I know this harness might not exist but I would like to pick up a harness for all aspects of kiteboarding (i.e. land, snow, water). I've have mostly used until this point an ozone snowkiting harness the climbing harness kind. I've also used a HQ waist harness. I much prefer the positioning of the harness at the waist. It allows the bar to be much closer to my arms and I can lean out against the pull of the kite more easily. The only problem is that the HQ slides up like mad. Can anyone recommend a waist harness that will stay put? Seems like mystic is the brand of choice, any thoughts on this?

Your options are in a way a bit limited. We use the Ozone SB as our primary school harness because it's comfortable and easy to move around in and most of the time a student isn't looking for the highest performance harness in a lesson. We want them comfortable.

For more high performance use almost everyone here in northern New England that I know is in a seat harness on snow. Lower center of gravity at speed, solid interface, no creep. Downside is for jumping it puts things in an uncomfortable tow point for a lot of people. Most of the waist harness users I know locally use them because it's what they have and they ride in the summer as well. Some waist harnesses work better than others. The Mystic seems to do well from what I'm told if you crank it on right, Dakines as well. The hard part in the winter is that your layers allow the harness to ride up unless it's really almost too tight.

The compromised is a custom set up. If you're near anyone that does climbing gear repair or fab it's simple enough to get leg loops sewed into a waist harness and get the best of both worlds. We have a few places here in town that can do that work but I'm pretty much set on my Fusion seat harness for 90% of the riding I do.

Don't know if that helps you our not. :P

On land you don't edge as much as on water and the kite tends to be higher in the window more often than on water while riding. This means my waist harness (mystic shadow) rides up all the time when I'm on land (I hate it) but is great on water. I use a dakine fusion seat harness for land kiting.

Maybe a waist harness with removable straps? or a custom (molded to your back) engine waist harness would stay put.

https://shop.ride-engine.com/harnesses/

Out of curiosity, what's the problem with a seat harness on water? Just that it might pull you in uncomfortable places? I haven't had that problem with my LiquidForce.

For me it was the walking around part. I did a lot of walking upwind when learning and the seat harness made it very tiring. I bought a waist harness and my legs were free, so much better. It is also smaller/easier to travel with. I never used a seat harness after that on water so not sure what the difference is when your actually riding upwind and trying tricks.

Just gotta try them and see which one you like better. If you have a bad back go with a seat harness, if you like to have your legs free for tricks and stuff or will be doing lots of walking, go with a waist harness. It also depends on your build... if you have a V shaped torso or a beer shaped one, it determines how much a waist harness will ride up on you.

a lot of th European snow kiter use a combination harness. they use a waist harness and a climbing harness and using this set up they can adjust the tow point. you use the waist harness as normal, then hook the climbing harness to the spreader bar to stop is riding up.

Thanks for the feedback all. I am fairly tall 6'4" and I'm mostly torso so the seat style harnesses put my tow point much to low. I find that I can't lean out properly and have to bend my knees and squat. Perhaps I will follow up on the custom leg loops or custom molded. Thanks.

What's the sizing like on the Mystic Fusion? True to chart sizing or does it wear small? I assume you wear it over your ski pants like the Ozone Access? Larger size needed because of this?

I use a modified climbing harness. The mod keeps the attachment point--a carabiner--very low and makes walking so easy I oftem forget I am wearing the harness.

To make the mod I cut out the load loop, removed the center section of the waist with a single strap and buckle. I then severed the connect from the leg loops to the load loop. I added a piece of 5mm amsteel as a link between the leg loops. It's just loped through both leg loops and tied. I then clip a 'biner around this Amsteel loop and the waist. My chickenloop clips onto the 'biner.

This is the best setup I have ever used. The connect between the legs slides back and forth through the 'biner with every stride. It allows a tremendous freedom of movement.

I suppose I should find a picture. Sewing skills are required, but it was very much worth it.

Philip

Interestingly most of the problems I have are with the attachment point being to low..

I switch between Ozone XC snowkite harness, and Hadlow Pro Limit harness. I honestly like waist better, but when it's really cold I can't get it on over the extra layers of clothing. I have never tried putting it on under my gear. The biggest problem with my snowkite harness, it the straps coming loose quite often. The biggest benefit of the snowkite harness is that the attachment is lower, making the trim easier for me to reach, and no riding up. The waist harness limits my mid section bending, making it tough to lock in my snowboard bindings (I need to do some yoga one day. Lol)