While most of the harness brands are making super high-end products with the new rigid harnesses, Manera have bucked the trend somewhat. The excellent EXO arguably led the charge for a more supportive harness many years ago, and it does a fantastic job. New for 2018 Manera have launched the Union, priced lower than the EXO it aims to make incredible comfort at an affordable price.
The look of the harness is very stylish, and the one-piece back plate looks bang up to date in terms of styling, but unlike its carbon cousins out there it is actually soft. The idea is that instead of the EXO’s external frame a single Energy Dispersion Plate is housed inside the foam of the harness. This results in much cleaner look than the EXO but still offers excellent support.
The other clever aspect of the Union is it is designed to be exceedingly lightweight, even when wet. A minimum amount of material is used, and the idea is that most of the materials won’t absorb water. This is a very very light harness, and even better if you sneak in a last minute session before a flight home, it won’t tip the scales at the airport either having soaked up half the ocean.
On The Water
Manera make some of the most comfortable harnesses on the market, they need to be comfortable too, the test team are often on the water for 8 hours per day. You are going to be crippled if your harness isn’t the best it can be. The Union feels fantastic on your body; it’s almost as if you aren’t wearing a harness at all. No points of pressure and it is so light you hardly notice you have it on.
Packed with the usual high level of tech from Manera it’s great to see the spreader bar with the Down Hold System straps, which stops any riding up. The spreader bar features plastic coated ends to increase the longevity of the webbing straps which is a great upgrade.
The Tuck Flaps combine with the Down Hold System straps to give an impressive low down hold, if you fit this harness with the correct sized spreader bar (Manera have different sizes to ensure an exact overall fit) then you get zero rising up, it’s impressive!
Overall
An incredibly light and exceedingly comfortable harness from Manera, at a time when prices for top end harnesses seem to be skyrocketing it’s great to see the Union hit the market. It’s top-level comfort with high-end hold down for a great price, try one on, and you won’t be disappointed!
Manera’s Energy Dispersion Plate is excellent!
The handle pass leash can be removed if you want
The tuck flaps are a great feature on the Union
The spreader bar is both comfortable and solid
Easy entry and exit from the harness with the simple hook and loop set up
We can’t express how comfortable this harness is, silky against your skin!
