What karting safety equipment will I need?
A complete guide to essential pieces of karting safety equipment that every karting driver will need.
Karting is an totally exhilarating form of motorsport, which is widely known as the breeding ground for a lot of the world's best racing drivers, such as Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris who all began their careers in the world of karting.
It is a proven platform that really paves the way to professional motorsport and the success that comes with it, often acting as the springboard to driving for some of the world’s largest car manufacturers and motorsport companies.
Ayrton Senna subsequently went on to become a three-time Formula 1 World Champion!
This illustrates why karting is not just fun; it can be highly competitive and teach you the motorsport ropes and racing techniques for the race track.
Regardless of whether you plan to dominate F1 events or want to become one of the all-time greats in rally driving, you need to prioritise safety above absolutely anything else.
This is why you need to invest in karting equipment that helps you perform at your best while also helping to protect you.
We offer some of the best and most comprehensive motorsport guides you can read online.
Whether you’re a novice kart driver or plan to compete in the next British Superkart Championship, we have all the karting safety equipment you will ever need.
Let’s begin by running down that karting equipment check-list:
Homologated full-face karting helmet
Full-face karting helmets (must adhere to applicable homologated safety standards, such as the “FIA 8878-2024” or “Snell K2025” and for Juniors “Snell CMR 2016” standard- all of these are the official standards applicable to karting.
It really does depend on where you are competing; some suppliers of karting helmets will therefore commonly refer to “Snell” or “FIA” karting helmet standards, depending on location and motorsport event you are entering.
The helmets specifically designed for juniors aged 15 or under, with particular attention to the design of junior karting helmets to ensure they provide high levels of protection while remaining lighter than adult helmets.
A junior karting helmet is therefore often referred to as “CMR” karting helmet homologations, indicating that it is designed specifically for junior riders.
Why are junior kart helmet standards different?
A junior kart driver will often lack the neck and shoulder strength of an adult kart driver.
Therefore, because the neck muscles are weaker, the cart's forces can sometimes move the head more violently. Therefore, to help prevent injuries to junior kart riders, the CMR helmets are lighter and safer.
The CMR homologations require these helmets to have a maximum weight, but there are brands like Stilo who offer far lighter CMR helmet weights than this, and it is highly advantageous to have the lightest CMR helmet as possible
More expensive junior karting helmets are often made from more costly materials such as Kevlar and carbon fibre.
This is true for adult kart riders too; therefore, as with all racing helmets, you will want the helmet to meet the necessary safety standards, such as FIA or Snell standards, and to exceed those safety standards where possible. Yet the main aim is to make the helmet as light as possible to improve comfort while racing.
This is why, if your budget allows, you should look at the more expensive yet lighter carbon fibre helmets.
Each driver may have a preference, often choosing a brand they like at a young age and then usually becoming a loyal customer throughout their motorsport career.
Therefore, kart drivers may find a helmet brand they prefer and sometimes stick with it throughout their careers.
Stilo is a brand we highly recommend investing for your motorsport journey. The reason is that Stilo is a world-renowned company not just for designing helmets that meet safety standards (which, of course, is essential), but also for its passion for product engineering.
Light, hand-made helmets, yet sometimes so light you forget you are wearing a helmet, is genuinely the name of the game. With all their range made with carbon as they understand the massive benefit this gives the driver.
Karting suits- ensure you purchase a CIK-FIA-approved karting race suit
Imagine the worst-case scenario; the mind often doesn’t want to take us there, but you must consider every eventuality and the potential risks of every form of motorsport to make sure you are prepared.
Imagine a multi-kart collision: some riders are ejected from their karts, as there are no harnesses, no roll cages, no side doors or windows in place to protect you. What often keeps you safe when sliding across tarmac or solid concrete and sustaining significant body abrasions as a result is the karting suit.
Friction burns are a real possibility when taking part in karting; therefore, the emphasis of a karting suit is on reducing these abrasion burns that could be caused if you are thrown from, say, a geared race kart at speed.
The karting race suit is not designed primarily for fire protection or to prevent burn injuries- instead karting suits are designed to help avoid or mitigate friction burns, which is why the FIA Karting Standard 8877-2024 was introduced, and is set to apply far better protection for all drivers.
Higher Abrasion Safety Standards
The new FIA 8877-2024 safety standard has been developed after a close inspection on the protection levels applied to motorcycle outer wear. After rigorous testing these new standards have now been applied to all new kart suits manufacturing.
This new higher standard protects kart racers far better than before.
Where the previous abrasion specifications were known in “levels” (now discontinued), the new protection has two different tiers against abrasion, simply known as “Grade 1” for the lower level, and “Grade 2” for the highest level. These Grades are sewn into the collar of the suit as certain championships could require one level or another.
In addition, the FIA have placed a life on these suits of five years, with the expiry year sewn into the back of the collar. This is mainly for FIA sanctioned kart events, but you had best check what standard is required for your championship.
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Karting gloves and karting shoes
Karting gloves are like other motorsport gloves: light, reinforced to protect the hand, and thin enough to provide a firm grip on the wheel.
Karting shoes are designed differently, often referred to as “high-top karting boots”, are designed differently from other motorsport footwear.
The karting shoe will rise above the ankle and typically has a thin rubber sole. The reason the kart shoe rises above the ankle is simple: the ankle is a stress point in karting, especially in endurance events. Good ankle protection is therefore needed to protect the ankle.
Rib protectors, or sometimes referred to as karting chest protection
A rib protector in karting is a vitally important piece of equipment for racing in the sport.
Generally, karts tracks driven at speed are very bumpy, and a rib protector stops injury to ribs chest and back by absorbing this rough nature of the track through the karts solid seat. It also helps alleviate the high energy impacts caused by contact with other racers.
Side-on collision can occur in karting, and in high-powered competitions such as geared karting, speeds can be immense and the g-force nature of the sport adds its own pressure on your ribcage.
Therefore, just as older Volvos were designed with “SIPs” (side impact protection systems), karting drivers must consider the same concept, but not in terms of the vehicles design, but through personal protective items such as karting rib protectors.
Stilo offer a carbon fibre entry level protector in the “Carbon Curva” as well as a higher specification model required for racing in FIA sanctioned events in the “Carbon Curva FIA 8870“. The latter having additional chest protection.
Fractured ribs are a severe injury; the pain during recovery can be highly uncomfortable. Therefore, protect yourself; don’t just buy any rib protector, buy the best protection and quality as you can afford.
Neck braces
Neck braces are needed across a wide range of motorsport disciplines.
For example, in rally motorsport, drivers and co-drivers wear “HANS’s devices” to protect against severe neck injuries in collisions.
Although karting drivers don’t wear HANS devices, they can wear neck braces. The objective is to prevent violent head movement during impacts, which could result in serious, perhaps life-changing, injury.
Karting knee pads and also karting elbow pads
Sliding across any hard surface, even from a fall while walking, can cause severe abrasions when the body impacts on a gritty surface or tarmac. Now imagine the forces exerted in karting: powerful 250cc motors coming to a grinding halt, metal-on-metal bumper impacts, and the force of being thrown from the kart.
This is why, when karting without anti-roll bars, doors, or a bonnet to protect us- just as normal cars have, we have to instead in karting think about wearing knee and elbow pads as a line of protection.
We therefore stock karting protective clothing and helmets made by some of the largest companies on the planet. We stock Alpinestars, P1 Racewear, and a brand we are closely aligned with: Stilo. There are new brands arriving to further add to your choice.
Racing balaclavas and earplugs
At karting competitions or kart rental centres, engine noise can be deafening.
Therefore, ear defenders are often needed, as there’s no co-driver to talk to; you can block your hearing if you wish with in-ear ear protectors.
Racing balaclavas are also worn in karting competitions. Racing balaclavas are worn in karting events to absorb perspiration and keep your helmet as fresh as possible.
During a competitive karting event, such as the UK Kart Series, the Wera Tools British
Kart Championships, or the Club100 Junior Championship, participants will undoubtedly feel the race-day pressure.
This race-day pressure often stems from the realisation that hundreds, if not thousands, of hours have gone into preparing for that big day. Therefore, our hands, armpits, and head will naturally sweat more than usual. Thus, to help absorb that sweat, many drivers and co-drivers wear racing balaclavas, and karting is no exception.
A racing balaclava is worn under the karting helmet and should be made from high-quality fabrics. The fabrics should not be so thick that you feel hot and bothered; instead, a freshly washed balaclava should help you feel comfortable and refreshed, absorbing sweat so it doesn’t become an unwanted distraction during the race.
Driving in the rain (karting racewear for wet conditions)
Specific karting competitions may be held indoors; however, some are not, leaving drivers and onlookers at the mercy of the Great British Weather.
Karting often means drivers are exposed to heavy rain that hits the race kart and driver at incredible velocity.
A karting rain suit may well be used by some drivers. The rain suit is worn over your karting suit; it should have sealed seams to help prevent water from seeping in.
Rain boots and rain gloves for karting
Water-soaked gloves reduce hand movement, and a water-soaked boot is just uncomfortable for any driver.
This is why professional kart drivers often carry a spare kit for rain. If the heavens do open, you will still be ready for any weather on the day.
Rain visors
Even someone moving at low speeds in the rain, such as a bike rider, may experience rain so intense that it reduces visibility—this impairment affects performance, increasing the risk of accidents.
Then consider the grip of karting tyres on concrete or tarmac; it is reduced during wet conditions as well, so braking distances will also be shorter. When the kart slides, the risk of high-speed crashes increases exponentially.
Therefore, rain visors are a critical piece of kit; if the weather breaks, you can remove one to regain complete visibility. Double glazed visors are important in stopping misting of the internal surface, this being another hazard that can be rectified with a visor change
Purchase with complete confidence from the motorsport experts
We stock a complete and wide range of motorsport safety equipment. We therefore cater for everything from rally motorsport, through to F1.
Regardless of which karting safety equipment you need, we have it.
We offer a comprehensive guide to the karting safety equipment you need.
