Kart Race Suit Buying Guide
General
Many Karting Suits are certified for world wide competition by the FIA/CIK. The term for this certification is "homologation" or "homologated". The FIA is the same organization that sanctions numerous forms of motorsports, including Formula 1. The CIK, translated from French, stands for International Commission of Karting. European kart racers must conform to the FIA/CIK rules, but a large number American and Canadian tracks do not require the certification on the suit. Therefore, some well known USA based suppliers such as K1 Race Gear and Zamp Racing have decided to construct their suits to FIA/CIK standards, but forego the extra cost of a FIA/CIK patch in order to provide a more affordable product to the racer. After some research, only SKUSA requires the FIA/CIK homolagation, WKA, IKF, NKA, AKRA, KART and TAGUSA do not. Please check your rulebook before purchasing to confirm that FIA/CIK proof is not mandatory.
Fabrics
The outer layer of a karting suit is constructed from Nylon or Cordura type materials. These fabrics are preferred due to their resistance against tearing in the event of a crash, should the driver leave the vehicle and slide on the racing surface. The Nylon or Cordura fabrics are also extremely lightweight and have replaced the heavier leather uniforms that racers used in the past. Many karting suits have elasticized and/or vented fabrics implemented throughout to maximize flexibility and breath-ability. Interior layers generally consist of a cotton toweling type material to aid in absorbing sweat and providing a more comfortable material against the skin.
Fraudulent Karting Suits
Like many garments that we now wear, kart race suits are mainly manufactured in developing countries. Approved factories in these countries are producing top quality products, however, some unscrupulous factions have occasionally released counterfeit suits and/or counterfeit FIA patches. The counterfeit suits may contain inferior materials, inferior construction. To avoid being ripped off, beware of online auctions of new race gear from private sellers and purchase your karting suit from a reputable racing store that sells name brand products that you have heard of, such as Alpinestars, OMP, Puma, Sparco, K1 RaceGear, Zamp Racing etc.
Karting Jackets
Typically used by dirt and pavement oval racers. Built to resist abrasions should the driver come off of the kart and some jackets contain extra fabric in the back of the upper arm area to act as a heat shield due to the close proximity of the engine exhaust pipe. Most drivers pair the jacket with blue jeans, gloves, a helmet and a neck collar. There is no testing or certifications for kart racing jackets so it's suggested to purchase from an established name brand to avoid cheap imitations. K1 Race Gear, Simpson and Zamp Racing are some well known companies that manufacture Jackets for Kart Racers.