Bay Area Kitesurf Inc. (BAKS) is the exclusive North American distributor for F-One & Manera

The HALO harness

By media on Dec 23, 2021 04:20 pm

WE ARE PROUD TO INTRODUCE THE HALO.

Imagine a harness providing great support while adapting to your body & movements.
A harness that would be durable as every part of it is interchangeable.
A harness that features a groundbreaking spreaderbar.
A harness with an innovative size chart that fits any body shape.

E x p e r i e n c e   t h e   H a l o.

By separating the functions of "effort management" and "comfort", we have created a harness that adapts perfectly to your body type and your movements, while offering unparalleled support.

It all started from an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the two current harness technologies:

The Softshell provides a very good adaptability, but little hold.

The Hardshell provides a very good hold, but little adaptability.


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IKSURFMAG Reviews Manera’s New Halo

By media on Dec 22, 2021 05:02 pm

Source: IKSURFMAG

At A Glance

Manera has been one of the few companies to not fully embrace the popular hardshell design that has become so universal in the harness world. Now we can finally see what they have been working on as an alternative, and it's very impressive.

Behind the scenes, they have been developing the Halo. A harness designed to take the benefits of a hardshell and marry them with the benefits of a softshell. It's fantastic to see companies taking a different approach and not just following the crowds.

The theory is sound; the spreader bar combines with the solid piece on the back of the harness. This creates a ring, or Halo, around the rider through which all the force is applied. However, as the ring at the back doesn't contact the rider, the forces stay on the ring even under load and not on your body.

Innovative new design

The key to the design is the spreader bar and the ring at the back, making a perfect circle around your body. This means the fit is crucial, so be sure to try this harness on in a store before you buy. If you don't get the fit right then, you will find pressure points on your hips, or if it's too big, it will move on your body.

The other big news is the harness components are fully interchangeable. Manera has always been looking for ways to lessen their impact on the environment, and the Halo aims to go a step further. All the parts are interchangeable and replaceable. So, if you break something, or it gets worn, you can replace it easily. In 3-4 years, if the memory foam is looking untidy, simply buy a new insert and make your harness look new again.

On The Water

The first time using the Halo, I was really intrigued to see how the ring at the back would work. Would it crush into my back under load, would the harness fulfil its remit of being super comfy, would it render my favourite hardshell obsolete?

Hard shell outer technology combined with soft shell inner.

The first session certainly made me a believer. The ring around your back doesn't really move at all; even when overpowered, there is still a gap between the load point and your body. This means the part of the harness you interact with is soft and flexible, making it super comfortable to wear.

The buckles and webbing are easy to crank tight; it's actually relatively easy to over tighten too. However, as the load on this harness is away from your body, you don't need to overtighten it to stop it from rotating or moving. A snug fit on the beach rather than a tight fit is the way to go here.

The memory foam interior is super comfortable against your back too, it's a bit of a strange sensation as there is minimal load on your body. The plastic shell that sits outside the foam is hard on the sides and softer in the middle, allowing a good deal of flex. All in all, it's an incredibly light and comfortable harness - if you get the size right.

A completely unique design

We had a few testers try this, and those who were a little larger found it had pressure points on the hips; Manera are very particular about sizing, and essentially, the outer ring has to fit around you. Otherwise, the concept won't work. I'm usually a medium in Manera harnesses but would probably size up to a large for the Halo. As we said right at the beginning, get the size right.

Overall

It's great to see some real innovation and something that works really well. If you have the correct size, the outer ring takes the strain, leaving you comfortable and free of any pressure from the harness. We love the modular, replaceable concept, which is good for the environment. It's also straightforward to change from the hook to the rope slider, and all the parts are included in the box.

If you are in the market for a new harness, then be sure to try one on and check the fit. You will be rewarded with a comfort level second to none.

Perfect fit is a must

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SALTY MEMORIES – Justine Dupont

By media on Dec 22, 2021 03:47 pm

Manera builds products to make sure that you can remain out there even in the worst conditions, because our best memories are salted.

During a stormy session in Nazaré last winter, everyone abandoned and went back home, but Justine Dupont didn’t. She stayed out there with her team and braved the storm. Find out how they were rewarded.


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TUNNEL VISION

By media on Dec 22, 2021 01:00 pm

There's no need to pack the beloved cooler-box for surf trips in the United Kingdom. Seeking out the rare swells that break along this rugged coastline is a life passion for Rhys and Katie Smith. They dedicate their time to chasing these magical swells around the island, through the frigid and stormy winter conditions. Tunnel Vision shows one of these trips to Scotland in late 2021.


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Manera 2022 Buyer’s Guide | The Kiteboarder Magazine

By media on Dec 21, 2021 03:34 pm

Source: The Kiteboarder Magazine

The Kiteboarder Magazine interviewed Manera for their annual Buyer's Guide. Find out what's new from Manera for 2022 below:

When Julien Salles took over the reins at Manera, the accessory company had a single line of kite-specific travel bags on offer. In the years that followed, Manera launched a series of innovative harness technologies and developed high performance wetsuit designs to suit every condition and style of riding. With the groundbreaking release of a new harness chassis and revamped wetsuit lines that are taking the kite, foil and surf worlds by storm, Manera’s Julien Salles fills us in on the latest developments for 2022.

What is new at the organizational level of your company for 2022? 

We have faced a huge demand for our products this year, which is a good problem to have, but it has also forced us to find new processes and ways of working. We have completely re-worked the way we manage our supply chain and re-structured our workforce to increase efficiency. We made it our goal to not just survive the COVID-induced supply chain crisis, but to continue to innovate, develop and improve during these tough times. We tripled our efforts, but the results can be found in our 2022 line.

The big news for the Manera line of harnesses this year seems to be the introduction of the Halo harness. The Halo is a very unique approach to harness technology that blends both soft and hard shell concepts. What are the key components behind the Halo and how does that translate to the various disciplines of kiteboarding?

The idea actually came to us a few years ago when we were working on the Eclipse harness. We had this vision that a harness could work like a hammock, where the body lays on a soft net without touching the stiff structure. We call this technology “Adaptive shell.” We tried a first sample made with 3D printing, and immediately discovered that the concept worked. Then we had a major challenge to overcome: How should we produce it? Having an idea and being able to transform it into a real product is often the hardest part. We invested a lot of resources into the concept and had the entire R&D team working on it. Two years later, after a lot of hard hours and tons of prototyping, here we are!

We didn’t only develop and patent the Adaptive shell technology, we also made all the individual harness parts completely interchangeable so if any piece is damaged or used, we’re able to change it easily. Nothing is stitched or glued, everything is replaceable. This is a great service to customers and a more sustainable approach to ensuring products last longer. Last but not least, it comes with a brand new spreader bar that comes out of the box with both a hook and a sliding rope! It came out great and I think this will change the way we look at harnesses: First there was softshells, then hardshells, and now we have the adaptive shell.

Click the image above to watch the HALO product preview from AWSI.

Manera’s existing line of harnesses include the Eclipse and Exo models. How do these compare to the new Halo Model and what kind of rider might prefer these various models?

Since we have shipped dozens of Halos out for testing, we’ve had no one preferring any other harness… this will be interesting to see how it affects sales within our own range. The Eclipse has a lower profile, so it fits riders that are looking for greater freedom of movement, which might appeal to freestyle and wave riders. The Exo 2.0 has a bit higher profile, so this might be better for riders that are looking for a larger support area, which could cover freeride and big air.

How should riders choose between the Magma, X10D and Seafarer lines of wetsuits? Are there any changes for 2022 in terms of material and design? 

We designed our lines to be very easy to understand: The Magma is for warmth, the X10D is for lightness/flex, and the Seafarer is the best value for money. Our main strength in neoprene is our 3D designed fit, so we’re still working to improve it every year. This year we updated the upper back panels and created intermediate sizes (short and tall). Pattern improvements are not that easy to communicate to the end user, but the improvements we make in the wetsuit panels are the ones that the customer will feel the most when in the water. Every year we test and implement new fabrics in order to keep our wetsuits among some of the warmest, fastest drying, most flexible and durable of the market. This year we featured new recycled jerseys into the Magma and a new fleece into the X10D and Seafarer. You can find more information about these materials on our website.

Click the wetsuits above to watch the Manera wetsuits product preview from AWSI.

Manera has rounded out its line with a full plate of accessories that range from the Neo Top to the Biki Suit and a full offering of booties and gloves. What are the exciting developments in the accessory lines for 2022? 

It was an exciting process to implement everything we have learned from 10 years of designing wetsuits into a new range of accessories. We designed booties that support the foot while allowing a great board feel, and we came up with the idea for pre-shaped gloves that keep hands warm without increasing forearm fatigue. We dialed in our windproof hoods so they don’t squeeze your face and we now have high quality neo tops that actually fit the body and keep you really warm. We felt like there was a lot of room for innovation in the neoprene accessories range, and we had a lot of fun working on these products that bring something new to the accessory space.


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Recent Articles:

Tech Focus on the Manera Halo | IKSURFMAG
Manera – THE HALO – p a r t . 2
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Manera – THE HALO – C h a p t e r . 1
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