserving reputation of being for beginners. And that you are supposed to move to waist as soon as you are getting skilled enough. Don't buy that at all.

Probably less downside going for a seat - assuming you can ride either pain free. Can be a bit annoying when waist harnesses ride up before you learn how to adjust them, but most beginners manage waist someway or another so...

Personally I prefer waist, but I haven't tried a good seat harnesses for quite some time now.

[iriejohn]

The opposite to most of the above for me for the Mystic Majestic X waist harness.

viewtopic.php?t=2408437

Wasn't going to say anything until I had a couple more decent sessions but was out yesterday for the first time with the Majestic X in 7m weather (26-28 knots), and one thing that really surprised me was the amount of support for my lower back!

Because many years ago I had a lower back slipped disc (aka herniated/prolapsed) I have since always worn a seat harness. Surprisingly I found that the Majestic X gave me better back support than a seat harness (have used Ion Echo for many years, and lately Majestic Marshall). Might just be lucky with the fit, but more after another couple of sessions.

Second session yesterday with 7m but would have been better on 9m.

Same comments as before but this time I wore an old impact vest and the Majestic X did slowly ride up! So need an impact vest with grip in the back to stop ride up, such as a ProLimit half padded vest.

What I found the first time, but didn't want to mention until I had another session in different conditions, was that I again found that my left knee with it's damaged ACL took much less of a beating in chop, probably because with the waist harness my body had more flex when absorbing chop chatter.

Out today on a 9m in 22-28 knots without an impact vest and no harness ride up. Same conclusions as above.

Still very surprised but obviously pleased!

Nothing else to add.

Now have a PROLIMIT Stretch Vest XF Half Padded FZ with rear grip for harness. No ride up.

[edt]

Doesn't matter use either just get out there and kite.

More important than choosing seat or waist is make sure it's COMFORTABLE. You will be in it all day. If it feels like it pinches anywhere resell it and get another. It should feel like your favorite pair of shoes. Everyone's body is different so what fits me might not fit you.

I see toby already said this before me. Do what he said!

[Cheoz0r86]

If you go for a waist harness make sure to go for a good spreader bar, one with wings for example the stealth from mystic, when I finished my lessons I switched to waist harness and nearly switch back to seat as the spreader bar was digging into my stomach with the kite at 12. I decided then to give it a go the the stealth bar and voila so much better plus you have more movement freedom to twist your hips and go upwind.

The most important is to try as many harnesses as you can, as mentioned before there is no better harness as they all will fit different depending on your body shape.