Select to expand quotePaul1 said..
Seems like it is a seat harness issue, so maybe you guys need to progress to waist harnesses to save your money on bars.....
Was expecting someone to say 'Time to start unhooking' probably right! Well at least some of the time.
I would never buy a Dakine product in my life, absolute rubbish. Bought Shorts harness from US, cause local distributor said wait 3 months for stock. Cost the same as local. After one month stitching on one webbing failed then another, then a third. Short material tore next to leg strap. What junk. Emailed Dakine and retailer no response.
Started kiting in 2009 with a new Fusion from the US... the stitching on the leg straps was already coming undone when it arrived, but I used it for 2 years anyway. Got a new one in 2011 but after a few sessions noticed one of the straps hadn't actually been stitched onto the harness...! The end was tucked under a cosmetic seam and just popped out.
Got a 2012 Fusion as a warranty replacement but, like the original one, the leg straps are ripping away from the body - and have been for a year. VERY poor design at that point - they should be stitched to webbing, not the neoprene soft part!
A spreader bar broke at both welds on holiday in Thailand. Broke just after a jump, on the water... had to buy a Mystic seat harness (that's too small) to get through the holiday.
Had another spreader bar break recently, at the top of a good jump - thankfully, only one side went so I landed gently then babied the kite onto the beach. Needn't have bothered cos the remaining side is bloody strong - can't bend it with my hands at all.
Problem is, I greatly prefer the fit and feel of the Fusions over the other harnesses I've tried on... and Dakine is one of the few companies that make XXL too.
Mystic hook seems a slightly better design - narrow so the CL can rotate left to right easily. Don't like the clicker at all and it doesn't hook under enough - had the kite unhook when I splashed down from a jump and it flew out of my hands AND ripped the leash right off the harness... kite tumbled downwind until someone caught it on the beach :o
Got a Renegade to see if I like waist harnesses... I don't :lol:
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..
Got a 2012 Fusion as a warranty replacement but, like the original one, the leg straps are ripping away from the body - and have been for a year. VERY poor design at that point - they should be stitched to webbing, not the neoprene soft part!
My harness is showing signs of stress at the front end strap connection point too. But I reckon it's got another season or two in it yet.
I am not going to pull mine apart to find out, but it sure looks and feels like a lot more than just neoprene at the attachment point.
I have had a good look and there is no sign of wear/failure anywhere else. I think the harness is excellent and will provide similar lifetime to other good brands. I will probably buy the same harness next time and replace the Dakine spreader bar with a Mystic spreader bar. But I would be a lot happier if Dakine increased the rod diameter and slightly reduced the length of the hook.
Nope, the leg straps are just stitched onto the neoprene at the bottom of the harness. I'll take a photo when I get home, if I remember.
Wear in other places doesn't bother me so much - kind of expect it, cos the harness is pretty soft 'n' comfy otherwise.
Anyone attempted making their own spreader bars...?
My first harness was a Pyro. Same thing, broke while sending the kite. Lucky I didn't tear the kite on my self rescue in as it was pretty sharp. Sheared off both ends of the hook....So really it's not just a seat harness issue. Got a Mystic Warrior 3 and never looked back. Only now I ride it with a Jaybar and it has been rock solid.
Yep my seat harness snapped at the hook weld too a couple of months back ... that's when you realise how useless your leash is attached to that hook.
Thank you scarbs beach rescue!
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..
Nope, the leg straps are just stitched onto the neoprene at the bottom of the harness. I'll take a photo when I get home, if I remember.
I have had a closer look. I agree that the leg strap attachment could be improved but I reckon the seat harness would become a waist harness in very short time if the leg straps were only sewn to neoprene rubber padding on the edges.
Pic shows the stretching damage. I agree this is where the harness will fail first. Other wear and tear is incidental.
