Rider: Beginner
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 80kg

Hi all,

My partner is trying to find out what the top brands of harness are?? Any recommendations would be great - especially for trick boarding.

I have heard beginners should start out with a seat harness but that a waist harness is much better for trick boarding. Can he get away with starting using a waist harness (he has a lot of upper and lower body strength anyway)??

Thanks.

this topic has been covered regularly and extensively. search the general kiting forum.

leah has your boyfriend had any lessons yet? it sounds like you are just buying new gear without any experience.

Definitely will be having lessons of course :)

Just trying to get ideas and information at this stage.

Start with a seat harness, keep it for the first season. You'll know when it's time to move on to a waist harness - you just will. Buy a waist harness when your ready, and sell your seat harness to a mate.

As for brands, each one is a slightly different shape... just like people are.
You NEED to go to a shop and try on everything they've got then buy the one that's the best fit.

I bought a Flying Objects Flight Control combo harness for my daughter to learn with - she is not too interested right now, so I tried it out and have kept using it being very comfortable and not riding up.
It comes with the seat harness part, great for learning with and as you improve just cut this part off and you'll be left with a waist harness to progress with - took me a minute to cut seat attachment off with knife.
See here at a local shop - but available at any good shop near you
http://www.sunshinecoastkitesurfing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=34

Neither. Go for the boardshorts harnesses.

Dakine and Liquid Force have them. Personally I prefer the LF's, they sit slightly higher on the body and they make one just for girls.

Super comfy without pulling on your groin.

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Saffer said...

Neither. Go for the boardshorts harnesses.

Dakine and Liquid Force have them. Personally I prefer the LF's, they sit slightly higher on the body and they make one just for girls.

Super comfy with pulling on your groin.

It's just a camouflaged seat harness to help justify wearing boardies over a wetsuit. ;)
... but on a serious note, how high does the hook sit Saffer?
I found after borrowing a seat harness the other day that it took 10x more effort to unhook because the hook was so much lower than my regular waist harness.

For the record I'm a chick and I learnt on a waist even though I was dubious at first.

I'm waay smaller than you but my North has been awesome.

The important thing is to get something in the shop that's comfy and just get out there and do it lots :)

Kiting is so way fun :)

Sorry and what I should have said also is make sure it's firm!

Doesn't matter whether seat or waist - make sure your harness is much firmer and tighter rather than looser!

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koma said...

Saffer said...

Neither. Go for the boardshorts harnesses.

Dakine and Liquid Force have them. Personally I prefer the LF's, they sit slightly higher on the body and they make one just for girls.

Super comfy with pulling on your groin.

It's just a camouflaged seat harness to help justify wearing boardies over a wetsuit. ;)
... but on a serious note, how high does the hook sit Saffer?
I found after borrowing a seat harness the other day that it took 10x more effort to unhook because the hook was so much lower than my regular waist harness.

The dakine one sits very low and I don't find it comfortable at all and would be bloody difficult to unhook with. I had one of those previously. The problem I have with a waist is my chest is too small so its either so tight it hurts my ribs or slips up and becomes a chest harness.

I got the LF shorts one about a year back and it sits much higher and is pretty close to waist harness height so its definitely my recommended option.

I've just switched from a Naish seat harness to a Mystic Warrior 2 waist harness and after 2 sessions I'm not too happy with the change.

The Warrior is very uncomfortable so far. I was able to ride 2-3 hours straight with my previous harness without any major discomfort, but the Warrior is like hell after 15-20 mins. It's rubbing my ribs and my skin is very itchy (and i can't stretch it). If I don't get used to it soon, I'll get rid off it for sure.

Mystic Warriors are pretty rigid harnesses that take a fair few sessions to loosen up and mould to you. If i recall i had to give it a couple of weeks worth of use (~5-8 sessions) before it softened up... or maybe i hardened up.
Do it up tight enough that it's difficult to breathe on land, and within 5 minutes in the water it'll be perfect. Make sure the lower strap is done up nice and tight as well as i find that's what stops it from riding up.

If you still don't like the Mystic then i'd recommend looking at the North Styler (if they still make them).

Interesting about the shorts Saffer.
I had the misfortune of borrowing a seat harness for a session the other week and it felt like i was unhooking from around my knees! Really made me appreciate how great a nicely worn in waist harness it.

Buy both. They both have ther pros and cons.

I'm a 90kg rider so need to be holding down a fair amount of kite. I find that when the wind is light and the kite has to be worked and/or kept high in the window to catch the wind, the seat is far more enjoyable than the waist.

I really enjoy the waist when I can go on a small kite in stong winds - i.e. 7m in 25kn+ as much of the time the pull is from the kite low in the wind window.

A harness is one of the most important bits of kite kit you will buy and very good value considering the years that you get out of them. I have just worn out my Dakine Fusion seat after 5 seasons of punishment , kept the spreader bar and paid $100 for a brand new Mystic seat without the spreader.

I'll second that suggestion from the Plow.

I have both harness types, use both for different reasons.

Waist: mobility, waves, unhooking.
Seat: power, endurance, comfort.

Had a great sesh the other day in 25knots, Nomad 11m, waist harness and 5'5" strapped fish. Waist harness way better for riding in waves where you need to be turning and riding toeside a lot. Rode for 90min or so.

Came in, a little tired (not much wind in the last 3 weeks here...); changed to seat harness and twin tip....was heaps easier to hold the kite power over the choppy water...rode for another hour just going for the big air and lip gouges, was heaps of fun.

Use whatever you need, to kite however you want.

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Mystic Warriors are pretty rigid harnesses that take a fair few sessions to loosen up and mould to you. If i recall i had to give it a couple of weeks worth of use (~5-8 sessions) before it softened up... or maybe i hardened up.
Do it up tight enough that it's difficult to breathe on land, and within 5 minutes in the water it'll be perfect. Make sure the lower strap is done up nice and tight as well as i find that's what stops it from riding up.

I had my 3rd session with the warrior yesterday, it was a little bit better. I loosened it up a little bit so it was more comfortable. It was very gusty and I was overpowered at the end (gusting to 28 knots on my 12m) so it pulled up to my ribs again. I'll give it another few more sessions and than I will see.
One other thing I noticed that you have less de-power with the waist harness simply because it is much closer to your arms so it travels much less. I had no problem to push the bar at the very end with my seat harness before but with the new one I'm short about 5cm.

sup man
try on lots of different harness and find the least comfortble one and then find the best. renagade waist are sic

I started with a seat 2 years ago and still love it! However, I have started riding toeside, so I went out and bought a Dakine sliding spreader bar waist harness and have really enjoyed that too. No matter how tight I do the Dakine up, it still rides up into my ribs, so maybe thats what waist harnesses just do? I now leave both harnesses in the back of the car, and regularly land the kite and swap harnesses, just to feel the difference. As a older kiter, it does take longer for the body to recover and as a rule of thumb (for me), I can stay out twice as long with the seat.

what ever you buy, get something good & remember you get what you pay for.
I personally use a mystic seat as i have had back surgery in the past & it doesn't stop me doing anything, i can unhook fine & best bit is it never rides up, the new mystic len10 waist harness is probably the pick of the waists, very light, awesome grip pads inside etc...

i use a warrior2 waist but hurt my ribs so am having to use a seat at the moment and i would say that they r very uncomfortable and give you less freedom of movement when riding blind/toeside etc. feels easier to jump in it though. The wedgee effect is horrendous and they simply feel gay. other than that they r great

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terryzarmzof said...

i use a warrior2 waist but hurt my ribs so am having to use a seat at the moment and i would say that they r very uncomfortable and give you less freedom of movement when riding blind/toeside etc. feels easier to jump in it though. The wedgee effect is horrendous and they simply feel gay. other than that they r great

having a gay kite dont help you

After going shopping with one of my mates for a new harness i can really highly recommend the Ion Apex and Ion Hummer waist harnesses. The Apex is REEEEALLY comfortable with heaps of padding around the top and bottom edges. It does only have one strap but it seems to do a really good job of holding it in position and doesn't ride up. The spreader bar and pad seems to be a bit wider than my Warrior which really helps with not pinching in at the sides and spreading the load over your back.

Big thumbs up to Jason @ BrisKites.

I'm sure i'll be ordering myself one when my Mystic Warrior 1 eventually dies.

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rhinoman said...

terryzarmzof said...

i use a warrior2 waist but hurt my ribs so am having to use a seat at the moment and i would say that they r very uncomfortable and give you less freedom of movement when riding blind/toeside etc. feels easier to jump in it though. The wedgee effect is horrendous and they simply feel gay. other than that they r great

having a gay kite dont help you

i know! but i wouldnt say your fuse is gay just more suited to females.

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terryzarmzof said...

rhinoman said...

terryzarmzof said...

i use a warrior2 waist but hurt my ribs so am having to use a seat at the moment and i would say that they r very uncomfortable and give you less freedom of movement when riding blind/toeside etc. feels easier to jump in it though. The wedgee effect is horrendous and they simply feel gay. other than that they r great

having a gay kite dont help you

i know! but i wouldnt say your fuse is gay just more suited to females.

not more suited but it does attract the females ha ha ha [}:)]

Mystic warrior 1 ........about 4 years old fits like a glove..... have had a number of boards and kites in this time but one thing has been constant my Mystic Warrior..... weird when you consider this is probably the most inexpensive part of your kit and the most easily replaced......... You just dont even realise you are wearing it.