Hey guys it looks like my plan to go thru comp school in March at VIR is a go. I just got my drivers suit today from OGRacing. I got the Lico Jade top (SFI 3-2A/5 rated), Sparco soft touch balaclava and 4 pair of Sparco soft touch socks. The suit feels like it fits just fine other than the fact that its stiff and a little bulky feeling. My question is... The CCR says I don't have to were Nomex underwear with a suit of this rating. But do you guys recommend wearing it even though its not required? If so I'm going to send this one back and get lighter suit. On a side note I have all the other requires safety gear Hans, SFI rated gloves and shoes. So this is just tieing up the loose ends.

Thanx for any help on this.

 

if you keep the suit let us know how it goes happy or not and how well it does in the heat and good luck. I am looking at Lico as well but I hear people complaining about them all the time make me wonder.

 

If I keep I'll post how I like it. Now I not complaining. I just feel like I'm wearing my snow boarding gear in this suit. I don't expect it so feel like jeans and a sweat shirt. I just don't think I could deal with this heavy of a suit and Nomex in the summer.

 

Is that a 3-layer suit? I think a 3-layer + Nomex undies would be pretty damn near unbearable.

 

i have a 3 layer and i rock just a t-shirt and boxers under it. more nomex would be murder in the summer w/o a cool suit. even still, it wil take you some time to get used to it but once you get out there in the thick of it you won't even notice it.

 

I concur with spencer...
I too have a 3 layer Sparco... its hot, and i also wear a nomex top and some boxers too.
When I am out on the track i dont notice the heat. I can take more than the average person can when it comes to heat.

 

I have a 3layer gforce, and I raced in hotter than hell conditions. Road Atlanta, CMP, and Roebling Road all see their share of 95+ degree days, and I have seen then there too. The suit is great during the winter, but after surviving four years of heat stroke on grid before race I got smart and built my own cool suit. Now the suit is great year round, and while I may buy another suit in the future I no longer feel like I need a light weight suit.

 

I always wear Oakley Carbon-X bottoms and long sleeve shirt. I'd rather have the protection and not need it, then to need it and not have it. While it does get hot, drinking ice cold water during the session keeps my head cool. I figure if it gets scorching this summer ill come up with a cool suit set-up.

FWIW, the Lico stuff is made of thicker materials then the sparco models. I've yet to find a suit around the 500 range that doesnt feel like a ski jacket.

 

I bought a cheap pyro-tech suit and used it for a year or so.

It worked, i was hot as hell in the summer though.

I upgraded to a custom suit from these guys http://www.motowear.com/ great people, GREAT price as they will do what ever you want, and it is really really nice.

I wear IMPACT underwear all the time.

I found after spending ~$600 in driver gear, that i wasn't happy with the cheap stuff.

So i upgraded, and i would do it again time and time and time again.

Spending good money on driver gear is money well spent IMO.

 

I have a 3-layer $500-range Sparco... I wear Simpson carbon-x underwear beneath it. The GF says I have to. I like the construction of the Oakley stuff much better though, I've replaced my Simpson socks with the Oakleys and will continue to do so as the Simpson stuff wears out. Oakley= much lighter. Personally I think the extra escape time it buys you is worth it. If you buy any safety gear from BSR, they usually send along their video that explains how a lot of safety equipment is rated and tested. The firesuit burn testing is... enlightening.

It can be pretty darn hot. I did a race over the summer when it was 99 degrees ambient, about 125-130 sitting in the car in grid. That was definitely warm in the suit. I still sweated something like 10lbs into the suit during the 30 minute race. Cool Suit would have made things a lot better, but it was not unbearable.

 

Thanx guys I'll check into the underwear as well.
Chris are we going to see you at any NASA events this year?

 

I've run a 3-layer sparco challenge suit with the oakley carbon-x long underpants + shirt in early april and early september @ CMP without any issues. It did get a bit toasty though when I spent 2hrs in the car. I also don't sweat much compared to most.

 

I always default to: "what would this be like at Hyperfest '06?" when it was like 100* in the shade and 96% humidity. If I would die in that situation, I don't consider it

<--- Almost died anyway, just wearing a cotton long-sleeve T and jeans. Ugh.

 

Im telling you guys, build your own cool shirt setup. Total cost is under $150, 100 for the shirt and another 30-40 for the rest of the system.

 

Jimmy i thought about purchasing a custom tailored suit from Motowear a few months ago.
They were offering a 600.00 suit but it had the motowear logo all over it.
front back sleeves and legs.
Nice price for a custom made suit but the advertising was a bit more than i wanted.
Whats your suit look like?

 

I have used 2 Sparco suits now and probably pissed off OG Racing by spending like 3 hours there trying on probably a dozen suits lol. I went there wanting the mid-level Lico, my mind was almost set - Sparco brand, looks cool, awesome price, I don't care it's made in China

It felt like I was wearing a stiff oven mit, very uncomfortable, I tried even the high end Lico, a little better, but inferior to a similar priced Spraco IMHO.

I tried on a couple high end Sparcos for s*its and giggles, and it was amazing. They are like wearing those one-piece PJ's you had when you were 4. Super thin and light, no resistance in movement, I felt like I could go run a marathon in the thing and be comfy.

I went home being discouraged that I would have to go outside my budget to get a decent suit. I waited for a sale, and luckily got a ~$1400 Sparco X-Light for $800, done and I couldn't be happier. First time I used it was at VIR in July, 100* days. I was happy to have that and the cool suit, priceless I tell ya.

I wouldn't wear nomex underwear unless someone paid me...it's much more form-fitted than a suit = hotter