Adding leg straps to a waist harness

I have been using a Flying Objects Transit surf seat harness for over 15 years but a month ago i bought a Mystic X kitesurfing harness after reading good reviews.

I changed the hook to a shorter windsurfing hook and removed the lower of the two double connecting straps each side that hold the hook in place so the hook now slides which i prefer.

I used it a few times and it felt good with no stress on my lower back but on the third time i noticed the harness riding up my chest to sort of become a chest harness.

I found an old tie down in my cupboard and just tied the remaining loose straps to it times two for both legs and it stops the waist harness from riding up.

No need now to over tighten the velcro belt.

It works so much better now though it is a bit harder to get in and out of it.

Still feels like a waist harness.

Is it better than my surf seat Transit harness?

No, just a different feel.

Less lift for sure with a waist Harness.

Need to add a bit more downhaul to get the board flying.

It's a great idea and possibly something manufacturers should focus on.

The most recent waist harness use leads to think that riders want them on their hips. To achieve this one must set them fairly loose.

Riding them loose let them settle back down were they to rise up (bad chop, deep lull, surf sailing etc). It also allows for some side motion which makes it easier to minimize catapults and sail upwind with more comfort.

When riding over a wet suit or bare skin, the friction should be sufficient to keep them low. I ride mine over a rash guard which makes them slide easily, though I have no problem with them riding up.

The downside of a loose harness is that some of the benefits of a more direct connection with the sail are lost. A slight response time delay, more elastic feel.

Curiously it seems to be a big focus point on our sport and despite decades of research, it still problematic to find a nice and comfy harness for any body shape!

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Manuel7 said..

Curiously it seems to be a big focus point on our sport and despite decades of research, it still problematic to find a nice and comfy harness for any body shape!

That is so true. Been a lot of r&d in the sport over the years, but I'm still yet to find a harness that doesn't ride up (waist) or give you a massive wedgie (seat). Surely it can be done...

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Manuel7 said..
It's a great idea and possibly something manufacturers should focus on.

The most recent waist harness use leads to think that riders want them on their hips. To achieve this one must set them fairly loose.

Riding them loose let them settle back down were they to rise up (bad chop, deep lull, surf sailing etc). It also allows for some side motion which makes it easier to minimize catapults and sail upwind with more comfort.

When riding over a wet suit or bare skin, the friction should be sufficient to keep them low. I ride mine over a rash guard which makes them slide easily, though I have no problem with them riding up.

The downside of a loose harness is that some of the benefits of a more direct connection with the sail are lost. A slight response time delay, more elastic feel.

Curiously it seems to be a big focus point on our sport and despite decades of research, it still problematic to find a nice and comfy harness for any body shape!

I don't agree with any of that!

A harness only rides up if you are in bad sailing stance.

A harness does not have to be worn loose to stay in place or to drop back down into place, and nor does it have to be worn loose to get the hook lower.


Most problems people have with their harness are down to sailing stance issues.
Catapults are not caused by harnesses either.

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Pcdefender said..
I tested the waist with leg straps a few days ago using my 5m sail in strong wind then switched to the Transit seat harness for a long run across the river and back.

My technique or stance has changed to much more upright since i bought the waist harness.

When i hooked in with the seat which has a similar hook height to the waist harness i felt i was pulling the sail down rather than laterally.

The seat sort of forces you to sit down which lowers the hook height - i think.

My board trim was all over the place with the seat harness and i swapped it over again when i got back to the carpark.

The Mystic X with its carbon shell back and leg straps - the comfort level is off the charts high.

Even if the seat harness proves to be quicker i am staying with the waist harness.

Another difference i noticed is i feel i need slightly longer lines when using a waist.

Feels also easier to get my backfoot in the strap in choppy conditions with the waist.

I will take a few pics of it when i figure out how to post them.

I have been using a "rigid shell" harness for a few weeks, a Ion Curve 2022. It comes in different back length, depending on your torso size, and mine is the medium short. The large pad in the back can also be changed to a thinner one. So you can get a VERY good fit, or at least much better than the typical three sizes (small-medium-large) that anybody else has on the market


I always had problems with a chest harness riding up if I slogged, or "hanged" from the harness. It is not bad stance, it is that sometimes you cannot avoid the slog ... this one seems to eliminate the problem completely.

Reasons? My older Ion had a long back compared to this one, 10+ cm longer, and that was part of the problem, the long back really helped the harness to slide upward. This instead sits well into my back, and it takes an effort to make it ride up.

Second improvement is the bar, it has two rigid composite wing-lets to the side that help a lot in making the whole structure into a one-piece once you lock the bar.


So fit and one-piece-mono-block seem to be the ticket. Bravo to Ion for putting more torso sizes on the market, and for Ride Engine for starting the whole hard shell harness trend.

Very happy with it, it is also lighter compared to the old one. 200 grams less when dry, but when wet the old one gains much more weight. I see no reason to have some sort of leg straps retaining device. And yes, it fits closer to my belly compared to my older Ion, so lines had to be adjusted a little longer.

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SurferKris said..
Bernd Roediger started the loose waist harness trend, seems to work for some...

Interestingly, in his latest 2 videos, he is riding a seat harness !

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SurferKris said..
I used to swap between seat and waist harnesses depending on what I sailed. But after getting a hybrid harness I no longer have to do that. It works like a waist harness that doesn't slide up, and one can also adjust the position of the harness somewhat by adjusting the legs straps. Highly recommended. ;)

Hi SurferKris. Which brand/model of hybrid harness do you have? The flying objects transit?
Thanks!

I find a seat harness is better for holding down a massively overpowered sail. I haven't used a seat harness since I sold my slalom gear 2 years ago, and I haven't missed it. Waist harness is great for normally powered sailing and slog and ride sailing.