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New Ride Engine harness review

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jaystore
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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby jaystore » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:04 pm

kitepower wrote:Had at least 20 sessions on my carbon elite, with carbon spreader bar. Most comfortable harness I have ever used, does not ride up at all. I am size 34 pants 80kgs wet, was wearing size M Mystic Warrior or NP Bomb, but definitely need Size L in the RE ( I purchased a size M as well and no way I fit into that, which has become a demo at the shop in Sydney)
Rope slider would be better if it were longer like a Dynabar. Adjustment strap, yeah its a bit hard to get used to, but once you work out how to fit and adjust it, its actually faster and easier to adjust than either of my old harnesses. Definitely feed the webbing back through the adjuster buckles in a loop and cinch it down tight otherwise they can slip a bit while riding. Getting out of it is easy enough once you work a bit of the webbing loose.
I fitted a large SS ring to the rope slider and then retied the knots and glued them thoroughly. RE need to use Fig 8 knots and leave enough tail after the know to make adjustments. They had stuck some tape on the ends to stop fraying, but that would be useless to stop the knot slipping and potentially losing your kite.
Over all, love it, and hopefully we will see this type of harness refined to be very kite specific.

Some customers and resellers asked us to make an adapter to attach DYNABAR to RE harness. I think it is possible using the RE webbing after removing the PA tube, see picture below. What I'm not sure of is how much load the harness plastic buckle can support with this setup because of different angles pull, maybe someone here can test it.
Belt hook adapter can be found here or contact a JAY resellers :thumb:
Attachments
RE adapter.jpg

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby flying doctor » Tue Nov 24, 2015 11:18 pm

I've just used the hexcore in Brazil: daily downwinders and no more backpain in spite of kiting every day for 4-5 hours!

I also brought my Jaybar (using it for the past 2 years with great satisfaction!) and was able to use it on the RE by feeding the PU loop directly through the steel where the webbing usually goes. This worked surprisingly well but because the jaybar is so much more wider than the the 8' and 10' spreaders RE has to offer it's hard to make the harness fit tight.

I was worried the 8' spreader would be much to short to give the same amount of freedom the jaybar has but this wasn't really the case. feeding the chickenloop through the cord helps to keep the pull of the kite as close to you body as possible (without any signs of wear I could find).

Haven't tried it back home yet were I need to twist my body more to ride waves frontside in our predominant wind. In Brazil with it's easterlies and riding regular I didn't need that much flexibility. So I may have to find a way to get the Jaybar to work better. But adding more width with these adaptors will certainly not help me. Shortening the PU loops on the RE might be the way.

A word of thanks to Versus shop in Scheveningen, the Netherlands for letting me test this harness in Brazil before actually buying it. One happy customer because the RE is definitely staying..

My thought on the powerband: seems promising but the RE follows the curve of the back, the powerband seems tot rely on the foam in the back of your existing harness to do this, I wonder if it will have the same effect. Spreading the load will work just as well with the powerband so a great upgrade to your existing harness anyway I guess..
IMG_8370.JPG
Dynabar on hexcore
IMG_8278.JPG
Big difference in width; jaybar, 8' spreader, 10' spreader
3FB6B5ED-9180-4336-9418-F96D5F7B2083.JPG
Prea

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby Do-it » Thu Nov 26, 2015 7:54 am

Thank you...was just inquiring about this today. Might be making a harness switch after the horrible 4.5 month life expectancy of my current harness.

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby Huib » Sun Nov 29, 2015 12:09 pm

A short user experience of my first 2,5 hour session with the RE Hexacore with slider.
I currently use a seat harness Dakine Fusion 2015 .
Mine complains about the Fusion are sometimes unpleasant feelings from the straps around my legs and squeezes the trapeze on my hip .
The first session with the RE was a dissapointment for me.
The RE creeps up to my ribs and stay there which I think is not a pleasant feeling . Nor does it seem that the harness is stiff enough because I feel quite a lot of pressure on my waist . According to RE manufactor this should not happen!
The freedom and simplicity of the RE I see as a very big plus and I will give the RE one more try but I think I'll go back to my seat harness which give me more comfort.

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby fcwatersports » Sun Nov 29, 2015 1:10 pm

Sounds like your still riding it like a seat harness, as they are very very solid and stay in place.
few things to check, you have the correct sizing, correct bar / slider for the harness size as if you have the harness too small the side sections are not sitting in the correct place and will squeeze.

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby Huib » Sun Nov 29, 2015 3:40 pm

fcwatersports wrote:Sounds like your still riding it like a seat harness, as they are very very solid and stay in place.
few things to check, you have the correct sizing, correct bar / slider for the harness size as if you have the harness too small the side sections are not sitting in the correct place and will squeeze.
THX for your reply. I really want to use the RE. I was the first here in Holland who order one after reading all the positive reviews.
My waist is 92 cm and in the shop, the best fit was a large with an 8"slider. Maybe I have to try the 10"bar which could help me from squeezing.
But it is also very good possible that I have the wrong riding style coming from a seat harness.
I will update my findings.

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby Starsky » Sun Nov 29, 2015 4:18 pm

Stand up to a position you can't see your feet and your gold.

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby randycasburn » Sun Nov 29, 2015 4:22 pm

@huib - I'm going to be frank with you. And I'm probably going to get some backlash.

The RE harness is going to push on the bottom of your ribs (my experience). But it should not pinch in on your or slide around at all (also my experience).

I also came from a Fusion seat and I also am about the same waist size as you. I always ride with the kite quite low and lean back with body in a straight line appropriately for the waist harness. Riding style can be an issue if you tend to carry the kite high in the window while riding and you kept the poop stance from the Fusion (more squat than laid out). You should also get used to flying the kite low when you are idle - no more parking the kite at 12 when resting. Put it low on the edge to one side or the other when parked. This will prevent the harness from pulling up into your ribs as much.

But...that belies the boosting aspect of the whole thing. When you go vertical, there is nothing preventing that big pull in the upward direction on that harness. That force/motion will pull the spreader up a bit - it will hit your ribs. Each time I finish riding I have a little tender spot on both sides just beneath my ribs. When I ride day-after-day it progressively gets worse.

I can't tell you why no other person on the planet has this problem with this harness. Perhaps it is our body shape.

It is still my primary harness. Why? I love the freedom in my hips.

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby Mxwllms » Sun Nov 29, 2015 8:11 pm

I finally got to try out a Hex-core for a two hour session on friday after months of waiting! I normally wear a size medium but I needed a Large in the RE. I was expecting it to be much more low profile but its about the same size on the back as my normal medium (i guess this is to be expected because, regardless of materials, being pulled really hard from too small of an area on your back could cause serious injuries). I always use a 10" spreader bar and never have a problem with my harness squeezing my sides. the RE also didnt squeeze my sides. I also dont have problems with harnesses riding up... and the RE didnt ride up either. I would, however, place it in the top three most comftorable harnesses I have used! The thing i really liked about it was the entry. easier than a normal buckle and it didnt come loose! Overall i think its a great high end harness at a very high end price with a crazy amount of hype around it. but for me personally, taking a harness and making it stiffer isnt a game changer. I chose to buy a different harness for significantly less money that i find more comfortable.
Edit: to share my body shape... Im 5'9" 180lbs shaped like a triangle standing on its tip... hence no harness ride up problems :lol:

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Re: New Ride Engine harness review

Postby TomW » Sun Nov 29, 2015 10:41 pm

Huib,

Randy is spot on. I came from 12years on a seat harness. Started having problems with tendons over hip, and getting irritation from seat harness. Bought a Mystic warrior, way too " tall" and crushed my ribs. But it took 10-25 sessions to modify my style, and it became bearable.

Bought the RE in large and 8" bar. I am too fat and chest is 41" and belly 38". RE fits between hip and first rib, squeezes way less, but you still have to ride like Randy says to keep it from riding up.

Keep at it for more sessions.


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