Ride Engine 2018 Harnesses

[Ianw]

However, this year is an evolution to the design and with the new setup you can cinch it in tight very easily and it just feels even more secure.

John IMO 70% of the "fit" is how tight you can get the harness to prevent it riding up. My 2017 RE with the single buckle was the first harness ever I managed to cinch up tight even with cold hands. Can you get the 2018 RE with 2 buckles as tight and is it as easy?

[Dwight]

The 2018 is much easier to get tight. It’s also easier to tighten once out riding. I think they moved the buckles farther behind on the harness, making it fit smaller than the 2016 model I replaced.

Another bonus of the new strap system...dakine spreader bars now work perfectly on it. I prefer a dakine bar.

[flying grandpa]

Hard shell of the harness can spread the load from the kite even in the absence of spreder bar.

A line with a slider ring, attached to shell at both sides and a wide velcro on your belly should help your toeside ride upwind significantly.

Light, comfortable, less expensive. Thats my dream harness.

[alford]

Hard shell of the harness can spread the load from the kite even in the absence of spreder bar.

A line with a slider ring, attached to shell at both sides and a wide velcro on your belly should help your toeside ride upwind significantly.

Light, comfortable, less expensive. Thats my dream harness.

Have you actually tried it without a spreader bar or are you just saying?

[flying grandpa]

Just dreaming. Mechanically it is possible.

[alford]

The 2018 is much easier to get tight. It’s also easier to tighten once out riding. I think they moved the buckles farther behind on the harness, making it fit smaller than the 2016 model I replaced.

Another bonus of the new strap system...dakine spreader bars now work perfectly on it. I prefer a dakine bar.

That is great about being Dakine compatible, the Option spreader bar looks great.

[SalmonSlayer]

Hard shell of the harness can spread the load from the kite even in the absence of spreder bar.

A line with a slider ring, attached to shell at both sides and a wide velcro on your belly should help your toeside ride upwind significantly.

Light, comfortable, less expensive. Thats my dream harness.

Have you actually tried it without a spreader bar or are you just saying?

I tried this with a shorts harness. One of the functions of a stiff spreader bar with a sliding line is to keep the line from twisting up as squeezing your body to the point if injury on a kitemare. I am not sure how possible it really is to twist you guts out or if a stiff harness will resolve that issue.

My intention for having a line run from hip to hip was to find out how much range you would use if you had much more than the typical spreader bar with a sliding line. My experience told my that you don't really need more sliding range than a Dynabar or similar allows. I ride with a Custom RE harness and a Dynabar now. I have made many home made slider bars that work just as well as the Dynabar, but choose to stick with the dynabar anyway.

This was just for a quick experiment. I know it is not refined.

by going through a spreader bar I avoided the possibility of it twisting during a kitemare.

Very simple end connection to make an experiment less complex. Just put the yellow ball through the loop

[flying grandpa]

My intention for having a line run from hip to hip was to find out how much range you would use if you had much more than the typical spreader bar with a sliding line. My experience told my that you don't really need more sliding range than a Dynabar or similar allows.

That's against my experience. I foil with a spreader bar twice as wide. It improves my teoside tack angle by at least 5 degree.
But my spreader bar is so wide, that on toeside tack chicken loop point at my buttock.

[SalmonSlayer]

My intention for having a line run from hip to hip was to find out how much range you would use if you had much more than the typical spreader bar with a sliding line. My experience told my that you don't really need more sliding range than a Dynabar or similar allows.

That's against my experience. I foil with a spreader bar twice as wide. It improves my teoside tack angle by at least 5 degree.
But my spreader bar is so wide, that on toeside tack chicken loop point at my buttock.

Perhaps the difference is you are riding a foil. I found, when I made the slider go all the way to my side, that it was a bit awkward reaching back one handed to manage the bar. Maybe I will give it a second look.

[flying grandpa]

I was trying Dynabar on foil as well. Spreader bar twice as wide is better. I will give shell harness a try and will apply your concept with extra wide line attachment.