Ride Engine’s founder, Coleman Buckley, changed the kiteboarding world when he created the very first hard-shell harnesses in his Santa Cruz, California workshop. Immediately, the kiteboarding community realized Coleman’s ingenuity had produced a harness that was significantly more supportive, more comfortable, and delivered a locked-in feel that was far superior to a traditional soft-shell harness. Since that Big Bang moment, Ride Engine’s hard-shell harnesses have become renowned as the best in the industry (instigating numerous knock-offs and copycats from other companies), and we have continued to evolve and optimize our harnesses into two main styles: the Elite Carbon Harness and the Prime Harness. Using our proprietary Armor Shell technology, both have nearly identical DNA and features—the major difference being that the Elite Carbon’s frame is made with carbon fiber, while the Prime’s frame is constructed from a blend of fiberglass and nylon-weave lamination layers.
Which Ride Engine harness frame material is best for you? Carbon fiber or composite? Here are some things to consider:
STIFFNESS
DAMPING
COST
DECISION TIME: