Hi Peeps,

Being a store owner we get to sell a lot of harnesses each season. Buying a harness is a decision many people take flippantly with little regard for comfort. I am always amazed by people looking for the cheapest harness.

The cheapest harness we have is around $229. A decent harness will last a good three years before you would consider replacing it. Breaking this down it equates to $76 per year. If you ride twice a week for half of the year, it works out to less than $1.50 per session. Of course many people ride more often than this and some less.

I understand buying a cheaper brand kite or purchase a season old kite to save up to $1,000 if you are on a budget, but saving just $100 - $150 and "putting up with" a harness which isn't an ideal fit or design to suit your riding style is just mystifying. It's like shopping for a car and removing the seats and installing up turned milk crates to sit on to save a few bucks. Yes it will do the job, but it's going to create discomfort every time you go for a drive. Kitesurfing is not dissimilar, an ill fitting or wrong sized, or incorrectly chosen design will create discomfort EVERY TIME YOU RIDE.

The right type of harness ie, beginner, freestyle, freeride or wave harness will improve the way you ride by increasing comfort and allowing more flexibility of movement or prevent the harness from riding up over your ribs.

Freestyle harness - Generally minimal support, none or minimal thermo-formed EVA foam. Lightweight and offers maximum flexibility so you can tweak your body to make the more difficult grabs and prevent restriction of movement.

Wave Harness - Usually decent support with higher back support, usually minimum or no thermo-formed EVA foam to allow it to slip around your body and twist to allow switch riding. Often with a free sliding hook or some form of allowing the chicken loop to slide.

Freeride/Boosting Harness - The freeride harness has best support with most amount of comfort. It often has some or a lot of thermo-formed EVA which is sticky to the wetsuit or your body, this prevents the harness from riding up when jumping.

Ladies Harnesses - These harnesses have the most amount of 3D shaping to fit snuggly around your waist and prevent riding up. They are available in freeride, wave and freestyle design generally.

Beginner harnesses and seats - These are designed to not ride up. They can make life easier when water starting or by keeping the bar lower for easier reach to the trim cleat.

Never buy a harness without having tried it on and load tested it properly. Shop staff, if well trained, can help you make the right choice in a harness which will then result in many hours of comfortable riding. Choose poorly and every minute you ride, or every jump you make can be a new experience in pain. Does anyone remember the original Mystic Warrior and the hip chafing that everyone endured. Did you scream when the hot water hit chafed, red raw, flesh in the shower?

At the end of the day, it's your choice, but IMHO, I believe that this is the one piece of kit in kitesurfing that will cause you physical discomfort which will take the shine off of even the best session. I'm not saying you have to buy the most expensive harness in store, I am saying you need to take your time figuring out which is the harness which most perfectly and comfortably fits YOUR body.

DM

That ion harness looks nice. Is it an alternative to a ride engine stiff back harness?

PS what do you do if you cant try em on first? ie no local sho

Hey Plummet,

Yes, it's the ION Team Wave and is an alternative to the Ride Engines but a little more conforming to body shape with comfy Neo inner. Super comfy harness and works awesome in waves so long as you are only wave riding and not unhooking.

It sucks if you can't get to a local shop. This obviously makes life much harder when buying something sight unseen or tested. Place a call to your local retailer and have a chat, it's likely the best alternative option. Try a mates harness or check out Kiteforum for reviews.

DM

3 years really? My 2012 ION harness lasted 1 season before falling apart. Only a coincidence it's the only year North use metal buckles? eh? Don't think so...
But anyway, it was my fault as you told me, because I wasn't taking care of my gear (bull**). I am still using the harness I bought to replace the ION (another brand). 3rd or 4th season..and I paid a fraction of the price of the ION.
Definitely never buying ION again (and North based on my last experience).
Average quality and overpriced.

I have had a Pat Love Kite harness for the last 5 years now , it has some wear on the inside of the bar protector area , other than that ,
I think it will last at least another 2 seasons if I don't put on too much weight .
Love it !
And if I have to buy another for what ever reason , I will be looking for the exact same harness again.

Also comes with its own line cutter which is still in good condition and easy to access in emergency.

My mystic warrior 2007 has just been replaced with a near new 2008
My first one lasted 10 years.
Very happy with my latest purchase as I know it will last at least 9 years for the price of $70 delivered.

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ZaZz said..
I am still using the harness I bought to replace the ION (another brand). 3rd or 4th season..and I paid a fraction of the price of the ION.

What brand did you buy?

Hey Zazz,

ION have used metal buckles from about 2012 and still do. I believe the quality of the metal buckle has vastly improved from the early days as we haven't had any corrosion issues for years. The buckles are also now replaceable. Sorry you weren't happy with your previous purchase. Glad you found something else you are happy with.

This is not an ION ad, nor an ad for our store, this was a blog piece on buying a harness, any harness (so long as it fits you well). I just happened to have a picture of the ION harness on my computer. You can take this general advice and go into any store and buy from any manufacturer you like. The advice is cut and paste to any harness/store/brand you like. My advice is here to help people, take it for what it's worth .... perhaps nothing???

All good, happy kiting.

DM

IMHO most of the time it's not an ill fitting harness, it's an ill holding strap/ slipping buckle
Had me buggered for years why they haven't used a system like this( example)

These don't budge , dakine used them on warlock foot straps which I had for 3 years and then sold with board and still used today, so the longevity is there, I've also seen composite versions,
Every harness I've owned has suffered with major slippage, drives you nuts especially as they are difficult to tighten under loads
The photo shown has quick release options which would mean a 3rd safety release
And in the instance of stretching due to water softening material it's an on the go adjustment





If you buy a harness a small 2 buckle strap has a better hold than a large single
Shops should have an anchorage point on the wall to replicate the load a kite places on harness to get a better feel of fit,
How it feels in a shop is totally different when wet and under ever changing loads,
The mystic boa system was great along with the warrior harness, I had it 4 seasons and sold it to a mate who is still using it

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SibboV1 said..

ZaZz said..
I am still using the harness I bought to replace the ION (another brand). 3rd or 4th season..and I paid a fraction of the price of the ION.

What brand did you buy?

I looked at different brands (Dakine, Mystic, Flying Objects, etc.) and ended up buying a Flying Object (most comfy). My partner still uses his 2011 Flying Object harness, 6th season and hopefully the last because the thing is ugly (baby blue and pink colours) and all ripped hahaha.

Good write up, I must admit my current harness was bought purely on price, Ion Axis, does the job but I'd consider upgrading. What are people's thoughts on Ion's harness shorts?

(For free riding and a bit of boosting.)

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ActionSportsWA said..
Hey Zazz,

ION have used metal buckles from about 2012 and still do. I believe the quality of the metal buckle has vastly improved from the early days as we haven't had any corrosion issues for years. The buckles are also now replaceable. Sorry you weren't happy with your previous purchase. Glad you found something else you are happy with.

This is not an ION ad, nor an ad for our store, this was a blog piece on buying a harness, any harness (so long as it fits you well). I just happened to have a picture of the ION harness on my computer. You can take this general advice and go into any store and buy from any manufacturer you like. The advice is cut and paste to any harness/store/brand you like. My advice is here to help people, take it for what it's worth .... perhaps nothing???

All good, happy kiting.

DM

All good Darren.
It is just a bit frustrating to pay 300$ for a harness that only lasts 1 season. And I take care of my gear
Most of the ION harnesses I have seen recently have double plastic buckles. Does it depend on the model?

I need a new harness. Currently using my ozone snow kiting harness because my warrior shat out. I like the idea of the hard shell harness. But alas no testing locally for me.

I rang up the distributor for ride engine and the closest reseller (5hrs away) asked to send one down for a demo. Nope. No demo harnesses. Just buy one they say.

Argh! It's a hard pill to swollow dropping $500+ On something that might not suit and no return if you test it in the water. As a result the I'm still using the snow kite harness...

If you still have the same harness from the last 3 seasons or more then you must be another one of Jim's mowing franchisee, or a weekend warrior.

Totaly agree with your post DM and I vowed to get the right harness and splurge a bit this season. My last Pat Love I bought from you ripped from its stitching but mind you I've flogged the crap out of it for 3 seasons so no complaints there.

I've been eyeing the ride engine lately but not quite ready to sell one of the kids yet. What harness can you recommend for mostly freestyle and strapless that is similar to the engine but more friendly to single income dads out there

Keep up the good informative articles.

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balidru said..

If you still have the same harness from the last 3 seasons or more then you must be another one of Jim's mowing franchisee, or a weekend warrior.

Totaly agree with your post DM and I vowed to get the right harness and splurge a bit this season. My last Pat Love I bought from you ripped from its stitching but mind you I've flogged the crap out of it for 3 seasons so no complaints there.

I've been eyeing the ride engine lately but not quite ready to sell one of the kids yet. What harness can you recommend for mostly freestyle and strapless that is similar to the engine but more friendly to single income dads out there

Keep up the good informative articles.

Definitely not mowing the lawn (too boring). And DEFINITELY not a weekend warrior, I am on the water almost everyday when there's wind.
So yes a harness can last more than 3 seasons...but I am not saying it will still look like a brand you one though....

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cauncy said..
IMHO most of the time it's not an ill fitting harness, it's an ill holding strap/ slipping buckle
Had me buggered for years why they haven't used a system like this( example)

I had a windsurfing harness that had this kind of connector. It wasn't up to the additional forces in kitesurfing and released on me whilst in use. I quickly sorted out a new harness. As you point out, two of them might work. It was a nice easy adjustment system.

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yendor said..
My mystic warrior 2007 has just been replaced with a near new 2008
My first one lasted 10 years.
Very happy with my latest purchase as I know it will last at least 9 years for the price of $70 delivered.

Mystic



good

3rd season in...gets used on average 3 times per week. Still looks like the day I bought it. Doesn't ride up, stays tight around the waist. Comfy?? I suppose, haven't tried anything else.

Have the same as above, ugly, featureless but super comfy and only bought as newish ion harness crapped out upnorth and had to drive 5 hours to exmouth. This was the only large available and no regrets. Pat love also gets 5 stars, ion 1.

Faark Last season I went through 3 harnesses .2 mystic and 1 ion. You lot definitely don't ride hard enough

I'm proud to say the harness I'm riding now is still in good shape tho

My warrior 2 from Christmas 08 is still going strong, albeit wit a two year period that had very little riding.

I went through two flying objects harnesses in a season once. Maybe they have beefed them up Or maybe I just got unlucky. who knows.

Mystic warrior is what I use now. Two years old. All good.

I don't ride much though....bahahahahahahahhahaahahha

I had the same problem, it kept blowing out at the spot it turned into a seat. They have beefed them up with rip stop material. 3 seasons later and it's still going strong

I find the mystic warrior harness great for flat water, boosting and unhooking but completely crap in waves. It rides up all the time and that velcro strap is a complete pain in the backside after a season when the velcro is worn. Maybe I just don't have it fitting right but given I mostly ride waves these days I do find it a frustrating harness for that purpose.