Impact Vests!

[RickI]

Been wondering about using an impact vests for kiteboarding but have been waiting to see if they catch on? I was just talking with a manufacturer's rep and impact vests are going off! We are talking substantial quantities going out the door and into shops. Notably, one major training center on the East coast has bought a substantial quantity to be used in training and sales to students. So, the 2003 impact vests not only look hot but also may help you through some of those hard impacts on the water.

It looks like a fair number of riders are moving to routinely wearing impact vests. Apparently having the wind knocked out of you and rib injuries on the odd occassion are going out of fashion,amazing!? There is a good selection out there of vests alone and impact vests integrated with waist harnesses. I understand that two manufacturers have the later rigged to go with waist harnesses and vest combined for under $180. USD. The kiteboarding impact vests on the market alone generally range from $80. to $120. USD. So, pick out a good one and shred hard! Better yet, ask for one for the Holidays!

Good winds,
Rick Iossi



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: RickI on 2002-12-13 13:00 ]</font>

[Jordanis3r]

been using mine since i started ayear ago - plus all my buddies:D

[radman]

I got one recently - O'niel Outlaw. Looks very nice & even has a cutout for the harness hook. However, it still doesn't interface with the harness around the back that well. They overlap a little, but no so as it is uncomfortable or anything.
I'm sure the new kite specific ones are way better.
I'm not so worried about landing on my belly or back from a huge jump gone wrong any more. (Not that it happens that often of course )

[Xboy]

Hi Ricki

I bought one of the Neil Pryde 5000 series impact vests a few weeks ago and used it on a recent trip to langebaan. Must say out of all the Impact vests I've tried it fits the most comfortable, and the tech behind it (3D foam) seems to do the trick. I had a nasty Cn'B moment at a local dam a week before, using a Wakeboarding Fahrenheit Impact vest (the ones with solid foam) came down hard and fast form about 3m on my side and fractured a rib. I know Cabrinha (sister company of Neilpryde) have also started using 3D foam in their harness and impact vests. I use impact vest every time I go out, at least you know you can go big and if something goes wrong you are going to be protected in some way.

Xboy

[Wolfgang]

Maybe it's also because there are kitesurfing oriented vests on the market now, I mean vests which are good for seat as well as waist harnesses. I wear a GUL vest...

http://www.gul.co.uk/WAKESKI/wakeSK7401.htm

[Sylt Rider]

How about putting all impact vests that are beeing produced with their url in this topic, so everybody kann take a look about what is beeing produced today. Can someone help on this? I only knew about the impact vest from neil pryde and now from gul as wolfang put it in. But there are more!
Thanks, Sylt Rider

[RickI]

Hello Sylt Rider,

There are quite a few manufacturers making impact vests these days. Some appear below:

Bump and Jump http://bumpandjump.com/prod/detail.php? ... t=kitesurf

Cabrinha http://www.cabrinhakites.com/

Dakine dakine.com

Gull http://www.gul.co.uk/

Neil Pryde http://www.neilpryde.com/

Ripcurl http://ripcurl.com/


There are more, so please post others out there. Retail links will vary country to country.

Rick Iossi

[busyboy]

What about those vests that r ment 4 snowboarders?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: busyboy on 2002-12-14 18:31 ]</font>

[kruzlifix]

they are probably not waterproof...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: kruzlifix on 2002-12-14 19:57 ]</font>

[busyboy]

On 2002-12-14 19:56, kruzlifix wrote:
they are probably not waterproof...

Hm, didn't think of that...