windtzu wrote:New Ride Engine Harness isn't compatible with Dynabar sliding hooks, or existing standard hooks.
Bummer. That really brings the cost up, especially since I like to use both types - fixed and sliding.
So I'd have to buy another spreader bar from Engine and get rid of my perfectly good Dynabar.
It would have been so simple to create a standardized-compatible set up.
Exclusivity was tried in the windsurfing industry, fin boxes, mast base connections. It was sooo annoying...The products that were most cross compatible survived over the long haul.
I noticed that the "sliding rope" attaches directly to the chicken loop. So the chicken loop slides along the rope. This shares the wear and will wear your chicken loop out faster than just a single fixed hook. I could be mistaken about this, but I see some design issues here.
This harness needs to be done up tight to keep it in position, when it is - it's a really comfortable harness. The way it mostly sits in position and doesn't ride up is far better than any 'normal' flexible waist harness, it greatly improves the riders comfort and therefore performance.
However, the way that the strap goes through a plastic tube that essentially goes around two corners and back to a buckle - the friction of the strap in the tube and the plastic tube on the corners isn't great design.
Perhaps this production version should have had 2 straps and buckles on
each side - like some of the custom Ride Engine versions. This would allow for other bars to be used - like the Dynabar and also increase the strength of the spreader bar to harness attachment.
If, as stated in the other thread with the video review - there was slippage of the strap - could this be a safety issue???
Most other harnesses have wider and therefore stronger straps and buckles. Often 2 straps - so if one slips or breaks there is a back-up. Hopefully this harness has been load tested and this single 20mm strap and buckle design of the Engine harness has been tested with bigger and heavier guys - shock loading in windy conditions and they factored in the plastic buckle wear from sand and exposure to the elements like salt crystals and U.V. degradation over time etc.. ?
Most things manufactured are only as good as their weakest link. I've had a plastic buckle break on me on another harness in the past. There is no built in redundancy or second safety strap on this production harness to get you back to the beach - if for instance - the plastic buckle was to fail - hopefully this never happens to anyone!
That aside, the Ride Engine is a really good harness!