A kite harness is absolutely necessary for kiteboarding. And choosing the perfect fit is as essential as selecting a good kiteboard and kite. So read up.
Why is the kite harness so important?
A harness has two main functions. It transfers the pull of the kite to your body, lowering the tension in your arms and giving you a better body balance on the board. By hooking your harness to the kiteboarding kite you'll create a centre balance point, allowing you to steer, jump and have a sturdy control over your kite.
The kite harness consists of three parts: a harness, hook and loop. The harness can be a waist or seat style (there are advantages in both and we'll get to them later). But both are hardened and padded nylon with straps. The hook is attached at belly button level to the harness. And the loop, depending on the kite design, can be a "harness-lite" or a circle.
Trainer kites and most of the foil kites use a harness-line or also known as a fixed look. The inflatable kites use a trim-loop.
Seat or a waist harness?
The general difference between the two kinds comes from how they are attached to your body. Thus how they distribute the pull of the kite. Seat harnesses have a set of leg straps that will fasten around the upper legs while the leading hook rests in the lower core. The waist harness, on the other hand, is strapped only to your waist, giving you more freedom but also concentrating the kite's pull directly at your lower back.
So basically, when choosing a seat harness or a waist one, you are choosing between less danger for your back and more freedom with the kite.
Yes, and one more thing. Waist harnesses look better than the others and are easier to swim with. Also, they come in a wider variety of materials, cushioning, rigidness and colours and patterns but also price. But besides the broader range to choose from and the other advantages, the waist harness has a couple of setbacks compared to the seat harness. The latter one prevents ride-ups, it offers better back support (we are not getting younger) and finally, it's the go-to harness for snow-kiters.
All right, this has to do on the subject of kite harness. However, we urge you not to buy a harness online because it has to fit you perfectly and for that to happen, you'll probably have to try a couple. So, visit our kite shop for harness fitting, kite talks and cold draft beer.
