Waist harnesses are just that - they typically strap around your waist and are contoured to your body to hold it low when the kite pulls.

Seat Harnesses are basically waist harnesses with leg straps. The straps then help to hold the harness in a fixed position, to stop it riding up. When kiting, waist harnesses tend to slide up your body and need adjusting to keep them down.

Seat harnesses stay in one play, but because of the pull of the kite they tend to create an "atomic wedgie" after a while. Best used with a wetsuit to prevent this happen.

It comes down to personal preference as to what you like. I've used both and right now am using a seat harness with boardshorts because I like my hook to be nice and low. I'm sure other people have different opinions...

not only is it personal preference sometimes ur forced to use seat over waist. ive been ridin my prolimit seat for the past year or so. i cracked my ribs and waist harnesses tend to dig into my ribs. also other people i know hav back problems and in a seat they feel more support is given. so if ur not bruised and battered go the waist i reckon, but if u want that extra support go the seat. but really there are no rules, so u just need to try both and see wat u prefer

Ta for the wisdom all. I was about to post this same Q?
The only thing I still wonder is a seat or waist position prefered for small - medium wave riding?

Cheers,

Ian

Re wave riding - I use a seat harness, stay natural stance all the time and carve turns. When riding toe-side I find it useful to have a smaller spreader bar that can slide around to my left hip so that the pull of the kite is not twisting my body - many waist harnesses on the market lock the spreader in place which makes riding toe-side less comfortable. Many people prefer waist harnesses to allow the whole harness to twist when toe-side. Whatever works for you :-)

go the prolimit kite seat and get a spreader from slingshot (their new baby) I recon that's a great combo... Alan Keys, one of the locals at woodies ride's this set up, he would probably give it a good review...

come on Alan you big girl give us a review...

Although a little price for this combo (harness $175 approx & $150 aprox for spreader) I think you will be happy...

Sue Anderson, (mum of Perth's own wonderboy little Dan) rides one also I think...

If you've never dropped your kite, your not trying hard enough !
To hear your knee go POP ruins a kite trip !
Sucide leash's and onshore conditions are a interesting combination !
Broken ribs SUCK !