Safety Gear for Karting

Maintenance, Repair, Equipment & Tools
1

Ok, just curious.

Do they make a race suit with build in protection. Like say elbow pads, shoulder pads etc.

Im just interested in safety and just wondering if anyone wears shoulder protection or wrist/ ankle protection. In the event I get into a crash, I would love to be as protected as possible. Hate to break an ankle or something else when I could have wore gear to minimize an injury.

Thanks

2

I had a suit from alpine stars once that had shoulder and knee pads. As to efficacy of such pads, it’s hard to say. But there were there.

3

I used nice downhill mountain bike knee pads to save my knees from the gas tank. Bang, bang, bang. Mine are from Leatt.

4

Knee pads to protect against your knees bumping your gas tank like Dom described, or an elbow to keep your elbow from bumping the engine are fairly common.

Don’t think I’ve really seen anyone rock wrist or ankle guards. Your wrists and ankles need to flex a fair bit to press the pedals or turn the wheel so I wouldn’t imagine they would work too well for karting.

5

I’ve always thought that a chest guard like the kiddos have to wear is a good idea. But I don’t practice what I preach. Here’s hoping I never meet my steering column at full tilt, which could happen in a frontal impact. This doesn’t seem to be used by adults or juniors.

6

Part of the reason for the chest protector for the very small ones is that their sternum isn’t fully formed yet. It’s still a bit squishy.

7

I am a bit squishy too!

8

Dom-
Don’t sweat it, I’ve bent the crap out of steering wheels and steering columns, never had so much as a bruise.

9

Thanks. Good to know.