Rider: 73 Kgs - competent & enthusiastic
Style: Freeriding, Surf
Weather: WA = (other than 2011) nuking
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: retailer selling Dakine but also 4 other Harness brands

My Comments:
After getting feedback from almost every buyer of the Nitrous shorts I was almost relieved to have a pair returned in my size because we had managed to damage them through normal shop handling (a cut on the left buttock)
Tried them today for the first time & I too am sold.
Being a kiter that has to ride a seat (lower back injury = no waist harness) I am now willingly giving up on my low cut Dakine Tempest after 4 yrs despite it being far from worn out.
The Nitrous shorts are super comfortable - AAaaahh at last. No nappy feel whatsoever. No voice changing grinding into the groin. No snickers on the beach about not being 'cool'.
Dakine Nitrous = 'coolth' & comfort along with all the advantages of the lower centre of gravity pull; no riding up around the chest and no pressure on the spine to aggrevate any injury problems.
Match this to the undeniable top rate quality of all Dakine harnesses you have a winning combination for all kiters who 'have to' or 'prefer' the seat harness option.

NB - on Dakine generally.
As a retailer I have quickly come to realise that Dakine outlast a great no. of other brands. Customers wanting to replace their old Dakines are usually talking 4 or more years old.
Some customers come in for new harnesses having regularly replaced their worn harnesses annually. They find it hard to believe there are harnesses out there that give multiple years of service.
Ive been kiting 8 yrs now - 2 harnesses total in the past 7 seasons. AND; my 4 yr old Tempest is still fit enough to pass onto someone deserving through our 'wrecking yard' stock'.

I've been riding the dakine's and LF board shorts for a number of years now. After a failed attempt to get the firestarter waist, I went back to the shorts because waists just didn't work for me.

This year I'm testing the transformer as an alternative. My issues don't relate to back problems, it relates to a small chest so the harness tends to ride up or it digs into my ribs if I make it tight enough not to ride. Will update you on a comparison between the two when I test it.

Smithy said...

I have been looking around for the nitrous shorts recently as I am also having rib issues, sternum has become sore to even touch, most shops don't seem to carry many seat or shorts harnesses because they are not as cool as waist harnesses... The trouble is having confidence in the sizing before I either order a pair in or buy from another Aussie shop online.

I have a pair of LF board shorts harness you can try out for a little while to see if these are for you. Similar concept. Not looking to sell them second hand so this isn't a sale pitch, just offering them because I just bought a new harness so they're sitting in my cage so I figured it would give you a chance to try out the shorts idea and see if it helps the ribs and sternum issue. They'd fit a 34-36 if that helps.

eppo said...

I to have to wear a seat harness because of back soreness and I use a sliding spreader bar for toe side. I also prefer the lower centre of gravity as well than the waist harnesses I used for a number of years. What's the wear rate on these shorts. Surely the fabric on the shorts will wear faster than the actual harness mechanisms. Anyone else use these shorts coming from seat harness ( I use a flying objects, quite like it), and what is the durability of the actual short material. Surely it would stretch, fade and rip after a shortis time period??

I'll compare both the liquid force and dakine as I have used both. They are pretty similar but different.

I've found the Dakine wear better than the Liquid Force. They're sightly better made from a durability perspective. The Dakine Nitrous you can easily get 3 seasons out of them. There is some basic wear and tear normally around the tie section on the front of the shorts. My Liquid Force are now two seasons old and they are ready to be replaced.

The dakine's never used to come with a spreader bar pad, but I think the current one's do. If they don't, its mandatory or they are uncomfortable. The LF's do.

The major difference between the two is the dakine pulls more from below your butt like a conventional seat, the LF pull from a little higher up, probably mid way between a seat and a waist. The LF spreader bar sits higher up, so if you're unhooking, its a better option. I personally prefer the higher positioning of the LF, but if you're used to a seat, the Dakine may be better suited.

Material on the shorts themselves is surprisingly durable (both dakine and LF). Obviously some wear and tear does occur but given you're not having to wear normal shorts in summer, that wear and tear would happen to a pair of shorts anyway. I've never had them tear badly or anything like that, but you can see they're pretty worn after a couple of years.

Smithy said...

Thanks for the offer Saffer, I have an older kite seat harness that I am rotating with my waist harness at the moment which is giving me a lot of relief. It's funny how the doctors seemed to think that any kiter would be prepared to stop for 3 to 6 months, what are they thinking!!!

Are the nitrous large a typical 34-36 size? If so I will probably just bite the bullet and order a pair.

http://www.kitepower.com.au/dakine-nitrous-shorts-2011.html

Nitrous seem to come in actual waist sizes.

Oh so you can put the dyna spreader bar on them. I already have one of those from you guys. Yeh they are a world away in the surf if you have to wear a seat harness like myself. Two more questions mr kite power

1. What is the difference in comfort compared to a seat harness and more importantly why are they more comfortable??

2. What's the round about price for one of these shorts.

Ps dakine for me, don't unhook and like the pull from further down. Sounds weird.

eppo said...

Oh so you can put the dyna spreader bar on them. I already have one of those from you guys. Yeh they are a world away in the surf if you have to wear a seat harness like myself. Two more questions mr kite power

1. What is the difference in comfort compared to a seat harness and more importantly why are they more comfortable??

2. What's the round about price for one of these shorts.

Ps dakine for me, don't unhook and like the pull from further down. Sounds weird.

Yes you can I have the Nitrous HD and the dyna bar fits perfect and VERY comfortable. Never had a genuine seat my previous harness was the Flying Object combo, just feels as Saffer said like a pair of shorts. Worth trying them on as I find the sizing is a little tighter than my same size shorts. Believe they sell around $250.

eppo said...

Cheers boys. Wtf is that north contraption.

Basically a waist with leg straps to stop it going up.

I used to have issues with the harness sliding up (small chest). If I tightened it so it didn't slide up, I couldn't breath and it went into the bottom of my ribs. This seems to be the best of both worlds. The leg straps keep it down but you don't feel the pull on your legs at any point.

surfingboye said...

Saffer said...


Basically a waist with leg straps to stop it going up.

Just fly your kite lower, that would be better than changing harness wouldn't it?

My build means the harness goes up whether I like it or not. Normally happens on jumps. I have a straight build (small chest) so I have nothing to stop it sliding up. Most people get wider at their chest, not with me :p

And my harness was ready for replacement.

Need to add there that you would have to buy your harness at the same time as the Dyna Bar to get the change-over price. With Nitrous c/w Bar & Pad plus a Dyna Bar you would be paying $388.00

Mmm that is my prediction looking at the design. Does anyone else support the Dakines/lf deteriorating a bit quick. ??

Onto my 2nd pair now, 2-3 seasons on and still going strong. First pair lasted about 3-4 years but were well worn by then. The new pair do seem to be a little more sturdy as they still looking surprisingly good for the amount of use. As others have said these are very comfy shorts! I now have a waist harness which I use most of the time but will still go back to the nitrous shorts when it is extremely windy or when my back is playing up.

Hi guys,
interested in this topic - I've got a pair of the LF shorts (a few years old now), I used to love them but something has happened and they are digging in like crazy into my hips now (around the top of the 'shorts') I can't handle more than about 30 min in them and I'm bruised for a couple of days after as sesh - not cool! not sure if they've stretched or what, they used to be super comfy. I like the concept of the shorts as a compromise between seat and waist (which I've never found to feel quite right for me).. has anyone else had a similar bad experience? I'm leaning towards the dakine nitrous if I can get some

bmac said...

Hi guys,
interested in this topic - I've got a pair of the LF shorts (a few years old now), I used to love them but something has happened and they are digging in like crazy into my hips now (around the top of the 'shorts') I can't handle more than about 30 min in them and I'm bruised for a couple of days after as sesh - not cool! not sure if they've stretched or what, they used to be super comfy. I like the concept of the shorts as a compromise between seat and waist (which I've never found to feel quite right for me).. has anyone else had a similar bad experience? I'm leaning towards the dakine nitrous if I can get some

I had exactly the same issue when they were about two seasons old. Not sure why it happens. It hurts like a mother during and after the session. I guess that's the sign that they need to be replaced.

That's the reason I just changed my current pair and exactly why I said that the LFs only last two seasons.

Who sells the LF ones?

Agree Dakine Nitrous very very comfy, love them, also lower back probs and cant use waist harness. I have had to repair straps on current pair at anchor point on harness twice in 2 years, although in that time Ive towed 3 guys in from over 1km offshore after they lost/released their kites, so the extra weight of dragging another kiter and pull on the rear handle may have contributed to the stitching failing.

Just ordered the 2012 ION B2 boardshort harness, $162 (free delivery), good reviews o/s, supposed to be far superior build quality, will see how they compare flexibility/support/confortwise.

http://www.ion-essentials.com/content/products/harnesses/kite/b2_boardshort/