SFI padding .... worth it?
 

I'm thinking about getting the SFI padding.
$15 for a 3' piece. Compared to the standard $3.50 for a 3' piece. Anone use the SFI? Is it worth the extra cash?

I use it, never had to test it, but I think it's worth it for areas that your head can hit. The 3$ stuff isn't going to prevent your helmeted head from hitting the bar in a big collision (IMHO).

PaulC

The SFI padding is the ONLY pading to use. The cheap padding is only good for soaking up blood. End of story.

Use the sfi padding in the areas around your head, the other stuff everywhere else.
Try Dave Turners Raceshop (858) 264-2244 in San Diego it's $11.00 bucks a stick.
Yes its worth it. One of these days I'll figure how to download my Spec7 crash. You'll see!
Good luck
Steve

I guess that I will order it today. Damn, my wallet is going to be light.

On another note, I'll be dead anyways. If I get the cheap stuff, I'll die in the wreck. If my wife sees how much I'm spending on the SFI, she'll kill me .....

Ok, how thick? 1/2", 3/4", or 1"?

I run 3/4" all around.

I suppose it's better to run 1", but I only had choices between 1/2 and 3/4 :)

Watch clearance next to your head, you may need to run the 1/2 to keep your head from resting on the a-pillar.

LOL, this is why I didn't get married early :) I get to race with my money, instead of spend it on honey-dos

Paulc

Actually, I believe the SFI rating itself is merely for fire resistance.

The SFI certified padding may be better protection, but that's not to say you can't get non-certified that will protect just as well.

The new SFI padding is significantly firmer than the open cell foam that most people use. I believe the rating does in fact have something to do with impact absobtion.

I use the thicker SFI stuff around my head and the cheap stuff on my door bars.

I installed it already. Seems ok.

Does the SFI rating correlate to fire protection? I read a post on another board warning of the dangers of the non-fire-safe stuff. The problem is that in a fire, it can melt on to you (e.g., drip on you from above-- consider the angle the car is at while burning), thus causing nasty, painful burns. Let me try to dig up the link and post later...

... and two minutes later, here we have the copied post from Todd Serota's Tracquest.com site:

This was forwarded to me by a friend on one of my email list serves. Definitely something to consider for those of you who have padded roll bars.

Todd Serota
tserota@tracquest.com

__________________________________________________ __

From "The Checker"
Official Publication of the Central Florida Region, Sports Car Club of
America
Volume 44, Issue 7, July 2002

Padding Hazard !!!
Dave Franck

A recent fire incident brought to focus a new hazard that may be lurking in our race cars. This is the padding so many of us use to pad the roll cage and other hard interior parts. This padding, when in a fire or burning, evidently melts and drips a VERY HOT liquid material onto
whatever and WHOEVER in under it.

We had an unfortunate, though dramatic, demonstration of this in a car fire at the Daytona National on May 5th when Chris Robson's S2000 (#59) caught fire coming out of the chicane. Chris brought the car to a halt between NASCAR turns 3 and 4 whereupon the fire ball that was behind him
caught up with Chris and the car. The padding did not burst into flames but as it burned, it melted and dripped onto Chris' right arm and shoulder! Chris was very lucky! He was on fire as he got out of the car and hit the ground and he received 2nd and 3rd degree burns over about 25% of his body. Chris had all the right fire protection equipment on and it worked to save him from extremely serious harm or worse. It is interesting to note that the worst of his burns were the result of the padding burning and melting onto his suit causing 3rd degree burns and
requiring resulting skin grafts.

All drivers should take note of this and check your padding ratings and how it reacts to fire. You may want to consider changing the padding materials you use for improved performance in a fire or consider covering the padding with Nomex (or something similar) to buy a little
more time and to absorb or re-direct the melting material. Remember to address all the padding in your car and not just what is above you in normal driving since you can't guarantee that you will always be "wheels down" in a fire incident.

Note: As of this writing, Chris is back home with his family, recovering from the ordeal and contemplating his racing future.