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By Nate
#405415
I'll vote Rotor.

I am very happy with my Rotor but have never flown a Tenax. I have flown other WV products and very much enjoyed them.

For me it was a simple choice, I loved my Rotor Vulto S that I bought used. It gave me 9 great seasons and one nice 8.5 hr XC. Being easy to get up right to land and comfy in the air, I had no reason to change from the incumbent.
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By miraclepieco
#405416
No one else can choose for you but you. Trouble is, not many people out there have actual experience with both brands - but they're happy to offer their opinion anyway. Like the guy above - he votes Rotor but admits he's never flown a Tenax. WTF?

I once bought a new custom-fit Rotor because, like Nate above, my friends recommended it. After all, Wills Wings pedals them so they're plentiful in the US. Turned out to be one of the worst harnesses I've ever had - uncomfortable, unlandable. I ended up with a Tenax and much preferred it in design and function. I still shake my head when I see pilots flying Rotors and wonder how they do it, but hey, that's them, not me. So when it comes to harnesses, no one else's opinion is at all relevant to you.

My buying decision is usually the acronym "WWMD?" Meaning, "What Would Manfred Do?" Manfred Ruhmer is the world's best hang glider pilot; you can't go wrong emulating him. Spoiler: he flies a Tenax.
By Nate
#405420
Here's WTF. I gave an extremely qualified recommendation for a product based on the merits of that product alone, not in comparison to the shortcomings of another product.
I still shake my head when I see pilots flying Rotors and wonder how they do it, but hey, that's them, not me.
Some people have talent, some have skills, and some, like you, will probably struggle with whatever they fly. :roflcat:

He who knows a lot needs little. But seriously, a Rotor is piss easy to get upright for landing. It is quite possible you and your "buddies" didn't know how to properly fit or adjust your harness.
My buying decision is usually the acronym "WWMD?" Meaning, "What Would Manfred Do?" Manfred Ruhmer is the world's best hang glider pilot; you can't go wrong emulating him. Spoiler: he flies a Tenax.
Further proof that mad skills don't need the best equipment.

If you need a harness that looks like a turtle mated with a tadpole, Tenax is for you. Personally, the incumbent product (Rotor) was so kickass that there was no need to change vendors. The gap between where I could be with a WV product over where I was with a Rotor product simply wasn't there.

Whatever decision you make, I am sure it will be the best.
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By gotandem
#405421
As of September 12, the Woody Valley Tenax 3 is not available anymore. The WV website is not updated yet but I expect it will be soon. The Tenax 4 really is a better harness than the 3 anyway. I am obviously biased towards a Tenax, but that said, both are good harnesses. The Rotor is heavier. WV has more choices with regard to the mechanism that changes the angle of dangle.
About getting upright for a landing: All these racing harnesses with backplates will be harder to get upright in as compared to intermediate or beginner harnesses. And even if you buy a new harness that is measured for you, you will have to spend time adjusting and fine tuning it. A knowledgeable dealer can make a big difference.
#405438
I don't think you will find very many pilots that have flown more than one late model, top of the line, custom fit race harness, that have been lucky enough to have them all fit correctly, that have taken the time to tune and adjust them each to perfection, and then are in the position to offer a non-biased, back to back comparison.

Like topless gliders,most of the recent harness offerings coming from the main manufactures are all really good, really close in performance, quality, and value. They will have very slight differences that will mostly come down to personal preference.

I think in all cases, the single most important factor is dealer support. Who are you buying from? What harness have they had the best luck with in the past? The harness they have the most positive experience with is likely the harness you will have the most positive experience with.

A good dealer, who takes good measurements, has realistic ideas about your skills and goals, and has the experience to offer a good fitment after delivery, is going to be a bigger factor in your success or failure with a certain harness than the manufacture.
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By Wonder Boy
#405445
gotandem wrote: Tue Oct 23, 2018 9:59 am As of September 12, the Woody Valley Tenax 3 is not available anymore. The WV website is not updated yet but I expect it will be soon. The Tenax 4 really is a better harness than the 3 anyway. I am obviously biased towards a Tenax, but that said, both are good harnesses. The Rotor is heavier. WV has more choices with regard to the mechanism that changes the angle of dangle.
About getting upright for a landing: All these racing harnesses with backplates will be harder to get upright in as compared to intermediate or beginner harnesses. And even if you buy a new harness that is measured for you, you will have to spend time adjusting and fine tuning it. A knowledgeable dealer can make a big difference.
https://www.woodyvalley.eu/en/pro/tenax-4/
Tenax 4 has been out and on the website for sometime now.

I haven't flown any WV, but I just put a season on the latest Rotro Havana S. (Previously recent Moyes Matrix)
The Back plate on the Hvana S is 3" longer than the previous Rotor models. The machined track and roller bearing slider is the easiest thing to get up right in. (Also longer travel than before) There is zero effort to get upright.

Unfortunately, there is no "one prefect" harness. As a pilot you will need to find what's the best fit and function for you.
There are pros and cons to all harnesses and anything for that matter.
Trade offs for everything, getting upright, comfort, storage, weight, durability and so on. WV I have "heard" the wide back plate can take a bit to get used to. Wedges you in the rear side wires sometimes. Again, pros and cons to all of them.

When someone tells you this is the best harness they have had, ask them what else they have had.
Were they all used, or custom fit for them? How old was the model.

We only know what we know, only after finding out more do we realize what we didn't know.

Maybe that helps....
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By waltspoint
#405449
I haven't flown with a Rotor, but here's my Tenax3 experience. I had the same question, Rotor or Tenax? There are many Tenax's at my local sites (Funston, Waddell, Bay area sites), a few Coverts & Moyes, but no Rotors. So I decided to buy what was familiar to me. I actually bought one 2nd hand, and had no fit issues. When I got it, I would tend to hang head-high, feet low. I didn't like that, and learned that there is an adjustment. You can move the 'hang-point' back, so more of your weight is in front and you settle a bit head lower. I don't have any trouble getting upright. I don't end up as upright as I might in a cocoon, but being a bit shoulders-forward/feet-back seems like a good geometry for flaring anyway. I find it a bit difficult to close the zipper in flight. The pull-cord only gets the zipper about 1/2 way, the rest I have to reach back and do by hand. That's my only complaint, and it is minor. Some people complain that the Tenax3 leg loops are ball-busters, but I haven't had trouble with that. Tenax4 reworked the leg loops for this reason I think. Mine has the simple friction-style angle adjust, which works well enough. I might prefer the fancier mechanism if I tried it. The Tenax seems like a really good design & product to me. I'm sure the Rotor is as well.

I might add that it took a bit of 'getting used to' time to feel comfortable flying the Tenax. It felt a bit awkward and tiring for my first few hours flying with it. I was probably fighting it a bit and not relaxing.

My previous/other harnesses are WW Flylite3, HE cocoon, CG1000, and a few prehistoric harnesses. I'm a recreational pilot, not a comp racer.