Racing suits are made out of what racing suits need to be made of for the
type of racing they will be used for.
Bike racers are concerned about impact/skid protection. Fire is of minimal
concern. Leathers work well for them. You'd think leather for karters too
(and some do use leathers), but I guess for them the likely departure from
their vehicle is more like a skipping stone rather than a bouncing
basketball. Hence the karters' skid suits designed to reduce friction
(those, or leathers, required of autox karters because they are not belted
in)
Car racers tend not to worry much about abrasion (the part most likely to be
abraded is protected by a helmet). We fear fire, and need time to get
unbuckled while the inferno rages. Hence our suits are Nomex or Pyrotect and
the like. My driving shoes are suede leather, with cotton laces (designed to
burn through) and I race in Nomex socks. My gloves are leather palm, nomex
back. In fact, when I race my hands, my nose and my eyes are the only parts
that do not have a Nomex undergarment.
And price? Well, what's your ass worth? There is this about driving suits --
they last a loooooong time. I've owned two. My first was bought in 1972.
Other than it does not fit well any more :-( and it is a single-layer
suit, it is still good. They do not expire like helmets do. My second,
bought about six years ago, is a double-layer quilted job. Cost about $400.
I'll probably never buy another. But I'm on my fifth helmet and figure
before I'm done I'll go through a couple more.
--Rocky
-----Original Message-----
From: Linnhoff, Eric <elinnhoff@smmc.saint-lukes.org>
To: 'autox' <autox@autox.team.net>; 'Evolution list'
<evolution-discussions@egroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 11:00 AM
Subject: fire suits
>Here's a question; Why aren't racing fire suits made out of leather? Seems
>to me that it would offer burn through as well as heat resistance and some
>cut/slash/gouge protection.
>
>Just curious.
>
>Eric Linnhoff in KC
>1998 Dodge Neon R/T
>#69 STS #13 TLS
>eric10mm@qni.com
>
>"If someone offers you a breath mint, accept it."
>H. Jackson Brown, Jr. - Life's Little Treasure Book, on wisdom
>
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