anyone use a racing fire-protection suit?
 

i am looking at upgrading some of my safety stuff and that includes getting a fire suit...

im looking at sparco brand, like the sprint 5 for a low cost suit, or the tech 5 for higher end suit.


...any suggestions of things to look for?

Damian,
Goto racerwholesale.com and get you a cheaper suit. Make sure to get the SA 5/3 3 layer suit if you plan to race head-to-head in the future.

yeah, i definently am looking for competition rated suit in case i get serious, ... i go look at racerwholesale again, ... but i dont mind paying more for the quality safety stuff

Santa Claus is bringing me this one http://www.gforce.com/products/racingsuits/gf545.html

You pay a bunch for the name when you buy sparco/omp/simpson and the like. They are great suits no doubt. I like the omp suits as well for the next step up in price. When I first got into racing and had to buy all the gear at once (+car and trailer & tow vehicle) I went with a less expensive suit that has to be worn with nomex underwear. Read what the ratings mean and even with a 3 layer suit underwear is additional insurance.

I'm still speding so much on racing that high dollar suits just have not been in the budget. This season I'm getting a better suit, head/neck restraint device, and a better seat.:) After the six hour enduro last weekend I think I need to race a Hummer so I can get back on the track under my own power.;)

Guys... before you buy anything, check out demon tweeks (or something like that). They're out of the UK but their prices are awsome! I got my Sparco 3 layer suit for a little more than 1/2 of the best price I could find here in the states. It doesn't have an SFI label but it does carry the FIA label and you have to pay an import fee, but it's well worth it.

FWIW, cheap suits (especially all but GeForce's most expensive) feel like wearing a wool blanket. Not good no matter your location, but somewhere in the South it's like a deathwish. The extra cost of an Impact!, Simpson, or Sparco suit is worth it. I was using a "borrowed" suit for a long time and finally ponied up and bought one of the off-the-shelf Impact! suits. It's almost like it's not even there... I did a 6 hour enduro and didn't even notice I was soaked to the bone until I got out of the car. Much better cooling properties, too -- if I stick my hand out the window I can feel the wind on my upper torso. I couldn't feel anything with my old suit.

Definitely worth the bones to have a suit that looks and feels much nicer.

As long as you're suit shopping, watch the Earnhardt Jr. fire video, then that JGTC fire video, then get yourself some nice fire resistant underwear, socks, headsocks, shoes & gloves too...

That CarbonX underwear looks like the shit for superior fire protection.

Thanks Chris. I just came up with some potential names for my race team.
"Cheap Bastard Racing" or "Deathwish Racing"

Unfortunatly the reality is untill after my 3 kids get out of college I guess I'll sweat a little more. I'll check out demno tweeks as sugested by Speed and the Impact suit you suggest. Santa hasen't come yet.;)

exaclty my thoughts, that is why i dont mind putting a bit more $$ into the suit

I have an OMP 3-layer suit that I use for wheel-to-wheel racing that I'm pretty happy with. It is as hot as a blanket in the summertime in the South, though. You can always wear a Coolshirt under it, if you have the room and can handle the extra weight. On the other hand, I got a G-Force fire resistant cotton suit for track days/driving schools, where I'm in the suit all day long all weekend. You can wear Nomex underwear if you want to be legal for road racing.

I am buying that suit as well. That suit, and the NASAII suits are ALOT cooler than all but the ~1000.00 $$$ Sparco, and OMP suits. I don't feel like I am skimping, just getting a better value. Also the G force, and the NASA are supposed to perform better than the other when wet. As for fire protection, Short of catastophic fire, a good fire system is the most important part of the system IMHO. I am going with the largest of the Aqueous foam systems available, with nozzles at my feet, engine bay, and by the fuel cell. Carl

Are those the ones that are user re-fillable? Not that anyone should ever plan on refilling them often ;)

YES, I'll post a link later. Cost less than Halon, work better than Halon, SCCA, and NASA approved.

I've got one of the Pyrotect NASA II suits, and love it! Its not bad at all compared to some and they make real world sizes for us fat asses.
http://images.miller-motorsports.com...h_PA020272.JPG

Marcus

I got a Sparco suit along with other fire retardant goodies(balaclava, socks, underwear, gloves, shoes, etc) several years ago. I have been very happy with the quality.

Primm Racing has good prices on Sparco goods. That is where I purchased mine from.

www.primmracing.com

ill take a peek at the nasa suits

thanks for the link mrstock, i been looking for a good sparco dealer

I bought a Sparco suit from UP Racing, and found them to be great to work with. I alternate between that one and a NASA suit from BellMotorsports. They are the people who developed the suit before they acquired Pyrotect. The mesh areas of the NASA suit makes a huge difference in cooling.

I wouldn't consider anything less than a 3/2A-5 rating. As with any safety equipment, one must consider the worth of the driver being protected to the cost. I want to live and continue racing for a long time. To amortize the cost of safety equipment over time is a small price to pay. I don't want to make my wife a rich widow any time soon...........

db

i use gforce for my kart racing. great suit great price. fuck the expensive brands, i'd rather spend the money on racing

"Cheaper than skin grafts........"

my racing partner flipped at the end of the main straight doing 60 and [due to momentum] was then was dragged for about 15 feet off the track under the kart till he hit the grass.

he was uninjured, the outer part of his helmet was scratched through on one corner and the suit was slightly damaged on the shoulder/upper arm which was pinned underneath him as he slid on the tarmac, but the gforce suit held together and protected his skin from being rubbed off on the tarmac.

he raced the 2nd heat after we fixed his kart. the next day hurt though...

any other unknowledgable comments?

What the hell does karting have to do with this discussion? We're talking about fire suits, not abrasion suits. If we want to get into stories about getting trapped under karts (or Quarter Midgets), we can, in another thread. Bringing up a guy getting dragged under a kart during a fire suit discussion is like bringing up baseball in the middle of sex with your girl(sic)boyfriend.

i have two...both rated Sfi 5...one is RJS like a fucking moon suit.Damn near died at the Abiline race in 100'....and the NASA Pro. MMMMMMMMMM.......
Light and comfy for us in the south.
Bell and Simpson helmuts and Simpson shoes/gloves. Save money on your life wear but spend a ton on that car?

Ahhh... Abilene.... where if you drop a tool on the ground you don't pick it up until the next day! ;)

You'd think somebody would've said "Hey, let's schedule a race here some time NOT in the middle of summer!". :D