Race Attire

[asian312]

I'm not to the point where I need a driving suit, but I'm definitly putting a set of gloves and shoes on the wishlist this year. Looking over NASA requirements for 'Race Attire' it seems pretty vague.

15.17.4 Gloves
Drivers shall wear gloves made from fire resistant material or leather that fully cover the
hands and leave no exposed skin when worn with the driving suit.

15.17.6 Shoes
Shoes made of fire resistant material or common cowhide leather are required.

Is there a particular rating that I'm looking for, or is any product made of fire resistant materials accepted? I know the gloves are required to cover the cuff of the suit, but what about shoes? Should they be 'boot' style or will a low-cut shoe be allowed?

Last question, is there a differance between gloves like the G-Force G1 gloves and the more expensive ones offered from Sparco or Alpine Stars? They advertise the design of the palm side to prevent bunching of material and such, but I dont remember that when I wore my instructors gloves. Just dont want to over spend, or vice versa, miss out on something beneficial.

 

[drivemusicnow]

There are SFI ratings for most safety equipment including gloves and shoes.

Essentially what you're looking for in a glove is something that will A) resist fire, B) let you feel the feedback from the well, and C) be comfortable.

G-Force products are almost all SFI certified as far as safety concerns go. Something to look at is the different SFI ratings though. SFI -1, and SFI-5. The difference between G-force and a more expensive product usually comes down to comfort issues.

I have tried on a few gloves, and haven't really found any that are particularly bad. Typically when a manufacturer is selling a glove for 80$ they make a pretty good glove.

As far as shoes, the high top shoes tend to be a bit safer, however they make approved race shoes in mid, and low tops as well. The key to race shoes are comfort, soft sole without being TOO soft (you want to be able to feel feedback from the clutch/brake pedals, but you don't want to wear through the sole walking around the pits) and again, fire resisitance. I've heard good things about Piloti shoes, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

You might want to talk to a vendor like IOportracing, or racerwholesale about what they like, and what their customers seem to like.

 

[Elvenhome21]

normally until you get into the high dollar classes they normally don't care about sfi ratings as long as it is at least sfi 1 which equals out to just barely can be classified flame retardant. 3 seconds to 2nd degree burns of direct flame.

With Gloves there is a huge difference, I highly suggest you try on every pair before you buy a set, and make sure you test feel around a steering wheel and shift knob. The $30 cheapy gloves are only fair at best, if you want a nice pair that fits good at least spend $70 and get the gauntlet style (very long cuff). If you are fully intending to get more and more involved in racing get a good pair of gloves off the bat. Another thing that was suggested to me when i started racing (a long time ago) when you try on a pair of gloves get your hand wet then stick it in a glove (simulates how a sweaty glove feels) Oh, If you buy a good pair take care of them and DO NOT use these as work gloves, oil and water on the palm kills these gloves and turns them into rocks, along with if you had a real long day and your hands sweat a lot wash the gloves that night. (put hand in glove, submerge in warm soapy water use other hand to scrub soap around, rinse in clean water while off hand, then take a 20oz soda bottle stand up and put glove on bottle to dry in the wave postion.
Impact g3
simpson posi, talon, v grip
driver x
alpinestars
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/aspx/parent_id.200/dept_id.207/qx/DisplayGroup.htm
These are all very good fitting gloves

With shoes I like mid-tops, with me being so tall (6'3) i have to put my racing seats in the full recliner position and if i don't wear mid-low tops the top part of the shoe digs into my ankle. With these cars you don't have to worry about the heat guards nearly as much. I guess just take your pick on shoes. Oh BTW if you go to tracks with gravel pits be prepaired to have sore feet at the end of the night. If the tracks have asphault pits your ok except the occasional stone.
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_10001_10002_10507_-1_10481

 

[Defiant]

What was not in Richard Petty's race car that was in all the others?

The King never wore race gloves.

I'd about bet no one ever mentioned it, either.

Okay, BOT.

 

[Elvenhome21]

Petty is one of the good `ol boys that hated anything to do with safety period. Look at fireball roberts who died because the suit gave him a rash, and also earnhardht sr. who would very likely still be here if he would have been using a full face helmet and a hutchens device.

At road america i drove with and without gloves. If you use a stock steering wheel or and steering wheel with the smooth leather grip i would highly reccomend using gloves as it adds a lot of grip.

 

[mavisky]

I have a suit that I can wear when need be. Shoes and gloves aren't SFI yet, but those are coming. This is just a single layer SFI suit. Not the greatest in fire protection, but something is better than nothing.

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[Greg Collier]

When it's time you actually go racing, get the best of everything you car. We've had too many deaths over the past couple of years in the NASA So-Cal region due to poor safety equipment. I mean hell... it's only your life that you're talking about!

I've already been through a half dozen drivers suits and twice that in gloves, shoes wear fast if you end up wearing them at the track all day, I'm suppose to wear a baclava because I have facial hair, and my collection of helmets has set me back thousands.

My HANS device wasn't cheap either

 

[Defiant]

Okay, dressing-up and sitting in a racing seat on the living room floor is a little creepy.

At least, it is when it's not F1 season.
Instead of a widescreen TV, I just strap a 9" set to my chest.

 

[Elvenhome21]

Greg i agree with buy the best of everything, but it should really be the "safest" of everything, right. They donly go hand in hand at times, I have seen some claimed "best" safety equipment not do so good when it came to safety. Just because a pair of sparco gloves cost the most doesn't mean that they have the highest sfi rating. Also I highly believe in a hans but a hutchens and a D-cel are very good if you can't afford the $1000 price tag. If I ever moved up to Super Late Model and had a bigger sponsor to pickup a little of the tab that would be second on my list after a containment seat. I already have a D-cel and at my point in racing i feel that is safe enough for now. For a track like Road America I won't go out again without it on, even if its only MFBA.
Also when you said you have to wear a head sock, the only time I hear about "Must Wear" are when a helmet isn't SA (nomex lined)

 

[drivemusicnow]

Greg i agree with buy the best of everything, but it should really be the "safest" of everything, right. They donly go hand in hand at times, I have seen some claimed "best" safety equipment not do so good when it came to safety. Just because a pair of sparco gloves cost the most doesn't mean that they have the highest sfi rating. Also I highly believe in a hans but a hutchens and a D-cel are very good if you can't afford the $1000 price tag. If I ever moved up to Super Late Model and had a bigger sponsor to pickup a little of the tab that would be second on my list after a containment seat. I already have a D-cel and at my point in racing i feel that is safe enough for now. For a track like Road America I won't go out again without it on, even if its only MFBA.
Also when you said you have to wear a head sock, the only time I hear about "Must Wear" are when a helmet isn't SA (nomex lined)

I thought that was the difference between SA2000, and SA2005 ratings? with the older helmets you had to wear a baclava, and with the 05 helmets you didn't have to (something about changing the material requirements in the liner?) I very well could be mistaken about this though.

 

[Greg Collier]

The baclava is purely another fire precaution, with that big open space in the front of the helmet that you can see through. I know dozens of drives that wear them and I should get in the habit… It has nothing to do with the helmet rating.

As long as whatever you purchase has an SFI tag with the expiration date and month on it you should be good to go. In NASA you must change you seat belts every two years and window net, I think is every three or four, and gloves and suit according to the SFI expire date. It can get a bit expensive

 

[mavisky]

Okay, dressing-up and sitting in a racing seat on the living room floor is a little creepy.

At least, it is when it's not F1 season.
Instead of a widescreen TV, I just strap a 9" set to my chest.

Look, when I play Gran Turismo I tend to get a little carried away

 

[Elvenhome21]

the other thing you could do is get a helmet skirt then you wouldn't need the head sock

 

[MILITISINVICTUS]

The baclava is purely another fire precaution...

I don't get it, why would anyone wear a flaky pastry on their face as a fire precaution?

 

[PokinatchaPunk]

Anyone think this is NASA legal?

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[Evan K.]

If I say no will you send me to the Death Star?

 

[Defiant]

I don't think any racing ruling body sanctions crotch-grippage with the left hand. That hand is usually on the steering wheel. The right is sometimes between shifting duties, and in some dirt-tracking such grabbage is not only allowed, but encouraged.

Those odd people in England may have it different. And no one gets what the Japanese are up to.
Australia will go un-mentioned for reasons that are far too obvious.

And no one, anywhere, under any circumstance, allows this:

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[Elvenhome21]

yikes