I recently upgraded my waist harness because my old one had a bad habit of moving up my torso, pushing up the vest with it. This was a real problem after water starting because the vest and everything else was badly out of position. a waist harness does have some creep by nature, but not this much.

Prior to buying a replacement I had no brand preference, however after trying out a few, a good replacement was found. The Mystic M980 has two attachment points and a lumbar support mechanism that you can adjust by turning a dial in the back. Doing up the tension feels a bit like a blood pressure cuff wrapped around your midriff. This pressure can be released by pulling out the knob. Additionally, the harness is very soft, and does not have the hard edges that dig in under your ribs. Likewise it stays in place during sailing and does not have the problems of its predecessor.

you should have tried Mystic Majestic it is the top and mostly used by PWA riders

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Hogar said..
you should have tried Mystic Majestic it is the top and mostly used by PWA riders

I have one. It's incredibly well-padded and... heavy. I'm not entirely convinced that that's a good thing. I had an NP Pulse before. It was like a cloth rag in comparison.

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MrCranky said...

Hogar said..
you should have tried Mystic Majestic it is the top and mostly used by PWA riders

I have one. It's incredibly well-padded and... heavy. I'm not entirely convinced that that's a good thing. I had an NP Pulse before. It was like a cloth rag in comparison.

That's true, I use it only in high wind with smaller sails when some extra weight is ok but in light wind I use NP 3D wind, which is much lighter but very compact and comfortable

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Hogar said..

MrCranky said...

Hogar said..
you should have tried Mystic Majestic it is the top and mostly used by PWA riders

I have one. It's incredibly well-padded and... heavy. I'm not entirely convinced that that's a good thing. I had an NP Pulse before. It was like a cloth rag in comparison.

That's true, I use it only in high wind with smaller sails when some extra weight is ok but in light wind I use NP 3D wind, which is much lighter but very compact and comfortable

Interesting replies guys. I have stepped up from a basic NP waist harness. The main criteria was about fit rather than weight. The price was also good because it was well discounted. It is also good to know of some other brands or models that perform well. It may have helped me make a more informed choice in the first place a few years back.

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Hogar said..

MrCranky said...

Hogar said..
you should have tried Mystic Majestic it is the top and mostly used by PWA riders

I have one. It's incredibly well-padded and... heavy. I'm not entirely convinced that that's a good thing. I had an NP Pulse before. It was like a cloth rag in comparison.

That's true, I use it only in high wind with smaller sails when some extra weight is ok but in light wind I use NP 3D wind, which is much lighter but very compact and comfortable

I can understand people having a seat harness for slalom and a waist harness for other sailing, but jeez... 2 waist harnesses? I already have way too much equipment. But FWIW, I used to catapult a lot when wearing a PFD. Stopped wearing it and the catapults stopped (OK, not quite, but they are much rarer now). So there is something to be said for sailing as unencumbered as possible. So - no PFD, helmet, booties, gloves, wetsuit. Just board shorts and a lightweight harness. At the time I bought the Majestic, the shop guy said there is nothing better than a Dakine T4 (it was much cheaper too). And I do remember all the freestyle guys in Vass wearing one. They are very light, but when I tried one on, it felt really flimsy and uncomfortable - more like a belt than a harness.

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MrCranky said..

Hogar said..

MrCranky said...

Hogar said..
you should have tried Mystic Majestic it is the top and mostly used by PWA

I have one. It's incredibly well-padded and... heavy. I'm not entirely convinced that that's a good thing. I had an NP Pulse before. It was like cloth rag in comparison.

That's true, I use it only in high wind with smaller sails when some extra weight is ok but in light wind I use NP 3D wind, which is much lighter but very compact and comfortable

I can understand people having a seat harness for slalom and a waist harness for other sailing, but jeez... 2 waist harnesses? I already have way too much equipment. But FWIW, I used to catapult a lot when wearing a PFD. Stopped wearing it and the catapults stopped (OK, not quite, but they are much rarer now). So there is something to be said for sailing as unencumbered as possible. So - no PFD, helmet, booties, gloves, wetsuit. Just board shorts and a lightweight harness. At the time I bought the Majestic, the shop guy said there is nothing better than a Dakine T4 (it was much cheaper too). And I do remember all the freestyle guys in Vass wearing one. They are very light, but when I tried one on, it felt really flimsy and uncomfortable - more like a belt than a harness.

The point in having two harnesses is that the first one was not up to scratch. Body shape has a lot to do with fit so it is not surprising that a wide range of choices are out there. As for the PFD, they are bulky but necessary option. I come from being a strong swimmer in surf or flat water yet I still wear one each time I am out. Crashes usually occur late in the session when you get fatigued so the flotation device is a welcome relief at that point in time. Being a cold water wimp, it also gives me extra warmth. Additionally, there is the protection it provides for your ribs and upper torso. On the down side is the bulkiness. I try to offset this by wearing it every time I sail, so that I become familiar with it. It is not that bad really, compared to what a cricket player has to wear when batting. So how much protection is enough? Gloves for chaffing hands, booties to protect against stpne fish, and a 'box' to protect you when you catapult and land with the mast between your legs Not to mention the sunnies and a helmet or hat to keep the sun off our balding heads. !! Sometimes getting dressed for the water can take longer than rigging up the gear. (Oops, I forgot the wetsuit and sunscreen).

Harness weight is not always bad, if you are into slalom and skiny then extra weight is good