I am looking to modify my full zip jacket so i can wear my harness underneath my jacket. Anyone got any good ideas on how to do this effectively. Did a quick search up on google and it same up with the following. i have a guy here who can sow it all up. Just need to tell him what to do.

www.snowkiting.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f...=0&sk=t&sd=a


www.mnadventure.com/index.php?option=com...d=120:the-kite-panel
www.mnadventure.com/index.php?option=com...atid=119:will-it-fit
commercial modification

www.mnadventure.com/index.php?option=com...ources&Itemid=71

www.mnadventure.com/index.php?option=com...ources&Itemid=71

www.wildthingsgear.com/legacy/?p=1291

www.ultranectar.com/snowkitejacket/

masskiting.com/content/snowkite-jacket-modification

Common one is to use a pullover jacket instead and make a small cut the width of the hook, reinforce the edges with a seam band and add a velcro flap that fits the gap between the bars of the hook.

Not very easy with a zip up jacket unless you replace the zip in favour of two seperate ones and modify the weather flap with some velcro or something. Similar to what is done in some of these mods you found.

Personally wear a pullover shell and a Ozone AccessXC harness and be done with it. Otherwise get too hot in a full padded jacket. The lower towpoint only lifts the edge of my jacket and hardly ever a problem. Same when buggying.

not that i've snow kited yet but i do use jackets etc when landkiting. I too use the ozone xc harness find that its not in the way of the jacket or vice versa.

But really if you did want to modify wouldn't it be as easy as fitting 2 shorter zips that start/finish at the harness point. All yourd need to do is find a tailor/canvice person to do the work?

last thing. if you are goinh to use your lei's with the through the jackeet spreader where is the safety going to attach?

plummet wrote:


The safety leash attachment point thing - thats what I was wondering about as well when I was going to get my jacket modified. My safety attaches at the back of my waist harness, with a release loop beside the spreader bar as well as the release on the leash as well.

I have ended up just wearing my harness overtop of my jacket. Seems to work alright on the snow, but at one stage the harness rode up a bit and I had a crash, ended up with cold snow down my back!!

I would like to see what you end up doing, photos?

Hey Loui i would seriously consider doing this, (buying one or making your own)

www.driftsnowkitemag.com/2010/03/11/new-product-the-kite-panel/

best soloution ive seen, i know Chasta gets one cut into every jacket, and the Mushow boys make a good jacket as well, this would mean you wont have to cut up your current jacket though.

cheers Dan

Those MN adventure guys are who I used to kite with before moving to NZ and Aaron is a good friend of mine, so if you want some advice I can ask him for you.

I used to just put my waist harness over my jacket when I snowkited so never worried about it, and it kept me warmer as my jacket was always tight to my body.

Michelle I know you miss MN and the freezing cold! Hopefully soon our 4 months of summer will be over! haha..

I got an email from someone over there and thought I'd drop by to see what the NZ crew is up to.

Yeah, I've tried lots of variations for jacket mods for snowkiting. I wouldn't really call the Kite Panel a "commercial" product. Basically I have to charge money for them so all my buddies aren't asking me to make them one. If you have sewing skills you can pretty much make your own. James did a good review of it for the Drift article. I'm not an unhooked guy like James, so the leash could be an issue. One the commercial jackets just has a port hole in the back like I put in the panel. If you're already sewing, might as well add that hole as well. The panel does work well though. My jackets are baggy and wearing a harness on the outside didn't work. The Ozone harness is nice, but it pinches my nuts and if you have to dress warm like we do, there's even more stuff to bunch down there with long underwear and snowpants. I own an Ultranectar jacket.. somewhere on my site is a review of the first model they made. I thought it was the solution, but I still kept tinkering because the huge front zipper would open mid session and dump snow in my jacket. That's the problem with trying to make one that fits everyone. I think in the end, the best solution is what works for you. I like to wear the same jacket kiting and for other winter sports, so the panel is nice because you can just take it out. I gave up on all my other mods. This one is quick and cheap.

Michelle, go buy a sewing machine and start cranking them out for the NZ kiters. I like to think of the idea as open source. It's impossible to mass produce them because you'll find out every jacket is different. Open source is what will make it even better. So make one this week, try it out. If you can't be bothered with it.. there's always a sucker in Minnesota who's made a crap load of them that could be suckered into making one for you guys too.

I wish I could sell enough to afford a plane ticket to NZ so I could play over there, but the $20 I make per panel is spent on beer consumed making the panels! It's a vicious circle..

ha ha ha.. great read Aaron. Good insight into the life of a great all round kiter dude from the states! Love it!

I like the panel concept. I busted the zip on my Snow jacket last Snow kiting season and now your "open source" idea has got me thinking that I can create a panel with two new super sturdy zips. Perfect newly modified Snowkiting jacket!

Thanks dude for you post. Really informative! Karma 4 u!