Originally posted by Bill Strong
http://www.ompusa.com/intro.htm
Racing Safety Equipment 101
Buying safety equipment is one of the most important purchases you make in motorsports. It may seem expensive but we are talking about your safety and good equipment will last 3-5 years. Different types of racing have different safety requirements, so before you buy check what the requirements are for your sanctioning body.
Helmets:
All helmets must be Snell SA rated. This means "Special Application" for racing. They have .120" thick shields, a fire resistant interior and are subjected to different crash tests than M rated "Motorcycle" helmets. Helmets come three ways: full-face, full-face without shield and open-face. Full-face helmets can have a small or large eyeport. Small eyeports are preferable in open cockpit racing to minimize the risk of flying objects getting through the shield to your face. Large eyeport helmets are preferred by sedan racers because they make it easier to see the gauges. Full-face helmets without shields have even better visibility and are much cooler, but do not completely protect your face. Open-face helmets offer the best visibility and comfort, but the least protection. Some helmets have vents, some don?t. More vents may keep you cooler, but they also provide more ways for fire to get in. Most helmets are fiberglass. The more expensive ones use special laminating processes or other materials like carbon fiber and kevlar to make them lighter ? causing less neck fatigue. Helmets are also made more expensive by aerodynamic engineering to prevent lift and buffeting in open-cockpit cars.
Correct helmet fit is critical. A helmet should be as snug as possible without giving you a headache. You can start with your hat size but that is just the beginning. With the helmet on, chin strap undone and neck held rigid, twist the helmet left and right to check for excessive play. Then, with the chin strap on, rock the helmet back then forward to see if it can roll off. Finally, watch a half-hour TV show with the helmet on. If it feels snug during these tests but doesn?t give you a headache, you have the right size.
Suits:
The more layers of fire resistant material you are wearing, the better protected you are from fire. Most sanctioning bodies require either a single-layer suit with fire retardant underwear, a double-layer suit with underwear or a three-layer suit without underwear. There are some two-layer suits that do not need underwear, but they achieve this rating only by being extra heavy. A good three-layer suit is usually lighter than these heavy two-layer suits.
Most burns occur not from direct contact with flame, but from the heat. Because of this the space between the layers of a suit protect you just as much as the fabric does. This space acts as a cushion of cool air between your skin and the heat from the flame. It takes about six seconds for the temperature of a flame to transfer through a one-layer suit. A two-layer suit gives you about 14 seconds. A three-layer suit uses two cushions of air between three layers of fabric for 18-26 seconds of protection from the heat.
Features to look for in a suit include Nomex III or Nomex Delta C fabric, sewn together with Nomex or Kevlar thread, Nomex zippers, double-sewn ?serged? seams and knit panels for ventilation (but not too much because the knit fabric wears out quicker).
Gloves:
Gloves should be snug but comfortable when making a fist. Features to look for include two-layers of Nomex and Nomex under the palm. Some gloves are even sewn inside-out so the seams are on the outside. Although this is the most comfortable, it is the most expensive and the least durable. If you are racing a formula car you might want padding across the knuckles if they scrape the bodywork when you shift. You might also want a padded palm to prevent blisters from a vibrating wheel. Some gloves even have padding or extra leather around the thumb. The only drawback to all this protection is a loss of feel, but that is usually preferable to blisters!
http://www.ompusa.com/intro.htm
Racing Safety Equipment 101
Buying safety equipment is one of the most important purchases you make in motorsports. It may seem expensive but we are talking about your safety and good equipment will last 3-5 years. Different types of racing have different safety requirements, so before you buy check what the requirements are for your sanctioning body.
Helmets:
All helmets must be Snell SA rated. This means "Special Application" for racing. They have .120" thick shields, a fire resistant interior and are subjected to different crash tests than M rated "Motorcycle" helmets. Helmets come three ways: full-face, full-face without shield and open-face. Full-face helmets can have a small or large eyeport. Small eyeports are preferable in open cockpit racing to minimize the risk of flying objects getting through the shield to your face. Large eyeport helmets are preferred by sedan racers because they make it easier to see the gauges. Full-face helmets without shields have even better visibility and are much cooler, but do not completely protect your face. Open-face helmets offer the best visibility and comfort, but the least protection. Some helmets have vents, some don?t. More vents may keep you cooler, but they also provide more ways for fire to get in. Most helmets are fiberglass. The more expensive ones use special laminating processes or other materials like carbon fiber and kevlar to make them lighter ? causing less neck fatigue. Helmets are also made more expensive by aerodynamic engineering to prevent lift and buffeting in open-cockpit cars.
Correct helmet fit is critical. A helmet should be as snug as possible without giving you a headache. You can start with your hat size but that is just the beginning. With the helmet on, chin strap undone and neck held rigid, twist the helmet left and right to check for excessive play. Then, with the chin strap on, rock the helmet back then forward to see if it can roll off. Finally, watch a half-hour TV show with the helmet on. If it feels snug during these tests but doesn?t give you a headache, you have the right size.
Suits:
The more layers of fire resistant material you are wearing, the better protected you are from fire. Most sanctioning bodies require either a single-layer suit with fire retardant underwear, a double-layer suit with underwear or a three-layer suit without underwear. There are some two-layer suits that do not need underwear, but they achieve this rating only by being extra heavy. A good three-layer suit is usually lighter than these heavy two-layer suits.
Most burns occur not from direct contact with flame, but from the heat. Because of this the space between the layers of a suit protect you just as much as the fabric does. This space acts as a cushion of cool air between your skin and the heat from the flame. It takes about six seconds for the temperature of a flame to transfer through a one-layer suit. A two-layer suit gives you about 14 seconds. A three-layer suit uses two cushions of air between three layers of fabric for 18-26 seconds of protection from the heat.
Features to look for in a suit include Nomex III or Nomex Delta C fabric, sewn together with Nomex or Kevlar thread, Nomex zippers, double-sewn ?serged? seams and knit panels for ventilation (but not too much because the knit fabric wears out quicker).
Gloves:
Gloves should be snug but comfortable when making a fist. Features to look for include two-layers of Nomex and Nomex under the palm. Some gloves are even sewn inside-out so the seams are on the outside. Although this is the most comfortable, it is the most expensive and the least durable. If you are racing a formula car you might want padding across the knuckles if they scrape the bodywork when you shift. You might also want a padded palm to prevent blisters from a vibrating wheel. Some gloves even have padding or extra leather around the thumb. The only drawback to all this protection is a loss of feel, but that is usually preferable to blisters!
