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Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

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Foxi
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Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby Foxi » Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:54 am

Hi there,

I started mid May with this lovely sport and my sessions get longer and longer - as well as my arms ! :D
In order to make my body survive a couple of days in a row, I´m thinking about going harness.
I´m coming from Ride Engine as my kitefoil harness, but as I learned now how it feels to be totally free,
I´d rather go minimalistic and have support where needed, but definitely not an orthopaedic full wrap.
By the way: my 20 yrs old interverbral discs problems have gone with wingfoiling, nevertheless I had expected the contrary after my first 2h lesson !!
Ion, Ride Engine, Pro Limit and others offer solutions - what are your respective pros and cons ?

Thanks for sharing your experiences !

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Frankieboy
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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby Frankieboy » Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:37 am

I use the Ether from AK supplies for kitefoiling and tuned it so I can use it for winging as well with a 3D printed hook. Great support and light.
1 light harness for both sports is travel friendly but swapping the spreader bar and hook is a pain...
That is why I am also looking for a light but comfy solution. I think the RE is good because it is locked and doesn't slide around.

Have also a look at the Dakine harnesses (2 models)
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JakeFarley
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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby JakeFarley » Fri Aug 05, 2022 7:32 pm

Have you thought about a DIY harness? Once I get proficient at wingfoiling, I will probably make one for myself.

viewtopic.php?f=201&t=2413236&p=1169666 ... s#p1169666
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OzBungy
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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby OzBungy » Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:14 am

I made a hook from a piece of HDPE and threaded it on my waist belt. It works fine. If I intended to commit to harness winging then I would look at one of the commercial products just appearing. The current crop are insanely expensive.

Harness lines work well for holding more apparent wind while blasting upwind. They're not at all necessary for wave riding, riding downwind, or even mowing the lawn.

The big negative is that in overpowered conditions, which is notionally when you want a harness, it is much more difficult to cope with the random twitches and surges that your wing goes through when things are getting exciting.
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Foxi (Sat Aug 06, 2022 10:57 am)
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Foxi
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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby Foxi » Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:41 pm

I hear you OzBungy - and will start with adding a hook to my Ion leash belt.

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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby ronnie » Sat Aug 06, 2022 2:44 pm

I have the Ride Engine Vinaca. It works well, but the metal hook it came with - I took it off and made my own sliding hook that folds flat when lying on my belly on the board.
The NSI hook is similar.
I made the outer surface of the slot more of a convex V shaped ridge and left the inner side flat. The flat side keeps it at right angles to the strap when riding, and the convex side makes it easier for it to fold flat. I also made the nose of the hook convex to help it fold flat easier.

Foxi
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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby Foxi » Sat Aug 06, 2022 3:19 pm

ronnie wrote:
Sat Aug 06, 2022 2:44 pm
I have the Ride Engine Vinaca. It works well, but the metal hook it came with - I took it off and made my own sliding hook that folds flat when lying on my belly on the board.
The NSI hook is similar.
I made the outer surface of the slot more of a convex V shaped ridge and left the inner side flat. The flat side keeps it at right angles to the strap when riding, and the convex side makes it easier for it to fold flat. I also made the nose of the hook convex to help it fold flat easier.
do you know the metal/plastic coated slim Dakine hook to easily fold away ?
AF078EE7-F175-4B54-A134-5A5DDC92CEF6.jpeg

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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby ronnie » Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:27 pm

Foxi wrote:
Sat Aug 06, 2022 3:19 pm
ronnie wrote:
Sat Aug 06, 2022 2:44 pm
I have the Ride Engine Vinaca. It works well, but the metal hook it came with - I took it off and made my own sliding hook that folds flat when lying on my belly on the board.
The NSI hook is similar.
I made the outer surface of the slot more of a convex V shaped ridge and left the inner side flat. The flat side keeps it at right angles to the strap when riding, and the convex side makes it easier for it to fold flat. I also made the nose of the hook convex to help it fold flat easier.
do you know the metal/plastic coated slim Dakine hook to easily fold away ?AF078EE7-F175-4B54-A134-5A5DDC92CEF6.jpeg
I haven't seen one except in a video, but the Dakine should fold flat very easily.

I made mine from 20mm thick PTFE, because I wanted it to sit very well at 90 degrees to hook into very well. I wouldn't expect a thin hook to sit as well to receive the harness line.

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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby gl » Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:14 pm

I have the Dakine Solo harness. It has that very thin hook. It is the only harness I found that I really like. I had made my own hook out of nylon and a weight lifting belt and it worked okay but this is much better. The hook is so thin and lays flat so that you don't even know it's there. After you've been laying on it it comes back out to about a 45° angle so it's still easy to hook into. I can move it by hand so that straight out and it'll stay that way until I lay on it again. The the harness is easy to put on and has no plastic parts. It is quite easy to adjust for size. While wearing it I don't even notice that it's there. I don't use it a lot but wear it all the time in case I decide to hook in for a long up wind run. I highly recommend it unless you're leaning extremely hard against it and then it will pull in slightly against your sides although it's never really been a problem for me.

Foxi
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Lake Garda / Italy
Paracuru / Brazil
Style: RED
Gear: Fanatic Sky Wing 5.6
Duotone Unit 2 6.0 / 4.5
Sabfoil Kraken M93/F703/S486/S425/W945/W999/W1250
Groove Skate
Moses Onda
Ozone Alpha V1
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Re: Wingfoil Harness - your experience with current models

Postby Foxi » Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:26 pm

gl wrote:
Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:14 pm
I have the Dakine Solo harness. It has that very thin hook. It is the only harness I found that I really like. I had made my own hook out of nylon and a weight lifting belt and it worked okay but this is much better. The hook is so thin and lays flat so that you don't even know it's there. After you've been laying on it it comes back out to about a 45° angle so it's still easy to hook into. I can move it by hand so that straight out and it'll stay that way until I lay on it again. The the harness is easy to put on and has no plastic parts. It is quite easy to adjust for size. While wearing it I don't even notice that it's there. I don't use it a lot but wear it all the time in case I decide to hook in for a long up wind run. I highly recommend it unless you're leaning extremely hard against it and then it will pull in slightly against your sides although it's never really been a problem for me.
thx GF - very detailed and helpful discription !! Can you please try to explain how the belt is distributing the pressure into the back part ? Is there some stiffer inlay behind the seemingly soft cover ?

I still have to climb onto the board in 90% of all jibes - do you leave the hook as is or do you pull it to the side to avoid board rail contact ? If not applicable at your skill level - what's your guess in this respect ?


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