Steve Walt Webb

Kent is right about getting used too the kite in the buggy first. I did the same thing when I started, but I soon realised that my wrist and arms hurt like hell! So I soon looked around for a harness, and as Kent said, many were designed for kite surfing rather than the buggy. I have moved on to harness # 3 but that's not bad going in 17yrs of buggying! I wore out my first simple waist harness, the hook being made of a composit material. My second was more a kite surf design but it was a snug fit and was OK in the buggy. This lasted me over 10yrs, but I a couple of years ago I purchased a Libre buggy harness which allows for so much more body movement. I have used both types of spreader bar, roller and hook. for a 4 line power kite with handles and a strop line, then the roller is less of a struggle, but I found I had to modify the bar, as the strop line would sometimes fall out of the roller when the kiteline pressure dropped. This is less of a problem with a hook, I found pulling the stropline through the hook a bit of a struggle, though there are ways round this. As I now fly de-power I use the hook, as this is no longer a problem as the system is different. In Europe we fly mainly on a harness, be it fun, free-style or racing, as the power is transfered through the body, giving you effortless buggy time and extending your day....which can only be a good thing! If you can, try out as many harnesses as possible, and when your happy buy it! I couldn't buggy, for as long as I do in a day at my age without one:) regards, Steve Walt Webb, BBC No 79. UK