What Is a Racing Suit?
Racing suits are designed to keep the driver safe in case of fire. They are designed to cover you from head to toe with fireproof material to keep you from injury. Racing fire suits are available as a 2 piece racing fire suit with separate jacket and pants or a 1-piece racing jumpsuit. Whether you choose a 2-piece or 1-piece fire suit, it is best to first consult your racing class’s sanctioning body to see what is required. Then you will be able to decide if a 2-piece race suit is applicable, or if you need more of a 1-piece racing uniform arrangement. A 2-piece race suit is arguably more comfortable since you can size the jacket and pants according to your body type. However, racing suits shouldn’t be purchased solely on the idea of comfort since they do have a serious job. Furthermore, many racing suits we carry are also available as a kit with gloves and shoes, and even a helmet in case you need a complete racing uniform.
What Are Racing Suits Made Of?
In racing suit fireproof applications, most racing suits are made of FR (fire resistant) cotton, Nomex or Aramidic fibers, or a combination of all three, among other materials. All these materials are designed to give you time to exit a burning vehicle without being injured. The most important factors you need to look for in a racing uniform is its SFI rating and Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) value. Most racing suits are SFI rated or certified, but here is also where you need to investigate your racing sanctioning body’s rulebook to see which minimum rating is required.
The TPP value is actual time the race suit gives you before sustaining second degree burns. To us, as much protection as possible would be tops on our list, but we also know there are diverse levels of automotive performance, and maybe you don’t need that level of protection. We carry racing suits of varying SFI and TPP levels of protection from 3.2A/1 to 3.2A/5 sportsman level racing suits. To help you decide which SFI and TPP value is best for you, have someone time you on exiting your vehicle, keeping in mind the fact that you might be upside down or in a vehicle that has not yet come to a stop. Doing so, while also consulting your sanctioning body rules, will help you make an educated purchase.
How Does a Racing Suit Work?
A race suit provides a layer or layers of protection between you and fire. Air pockets between layers of material provide a barrier between your skin and the flames. The less layers your race suit has, the less protection, and vice versa. FR cotton, Nomex and Aramidic material all work to provide a barrier between your skin and fire, but the most important feature to remember is the actual SFI and TPP value of the racing suit in question. Just like when it’s cold outside you layer up, this is also the thought you need to have when it comes your choice of racing suits. Each layer provides you with lifesaving seconds needed to race another day. Furthermore, by adding fire resistant underwear, this additional layer also adds precious seconds to a race suit’s overall TPP value.
Do Racing Suits Expire?
As a rule, all SFI certified safety products have an expiration date. All SFI certified products should have the expiration date on the label, so consult the race suit’s label or manufacturer. However, a few things to remember when wearing your race suit. Don’t work on a vehicle in your race suit. If you get any fluids on the race suit, doing so can accelerate the amount of time it takes fire to penetrate its levels of protection. Second, always consult the garment tag or manufacturer for washing and drying your race suit and follow the instructions closely. Third, if you’re involved in a fire, throw out the fire suit. Even if you don’t see any damage or holes in your race suit, it could’ve been damaged, and its effectiveness could be greatly reduced. You don’t want to play games with safety. FIA race suits also fall into this line of thinking, as well, but they have a different numbering system denoting homologation. FIA race suits are held to many of the same SFI standards, though.
What Size Racing Suit Do I Need?
When it comes to race suit sizing, this is not a “one size fits all” operation. We recommend using a soft measuring tape like those used by tailors. You can pick one of these up at most fabric outlets or hobby stores. When it comes to the list of measurements needed to arrive at a properly fitting race suit, we recommend getting measurements at your chest, waist, hips, inseam, arms, and shoulders. You will have to accept the fact that a racing suit may not perfectly contour to your body. There may be areas where the race suit is loose, but what you don’t want is for the race suit to be too tight. If the suit is too tight that has a negative impact on the level of fire protection. It is important that a race suit’s different layers have room to breathe, so too tight of a race suit is counterproductive.