Harness - Waist

Welcome to the Kitemana Q&A regarding waist harnesses. Finding a suitable waist harness is essential for your kitesurf sessions! With a perfectly fitting waist harness you will have a lot of fun on the water! However, not every waist harness is like the other. There is a huge selection of different models from different brands, hardshell and softshell waist harnesses, as well as waist harnesses especially designed for men or women. To give you a better overview, we have collected the most frequently asked questions about waist harnesses. You can find the Q&A at the bottom of this page, but don't hesitate to contact us anytime if you need further help or advice! Our friendly and competent customer service is available for you seven days a week! Our team consists of native English, Dutch and German speakers who are experts and are happy to help you!

What do I have to pay attention to when I want to buy a waist harness?
Should I use a waist harness?
Which waist harness is best for a beginner?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a waist harness compared to a seat harness?
What are the differences in waist harnesses?
Should I choose a hardshell or softshell waist harness?
From which brands can I buy a waist harness at Kitemana?

A waist harness should be the correct size and should have the right degree of hardness so that it fits you perfectly and offers you the right support. You can look up the recommended size in the size chart of every harness right next to product description in our online shop. Wether you should choose a softshell or hardshell harness depends on your skills and preferences. If you are unsure, please contact us for advice!

If you are already an advanced kitesurfer, a waist harness is great because it gives you more freedom of movement. As a kitesurf beginner or if you have problems with your back, a seat harness can be an advantage.

There is no such thing as a beginner's waist harness. It is important that your waist harness fits you well, so that it cannot move a lot up and down and does not cause you any pain. Some brands offer a hybrid harness, which can be worn both as a seat and as a hip harness thanks to the detachable leg loops. This way you have the choice and can try out what is best for you in every learning phase. In general, you should rather start out with a softshell harness, which is more comfortable. Later you can switch to a hardshell harness.

Advantages of a waist harness compared to a seat harness are:

more freedom of movement

force of the kite is transmitted on a higher point. Thus, taking an upright posture gets easier when kitesurfing

no rubbing or marks on the legs

Disadvantages of a waist harness compared to a seat harness are:

can slip up and down if the wrong size is chosen

the hook sits higher than on a seat harness, which means that people with shorter arms get less possibility to depower.

What are the differences in waist harnesses?

Waist harnesses can differ in their shape as they can be wider or narrower at the back. There are waist harnesses that are specially designed to fit the body shape of women or men. Further, waist harnesses can differ in how rigid or flexible they are. For some years now, waist harnesses with soft (softshell) and hard back panels (hardshell) have been differentiated. There can also be differences in the thickness of the padding and the way in which the waist harness is closed, i.e. how the respective spreader bar is designed.

Should I choose a hardshell or softshell waist harness?

There is no general recommendation whether you should wear a hardshell or a softshell waist harness.
A hardshell harness is a waist harness with a stiff back plate. Such a waist harness is therefore less deformable. On the one hand, this has the advantage that the pulling force of your kite is distributed over the entire back and, on the other hand, if it fits perfectly, it sits more firmly. On the other hand, a softshell waist harness, which is softer and more malleable, adapts better to your body shape. However, this means that the pulling force of your kite can be transferred very selectively to your back using a softshell waist harness.
Therefore, some kite surfers find a hardshell waist harness more comfortable for the back, especially if they already have back problems. Others find a softshell waist harness more comfortable because of the more flexible fit.

From which brands can I buy a waist harness at Kitemana?

At Kitemana you can buy waist harnesses from the following brands. Click on the respective link to learn more about each brand.

Brunotti: RIDER DEVELOPED PRODUCTS
ION: Harnesses and Wetsuits by ION
Manera: Stay Salty
Mystic: why follow when you can lead
Prolimit: Experience Innovative Technology
Ride Engine: Innovator of the Hardshell Harness