I am looking for a new racing suit. I have been using a One Industries suit that I bought in 2007. I would like something more breathable and with a bit more freedom in the shoulder. From looking at advertisements I cant really tell how thick any of the suits are. I dont have a large budget here so the Alpinestar KMX 1 or 5 is a bit to pricey. I would appreciate some input as to what some racers from Kart Pulse wear.
Thanks
Mike
Do you have some sort of kart shop nearby? T’is one of those things where you’re better off trying a bunch of different brands.
My particular OMP suit weighs a ton so I’m no help in reccomending a specific light suit.
I wonder if there are some online stores you could look at that show the weight of the suit to give an idea of what it might be like thickness wise.
We have a business directory on the main site at KartPulse.com which might help you find local places to stop by too.
It is always going to come down to what your budget is, when it comes to picking a suit. I’ve had a few Alpinestars and Sparco suits that have fit ok.
I’ve been looking at MIR suits lately, but it’s just out of random interest.
Unfortunately for the most part you will be weighing up budget, cost and safety against each other.
These are the range of level 2 suits i can find.
K1 Racewear are I think the cheapest CIK level 2 homologated suits. $100-175
ORG racewear - $250
Alpine Stars - $250-500
Sparco - $200-600
OMP - $200-600
Torq - $340 (disclaimer I am the distributor for those)
Best thing to do is try them on at a local shop or try your buddies suits on if they fit. Some retailers will allow you to return them also.
Also there are bunch of clearance sales on at the moment. kartingwarehouse have Oakley suits for $99 i think and acceleration karting have an alpine stars sale.
If you can get your hands on an old Oakley suit that fits you that is in good condition, go for it. They were made by Sparco so you essentially get a top of the line suit.
All these comments are perfect though–you want to try a suit on before you buy. It’s too much money and shipping etc. to not get that handled.
He should get what “suits” his needs best!
There really isnt anything close that has a variety of suits so that makes trying different brands on difficult. I will take a look at Acceleration and see whats on sale.
Thanks for all the input.
Mike
James, what OMP suit do you have? I was considering grabbing a basic KS-4 at some point.
I have no idea what it is. It was sponsored so I didn’t look to deeply into it. If I come across it as I’m unpacking the new house I’ll circle back
Mike,
We’ve all been in this situation and unfortunately it is very difficult to know what will fit or feel right before buying. So far, the best suit I’ve found is the MIR lightweight suits. I believe the “lightweight” ones are #45 and #48 on their site: http://www.mirraceline.it/en/product-category/karting-en/kart-suits/
However, their site is utter crap so don’t quote me on that. I know a guy (Bob Falcone - http://eurokartracing.com/products.html) in NJ is importing these suits and I highly recommend you give him a call. I have no affiliation, for the record.
There are loads of small brands out there if you look.
You could always try a custom sized suit?
The Lico suits on ebay with UPR/Racing Supply Outlet that are darn good for the money. They are closeout due to Sparco not making any longer. Had my Son in one for a year until he out grew it. They do run a touch short in length and not a lot to choose from right now. The Med Randy was in says 5’8" but was more 5’7" For the money, if you can get in one, I’d recommend it. Not fancy but they do the job.
thanks i will try to take a at the MIR and Lico suits. I was not aware of smaller companies making suits. once again thanks for the info. This website and folks on the forums are fantastic.
Sounds expensive, do you have any experience with them?
@tjkoyen I know you deal with suits as far as design and dye sub is concerned… Any input on suit prices/weights from your experience?
Didn’t want to shamelessly self-promote, but yeah Oktane does custom dye-sub suits.
Pricing is $475 flat rate, including design and custom fit.
We offer two interior linings, one is jersey mesh and one is terry cloth. If you’re looking for something cool and light, the jersey mesh suit is really nice for that. I personally have a terry cloth lined one and a jersey one and I were them both depending on the weather.
I meant more along the lines of your experience with different suits over the years etc 
I’d like to bump this to see if there’s any more opinions on there.
I currently wear jeans and a jacket when I race. They weigh 4-4.5 lbs. I’d like to wear a suit but every oz of weight counts for me currently trying to make weight (down 28 lbs from last year but still need more) so I need to try to find something as light or lighter than what I’m using now or else it’s going the wrong direction.
I picked up a K1 suit and Alpinestar suit at a retailer recently, both certified level 2 suits, and they were tanks relative to what I’m currently wearing. I see X-Light suits listed but still no suit weight for reference and they better be damn light for the price.
I know there are some Torq folks here, any ideas on what a Torq 3 would weigh in size large?
budget not a consideration, what’s the lightest thing out there…or am i already wearing it with jeans and a basic jacket?
In the various suits I have owned some have been much heavier than others. I have the torq custom suit and it is a thick suit with a thick liner. They might make a thinner one.
I picked up a Simpson flame suit for nick on sale and it was very light in comparison. Lighter than jeans/jean jacket.
I think it’s just gonna vary by brand and price. Generally the nicer and more expensive suits seemed to have been heavier construction.