Ozone Connect V4 2024
Reviews / Mens Harnesses
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At a Glance
One of Ozone’s product taglines is ‘Born Light - Genetically Strong’. This perfectly sums up the new Ozone Connect V4 harness range. The fourth iteration of the Connect harness series is lightweight, travel-friendly, and functional compared to fashion. By prioritising an ergonomic fit to deliver support where you need it without hindering a rider’s freedom of movement, Ozone has delivered a simple harness that allows you to forget to focus on your riding.
If you’re the sort of person who painstakingly selects their accessories to ensure that the colour scheme of their harness matches their wetsuit, etc, this probably isn’t the one for you. It only comes in a straightforward all-black colour scheme with some Ozone logos. You’ll have to choose which of the seven size options you want (XXS to XXL) and whether you prefer the hook or sliding spreader bar variant. The spreader bars are interchangeable should you wish to try the other at a later date, but they will be supplied separately. Both spreader bars feature a high-quality emergency hook knife for cutting lines, easily accessed from a pocket on the front of the spreader bar and extracted via a Dyneema leader line.
I’m not sure how Ozone has done it, but their super simplistic single webbing strap connecting the spreader bar to the harness on either side is easy to adjust and tighten! Harness adjustment via a webbing strap has historically been difficult, especially when exposed to salt water and under tension from the kite. This is a problem for which brands have created countless complicated solutions, and yet the Ozone Connect V4 is easily adjusted, cinched tight, and, in all my tests, stayed tight. Because this simple webbing strap worked with such little effort, it was a pleasure not to have to open and close or adjust complicated lever or push pin spreader bar release systems.
The overall feel of the harness is soft, not just the texture of the areas that contact the body but the overall structure. There isn’t a soft shell/hard shell, or any ‘shell’ for that matter, as the Connect V4 was designed such that it can be packed completely flat for travel. This is the case, and it is as light as they promise, weighing just over 1kg. Despite this, the Ozone Connect is very well-made and looks durable. It is worth noting that the integrated rear handle looks suitable for assisting a rider down to the water/during a lesson but may not suit the needs of a keen freestyler’s suicide leash attachment point.
On The Water
On the water, the Connect does what any good harness should do, in my opinion…it allows you to forget about it. It gave me a snug fit, consistent support, and no pressure points. The soft outer neoprene layer that covers all edges doesn’t dig in during body movements and provides a low-friction interface. Even under tension, the spreader bar tension remains easy to adjust on the water to dial in the fit. There are elastics with which you can secure your excess webbing strap, though I think I would find myself trimming off some of the excess with a hot knife if it were my harness, as I found this to be a bit of a faff that I'd rather not have to deal with each session.
When you first put the harness on, the spreader bar feels relatively large compared to the size of the harness (size tested: S). Given the lack of stiff structure or hard shell we’re used to seeing nowadays, I assumed this was to enhance the connection between the spreader bar and the harness. When used, it is no longer noticeable, and the loads are transferred well into the harness. I used the Connect for a couple of powered big air sessions with no symptoms of fatigue. It is worth caveating that I’ve historically preferred more straightforward harnesses, so I am not a rider who has become accustomed to the support of a hard shell-style harness.
When using the rope-style spreader bar with its integrated low friction o-ring (which allows the rope system to be used with your standard control bar chicken loop), I found the o-ring to slide very easily. This completely solves the problem of wearing out the sliding rope or chicken loop or both, as usually happens, but it positions the bar and throws a few extra cm away from you. This might be a deal breaker for some riders who use slider ropes to get the bar as close as possible and extend their depower throw.
Summary
The Ozone Connect V4 is lightweight, comfortable, supportive, and easy to use. As with any harness, fit is probably the most important factor, so if you try it on and it hugs your body nicely, unless you’re a hardcore freestyler or wave rider with a specific preference, this could be the harness for you.
This review was in Issue 105 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit OzoneRelated
By Liam Proctor
