ION CS Wave Harness, waiting but not sure now.

[fluidity]

I almost got one of these: http://www.realwatersports.com/ion-trav ... s-ax-black
but none of our New Zealand distributors carry them and I was quoted almost as much in freight as the price for the actual product for delivery to New Zealand.
So last night I got the angle grinder and sanding disk out and cut and smoothed off the hook on an old wind surfing harness. Fitted it with a loop of rope around the centremost belt slots and then one of these: http://www.anzor.co.nz/marine-hardware/ ... ap-shackle around both sides of the rope loop.
Also, because I've injured my ribs before with that harness riding up, I cut the shoulder straps off of an old flexfoil kite bag with a broken zipper and re-purposed them as leg straps to make the harness into a seat harness. I used a "speedystitcher" hand sewing awl to do the sewing with thick waxed nylon thread.

But for people buying new harnesses, I like how the ION brand has a range of interchangeable bars with good padding to hook into.

If you want to make gear with rubbing surfaces last longer, try a fresh water wash after use and then spray the rubbing surfaces with silicon lubricant every so often... same with your kite pumps.

[richswing]

Question for the creators,

Is it possible to unclip the handle on the harness and flip it over so that it is in front of you and clip it back on so that you can use it as a slide to get home if the rope snaps on you while out kiting? I generally do downwinders and would not want walk back?

Is the webbing / stitching strong enough for the load?

Cheers Rich

[Dan-at-Duotone]

Ha. Never heard that one before. It is definitely not designed to take loads in that direction... The forces on that handle are pretty intense so they're reinforced like crazy, but only in the direction of expected pull. If you flip it around and pull the other way I can't guarantee that it will last very long. I'd think that in the rare event of something like the rope on the harness snapping it would be much easier to throw a bowline at the end of one of the broken lines and clip directly to that in order to get home.

-Dan

[jonysan]

Hi Dan,
Today I tried my new ION CS wave harness, I'm really pleased with it, once I had adjusted the straps for a good fit, I was still able to clip in and out, so maybe the occasional strap adjustment for summer and winter wetsuit thicknesses, but otherwise should only need adjusting as the harness settles in with use.
Will probably shorten and reseal the webbing straps, the harness is quite generous with strap length. also the shortened webbing can be tucked back into the buckle covers,
Weigh including rope slider, is only about 76grms heavier than the RE it replaces.
The harness didn't ride up, or move at all. and could probably have worn it looser.
Seems to dry really quickly.
For me, the rope spreader is over padded, might "modify" it, which will also make rope replacement/adjustment easier.
Glad I bought it.

[Dan-at-Duotone]

Awesome. Glad you're happy with it.

-Dan

[Live2kite76]

I am finding my CS wave harness really hard to replace the rope. Do you have any tips or pics on how to replace? Maybe I’m going about it wrong.