How to choose the right harness

December 5, 2024 / Kite Race

Choosing the right harness not only makes kiting easier and more fun, it can also help keep your body intact and feeling good without aches and pains.

Today, there are many great options to choose from, including soft and hard shells. Here at Ozone, we bring 20+ years of paragliding harness building experience into our designs for kitesurfing.

Team rider and kiteboarding icon, Jesse Richman, has put this guide together to help you find the perfect harness for you and your body

Words: Jesse Richman

Here are some comparisons that I will cover in this feature:

Seat vs. waist
Hook vs. slider
Hard shell vs. soft shell
Long leash vs. short leash

1.SEAT HARNESS VS. WAIST HARNESS

SEAT HARNESS OVERVIEW

The straps and buckles of a seat harness wrap around your legs and lower waist, offering exceptional lower back support and stability – and can feel a bit like ‘sitting’ in a small, supportive chair.

Many people simply love the undeniable comfort and support of a seat harness and keep theirs forever. For freeriders, small riders, XL riders, racers, foilers and entry-level riders, the seat harness is an excellent choice.

OZONE CONNECT SEAT V3

Reliability, control and no rubbing – from freeride cruising to high speed racing situations the Connect Seat V3 harness perfectly transfers loads from the kite into the rider’s legs without restricting movement. Based on the Connect Waist V4 with added leg strap support that is fully adjustable for rider preference.

MORE HARNESS INFO

WHO WILL LOVE IT?
If you’ve ever had a rib injury and feel more delicate in that area of your torso, the seat harness is a great option as the leg straps prevent the harness from lifting up into the ribs. The seated position and the support of the leg straps help you to naturally hold down more kite power with less physical effort and technique. For beginners the extra support to help take the strain is vital as they’re yet to build up the famous ‘kiting core stomach muscles’!

BE AWARE OF…
The increased stability that comes from a more seated position comes at the cost of having less natural body manoeuvrability when doing freestyle, wave riding and certain aspects of advanced big air riding.

WAIST HARNESS OVERVIEW

A waist harness doesn’t have any leg straps and encircles only your midsection just above the hips, providing excellent freedom of movement in a compact harness.

OZONE CONNECT WAIST V4

A lightweight, minimal, incredibly comfortable and supportive harness.

MORE HARNESS INFO

WHO WILL LOVE IT?
The waist harness is favoured by dynamic riders who put a priority on maximum flexibility and manoeuvrability. For freeriders, freestylers, big air riders, wave riders and foilers, the waist harness is often the go-to design.

BE AWARE OF…
To maintain optimal body positioning against the pull of the kite, more core engagement is needed compared to a seat harness. When overpowered it’s easier to get pulled over into a poor riding posture, so it’s important to keep your core engaged and listen to your body to know when it’s time to change down a size or take a rest.

HOOK VS. SLIDER

The pros and cons of choosing a fixed hook or a sliding connection on your spreader bar?

HOOK
The traditional fixed hook is the most common way of ‘hooking’ into the chicken-loop and works great for all styles of riding because it feels secure and stable.

Most general freeriders and pretty much all big air riders favour the more locked position of the fixed hook. Instructors also use the hook as it’s more practical and easy to pass the kite back and forth with their students. If you’re into unhooked freestyle and enjoy the full power of the kite running through your arms, the hook is the only way to go (to unhook from a slider connection you need to pull the chicken-loop quick release).

The chicken-loop has an extra piece of straight plastic material attached. This is affectionately known as the ‘donkey dick’ / ‘chicken finger’ and is designed to be pushed through the harness hook once your chicken-loop is in place to prevent any accidental unhooking.

SLIDER

A slider, or sliding rope, features a dynamic and fluid feeling connection point that moves from side to side across the harness. This sliding mobility allows for more flowing body movements, particularly useful in wave riding and foiling.

CONNECT WAIST SLIDING V4

An ultra lightweight harness providing maximum freedom of movement.

MORE HARNESS INFO

The chicken loop secures around the rope slider and prevents any accidental unhooking without the need for the chicken finger. When using the slider, the only way to disconnect or unhook is to hit the quick release.

Prior to the slider, most wave riders would ride with a looser harness so that the whole harness could slide back and forth during aggressive turns. Now, with the slider, you can keep the harness cinched down tight and still enjoy this increased range of motion.

If you’re using the Connect V5 Control system or a system similar, the effortless click-in loops make connecting and disconnecting a breeze.

All Ozone control systems

SOFT SHELL VS. HARD SHELL

Some thoughts on the different feel, the effects on your body and also how much easier a soft shell is for packing small and light

SOFT SHELL
Soft shell harnesses offer a comfortable, flexible fit that conforms to the shape of your body. This type of harness is excellent for riders who prioritise comfort and unrestricted manoeuvrability.

The Ozone Connect V4 waist and Connect V3 seat harnesses have unique aspects in being incredibly lightweight and conform to your body very well, making them a sleek and minimal option.

The beauty of these lightweight harnesses is that the flexible design doesn’t restrict movement but crucially delivers support where you need it. They are also very easy to travel with, packing down nice and small.

I personally love my Connect Waist V4 harness because I don’t feel it or notice that it’s even on. There are no velcro straps that chafe my body when wearing without a wetsuit and it takes just one click to put it on.

I have more freedom of movement when I’m riding and feel more connected to the kite and the ocean without any unnecessary bulk.

Soft shell harnesses work well for all styles. Rumor has it that a King of the Air winner also loved his soft shell Ozone harness so much that he used it for some time under his competition rash vests, despite riding for a competing brand.

HARD SHELL
Hard shell harnesses provide excellent support and efficient load distribution due to their rigid structure. They are for kiteboarders who desire as much firm support as possible. On the flip side, they offer less flexibility and may in the end be less forgiving on the body.

As a rider starts to fatigue throughout a session, the hard shell allows them to ‘cheat’ a bit by relying on the harness’s stiff support to keep going as they lose core stability. Making you ‘believe’ you can ride with more power for longer, rather than preventing back pain, this can eventually lead to more pain from strain.

The rigid hard shell shape is also more cumbersome to travel with as you can’t flatten it down to fit into your luggage as easily.

All that being said, tons of riders use and love hard shell harnesses. At the end of the day, it’s all about trying things out and seeing what you like the best.

A SIDE NOTE ON BODY PHYSIOLOGY

Kiting with correct body posture is essential to mitigating back pain and issues down the road. The stiff support of a hard shell harness allows you to ride with poor posture and body positioning. I can say from firsthand experience that this is not ideal.

Any time spent riding with poor posture will come back to bite you in the end. The soft shell design allows you to naturally feel more of what your body is trying to tell you. It’s a bit easier to notice when you’re properly and improperly engaged. You will feel when your back naturally starts to fatigue. I find this to be a blessing as I can fine-tune my body engagement when I’m on the water and come in feeling great, or recognise the signs to take a break.

If keeping your core engaged is holding you back from riding as much as you want, it might be a good moment to try a seat harness as that allows for a more relaxed body position, which relies less on a tight and engaged core.

LONG VS. SHORT LEASH

LONG LEASH
If you do any unhooking, use a long leash as it will allow for much more freedom in your movements, and it’s necessary for handlepasses. I always attach my long leash to the same attachment point in the front and then just wrap it around my back. I keep it wrapped from left to right because I prefer to handlepass from right to left. You will find your preference.

SHORT LEASH
The short leash is for everyone who isn’t unhooking. Always attach to a secure attachment point on the front of your harness where it can be easily reached. You should also test your release system regularly to make sure it’s functional.

We hope this feature gives you some useful information. Let us know if you have any questions!

Jesse Richman / Team Ozone