Focus On...Losing weight and choosing racewear!

Every driver knows how being lighter generally means you can go faster - according to Karting Magazine, an added 10kg made driving a Rotax Max around 1% slower - take a peek at the full article it makes interesting reading:

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There's no doubt that the more expensive racing suits help because they are not only better quality but also lighter. Recently we were sending out a couple to Europe and after weighing them for postage we noticed that the Puma Future Cat was about a kilo lighter than one of our entry-level FIA products - who wants to carry around an extra bag of sugar?

Modern, hi-tech racing overalls, boots and gloves are much lighter than traditional designs and while we can't promise to save you half-a-second per lap, if you're racing for long periods then the reduction in vibration, temperature and general stress can be considerable.

But weight saving isn't the only important factor, consideration should be given to the end use. For instance, a pair of Speed Racewear boots weighs in at just 750g compared to the Sabelt Base at 1050g but while racers can change out of their boots regularly, rally drivers and navigators can't so will appreciate the stronger sole of the rally-bred Base. Likewise with gloves, if you compete in an area where gloves continuously get dirty then price becomes important when you're replacing them regularly!

With racing overalls, the choice is even wider with prices ranging from under £100 to over £1000! We've covered this in an earlier blog, Focus on...racing overalls, which I hope will help you decide which overalls you need for your branch of the sport, and given below are some pointers to design features that may be useful:

• Stretch panels on sleeves - the Speed Racewear Level 2 kart suit and the Sabelt Stratos FIA race suit both have stretch panels between the shoulders and the back of the sleeves which allow a bit more movement than the traditional "set in" style. By doing this they remove the need for pleats running from shoulder to waist, meaning there's less material, a reduction in suit weight and extra comfort for the wearer as you're not sitting back on folds of material
• Fully floating sleeves -  an option on the AWS Skyhawk and standard  on the Sabelt SK1 kart suit. Here the sleeves are attached to the body by stretch fabric making 360 degree arm movement easier. This is a very popular choice
• Lumbar stretch panels - the Puma Trionfo takes this to a new level, with the bottom part of the suit at the back being a stretch panel for extreme movement. Look out for anatomical cut, carefully-positioned seams and breathable fabric when making your choice

Bewildering isn't it? There's no substitute for advice - if you're the slightest bit concerned then please ring us on 08452 604104 and we can give you some unbiased help. Please give us as much information about you, your racing and your budget as you can, so that we can help you make the best choice. That's why we're "the specialists"!

See you on the grid!

Max Tyler
racewear.co.uk
08452 604104