Racing gear for track and on the road can be quite pricy, but every part of it is well worth the effort, especially when you consider what could happen without it. Racing suits, helmets, gloves and boots all work together to provide the ultimate protection. Therefore, it’s simply not worth trying to save a couple of dollars as the quality of the gear is sure to suffer with it.

It’s essential to understand what to look for when choosing race gear as some safety factors play a significant role. When you begin to shop around, you’re sure to see some cheaper options that look great, but with closer inspection, you might see some areas that reveal rather significant risks.

Below, we look at the most significant factors that play a role when choosing the best gear that provides the ultimate protection. We aren’t looking at brands or prices, but rather the things you need to look at before investing in your safety while riding or racing.

Helmets

Helmets are the most important and one of the most expensive parts of your kit. It’s essential to choose helmets that fit perfectly as a loose helmet could do more damage than good. Cheaper helmets tend to be round, which already doesn’t suit our faces, making at least one of the areas around your head be at risk. However, as soon as you move to premium helmets, you’ll find various shapes that suit your head shape for the best fit and protection.

Be sure to look for D.O.T. rating on the inside of the helmet. This ensures the helmet has been tested for drops, falls and much more. It also indicates that it passed those tests and is recognized as a safe option.

Suits / Jackets / Pants

When it comes to body wear, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, we need to look at comfort and the best protection, which would usually involve high-grade padding around the shoulders, torso, elbows and knees. Some suits include additional padding around the hips and back area as well, which is a great addition.

When choosing a suit, you also want to look for the D.O.T. ratings while doing some checking of your own. This would include the quality of the stitching, how well it fits you and the quality of the leather they use. If you’re a road rider, you’d also want to look at how well it keeps you cool and ensure it works with the rest of your gear.

Gloves and Boots

Gloves and boots are the last parts of a standard kit and are also some of the most important. With boots, you’d want to ensure it’s not too flexible and won’t allow your ankle to bend in ways it’s not supposed to go. You’d also want good quality leather and clamps that won’t fail as soon as you fall.
When it comes to gloves, be sure to choose ones that provide high-grade coverage on the inside of your hand while also protecting your fingers. Also, check the quality of the material and the stitching.

Finding the Best Racing Gear