Best Waist Harness for Overpowered Riding?

[Viper1918]

Hey guys, wanted to get the forum's thoughts on what the best/most comfortable waist harness is for over-powered riding.
I generally try and hold down the biggest kite possible for big air. I'm currently using a size small RE and have appx 30-32 inch waist.

I currently have a Ride Engine Elite, and while it is/was quite comfortable the spreader bar has started making kinks in the plastic tubing covering the spreader bar attachments and is causing the spreader bar to pivot upwards and dig into my chest. The RE also rides up slightly, not enough to be a pain, but i do have to re-adjust by pulling the harness down while riding occasionally.

Prior to the RE I had a Mystic Code 1. I much prefer the attachment system, clickbar, used on Mystic's harnesses compared to RE. I wish Mystic would incorporate the BOA system onto the Majestic X and include a tie down strap, that would be my ultimate go to harness.

My top choices so far are:

Mystic Majestic X: Hoping this would give me the comfort of the RE with the better clickbar connection. My only qualm with the Mystic is they have dropped the tie down strap which they had on the Code 1, which holds the spreader bar in place from pivoting upwards.

Brunotti Smart Shell - I like the design of this harness how it has "wings" that fit into the harness and prevent the spreader bar from riding up, but as i'm in Texas, I do not know of any shops that carry it locally or in the greater U.S. If anyone knows of a retailer that does, please let me know. My qualm with the Brunotti is the lack of a true "hard shell", they bill it as a smart shell, and also a previous poster noted there aren't very many sizes and that the size small (my waist size is 30-32 depending on beer consumption) wings are not that wide. I have noticed in many pictures and videos of Youri Zoon he seems to be the only rider without his harness pivoting towards his ribs when he is standing on the beach with a kite in the Air.

Let me know your thoughts and if you have any other suggestions.

Thanks

[matth]

Just bite the bullet and buy a seat, or board short harness. Sorry but there is not a waist harness on the planet that can give you the support, comfort, and leverage of a seat.

[edt]

Everyone's body is different. Choose whatever is most comfortable. I usually ride with 1 or 2 inches slack in my harness and rely on keeping the kite low so it doesn't ride up. I don't like the feeling of a tight harness. Do whatever feels right. I know Dimitri rides with 1 or 2 inches slack in his waist harness because of how many ribs he has broken and he rides powered. Just do whatever feels good to you. Seat harness is also good. I don't like how the seat harness feels but a lot of people like it a lot. I like wide harnesses with the soft back, that's what does it for me.

[dylan*]

Any waist harness is going to ride up at some point, especially when you're overpowered, but as far as your specific problem i think Mystic's straps do a really good job of holding the spreader bar down so at least that part doesn't flip up and dig into your ribs. I leave the top straps at the "right" tightness, i.e. I suck in my stomach a tiny bit to get the harness buckled on, and then really crank down the bottom straps. Even if it ends up being a nipple harness, the spreader bar still points forward instead of up.

[Dwight]

The new ride engine harness with 4 straps stays down better. I tighten the lower straps more than the upper straps.

[Da Yoda]

Mystic Majestic X: Hoping this would give me the comfort of the RE with the better clickbar connection. My only qualm with the Mystic is they have dropped the tie down strap which they had on the Code 1, which holds the spreader bar in place from pivoting upwards.

Brunotti Smart Shell - I like the design of this harness how it has "wings" that fit into the harness and prevent the spreader bar from riding up, but as i'm in Texas, I do not know of any shops that carry it locally or in the greater U.S. If anyone knows of a retailer that does, please let me know. My qualm with the Brunotti is the lack of a true "hard shell", they bill it as a smart shell, and also a previous poster noted there aren't very many sizes and that the size small (my waist size is 30-32 depending on beer consumption) wings are not that wide. I have noticed in many pictures and videos of Youri Zoon he seems to be the only rider without his harness pivoting towards his ribs when he is standing on the beach with a kite in the Air.

Let me know your thoughts and if you have any other suggestions.

Thanks

For Brunotti in the US, you can find them at Live2Kite in Bay Area (northern Cali).
http://www.live2kite.com/brunotti-smart ... -3304.html

I've recently been using the Mystic MX and I've had no problems with the s-bar pivoting upwards, but I'm using it with the rope slider. Possibly the hook could leverage it up more, but the strap system on the MX is very similar to Ion's and when I used their harness I never had any pivoting issues. I find cranking down the lower straps first and then the upper straps second really insures against any pivoting. However YMMV.

NPSurf's new Atom composite harness may be of interest to you. Also Manera's new Union harness may be worth checking out. And Ion's new CS line of hybrid composite/soft harnesses may be worth a look too.

[Peter_Frank]

Everyone's body is different. Choose whatever is most comfortable. I usually ride with 1 or 2 inches slack in my harness and rely on keeping the kite low so it doesn't ride up. I don't like the feeling of a tight harness. Do whatever feels right. I know Dimitri rides with 1 or 2 inches slack in his waist harness because of how many ribs he has broken and he rides powered. Just do whatever feels good to you. Seat harness is also good. I don't like how the seat harness feels but a lot of people like it a lot. I like wide harnesses with the soft back, that's what does it for me.

So true - it is your body, and not someone else, that dictate which harness works best for you (particularly overpowered).

Two bodies are never alike, so you have to try and try till you find one that fits you.

I like narrow harnesses that sit tight, works on my body, so just the opposite of edt just as an example of how different we are all built.

If I were to jump, oldschool going for max height - I would definitely go back to my seat harness as can hold so much more power and in a way more pleasant way both when riding and jumping.

But I dont jump that much now, it is waveriding on surfboards and freestyle/carving on hydrofoils - so using waist harnesses nowadays, tight so it dont ride up no matter what (have found two that fits me very well)

Peter

[knotwindy]

Everyone's body is different. Choose whatever is most comfortable. I usually ride with 1 or 2 inches slack in my harness and rely on keeping the kite low so it doesn't ride up. I don't like the feeling of a tight harness. Do whatever feels right. I know Dimitri rides with 1 or 2 inches slack in his waist harness because of how many ribs he has broken and he rides powered. Just do whatever feels good to you. Seat harness is also good. I don't like how the seat harness feels but a lot of people like it a lot. I like wide harnesses with the soft back, that's what does it for me.

So true

Two bodies are never alike, so you have to try and try till you find one that fits you.

If I were to jump, oldschool going for max height - I would definitely go back to my seat harness as can hold so much more power and in a way more pleasant way both when riding and jumping.

Peter

This, no waist harness will do big air as well as a seat/shorts harness. But you have to find the best fit for you no matter what.

[Robsw6]

Everyone's body is different. Choose whatever is most comfortable. I usually ride with 1 or 2 inches slack in my harness and rely on keeping the kite low so it doesn't ride up. I don't like the feeling of a tight harness. Do whatever feels right. I know Dimitri rides with 1 or 2 inches slack in his waist harness because of how many ribs he has broken and he rides powered. Just do whatever feels good to you. Seat harness is also good. I don't like how the seat harness feels but a lot of people like it a lot. I like wide harnesses with the soft back, that's what does it for me.

So true

Two bodies are never alike, so you have to try and try till you find one that fits you.

If I were to jump, oldschool going for max height - I would definitely go back to my seat harness as can hold so much more power and in a way more pleasant way both when riding and jumping.

Peter

This, no waist harness will do big air as well as a seat/shorts harness. But you have to find the best fit for you no matter what.

utter nonsense

Aside from some theoretical abstract keyboard warrior lesson in levers/physics, you can only boost on something you are completely comfortable with.

Look at Red Bull KOTA or the WOO top ten.... there are very few if any seat harnesses to be seen, as big air is down to technique and being able to handle the conditions, which requires flexibility & meovement / not being constrained by a seat harness (I have used them for years).

Back on topic, Ride Engine harnesses are lovely, but mine rapidly fell apart in proper big air/boosting conditions - personally, I would only use a Ride Engine for foiling or lighter conditions, they are super comfy but not robust.

Dakines are good, but I've had too many spreader bar failures.

After my Ride broke in Greece, I bought a RRD SHIFT PRO HARNESS and it is great - seems strong enough and the bar is fully locked down by a strap to keep out of the way from ribs.

Be warned, if you're thin, waist harnesses will ride up - but if you do enough chin ups and gym work they dont ride up

[plummet]

I say look at hard shell harnesses. They stop/limit the torso squeeze you get when super powered. I changed last year to a jay xtc. Man i can hold down some power on that thing and ride for a lot longer than the waist harness.

Like others has said test as many as you can if possible.