I have been thinking about the conversation I had recently with a doctor guy who kitesurfs, kitefoils and used to windsurf, we were discussing harness designs on the beach and the reasons why we choose certain designs, he had a very interesting view on this subject.
He stopped wearing the waist style after many reported admissions to hospitals due to the use of waist harnesses, mainly broken ribs or severe bruising,
he recons the human body simply cant cope well with the forces generated by the waist harness and are generally uncomfortable to wear, and very uncomfortable when loaded up in windy conditions or wipe out situations, long term back damage being just one negative.
He was very cynical about the company's who produce these harnesses, believing there is an element of users believing they must have bought a harness that is not quite right as it hurts at times or rides up too easily causing problems, so they look for another model that is claimed to be better, and some users do this year after year never quite finding a harness that is just right, that feels right in all conditions and wipe out situations.
this reminded me of my short time using the waist style harness,
I bought 4 different models, and gave in after a year of discomfort and frustration, my experience was they constantly kept riding up to chest height mostly when jumping, and they hurt my ribs most of the time.
but loved the freedom of leg movement when walking around the beach.
What the doctor said really struck home a few weeks back when one of our local guys wiped out badly during a kite loop and was left writhing in agony on the carpark as we helped him out of his wet-suit for a trip to hospital for suspected broken ribs, he confirmed he broke a few ribs a few years ago and this pain was the same, as it turned out it was only minor cracking, (or something like that) but kept him of the water just the same.
I know we all talk some S*@t at times on the beach, but I do think there are some elements of truth in this.