voirin said...

I am worried about causing injury to the lumbar portion of my spine. I guess you could get some serious whip-lash out there if the kite pulls you hard all of a sudden.

It's not like its one string around your back, waist harnesses have a huge surface area which the load is spread to - I think that if you were strong/skilled enough to hold an edge with a MASSIVE pull then your knees would explode well before your back was even close to getting hurt.

I've never tried a seat harness but I would've thought they would put more strain on your back because you can't lean against the kite with your back(because you lean against the kite more with your arse?) so your back is less supported - this is just a theory though.

I would strongly suggest a seat harness for safety and comfort and the chicks dig em! Also be sure to get a flotation vest, retractable leg rope, wrap around sunnies, booties, webbed gloves, camel pack, Gath helmet with visor, 200cm twin tip, 5 inch fins and a 20 meter Peter Lynn kite for those light wind days!
Good luck and gusty winds!

i used to be fairly skinny when i started kiting, so i couldn't get used to the waist harness as it was constantly riding up my chest all the time squashing my chest too much and making it hard to breathe... so i ended up using seat harness... however i've gained 10 kg since that time, and looking forward to trying waist harness again this season. I found seat harness very comfortable and probably easier in the begining. When it comes to tricks, i believe waist harness gives you more freedom... although you can do all the basic manouvers and many tricks using waist harness too...
also, seat harness looks more gay... (doh)

harry potter said...

hmmmmmmm..........I am yet to see... a so called "good" or "kickass" rider in a seat harness

Just a personal observation

point taken in terms of freestyle (with the local exception of bernie, who though he doesn't unhook much or do a lot of the new school stuff, i reckon he is smoother and more stylish, with his combinations of rolls and downloops, than a lot of the "flash" kids. not to say that a seat harness helps this in any way).

however, with different criteria and aims in mind, many of the guys going fast use seats:



how i ended crapping on like this when a newbie just wants a simple answer i'm not sure. too much spare time, sorry.

My 2c worth based on my experience switching betweeen both types is that a seat harness is great for learning, and for when you are trying to hold an edge with an overpowered kite. A waist harness is better once you are proficient at riding and start moving round and attempting tricks.

First when learning I found it much easier with a seat harness because like mentioned above when learning the kite is at 12 o'clock a lot and you don't get the bar riding up into your ribs as much (similarly when learning to jump the bar was less likely to ride up if I was just dangling underneath it). I also found that with the lower bar position/pivot point/center of gravity I was less prone to getting pulled over the front of the board when I mucked up. Taking that big gulp of air when you come up from being slammed is also a much nicer when you don't have anything compressing your waist/diaphragm. I have also found that I can hold down my kite in much stronger winds with the seat harness without being pulled off my edge as much as I do on the waist when overpowered.

Once I got better though and started trying different things like riding toeside, the waist harness feels better when I'm out there just because it allows you more motion. Because your waist can twist more below the harness I also found that you can track your board higher more easily when heading upwind. Balance and board control skills improve more when using the waist harness I think too.

As for why there are more waist harnesses than seat types I have a theory on that based mainly around the "cool" factor and the fact that wearing a large padded nappy over your boardies is deemed "uncool" by the masses. There is also the comfort theory as where I learnt you always needed a wetsuit which provided a certain level of padding where the leg straps of the seat harness go. Moving to QLD and kiting in boardies i can say the seat lost ground to the waist harness in the comfort factor.

getfunky said...

If your under 35 you can probably get away with learning with a waist. Seat would still be better for half the 1st season though (IMHO).

If your over 35 don't listen to the pumped up, red bull guzzling, little pain junkies here and get a seat harness.

Oi, I am 36, waist harness and boardies over the wettie all the way! Take that back old man.

Seriously, I learnt on a seat and it was better at the time, but the waist harnesses available then were no way as good as they are now. The old ones rode up like anything and killed ribs - no issues for me these days.

I like a waist as your centre of gravity is higher and you have more movement in the harness as some have noted for things like toeside. I disagree with those who said you can hold more power with a seat harness. If you have correct technique then it is no issue with a waist (speed kiting may be the exception).

That said seat harnesses these days seem to have the hook higher which may alleviate the lower centre of gravity issues.

Bottom line - try a few and see what you like, bearing in mind one you are riding OK you may want to change.

it seems to me that it depends on your body shape as well quite a lot. Someone explained it to me as being like a telegraph pole with a rope attached to it... if it is attached to the top it will pull it over quite easily, but with it attached to the bottom it has the advantage of a lower centre of gravity anchorage point which would take enormous force to pull it over.

in my experience as a (shortish) girl kiter, i learnt with a waist and found it OK, but that it rode up persistently and my balance was sh!t. I've recently gone over to a seat (Dakine Fusion) and not only does it stay low, i can adjust the depower easily and the bar's throw is not longer than my arms. I feel anchored in and more stable.

Just my 2 cents

I started with a Dakine Fusion seat harness - I found it really hard to raise my knees to my chest (as in get the board on my feet for water starts) because the waist belt stopped me bending at the hips. I changed to a waist harness (Flying Objects Flight Control - super comfy) and everything became so much easier. I had more freedom of movement in my hips and getting started was a lot easier. I found I could control the board a lot better and go upwind easier, my rate of progression took a massive leap.

Voirin, I wouldn't worry about the whip lash aspect - the waist harnesses spread the load over your back - Kites have a lot of lift, and you do direct a lot of power through your harness, but its not like falling to the end of a rock climbing rope!

Also, think this way - when you are rockclimbing, you don't tend to rely on your harness for extended periods in that it is part of your safety system when you fall or you rap down a face with it.

In Kitesurfing the harness is your connection to the kite - it is essentially always under load - Its not a safety element of your equipment.

Chances are you won't get it right with your first choice of harness, as it takes some experience to establish what you actually want from your harness. So get something that gives you confidence - if you are genuinely worried about the whiplash thing get a seat - after a while you might find it doesn't suit your needs and you need to change - comfort should be top priority - you have to spend a lot of hours in your harness! Everyone I think has to endure some degree of salt chafe and discomfort especially when you start and are spending a lot of time walking on the beach back upwind - but the aim should be to minimise this as much as you can.

Easier to hurt ribs with a waist harness.

WOW thank you all SO VERY MUCH for all the informative posts. So many replies and points of opinion - which I like! So the general consensus seems to be that seat is good for a beginner due to inexperience, and waist is good once things have settled in.

Yes - I think I understand peoples rational when it comes to the waist harness distributing support across a fair length of back that it doesn't cause pain. Also, a seat harness could actually cause greater load on the spine as opposed to a waist harness (due to Force X Distance relationship) as pointed out by some posts. That seems very clear.

I'll do what you all suggest, and that is to go to the shops and try on the various harnesses. Now to research some good brands :)

Thanks again everyone!

Cheers,
V

What about boardshort harnesses?????!?!?


I got myself a LF boardshort harness and even though I am yet to use it but I hear nothing but good things!

I have the LF boardies a seat harness and a waist harness
I usually use the one thats not wet

Tried both, hate seat harnesses, but the waist harness rides up on me because of my build. Ended up using the LF boardshorts and love them. The hook is higher than the dakine nitrous shorts so its gives a good compromise between the comfort of a seat and the hook height of a waist.

If you have problems with a waist harness riding up then try wearing it a little looser.

If it's too tight and it gets pulled up it wedges over your ribs and it won't come back down again. You can't breathe with it over your ribs and it is hard to push down.

If it is a *little* looser then it slides up over your ribs then straight back down again. (and no it doesn't slide up and down in annoying way. It's still snug, just not super tight.)

I do mine up as tight as with will go when it is dry. It loosens up a fair bit when it is wet and that is about right. This applies to us pencil-neck geeks. You fatty boombah beer barrel-shaped guys and others will have to come up with your own method.