Been kiting for about 1 season now. I started riding with a really crapy cabrinha seat harness (bought it because it was cheap) and now im trying to find the perfect waist harness for me, but their just doesnt seem to be any. iv tried many waist harnesses but they all seem to sit way to high because my hip bone is apparantly to high. But, the seat harness, expecially the new Dakine seat harness seems to fit me very well, but all my kitesurfing mates tell me seat harnesses are for ****ters and learners.
A) Do you believe seat harnesses are for ****ters and learners
B) If so, or you think their is a waist harness out their that you think will fit me because you have had the problem i have, WHICH ONE.
Cheers guys
Seats tend to give you more back support and defo make it easier for beginners cos they don't ride up while you tend to fly the kite high in the early days.
Waists give you more flexibility, you can slide them around to make toe side and switch easier, and wave riding.
They are harder on you back, but that's more down to ride techique.
I rode with a waist for 3 seasons and it never bothered me.
Like everything, there's pros and cons and it will come down to the kind of riding you want to do and what you find the most comfy.
The Dakine Nitrous shorts are fantastic. Use with some thin neoprene shorts and the optional bar pad, and you won't find a more comforatable harness. Lots of riders on them around here.
I find the whole cool attitude for waist harnesses pretty funny. Especially when you see young impressionable guys with hopeless ride technique, struggle to get upwind well, and can't hold alot of power in the kite - all trade offs for a waist harness if you are not experienced.
Then on the other hand, they come in handy for wakestyle tricks and true wave riding, at the expense of comfort.
Ride what works for you. For me it's the Nitrous.
Also check overseas for better deals and availabilty if your local retailer doesn't have any, as the distributor here is hopeless.
I tried on about 6 different waist harnesses till I settled with a seat harness , seamed the only one that fit me properlly .. I don't care what it looks like , so long as it is funtional and comfortable ...
All a matter of preference; don't be swayed by 'cool' or 'uncool' labels. I know several people (including girls) who ride with seats to a high level of trickology, so don't think that you will be limited in that respect either.
Personally, I have a Mystic Firestarter waist and I have found it to be one of the best fitting and most comfortable harnesses ever...
With regards to your hip bone, eat some food !!! A stomach will help with the ride-up problems maybe (I am joking, by the way) !!! Otherwise, I think Naish and Maui Magic might do specific female harnesses, although I could be wrong...
Try them all !!! And watch for sizes - it seems that they are not common... S in some brands will be an XS in others etc...
Happy hunting and kiting...
BAP
i broke my back years and years ago. waist harness' kill me, after a couple of hours i need like a week off, but with a seat harness i can kite all day everyday.
and all the talk of 'poo stance', the major poo players i have seen have all been waist harness wearers by far...
though it is true that riding waves with them sucks
For learners who a lot of time fly their kites up high, a seat harness is more forgiving as it prevents riding up. Seat harnesses have a lower hook and with the leg straps one can anchor the weight down a bit easier. Waist harnesses have a higher hook one can come in and out of it much easier when doing unhook tricks and for other reasons kusu has pointed out correctly.
The more mature riders who doesnt unhook as much, also those with back problems tend to favour seat harnesses.
Liquid Force has mens and ladies boardshorts harnesses with leg straps inbuilt and detachable bar so you can wear it as a pair of boardies say when you are heading the beach or going home. 08 boardshorts are on clearance at all LF distributors as 09 stock due in the next shipment on the 28th this month.
Care not what others think, care what works for you best.
Jacky ..... If the seat harness is comfy stick with it. I have both and I always drift back to the seat harness for pure comfort. If your style is free ride then why change because some idiot tells you its uncool. If you are into the wake style then the seat harness might not be a good choice so go the waist harness. What i do know for fact is that after a long session in a seat harness i have no sore spots, the same can't be said for a waist harness. For my seat harness i use Dakine and for my waist i use a pro limit hadlow. I am into comfort so i couldn't give a rats what someone else thinks when it comes to cool or uncool.
Use what ever's comfortable for you. I've got a seat and a waist and I tend to use both in the same day.
Try the Maui Magic stuff (if you haven't already), they produce girl specific gear. My girlfriend just bought the MM waist harness and she thinks it's the ducks nuts and they have a seat harness as well. There imported by the same people as Mystic and SS so you should be able to find it any where that they sell that stuff.
One thing to note is it's worth paying extra for a good fitting harness
I've had 2 Dakine waist harnesses and they have been great, but after a long powered session i can hardly walk and trying to get out of bed the next day makes me feel like i'm 200 years old. Since using the Dakine seat harness i can kite longer and hold down more power and don't hurt half as much the next day.
Hi Jacky
Like Mr T sayz - " GET SOME NUTS "
Make your own choices & dont listen to them FOOLS
Keep that backbone strong !!!!
Here's an interesting twist. A few years ago a mate of mine who rides harder than most had a tumble under a big wave. With the board still on his feet deep under water the kite pulled hard high in the sky.
You've heard of the Rack from ancient torture days. Well, he was wearing a waist harness and the kite pulled so hard that he tore all his stomach muscles. Was off work for about 6 weeks.
He now wears a seat harness and goes just as hard. If you know him, and I'm sure many of you do, you would know that the type of harness you wear does not affect ability.
I learned on a bump and jump seat harness(i think thats what its called)
except it pretty much amputated my ballsac PAINFUL
!!
anyways u wouldnt have that problem, and the seat harness isnt all that bad if ur a chick.
OOOOppppss !!!
How embarrasing ?
So sorry...
It was the comment about dodgy pelvis that led me to the conclusion that you were a chick. Blokes don't normally mention the pelvis !!! And it wasn't just me that got confused...
Although I have laughed my arse off at everything that followed !!!
Anyway... Uncool will be the new Cool, so as I said before... Try them all !!! And it looks like your mates will have something else to give you a hard time about already...
Also... KIT33R - He didn't think to pull the safety ???
BAP
Dakine nitrous all the way, ive got a bad back and a waist harness kills me, tried them twice and each time end up crippled. If a seat suits you then wear one, dont listen to people telling you that seat are for beginners, its what suits you. But try dakine nitrous shorts you dont feel like you have a harness on, And you can wear them over your wetsuit without people taking the piss.LOL
some opinions about seat harnesses in this thread:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=38830