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I suspect these style of spreader hooks can't break because no matter what the strain is always in line with the hook. So no metal fatigue.



I might give those a try but wouldn't know until at least 2 years because that's usually how long it takes for me to break them.

they look a little harder to get back in place after unhooking but who knows.

edt wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 23, 2020 12:36 am

here's my current harness



10% liquid force 10% ride engine 10% duotone 70% home depot

Hi edt,
I’m working on an hard shell custom harness, can you share more pictures of yours?
Thank you in advance!

uh what? I'm not sure what the photos will help you with. Let me know exactly what you are doing and I'll take some photos for you.

I have broken one (1) harness hook in 20 years of kiting. It was an aluminium windsurfing spreader bar & it might have saved me from serious injury. It broke when I was caught in a squall, being tossed around by the kite & unable to release the QR. The hook broke & released the kite a few metres before I hit the the shore, rocks/trees etc.

I have an Ion Apex harness but use a Dynabar on it. It's now 3 years old & still working perfectly. Not much stress on the hook anyway when using a SB.

I'm pretty sure it's freestyle/looping that would eventually stress the metal. Seeing what happened to Ruben with his QR, hooks failing with KOA type activities could be seriously dangerous. What are these pros using?

edt wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:49 am

uh what? I'm not sure what the photos will help you with. Let me know exactly what you are doing and I'll take some photos for you.

Hi edt,

I am curious on the padding part.

I've a carbon plate molded on my back, need to add padding but would like to avoid glueing it.

Interesting the way you used a clamcleat to tighten the bar, I was thinking to do the same.

thank you in advance!

Is Ion & Duotone same company? That would explain poor harness quality similar to duotone line of their bars. If thats the case, their lines would snap before harness

With regards to the Ride Engine, do you guys think that hard shell harness could be putting more stress on hook since back of harness doesn't flex?

SolarSet wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 24, 2020 1:06 pm

Is Ion & Duotone same company? That would explain poor harness quality similar to duotone line of their bars. If thats the case, their lines would snap before harness

With regards to the Ride Engine, do you guys think that hard shell harness could be putting more stress on hook since back of harness doesn't flex?

No. I've had the ride engine before. It's the same as soft harness for hook strength in my opinion. But the stitching on the ride engine is weak gives out after about 20 sessions only suggest it for weekend riders. There are better hard harnesses.

edt wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:38 pm

I suspect these style of spreader hooks can't break because no matter what the strain is always in line with the hook. So no metal fatigue.



I might give those a try but wouldn't know until at least 2 years because that's usually how long it takes for me to break them.

they look a little harder to get back in place after unhooking but who knows.

Stainless and steel has an endurance limit

https://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=104

So if an item is properly designed, it will not fail. The fact that you are seeing bent hooks tells me the yield limit was exceeded and so they say are not properly designed.

The option hook is still affected by stress and from tension and bending but the bending (moment) is less than and in a different place than fixed hooks.

The original dakine option bar sucked by the way because the clasp would come undone.