Harness - Hardshell

Buy your hardshell waist harness online at the Kitemana Kitesurf Shop

Buy your hardshell waist harness online at the Kitemana Kitesurf Shop

What is a hardshell waist harness?
What are the advantages of a hardshell waist harness?
What are the differences among hardshell waist harnesses?
Why should I choose a hardshell waist harness?
Is a hardshell waist harness adjustable in its size?
Which brands can I buy a hardshell harness from Kitemana?

A hardshell waist harness is a waist harness with a hard shell made of fiberglass or carbon. In contrast to a softshell waist harness, a hardshell waist harness is rigid on the back and therefore distributes the pulling force of the kite over a larger of the entire back. However, a hardshell waist harness can adapt less to the shape of your body than a softshell hip harness.

A hardshell waist harness fits tighter to your body due to its stiff shape. That’s why it is very important to choose the right size. A hardshell harness can also be more comfortable for your back as it distributes the kite's power over a larger area. In addition, a hardshell waist harness has a very low weight, especially if the back plate contains carbon.

There can be differences among hardshell waist harnesses regarding their shape, their thickness of the padding, their flex, weight and their locking system.
The shape can differ in how high the back plate is, how far it extends towards the hip and how much it is arched in the area of the spine. Depending on the shape, the thickness and position of the padding can differ. There are also hardshell harnesses which are specially designed for women and men.
Depending on the material used, hardshell waist harnesses can be more or less rigid and their weight can also vary.
The locking system depends on the associated spreaderbar. Here, each brand has established a certain locking system.

Hardshell harnesses are worthwhile if you are already an advanced kitesurfer and if you often go out kitesurfing overpowered. A hardshell harness can also help if you have back problems and these problems have increased with a softshell waist harness previously. However, if you decide to go with a hardshell harness, you have to make sure that its shape fits your body perfectly.

A hardshell waist harness is, like a softshell waist harness, only adjustable in size via the straps with which the spreader bar is attached. The shape and size of the shell cannot be adjusted.

At the Kitemana online shop you can buy a hardshell waist harness from the following brands. Click on the respective link to learn more about the brand.

ION: Harnesses and Wetsuits by ION
Manera: Stay Salty
Mystic: why follow when you can lead
Ride Engine: Innovator of the Hardshell Harness