Hello friends, has anyone ever used a rock climbing harness to fly your kite either for just static flying or traction?

I really want to use a harness for flying but I do not have any cash to purchase a proper kite harness, but I am really into climbing and have a really nice harness for rocks.

If you guys have how did you hook it up?

Also, I feel like all newbies just ask a billion questions, so when my first kite arrives in the mail I will try to rig something up and I will post a video and pictures. Especially if no one has ever used a climbing harness before.

Cheers!

Yep. I've got a Chounard Black Diamond that I used quite successfully as well as tree surgery harnesses both shop bought and home made. With a depower kite, you can just thread the chicken loop around the waste or use a carabiner to attach. Fixed bridle will need strop, quick release and carabiner. The Ozone SB harness I have is quite similar to a rock climbing harness with two main differences - a climbing harness is designed to take the load of a falling body on dynamic rope - I can't remember the figures but you'll break before it does. A kiting harness (at least my Ozone) isn't built anywhere near that standard and I'd be pretty reluctant to abseil in it let alone climb in one. But the kiting harness does have a nifty hook that makes it easy to hook in for depowers...or it can have a pulley wheel built in that you can just hook your strop around.

Both the climbing harness and the Ozone can tend to ride up if you're flying high overhead which tends to raise the pitch of your voice somewhat. I have found the most comfy to be the 'nappy' type harness - ie, my Dakin speed seat. No leg loops to ride up and make life uncomfy. I guess all body shapes are a bit different so there will be a lot of different opinions on the most comfy, but yep, a climbing harness will be just fine if you've already got one.

If you do a google search on wichard pulley kite release - you'll get some ideas on how to set it up. Please note - you'll want to be pretty confident in your flying ability and know your kite well before you try hooking in. Not something I'd be trying with my first kite......things can go wrong FAST and if you're hooked in and not ready for it, you can get seriously beaten up. Like hospital serious......

lay off the harness for a while it will not just put you at risk but hinder your progression
log all the flying time you can freehand...this is even more true if you have a gusty area
always ask the questions

Most people don't use a harness for static flying. All it's going to do is pull you off your feet if you put the kite in the wrong place. When you start to use a board or a buggy, then any excess pulling is turned into forward motion, so you can put it with some gusts and unexpected jerks. If all you've got is your feet, you might end up face first in the grass.

When I'm flying with a harness, I generally try to get in my buggy without spending too much time messing around after launching.

Spend a lot of time learning to fly your new kite on handles before you hook in.

Thank you guys for the responses. I will not try it out for a while, and I will not static fly with it. I really appreciate all of the good advice.