I would like some advice please on how best to use my kite with a harness. I am using a Blade 4.9 or 8.5 and a 6' MBS board. I have been holding the handles myself and would like to use my harness. Any advice on how long to make the connecting cord? What about ditching? Any thoughts on leashing systems?

I would apreciate any advice. I do not have a local kite shop or other riders to ask. I actually thought I was the only one who did this.

If there are pigtails coming out of the back of your handles, you can larkshead 5mm climbing rope to that which will act as a strop you can hook your handles into your harness with. If there are no pigtails you can lash the strop to your power leaders where they come out of your handles.

As a general rule of thumb, the strop can never be so long that if you loose one handle and you are stropped in and it is pulled its farthest point possible away from you, that you can't reach it. Which means most strops are 20 - 27 inches long (actual length will vary based on your preference).

Go to the flexifoil forum and do a search there - how to make them and the name of the knots used to attach them if you don't have pigtails are listed there in several threads.

I had the same question about strop length and here is what I found. When you pull one side all the way down (close to your body), you should still be able to reach the other handle. If the other handle is too far too reach, then it is probably too long. I use climbing rope as well and it works fine so far. - Brian

Thank you. I will give it a try. I have not dropped my handles so far, but I have let one go mid drag before. Can the kite power back up if the handles are connected but not held? I will be back on the ridges with the kites this winter. I keep thinking If I let go at a 7,500' the kite would just sail away. Thanks again. Joe

If you are using a harness strop and you are hooked in and you let go the kite will power back up as the power lines will go tight - it may not hit its full power potential but it will not kill out either - that is what killers are for - but killers are no good if you are hooked in.

You should be very comfortable with your ability to fly and control the kite before hooking in. If things go south and you are used to letting go or relying on killers - those options aren't necessarily there with a hooked in strop so you need to be confident about your strength and ability to rapidly unhook when in trouble and safely get the kite under controlled or killed.

It works great! Thanks so much. I had a great day and was able to reach twice as far with the big kite before getting tired. I can't wait to try it on the snow.