Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Looking for a more comfortable harness

Forum for kitesurfers
rtz
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:47 am
Kiting since: 2010
Weight: 75kg
Favorite Beaches: OBX
SPI
Style: Freeride
Gear: SlingShot, Switch.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 12 times
Been thanked: 12 times

Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby rtz » Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:23 am

I've got the Dakine Fusion; the model before the current one. The entire time I'm riding all I can feel are the leg straps digging in. Uncomfortable and distracting. Also it seems like the spreader straps constantly seem to loosen up.

How are the Nitrous shorts? I've never worn a waist harness and I'm not riding waves. Can you(do you?) ride ~6 hours on lake chop with a waist harness on a twin tip?

Is there anything out right now that is the best or is the most comfortable?


I'm really skinny and this harness I've got just doesn't fit my build. I'm basically out there hanging from the leg straps(the narrow inner leg ones).

SalmonSlayer
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:48 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 26 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby SalmonSlayer » Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:47 pm


Jdude
Medium Poster
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 4:48 am
Style: newschool
Gear: Xenon + Slingshot
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby Jdude » Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:57 pm

How about a waist harness ?
I ride my Mystic Warrior 2013 for hours and hours no problem. Very comfy.
Last edited by Jdude on Sun Jun 23, 2013 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Kite2Heaven
Frequent Poster
Posts: 275
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:26 am
Local Beach: The whole coastline of Perth WA
Favorite Beaches: Woodies
Safety Bay 'Pond'
Pelican Point
Lancelin
Augusta
Geraldton
Margaret River
Style: freestyle Wake Surf
Gear: Kites - Naish, Bws Surf, Epic
boards - F-One - Axxis - NBL - Shinn
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby Kite2Heaven » Sun Jun 23, 2013 3:17 pm

The Pro Limit - kite seat pro is the most comfortable for long sessions
http://www.prolimit.com/kitesurf-seat/p ... -seat-pro/

SSK
Frequent Poster
Posts: 308
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 2:04 am
Kiting since: 2010
Local Beach: Salvo NC
Favorite Beaches: OBX
Style: Surf
Gear: Cabrihna Drifters, Surfboards with 3 Fins
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby SSK » Sun Jun 23, 2013 3:32 pm

Is there anything out right now that is the best or is the most comfortable?
No there is not, and do not listen to anyone who says one brand is the most comfortable. It really depends on body shape and individual preference. What works for an average build person may not work for you. I am pretty average build and can almost ride any type of harness and be comfortable, but for other people it is very hard to find anything that fits well. I have the Nitrous and they are super comfortable for me, I can wear them all day every day. I have a simple waist harness and it is also comfortable. My daughter is must skinnier (and hippier) and she is super uncomfortable in the Nitrous because the leg straps are not well designed for a girl and they do not close enough. I can pick up someone's favorite "best harness in the world" and not like it, and they may hate mine. If you are super skinny you will probably need to ask other people of the same build, you will likely be harder to fit then the "average build". Obviously the best bet would be to find a shop that does demos or ask all your friends to try theirs. Since you are not the average build, I would not be surprised what works for you is not considered comfortable by others, and what a lot of people consider real comfortable may not work for you.

sarc
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1629
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:01 am
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 135 times

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby sarc » Sun Jun 23, 2013 3:39 pm

Nitrous (or the equivalent Liquid Force shorts-harness) is definitely worth a try, but regardless of type you need to try it in the shop hooked up to a test line. A good shop will let you dangle lite this for 5-10 minutes and try different harnesses, that's definitely the best way to buy.

User avatar
Caesar
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1141
Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 3:44 pm
Local Beach: Cumbuco, Palm Cove, Port Douglas, Yorkeys Knob
Gear: Not telling unless I'm getting paid.
Brand Affiliation: Nothing...
Location: DownUnder/Brazil cumbuco-oceanview.com
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 6 times
Contact:

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby Caesar » Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:46 pm

rtz wrote:I've got the Dakine Fusion; the model before the current one. The entire time I'm riding all I can feel are the leg straps digging in. Uncomfortable and distracting. Also it seems like the spreader straps constantly seem to loosen up.
How are the Nitrous shorts? I've never worn a waist harness and I'm not riding waves. Can you(do you?) ride ~6 hours on lake chop with a waist harness on a twin tip?
Is there anything out right now that is the best or is the most comfortable?
I'm really skinny and this harness I've got just doesn't fit my build. I'm basically out there hanging from the leg straps(the narrow inner leg ones).
Hi mate,

As others mentioned already, harnesses are personal, depending on your body shape (just like shoes).
If you have a store nearby with a decent selection, ask them for a rope, fix it somewhere in their store (somewhere close to their ceiling) and the other end into the harness hook you are testing. Then lean against it and move around. That should give you pretty much an idea how that harness will suit you (or not).

Cheers
Caesar 8)

User avatar
Windrider
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3753
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2004 6:56 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Kailua, Hawaii, currently riding EH and OR kites (2013 Razor rocks!)
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby Windrider » Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:48 am

I've had good luck with the Naish Balance windsurfing seat harness. Stays lower than the Fusion and didn't cause my impact vest to ride up on my shoulders. Granted that mine is about 4 years old.... not sure if the current version maintains these same design characteristics.

http://naishmaui.com/2013/shopcontent.a ... essbalance

User avatar
Laughingman
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2979
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 4:35 pm
Local Beach: Kettle Point, Mitchell's Bay, Rondeau Bay
Favorite Beaches: Kettle Point, Mitchell's Bay, Rondeau Bay, Long Bay, Cayo Guillermo, La Ventana
Gear: Ocean Rodeo Gen6 Flites 10m, 12m Gen2 Roams 6m and 8m, Cloud D 4.8, 6.2, 8.0, 10.4
Xeon Laluz, Mako Wide 150, Jellyfish Custom surf board quad fin 6', LF Impulse Foil and Kanaha Shapes 37" board
Engine Harness with slider
Location: Southwestern Ontario
Has thanked: 17 times
Been thanked: 17 times

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby Laughingman » Mon Jun 24, 2013 3:04 am

This deserves more. These harnesses are custom fit to your body. They do not move up down or sideways. They are lighter and stronger then any harnesses on the market. And with the new carbon fibre spreader bar, the spreader bar no longer rises up... Seriously consider this. I love my harness and will never use a conventional off the self harness again.
The concept is to create a rigid shell which will not pinch in on the sides, since it is rigid and fit to your body the size can be reduced to 1/3 the size of off the shelf.

I'm surprised people are still buying harnesses of the shelf... Unless they come from the school where they wear their harness loose and want it to rotate... Apparently Aldridge and Hadlow are not from that school...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

Westozzy
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2918
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:25 am
Local Beach: Mandurah
Style: Freeride, wave
Gear: Rebel, Vegas 2012
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Looking for a more comfortable harness

Postby Westozzy » Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:02 am

The best comprimise I have found is the flying objects (flight control I think), it is a waist harness but with a seat, rather than a full blown seat. Had one for 5 years before I got a new one recently. Always been the most comfortbale one for me. A custom would be cool though as above. Tried all the dedicated seats and they sat to low and put way to much pressure on the hips. I use this for big boosting sessions on the edge, or when it is really overpowered conditions in winter.

For wave riding though I just use a normal waist harness so it can pivot on the hips. So I use two harnesses depending on how I want to ride. If you do go a seat and you want to go in the surf you have to get yourself a sliding hook I reckon. To hard going toeside otherwise.


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: alekbelia, athen, Bing [Bot], Brent NKB, darippah, decay, Faxie, FunOnTheWater, Google [Bot], Kemperman, max, Peter_Frank, purdyd, Sander O, Turbaani, Xtream, Yahoo [Bot] and 331 guests