In the never-ending debate between soft shell and hard shell, AK Durable Supply Co. has come out of the left-field with something completely different. Find out about the AK Ether in this interview with Clinton Filen!

In the never-ending debate between soft shell and hard shell, AK Durable Supply Co. has come out of the left-field with something completely different. At first glance, the AK Ether harness is unique within the industry. Can you tell us a bit more about this product?

The Ether is a lightweight, ultra-thin harness that can be flat-packed or rolled. It is the lightest harness in our range with the highest freedom of movement. Initially developed as a travel-ready product, most of our customers use the Ether for foil, wave riding, and in more recent months, a solution for wing surfers looking for a less bulky harness! 

What was the inspiration behind the design of the AK Ether harness?

I, and pretty much the whole design team, are inspired by minimalism and making products that are as simple as possible without undermining the core function.

Within traditional harnesses, there is a lot of “styling” in the way of large, moulded foam pieces that add a lot of unnecessary weight and complexity that have almost become fashion accessories. Of course, this is also a fun pathway in harness design, but we wanted to do something different.

How does this design differ from the more traditional hard shell and soft shell harnesses?

The Ether would be the furthest from a traditional hard shell harness but takes some aspects of that and a soft shell for primary shaping. Following the fundamentals of biomimicry, we took a completely different path for load distribution. 

We used the benchmark of a traditional harness and, of course, worked to make it as comfortable as possible. You will not get the same level of stiffness or support you would get from a full composite hard shell, though that product category exists in the AK range.

AK has the Method harness and Synth harness, which cater to the hard shell and soft shell lovers, respectively. Can you give us a quick run-down on these two designs?

The Method is our take on a hard shell design, where we kept the hard composite shell support but developed a flexible edge system. The Synth focuses on the classic harness or soft shell market, with the option of a seat attachment that we find extremely useful for those riding various disciplines or riding levels. 

How long have you been working on the AK Ether? What has changed from the early prototypes to the production version?

We have been working on this product in some shape or form for around four years. The early prototypes were quite basic; some even left out the foam padding so we could fine-tune the shaping, flex zones, and edge tension diffusion. We tend to build a lot of quick, rough ideas to test our concepts and then polish them into something beautiful afterwards.

The Ether harness features a 3D ergonomically shaped load plate combined with fly-line load distribution technology. What are these two features, and how do they work?

We look at the 3D ergonomically shaped load plate concept as a semi-flexible membrane that changes your body’s movement. This is reinforced by the “fly-line” load lines, which act like tendons that support the heavier loading without adding much weight.

A word I’ve heard you say several times that always causes an ‘ah-ha!’ moment is biomimicry. How do you incorporate biomimicry into your designs?

It may sound strange, but imagine if your body grew a harness over time. How would it diffuse the load and distribute the forces? Look at how your body and nature would solve these problems and mimic these solutions in the design. Of course, it is not only about harnesses, as anything you wear or use to protect you should function as a part of your body. Even a product like a fin or a foil needs to be intuitive and feel fused with your natural reactions. So it is a broad philosophy that forms a part of our design ideology.

What is coming up next in the Ether concept?

The Ether waist harness concept is a design fundamental for us, so watch this space for an expanding line of Ether products tying into this idea of minimalist, lightweight, human-centred design.

Videos

AK Ether Harness - Product Overview
By Crystal Veness
Editor at IKSURFMAG, Crystal Veness hails from Canada but is based in South Africa. When she isn't busy kitesurfing or reporting on the latest industry news for the mag, she is kicking back somewhere at a windy kite beach or working on creative media projects.

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