[Jatay]

What is your first choice for a harness at the H-2 or Beginner level?

Did you consider a used harness with a proper fit?

[Hangskier]

High Energy has been making harnesses for years and that's what I use. A good harness will last years. A HE harness is custom made to your dimensions. Sewing harnesses, chutes, and those flying parachute things is Betty's full time job, and mods can be done to your harness later. If you want to go a little cheaper there is the Blue Sky harnesses. Don't know very much about them other than less expensive. I think Steve sews them himself during down time of instructing.

Then there is the question of new or used, cocoon or pod, front chute or side chute, then options like radio pocket, tow loops, ect.

Many used harnesses have a lot of life left is the person got out of the sport or got a different harness.

A tip: if buying new, talk to someone that has that harness and find out the cut for that brand. For example: Betty at High Energy makes the pods exactly to the measurements she gets and there is no extra room. So my 2nd pod I added a little extra room in the dimensions that I gave.

Good luck on your purchase.

[CAL]

high energy tracer, or ww Z5 both are great for beginer on up

[remmoore]

Consider getting a new or usd CG-1000. I bought one immediately after I stopped using my instructor's training harness, and enjoyed it for many years.

There are a few good reasons, IMO, for making this your first harness. First, is the single-point suspension; there are no additional lines to worry about during the hook-in process. Hooking in and hang check are very easy.

Second, the upright position in this harness is really natural and easy to attain. No cleats to release, no hefting yourself upright - going upright simply happens if you stop pushing on the footbar. Also, the upright angle postion is by far the best of all the single-suspension harnesses.

Lastly, this harness is of excellent construction, and much more streamlined than other beginner/intermediate harness - which means you can enjoy it as an advanced pilot, too. You may simply fly it for many years until it wears out, like I did.

RM

[AIRTHUG]

A cocoon harness. Comfy for hours on end, and nothing is easier to land in

I've been flying since I was 4, and fly almost every day in the summer... and I still fly in a Cocoon

[CAL]

[Hangskier]

Each type of harness has pros. You need to consider what type of flying you think you will be doing. Some pros are:

Cocoon: good for foot launch, top landing, cooler

Pod: xc, less drag, stowage of xc bag and water, warmer

[CAL]

[flyingdawg]

I own both a High Energy pod and a CG 1000. Can't go wrong with either but my vote is for the CG 1000 for ultimate comfort, quality, ease of use including landing, and it is an excellent value. Unless you become a serious competitor at the national or international level I can't imagine why you would ever need to buy another harness unless you finally just wore it out. The cocoon advocates really seem to like them but they have very limited storage space and they always fail to mention that, at least sometimes, pilots seem to have a really hard time finding that boot after launch. Makes for some interesting video as they keep kicking in the air trying to find that harness

[AIRTHUG]

New cocoons have a storage container that runs from below the parachute to the bottom of the boot. I have no trouble fitting all of my T2 bags in there.

Also, how easy/difficult the boot is depends on design. A curved foot-bar in the boot makes things a lot easier because it holds the boot open. Also, a curved boot stays open better than a square boot. And the depth has an effect, too- the deeper the boot generally the tougher to get in.

You can get whatever you like- I might suggest finding friends that have each type and hanging in theirs to get a better idea of what you like. There are lots of good options out there, but the choice is highly personal...

[TheNewGuy]

[flycenterofgravity]

I am also making cocoons so if you do decide to buy a cocoon over a pod I can still make it for you. I would recommend a pod personally for a first harness because cocoons look really awkward to launch in, but I have not flown in a cocoon. The CG-1000 is perfect for new students and it will last you through to more advanced flying as well. The price is great considering the other comparable brands and it will last you around twenty years (according to most people who have one).

[Windlord]

Cocoon= no zippers to mess with. Like others have said, just depends on what kind of flying you're going to be doing.

[blindrodie]

I struggled for YEARS with used harnesses of all types. I would recommend that whatever you start with, get it custom built OR if a used one-adjusted to fit your body by a Pro.

You will be more comfortable and most important, safer in a harness that fits you.

[AIRTHUG]

[Darbbb]

The word according to Dennis Pagen:

"Because cocoon harnesses are more difficult to run with and to climb into after launch, we recommend they not be used by pilots with less than novice skills. In fact, we recommend only pod harnesses once you have acquired the skills to fly prone and fly high. Pods afford more freedom and comfort than any other harness type in all phases of flight."

FYI.

BB

[zamuro]

I may have had the wrong cocoon but when I switched to a pod (Raymond, similar to CG 1000) I found the pod a lot easier to get in or out.
I had problens sometimes finding the boot with the coccon. I could also run better (launch or landing) with the pod.

[otterflogger]

does anyone have an opinion on the new cg harness?

[flyingdawg]

See my opinions above. Highly recommended.

[paulroys]

A Z5 of the like are great. Just get something that fits you well, is comfortable, and is easy to use.... you don't want to be distracted when coming in to land in a bit of turbulence. Used is a good option.