Hi

My boyfriend has a power kite, but he has a lot of trouble hanging on to it, and he only takes it out in really light winds and normally he can only fly it for 15 min or so before his arms get too tired. It often lifts him into the air.
I was looking on the internet to see if there was anything kite-related I could get for him, and I saw a few sites had kite harnesses. Are these for overcoming the problems described above or are they for people who do more advanced things like buggying? Can you buy a harness for someone else, or do they have to try it on? How does a kite harness differ from a caving/climbing harness?

Sorry if that's a stupid question, I couldn't find any FAQs for absolute beginners.

(I don't know what kind of kite it is, but it looks about 2.5m long, it's one of those ones that can inflate itself, it comes in a rucksack with a giant zip on it, and it has instructions for attaching it to a buggy. My boyfriend is about 5' 7" tall and weighs less than 60kg, if that's relevant.)

Thanks!

I have a dakine storm harness that I use for kite skiing and for flying in the park to make life easier on my arms. I know of some people that use climbing harnesses with waist (kite surfing) harnesses for kite skiing. I have not used my climbing harness with my kite at all. Kite harness tend to put the pull higher on the body than a climbing harness. If you do buy a harness for someone else, realize that they tend to run a little small (my dakine does and I know of another brand- I forget the name at the moment- that does as well). In addition to the harness a spreader bar is also needed. If he uses handles (which is most likely) then you'll want to get a spreader bar with a pulley.

Here are some kite harnesses from Pro-Limit that I have used for years and love 'em:
http://www.pro-limit.nl/displayitemv2.php?item_id=1546
I prefer the waist harness when flying in a standing position.

But a warning about harnesses:
Although they do relieve the pilot's arms, they also add an element of risk for less experienced pilots. If your boyfriend is being lifted from the ground contrary to his intent, he should spend a little more time learning kite control before strapping himself into a harness on windy days.

Also, when using a harness, a pilot should be using a safety quick-release system. These are usually available from the kite manufacturer.