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back-friendly harness #143632
05/20/08 06:10 PM
05/20/08 06:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 163
Atlanta
GeoffS Offline OP
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GeoffS  Offline OP
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After I spend a couple of hours in my harness, I have to nurse my lower back for a couple of days. Anybody have a recommendation for a harness that is easy on the back?

Geoff

-- Have You Seen This? --
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: GeoffS] #143633
05/20/08 06:40 PM
05/20/08 06:40 PM
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,224
Roanoke Island ,N.C.
Team_Cat_Fever Offline
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Aquata/Murrays? Worrell full harness. It's heavy but your actually more comfy on the wire than off. It's like laying in a hammock.


"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"

The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea
Isak Dinesen
If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most.
E. B. White
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: GeoffS] #143634
05/20/08 07:34 PM
05/20/08 07:34 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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Quote
After I spend a couple of hours in my harness, I have to nurse my lower back for a couple of days. Anybody have a recommendation for a harness that is easy on the back?

Geoff


What are you using now? I agree with Todd though, there is nothing more comfortable than the Worrell XT harness - but it is too heavy and cumbersome for buoy racing in my opinion.


Jake Kohl
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Jake] #143635
05/20/08 07:55 PM
05/20/08 07:55 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 163
Atlanta
GeoffS Offline OP
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Quote
What are you using now?


Looks to be an "Aquata Pro Excellerator XT" circa 2002.

Re: back-friendly harness [Re: GeoffS] #143636
05/20/08 07:59 PM
05/20/08 07:59 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 465
Oxford, UK
pdwarren Offline
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Stupid question, but are you doing your shoulder straps up tightly? I find I often have to re-tighten them once I'm on the wire. I often don't notice that they're slack for a while, but it's much more comfortable once they're tight and taking some of the weight.

Paul

Re: back-friendly harness [Re: GeoffS] #143637
05/20/08 08:05 PM
05/20/08 08:05 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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Quote
Quote
What are you using now?


Looks to be an "Aquata Pro Excellerator XT" circa 2002.


That should be a good one - play around with the straps a bit - especially the shoulder straps. When mine is most comfortable on the wire, the shoulder straps are quite tight anywhere else.


Jake Kohl
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: pdwarren] #143638
05/20/08 08:06 PM
05/20/08 08:06 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 163
Atlanta
GeoffS Offline OP
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Quote
are you doing your shoulder straps up tightly?


I try to keep them tight, but I also prefer to wear my PFD over my harness, so I don't have great access to the shoulder straps. It's a good thought, though. I'll pay more attention to this.

Re: back-friendly harness [Re: GeoffS] #143639
05/20/08 08:26 PM
05/20/08 08:26 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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Quote
are you doing your shoulder straps up tightly?


I try to keep them tight, but I also prefer to wear my PFD over my harness, so I don't have great access to the shoulder straps. It's a good thought, though. I'll pay more attention to this.


And the tighter your spreader bar is to your torso, the less pinching moment it applies to your lower back.


Jake Kohl
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Jake] #143640
05/21/08 08:05 AM
05/21/08 08:05 AM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,049
Sebring, Florida.
Timbo Offline
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Here's a problem I've been having with my full body harness. In order to walk upright on the beach, I have the shoulder straps loose. Once I get out on the wire, I reach inside my life vest and snug the shoulder straps down fairly tight, tight enough that I can lay my shoulders back to flat body, and relax my stomach muscles.

BUT, when I come in off the wire for a dowind run, and try to sit up straight on the tramp, the shoulder straps are now too tight, and if I were to get off the boat with them set at the "upwind" setting, I could never stand up straight without loosening them quite a bit first. Cranking down on the shoulder straps compresses my vertebrea as well as supporting my shoulders and upper body, due to the nature of them wraping over the top of my body and going back down to the waist area.

I can really feel it in my back the next morning if I have been sailing "compressed" the day before. Is there a harness with shoulder straps or other type of upper body support that does not compress your spine when you tighten them up?


Blade F16
#777
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Timbo] #143641
05/21/08 08:28 AM
05/21/08 08:28 AM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,584
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Tony_F18 Offline
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Tim:
I have exactly the same problem with my MagicMarine harness, the other day I borrowed a Hobiecat Convertible harness and liked it a lot.
The back support is quite solid and doesn't depend/compress so much on the top shoulder straps like my MM one does.
I am seriously considering getting one.
[Linked Image]

Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Tony_F18] #143642
05/21/08 08:32 AM
05/21/08 08:32 AM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,049
Sebring, Florida.
Timbo Offline
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Thanks Tony. It looks like it has no shoulderstraps at all, is that correct? I was thinking about maybe a windsurfing type harness or something that wraps around my chest, no shoulder straps, with a hook higher up, towards my sternum, much higer than the typical cat harness. Anyone seen something like that? What do the Kite guys use?


Blade F16
#777
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Tony_F18] #143643
05/21/08 08:57 AM
05/21/08 08:57 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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As far as the half-harness goes, I don't think anyone makes one comparable to the Hobie...I'm just waiting for the day I can afford/justify one (would be great for those lightish days where you may or may not be trapezing). The center of gravity needed for trapezing is different that wind surfing since they are standing more upright.


Jake Kohl
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Timbo] #143644
05/21/08 09:05 AM
05/21/08 09:05 AM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 164
fort Myers, FL
arievd Offline
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fort Myers, FL
Hobie makes two different half models, the Convertible (that is the one on the picture) and the regular half Skippers harness. The Hobie convertible has shoulder straps that can be taken off (hence the name convertible). The back and hip support in this harness are great, the bucket is very stiff and has a lumbar support build in. The regular Hobie half (Skippers) harness does not have shoulder straps, nor does it have the support or stiffness that the Convertible has (but it is cheaper!). We have the Convertibles and love them.

Last edited by arievd; 05/21/08 09:15 AM.

Arie
Hobie 16 111812
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Tony_F18] #143645
05/21/08 09:33 AM
05/21/08 09:33 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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Anybody have experience with the HYDRO XT shown here? http://www.aquatausa.com/harness.htm


Jake Kohl
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: arievd] #143646
05/21/08 09:38 AM
05/21/08 09:38 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,884
Detroit, MI
mbounds Offline
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Detroit, MI
I have the Hobie convertible harness as well. I love it with one major exception - when you're doubled over to get under the boom on an H-16 or H-17 (especially the 17), the rear "plate" sticks out enough to catch the boom as it goes over your back. It also interferes with the "skirt" on some of the PFD's I wear, contributing to the problem of the PFD riding up.

I went to a MM full harness in 2005 (not really thrilled with it), and just bought a MM half harness last weekend. The new half harness is nice, but the jury is still out. One day of sailing is not enough to judge.

Re: back-friendly harness [Re: mbounds] #143647
05/21/08 10:14 AM
05/21/08 10:14 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 733
Home is where the harness is.....
Will_R Offline
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Will_R  Offline
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Home is where the harness is.....
I have a friend that has/had a hydro XT. I think he likes it a lot... I'm just more into the full harnesses. I've got an Equipe and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I'm going to need a new one soon and am not sure what to replace it with. It has GREAT back support, you don't even know your hanging in it.

I have to say that I might be the only person in the world that does not like the worrell harness. I wore one for two days in the worrell and had to switch to my equipe. It seriuosly hurt me on the sides of my thighs.

Re: back-friendly harness [Re: mbounds] #143648
05/21/08 10:32 AM
05/21/08 10:32 AM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 164
fort Myers, FL
arievd Offline
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arievd  Offline
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fort Myers, FL
Matt, yes, I experienced that on the 16 as well...I found that it is much less of an issue when the shoulder straps are attached (they keep the back part of the bucket closer to the body).


Arie
Hobie 16 111812
Re: back-friendly harness [Re: Jake] #143649
05/21/08 10:33 AM
05/21/08 10:33 AM
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 168
San Diego
H
hokie Offline
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San Diego
I have the slightly older model aquata hyrdo which is pretty much the same as the xt. I find it comfortable but I've never had a full harness so I don't really have anything to compare to.



Re: back-friendly harness [Re: hokie] #143650
05/21/08 10:58 AM
05/21/08 10:58 AM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 712
mikekrantz Offline
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I've sailed thousands of hours in a harness. I've owned a ton of harnesses. The Worrell XT was the most comfortable for long periods on the wire, however it was too bulky for most bouy work. The new Zhik harness is hands down, the best alternative I've found. Lighweight, no buckles, a huge back support pad, and broad spreader bar. It will be available in the US mid-June, Order here at the Catsailor Online Store. There was a thread on this harness a while back with pics, etc.

Re: back-friendly harness [Re: mikekrantz] #143651
05/21/08 11:30 AM
05/21/08 11:30 AM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,049
Sebring, Florida.
Timbo Offline
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Are there any full harnesses with the spreader bar higher up than belt level? I would think the higher you could get it the better back support it would offer, without having to crush your spine with over shoulder straps pulling your shoulders down toward your waist.


Blade F16
#777
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