Anyone tried the new ride engine harnesses ?

Had a mate pay the extortionate price only to have it expolde apart a short time after he got it.

Seem a bit inferior materials. Like the idea of the custom fit but would be better combined with more traditional materials IMO.

Heard they have a new factory producing them in limited runs

From what i can see Carbon Fiber and Bamboo backings

Look pretty smick

I have heard mixed reviews on the quality of the past when each one was hand made by Coleman. Everyone who rides them loves the fit, but that means nothing if they fall apart. I don't mind shelling out extra clams for a good piece of gear, but if it doesn't hold up then forget it. I have been holding out getting one until those issues were sorted. If he now has a factory putting them together I think it could be a step in the right direction. Love the idea of custom fit.

I've had mine over 2 yrs, one of the original ones. Used it over 300 times easily and no signs of wear. It's fit and performance are fantastic and would never have a normal harness again.

its expensive but I would have bought 2 normal harnesses in 2 yrs which would have been just as much.

Coleman stands by his product, if that harness did fall apart, which would be the first issue I've heard of, he will replace it no charge.

everyone I know internationally loves them.

mike

They will be available through Slingshot dealers in Australia this summer. I've seen and tried on the entry level version and wanted one straight away. Pricing is going to be up there for those fancy carbon and bamboo versions, but the fibreglass one I've seen was light enough. Heard the carbon one might be up around $650 and the entry around $400, they did look the goods though and seemed like they were as well made as a mystic or dakine.

I tried on James Boulding's when he was in Sydney and it was mega comfy. Have yet to ride in one but I think the hard back harnesses like this are going to be the future. The way they tighten on your body is much more comfortable than the traditional way harnesses have in the past.

I've been hammering mine for 2 1/2 years. I would never go back to a non rigid harness. It is still in great condition after a lot of use. The wear after that time is Velcro on inner belt strap has frayed (similar to what happens on your wetty around velcro tabs at neck) and some stitching on that same elasticised belt strap has been strengthened. There is some cosmetic ( minor) UV damage to the smoothy wetty material lining at apex.
I played around with quite a few different harness brands and set ups. Lightweight. Loose. Swivelling with twin wet shirts . Low profile. High profile. Some caused instant back pain especially the low profile soft harnesses that I was packing for travelling. Since switching to a rigid shell I have never had any back soreness. The neoprene lining on mine also keeps you really warm in the lower back, kidney area. Coleman did have a small batch of faulty production, which was a real bummer for him and the few guys who purchased at that time.
Below is a review I did a couple years ago


www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/Review/Engine-Handmade-Custom-Harness/?page=-2

www.facebook.com/ride.engine

Andy had his custom moulded one for about 2 years. It has fallen apart but he loves it. I tried it and it feels really nice and locked in.

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likuid said..
Anyone tried the new rideengine harnesses ?

Yep - OK here we go!



A couple of the better riders J.V. & M.B in the Bay, have had custom Ride Engine harnesses for a couple of years. I was thinking about ordering one when another friend T.S. got one and soon after had a rib injury from his custom - said he hadn't done it up tight enough. These custom harnesses looked a bit 'prototype' to me - though looking back now - I wish I'd got one!



I've tried and owned about 10 waist harnesses kiting and haven't really liked any of them - though have liked the freedom of sliding hook on the Dynabar (which isn't perfect either). I've always had problems with waist harnesses when it's windy i.e.. riding up and squeezing ribs.


I was heading over to Nth America recently, M.B. told me that Slingshot or some other company were sorting a production version of the Ride Engine, so I tried to get one whilst over there - though they hadn't been released yet.


I was stoked when I saw S.M. on Wednesday who had a brand new Ride Engine Elite Series (L) with a 10" carbon spreader bar. He was awaiting tendon surgery and let me take it. I was relying on it to work - as I wanted the harness to take all the load from my hands (I had a almost 6 week old fractured bone in my right hand - which with my fingers taped together was OK). It was gusting to 48 knots at the lighthouse and was a gusty and wild 35 knots on the water with the surf picking up.


Tried it on in the carpark and couldn't believe how comfortable it was. S.M. adjusted it for me and tightened it up (more about this later) as I couldn't with my tender right hand. I've never had a harness fit so well and it makes sense that a formed or moulded harness does match your back contours - think about how us humans have a convex waist and a concave back. The stiff back of the Ride Engine harness felt like it locked into the right position straight away - could this harness actually stay in position and not ride up? It didn't have that sticky smooth neoprene feeling of the custom, though felt great anyway.


I was overpowered on a 6m Ozone Reo and a surfboard, hadn't kited for close to 2 months and it was the windiest day I've kited since starting 12 years ago. I couldn't believe it - the harness felt unreal, super comfortable and didn't ride up! Wasn't out for that long - though with any other 'normal' soft harness in those conditions I would have had the feeling of being squeezed and the harness riding up. The Ride Engine is the best harness I've tried - the stiff back concept is a winner - I wanted one!!!


HOWEVER, adjusting and tightening... WTF. The way the it does up i.e. the closure is NOT refined. It seems to be not resolved as far as design - with the buckle, straps and the way the plastic covered strap engages with the carbon bar.


It's like they got the body or back of the harness sorted. Then somehow they thought that having a 20mm webbing strap on each side that runs through some 10mm stiff plastic tube that goes around the 2 x 90 degree corners of the carbon bar (which are friction pinch points) and back to a single buckle on each side (that at 20mm looks like it could be a weak point) to make the adjustment? Have they done this just so you have to use one of their spreader bars? If so - really (hey guys it doesn't work very well) and why?


The other side (the left when on) of the bar has the same system, and this is to centre the bar on the harness for the individual rider - this is something that you cannot really adjust very easily either.


I tried the harness again for another short session two days later in less wind though again really gusty. I had to walk up the beach with the kite near 12 o'clock and could feel that there wasn't the same amount of travel on the carbon spreader bar as my Dynabar (later measured about 7" travel on the 10" Carbon spreader bar vs. about 9.5" travel on the 11" Dynabar). This difference meant I could feel the Ride Engine harness want to spin around my waist a bit more than when using my own NP harness with the Dynabar.


The way the Ride Engine harness has a big pad of velcro on the back of the spreader bar which in effect is like one enclosure instead of two that most harness have - I wasn't sure if this is a good idea. I could hear the velcro under tension and party releasing when walking up the beach with the harness under 12 o clock twisting load in gusty winds. It's not like it was going to undo or anything - though I prefer the way most other harness do up with two tongues of elasticised velcro to position the harness tight - before you get the spreader bar tight.


My conclusion - if Ride Engine had done a better job with the adjustment straps and interface with the spreader bar it would have been an excellent harness. The stiff back and the way it fits your back and doesn't ride up - makes it worth getting anyway (depending on the price), though hopefully the next model with address these issues and offer a bigger range of travel on the bar and use a rope that is easier to tighten when it stretches?


Note: I'm not affiliated with any brand or any shop and have been kitesurfing since 2003. Before that I windsurfed for close to 25 years and would have had a new harness most years. I studied Industrial Design and I designed an integrated windsurfing harness / wetsuit with either buoyancy or weight in 1990 that was prototyped - though never put into production. It used a ski boot buckle system for tensioning the 'straps'. Perhaps Ride Engine could look at something similar to adjust and tighten??


Having now had a good look through the Ride Engine Facebook site - I agree that Coleman has really designed the first harness that actually works for kitesurfing - the stiff back was / is REVOLUTIONARY! Something about getting one chance to get a first impression ... the Ride Engine harness is good though needs improvement IMO!?

the slingshot demo tour crew have pre production models to demo, find them on their sea breeze or face book page and get to a demo. I tried the slider rope version, strange feel being locked in so tight. the hook in system looks a bit home made but seem to be robust enough. only way to know is demo them.

For the cost of the new production models I have taken a punt. Mine arrives in Mexico where I am currently in and should arrive in a few days and have about five weeks to run with it until I get back home to Oz. I have been using the Mystic Warriors for the last four years with a Dynabar, and though I like the set up, I still find that the bar does ride up on me and it gets frustrating. I used to wear the harness loose, but would get too much chaffing from the rotation. Hope this harness is the answer....

I would like to see a hook knife fitted like on the Renegades,especially when your paying top dollar.I have sent Coleman,if it gets to him seems like the corparates have taken over]an email about it.I have used the ''R N D'' harness for a couple of years now, great fit and im sure they have sorted the flaws out with these production models.At 650 bucks i will be taking my ol one to Indo this month where i know some crew who will give it a damn good refit to get through a couple o seasons more.

My Ride Harness was one of the bad bunch. When it finally arrived I was itching to get it out on the water and went straight down to Cable Beach for some Westerly action. It fell apart before the kite was even off the deck. I mean literally the spreader bar just pulled out of the harness. I stopped and had a closer look at the harness. Everything was glued, nothing was stitched. Half baked, unfinished, authenticity. PISSED.

I photographed it. Wrote Coleman a diplomatic email just putting it out there. No accusations, just explanation. I received emphatic apologies and offers to send it all the way back to the US for completion. Not wanting to wait another 12 weeks I decided to finish the build myself. Using my saddle repair kit stitchin awl and wax thread. Took a while. Had to do a few more hot knife cuts. Got it done, Kimberley style ;-)

Now had almost two years on it. It's comfortable. I like it. The design idea is solid. The cinching set up is ****e and unrefined. Like Hausey said, a great idea, but no follow through. Whilst I rate my stitching, I often kite in nuclear / cyclonic winds, on my own in lonely corners. . . . and of all my gear, at the back of my mind, is a nagging doubt that I might have missed a stitch or double stitch. . . . if i was a betting man on which bit of kit might fail me, it would be my harness.

My two cents.

Broomerang ,
How's things? Rosco here, on my last harness build I put Velcro on the the inside of the shell & wettie, so can change the padding when ever. A couple of strategic holes & Stainless bolts to hold the straps & your back would be the first to break. The hard shell is the way to go.
How 's the family & new spot. We have been having westerlies for about a month, & still getting easterlies. Got a kite buggy in the mail, plan is to fit my pushie board rack & hit that little bommie. Mike's got a foil board & Lane's blown his knee. All the best & see ya when ya get home.

im keen to take a look when they get to vic, blew up a harness this week

Tried the Ride Engine production Elite model again, this time for over an hour. This harness is SO comfortable, felt so solid and did not ride up at all. Was such an awesome feeling to not have a waist harness move around and upwards!

No other normal (flexible) waist harness compares to this IMO.

I'll be really disappointed to give it back - though personally (regrettably) wouldn't buy one until they sort out the strap / buckle situation.

In this link from another forum, the bloke states that the left buckle slipped in strong winds and he recommends threading the tail of the strap back through the buckle - which is possible on that side before you put the harness on - however with the same setup on the right side, once under tension there is no way of doing the same!

kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2390396

Straps didn't slip for me - though reckon they needed to resolve this. Buckles and straps of any harness are critical for safety - and with such 'minimalism' someone could get into trouble?

Just my 4 cents worth anyway

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Hausey said..

In this link from another forum, the bloke states that the left buckle slipped in strong winds and he recommends threading the tail of the strap back through the buckle - which is possible on that side before you put the harness on - however with the same setup on the right side, once under tension there is no way of doing the same!

kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2390396

Straps didn't slip for me - though reckon they needed to resolve this. Buckles and straps of any harness are critical for safety - and with such 'minimalism' someone could get into trouble?

Just my 4 cents worth anyway

If the straps are long enough, poke the end through the buckle but leave a loop. Now you can tighten the straps using the loop, and then easily pull the end through.

For me the real question is whether one would want such a rigid harness for wave riding. I know the absence of a bar and direct insertion of the chicken loop in the rope is a great idea but what if you need more travel and the harness is super tight? Then it will really apply a lot of torsion to your waist and upper body. I have the DaKine sliding hook and even so I want to switch to a harness with no padding of any sort in the back so that I'm able to get that extra slide from the harness itself if necessary. Does anybody have any experience with such a tight fitting harness for waveriding?

Cheers.

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DLT said..
For me the real question is whether one would want such a rigid harness for wave riding. I know the absence of a bar and direct insertion of the chicken loop in the rope is a great idea but what if you need more travel and the harness is super tight? Then it will really apply a lot of torsion to your waist and upper body. I have the DaKine sliding hook and even so I want to switch to a harness with no padding of any sort in the back so that I'm able to get that extra slide from the harness itself if necessary. Does anybody have any experience with such a tight fitting harness for waveriding?

Cheers.

IMO having a rigid harness doesn't affect you in a negative way - in riding waves etc.. The Ride Engine is smaller in dimensions i.e.. height and bulk than most waist harnesses - so didn't notice restrictions in the way I think you mean DLT?

Haven't seen the DaKine sliding hook, though with the Engine 10" bar or the 11" Dynabar you get a lot of hip and waist movement to open up your body in turns etc... I'd like to try the 13" Dynabar to see if - even more 'slide' is advantageous.

IMO the tighter the harness is - the better - I can't get it tight enough. As mentioned in my post above I would have liked to get the Ride Engine harness tighter - though reckon the strap system doesn't allow it. We had a couple of days of wind this week and when I fell on a fast turn off the top of a wave the harness did move up and around my waist a bit and I had to come into re-adjust - this was literally a pain in the back!

That said I know guys that don't like their harnesses tight - even a mate with the same NP harness as me. Each to their own - but I reckon those with a bit of a gut (like me - I should be an easy 34" waist - though some times it ain't easy to squeeze into 34" shorts) prefer a harness tight - also perhaps people without too much shoulder to waist taper? Perhaps if you are more 'cut' or 'ripped' - a waist harness a harness won't ride up so much? I can't turn the clock back 20 years or more to find out!


Don't know what you mean by "the absence of a bar"? It might be interesting to try a harness that slides - though wouldn't work with the Engine as it is designed not to slide around your waist. Also thought padding is a must with the load imposed through the harness.

The direct insertion of the chicken loop around the rope IMO is not a good idea! A stainless steel ring or pulley is better as there is no friction or wear on the chicken loop if a ring or pulley is added.

^
Just to add that those I know who kite with looser straps on a normal waist harness - use a fixed hook - and usually wear a t-shirt so the harness itself slides easier and they can reposition it easier....


Also put a tape measure around my waist - f..k 36" or 37" if I breathe out! Have been using a large size in this model and it fits me perfectly....

http://www.rideengine.com/GEAR/Wind/Red-Carbon-Katana-Elite-Harness.html

With absence of a bar, I was referring to hook and bar. It does seem like a good solution, but I also worry about durability. Don´t think a ring will make much difference and a pulley may be too bulky.

Yeah, I was wondering whether the sliding hook or other sliding system AND a sliding harness may be too much...However, a tight harness doesn't seem right for waveriding anyway.

I've used the Ride Engine size L Elite, with carbon spreader and rope, 4 times now, last 2 were decent sessions and 2nd last one ended with a reasonably long swim for me approx 200M+ in surf.
The harness has not ridden up at all, every other harness I have used has ridden up on me. I weigh 77kg 1.65M TALL and have been confused for Bilbo Baggins. Ride mainly strapped surfboards can ride either goofy or natural, but am goofy if I surf.
I've found the back part of the harness, the stiff shell with lumbar shaped padding to fit extremely well and to be really comfortable, to the point where even after a couple of hours there is no urge to take it off unlike all my other harnesses.
I'm not a fan of the closure system, it has a single, narrow 12mm webbing, with a single buckle on each side. The webbing runs through stiff black PU tube, the same stuff that covers kite centre lines and windsurf harness lines. The PU tube/webbing passes through a tunnel on the left side of the carbon spreader and loops over a hook formed in the carbon of the R/H end of the spreader. The PU tube is forced through 2 tight bends on each side, so the webbing does not move freely, and this makes adjusting the harness to suit different riders very difficult. However, once rider has purchased one and adjusts it to fit themselves, it is actually quite easy and quick to put on and off, but there are a couple of tips.

On the R/H side make sure the PU tube is properly seated in the hook before tightening, it was quite hard the first time and seems to be getting easier.

Get the left side fitted properly prior to first use, make sure the PU tube sits in the middle of the webbing on that side, moving the PU tube along the webbing requires a bit of effort and undoing of the webbing completely on that side but its worth the effort. Do the same on the R/H side - make sure the PU tube is in the middle when you tighten the harness.

Credit to Kamikuza for this one. The webbing is long enough to thread back through the buckle so that it cannot come loose while riding, so thread it through the back of the buckle, before tightening, and then just use the loop that remains to tighten, then pull the slack through and the webbing is locked and will not loosen.

I've sent feedback to RE about the design, they commented that they wanted to keep the closure as simple as possible, which it is, although IMO adding a second buckle on each side would make fitting so much easier and reduce the load on a single buckle. The back of the carbon spreader is completely hook/velcro, and this then sticks to the elastic belt you pull out of thew R/H side of the harness. Not the cleanest way to do this and could prove to be a hassle on beaches that have that fine stringy seaweed.

The rope, yeah I think they have addressed what was a really obvious error to me. The rope on the models supplied in Oz is/was tied with single granny knots on each end, and there was not enough rope to make a fig 8 knot, so I applied glue to the knots (superglue) and worked into the knots thoroughly with an engineers scribe (a large sewing pin works too).
Before I did this though I added a stainless steel ring, as I don't like attaching the C-loop direct to the rope, and wearing the C-Loop out, the rope is easier and cheaper to replace.

Previously I have used dynabars with no bungee and just the rope slider, although it has about 25-30mm more range of movement, I have not noticed any difference to my riding yet. (toeside especially)

Travelling with it is not as convenient as it cannot fold our flat like a normal harness, but so far it has not been a problem with the bags I've travelled with.

Overall, it get a definite thumbs up for comfort and staying put/not riding up. Would I buy one, yes, based on my experience, but I still have lingering doubts about the webbing, single buckle and closure system. I wish it had wider webbing and that I could fit my dynabar to it.

Neal should hire a couple of these dudes,great mods done on my R and D model this trip,wont need it though for another few months fkt...bus trip was luxury

I am one of those who uses a light, loose, flexible harness which swivels around my waist. But the rash on the hips from swivel is killer, particularly when sand gets in there. So I have been considering dyna bar to reduce reliance on harness swivel.

Q: How are people going with the sliding rope system? How is unhooking with this system? In this video he puts a pulley on the rope:

hey bene

i saw the dynabar v7 on sale a couple of months ago and have been curious about it for a while, so bought it since i have a flying objects harness that it can be easily chucked on or off.
as most people state, it took me a few tries to get used to some of the unusual shifts or slides at strange times, also when the rope is longer, there are times when you get the "oh ** i've accidentally unhooked" moment before the slider and rope are taut again. probably only really happened first session. the black bungy also reduced this when used. after about half a dozen sessions now, i think i like it but don't consider it a necessity in any way. i am going to do more testing taking it on and off and replace with my original fixed hook bar, during and for a couple of sessions to see if it really makes any difference to me either in performance or back pain.

some items that maybe make a difference - i'm 92 kg, been kiting 10 years, fly 12,9,6m kites but also want a 7 soon, natural foot and mostly in surf at trigg or cities to trigg stretch, mostly triangle work, but i gybe and ride switch up wind in towards shore - easily when i see other people toe siding all the way in i figure that might be why they love the dynabar a bit more as it may help, but i'm never going to ride around like that. the dynabar is the larger one for if you are smaller guy then you should get feedback on the smaller one as there are just the two sizes, and i reckon it would be crap for comfit if you fit between the two sizes.

mates have done the home made rope sider - feedback is: a bit fiddly putting disengaged safety and c-loop around rope before launching but you get used to it, better for having bar closer to you (slider with hook puts it that bit further away - ok if long armed), adjust rope tightness to suit (can probably do this on dyna bar), can mod a harness that you have that isn't dynabar compatible, saved $100 or so for a handy type, but they did like smoothness of my hook on roller set up.

pm me if you kite similar area once seabreezes get regular, and if it is sitting in my bucket while i use the fixed again i will just lend it to you to try if similar dims.

ps. tought about a ride about 9 months ago but worked out to $650 or so and could not justify at the time. current harness is pretty solid and fixed position, but custom would be great with these rope set ups.

cheers

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bene313 said..
I am one of those who uses a light, loose, flexible harness which swivels around my waist. But the rash on the hips from swivel is killer, particularly when sand gets in there. So I have been considering dyna bar to reduce reliance on harness swivel.

Q: How are people going with the sliding rope system? How is unhooking with this system? In this video he puts a pulley on the rope:

Most will have a different opinion.I have liked the tight rigid waist fit shell and rope slider for surfing with the kite.I have no issues,I can open right up without unhooking and feel very close too if i was just surfing.Im fully satisfied with that and if i were to try get any more out of it i might as well just go paddle surf.The snapshackle in the photo is not a better choice so if you were to use one go a ''Witchard'' type,I now use my C





loop straight round the rope,no issues or chafing on the loop.Also i have a knife pocket sewn in to the side.I used to use the D Renegade with the same setup ,See PR using new Engine harness rope slider setup works well

Hope they include a line knife on any upcoming model of harness!

No such luck .. No knife supplied and the worlds smallest pocket that my old line knife doesn't fit ..

I've gone back and forth between my Liquid Force Boardshorts-seat harness set up with the Dynabar and an Ion Hummer fixed hook but loose so it slides a bit, I ride mostly waves-surfboard.

There's pro's and cons to both my boardshorts and waist harness. The "squeeze" is what I like least about the waist harness, especially when I'm body dragging after my board in waves. Kitesurfing in waves in a blow can be a "highly active" experience, akin to and nearly exhausting as doing wind sprints. The last thing I need is my harness restricting my breathing by squeezing my ribs, even a little.

The rigid waist harness concept seems like it could be the answer. I understand Dynabar has an adapter of sorts that will make it compatible with the Ride Engine harness. I posted a photo from the Dynabar Jay Store FB page. This makes the price of the Ride, harness only, more reasonable. Will have to try one out.

After a few sessions with my hex-core ride engine harness, I'm not fully convinced. I feel this is the perfect harness for perfect conditions, but it's not so comfortable in gusty wind or when overpowered. The arch at the back is to deep and makes it uncomfortable when you have to bend forward in the gusts. The pressure is applied on a small part of your spine instead of being spread on the full surface of the harness. I would like to try something in-between my old Mystic Star harness and the ride engine harness in terms of stiffness.