Genesis Motor Sports Race Wear - Helemts - Karting

NoMex vs Proban

WHAT EVERY RACER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DRIVING SUITS 


Racing suits are currently constructed from a variety of materials. Most of the larger Motorsport sanctioning bodies are now requiring at least a minimum rated suit of 3.2A/1, to be worn with Nomex underwear. Keep in mind that this is the MINIMUM standard, and provides only a few seconds of protection in the event of a fire.
Without a suit that carries a SFI patch or a TPP rating, you have no way of knowing how a suit will actually perform in the highly dynamic situation of a fire. Genesis Motorspots recommends and sells only top quality multi layer suits made from Nomex, we strongly recommend a three layer suit or a two layer suit with Nomex underwear that carries a minimum SFI-5 rating for racing.

F.R. Cotton goes by two names, Proban or Banox. This chemically treated cotton material is primarily used in the manufacturing of inexpensive one and two layer "entry level" suits. 
Even though this material has the benefit of cotton by virtue of being cooler to wear, the disadvantages of cutting corners with this type of suit, far out way the benefits. The cotton material has been treated with fire retarding chemicals, however this treatment dissolves with cleaning and wear,, and most alarmingly, it is impossible to tell when the treatment has disappeared, and the suit has lost it's ability to protect you in the event of a fire. These suits may initially look like a bargain, but with proper care the life span of a Nomex suit is much greater.

NOMEX III is a permanently fire retardant Aramid fiber that is manufactured of 93% Dupont Nomex, 5% Kevlar, and 2% P-140. These fibers are woven into a fabric that the suit is then produced from, and sense it is inherently fire retardant, the suits ability to protect the wearer does not diminish with cleaning or ware. These suits are warmer to wear, but offer a very high degree of durability and protection. 

PBI / Kevlar is manufactured from a combination of 40% PBI and 60% Kevlar, a blended material which offers a very high degree of durability and comfort. This fabric breathes like cotton, but still offers very sophisticated protection. It offers superior thermal protection before it deteriorates, it will not shrink or melt and it appears to be the ultimate material currently produced for fire protection. However the drawbacks are that it is more expensive than Nomex, and it is available only in a "Camel Brown" color.

Many multi layer suits offer a variety of inner liners. The most commonly used materials are the newer "high tech" knitted Nomex/Kevlar,Q-9 and fleece woven Nomex. These inner liners offer superior comfort and thermal protection. 

No matter how many layers your suit is, the simple inexpensive precaution of wearing Nomex underwear will dramatically increase your overall protection.