Drivers Suit recommendations?

[pballance]

I need to purchase a suit for next year and was wondering about several of the different suits that are available. My personal preference is for a 3 layer FIA suit but it has been more than 25 years since I last wore nomex.

What are your recommendations? What do you currently use? Also, do any of the manufacturers tend to run "small" in their sizing?

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

Paul

[MIKEGTR]

i have a Bell suit... affordable yes... but they do run a tad small... or maybe i'm just odd shaped!
i paid 400 for mine... however keep in mind that the price included shipping to PR... the suit is the one in my signature...

Mike

[JeffYoung]

OPM, Sparco etc. are cheaper at www.demon-tweaks.com in the UK. Not sure why, but the are.

I have an OPM Trend, 3 layer. The option of not wearing nomex underwear is there, although I usually do, with a 3 layer.

I think I paid $400 -- about the cheapest you can get a 3 layer for. Not impressed with the quality, stitching has been coming apart since I got it.

Sparco suits seem to be better quality material, at least on the low end. G-Force seems workable, but not as "nice" as Simpson, Bell and the Europeans. One of my buddies got a low end Momo, and it seems to be high quality and durable.

[Chris Wire]

I've owned Bell/NASA and Sparco Sponsor, and hands down the Sparco wins. Noticeably lighter than the Bell (both 2-layer) and the quality is top notch. The lightweight nature really appeals to me here in Florida, especially running enduros. There are deals to be had on the net, but OG Racing supports this site and is great to deal with.

Sparco uses European sizing but I would suggest going one size bigger that what the specs tell you.

[lateapex911]

I like my Sparco, can't help with the sizing thing, I got it locally and tried it on first. Even so, the belt is too long.

[Hotshoe]

OMP, Sparco etc. are cheaper at www.demon-tweaks.com in the UK. Not sure why, but the are.

I have an OMP Trend, 3 layer. Not impressed with the quality, stitching has been coming apart since I got it.

Sparco suits seem to be better quality material, at least on the low end.
[/b]

....I have to agree with Jeff. My OMP suit has had several seams come apart.

....The Sparco I have has done fine and will probably continue to do so but the inner layer has not been holding up very well.

.... I also have a PUMA suit that I purchased this year that I really like. Light weight, flexible, breaths real good and cool on those hot Summer days...jury is still out on durability.

.... For a good all around suit I would check with SAFE QUIP. Tim makes suits to fit that are high quality for a fraction of the cost of name brand suits.

.... Thankfully, Tim's seamstress has mended my OMP suit for me (several times), and has done exceptional work.

.... Rick Thompson

[pballance]

Keep 'em coming guys. You have already provided some very good input.

I guess I should have said that I was mildly burned about 18 years ago. Only 4-5% of my chest/abdomen but it was enough to say never again. While I am partial to a multi layer suit, I would also like to hear about single layers and underwear. I want to be protected, but not so uncomfortable that I want to reduce my protection. Since I am planning on running in SEDIV next year comfort will be a BIG factor for me.

Thanks for the replies.

Paul

[CaptainWho]

Since I am planning on running in SEDIV next year comfort will be a BIG factor for me.[/b]

After running down here for a couple of years, I strongly urge you to get or build a "cool shirt" system of some sort and install a helmet blower or some sort. Also consider buying or building a helmet air cooler to go between the helmet and blower.

[charrbq]

After running down here for a couple of years, I strongly urge you to get or build a "cool shirt" system of some sort and install a helmet blower or some sort. Also consider buying or building a helmet air cooler to go between the helmet and blower.
[/b]

Ditto that! I love running the SEDIV's tracks, but they can be brutal in the summer months. Last year, the August SARRC weekend at Daytona was so hot that there was no ice for coolers to be found anywhere near the speedway. Fortunately, you go so fast there that the breeze keeps you cooler.

I've got three suits: an old Fyrpro two piece that's surprisingly comfortable, a later model one piece from a no longer in business supplier, and a new OMP. The OMP was far and away the most expensive, but unlike others, I've found the quality to be most excellent. The fit is a little baggy, which is what I wanted, but the length is a little too long. The foreign made suits come in more fractional sizes than do most domestic suits, unless you get custom fitted. I wanted something with a little room for air without looking like Jacques Villenuve!

I've got friends that use the Sparco, Bell, and MOMO suits exclusively. With the exception of the accurate description of the Bell Suit, the others tend to run just a little large. Not a bad thing. Tailored suits are for pro drivers or movie stars (or both). I'm old, and I like comfort.

One thing I've found to be constant...cheap deals are usually reflective of the quality of the suit. Also, you can spend a fortune on a suit ($1G?) and not get anything better than something half that price. However, you'll look good for the GC photos!

[CaptainWho]

... an old Fyrpro two piece ...[/b]

As a corner worker, I'll suggest that drivers always wear one-piece suits. If we have to pull you out of a burning car, the most likely method is putting our arms under your shoulders and pulling. In this situation, the upper and lower pieces of a two piece suit often will separate, exposing your midriff.

[JIgou]

I've got an OMP SuperFirst (I think) suit, FIA certified, that I got 5 years ago. Three layers of Nomex. It's holding up fine. Got it as a closeout somewhere, paid something like $500 for it.

I'm not affiliated in any way other than being a competitor and acquaintance of the owner's in SM, but saferacer.com has a deal going on some Sparco Sprint suits right now. http://www.saferacer.com/spsp06rasu.html

If I were buying a new suit right now, I'd give a VERY hard look at the G-Force 545 suit. (http://www.saferacer.com/gf545rasu.html) It's light enough in weight that you could wear underwear under it and still (probably) be more comfortable than me in my OMP.

And get or build yourself a coolsuit, regardless of the way you go on suit. It's worth it.

Jarrod

[88YB1]

I race SEDIV and wear a GF 454. It's nice and light. Fits loose almost to the point of being baggy. Quality is very good. I've used it for a season and half with no complaints. For July, August, and Septmeber I would still like to have a cool shirt.

Chuck
ITA #34

[gprodracer]

I'll add a vote for Tim, and the Safe Quip suits. You can get a pretty much custom fitted 3 layer suit at a competitive price, that is just as cool as a much more expensive "brand name" one. Cool shirts, and/or helmet setups are a necessity in the SEDIV, no matter which brand you chose.
With proper care, mine is going on its 9th season, with no sewing/stiching issues at all, and aside from the minor color fading that all suits incur, it has held up remarkably well.
Just my own experience.
Good luck and welcome!
Mark

[mowog]

I had a custom suit made by SafeQuip (Tim Lee) some years ago, and it has held up amazingly well. My other half has gone thru 2 suits in that time, and my suit is still fine, although dated looking. However if you are in a hot area, like Florida or Texas, I would suggest looking at a Sparco. It will cost more, but they are lighter and well made.

[924Guy]

Now that I've got my order in, I'll point out that Saferacer.com has just rolled out a sale for the Sparco Sprint 06 - it's now down to $449, less $10 for SCCA member discount. I got to try on a Sprint 5 (in what turned out to be my size, 56), was pretty happy with it, and while the Sprint 06 is a 3 layer, what I heard from another vendor was that it should be lighter/better than the Sprint 05 due to less bulky material used.

Me, I was overdue to get one to replace the two suits I have, both too big, and one old and too faded, time to retire.

They do have some other suits on clearance; OG Racing (the other vendor) also has some deals, including Sprint 05's for $330, but rather few left at this point (was going to get that in my size/colour, but sold out just before I called to order). UPR.com also has some interesting looking deals.

Futher from OG, there should be even more clearances upcoming as the '07's come out and vendors start to try to make room for those... Should happen around the end of the year...

[cmaclean]

I like the GForce suits. Since I'm a cheap Scotsman I own the GF505 which is a heavy 3 later suit but it has better fire protection than pretty much any other suit and it's very, very cheap at $240. I've used it in 100+ heat many times and it's hot, hot, hot. I bought a cool shirt system last year and the combination of the two is great.

If I had to do it again I'd go with the GForce 545, incredibly light and comfortable suit but it's a 2 layer. I agree with the Cool Shirt recommendation, it makes a huge difference to your mental sharpness running so much cooler.