Is the concept of fire resistant undergarments as uncomfortable as I think it is?

The only fire resistant fabrics I've felt are fiberglass insulation, header wrap, and asbestos wire insulation... Neither make any kind of appeal as to lending themselves to be pressed against the cojones.

Nomex suit, I think I can do... The SCCA GCR dresscode calls for underwear though. Which brings up an interesting point. What of all the racers that go commando!?

 

Nomex underwear is comfortable. It is like wearing long johns. Soft and smooth. I wish the socks had better elastic, but that's about my only complaint.( it could just be the pair I have). If you are worried about the cajones, then the anti-submarine (crotch belt) should be a bigger concern. I have a freind that took a hit at 90 mph. His only complaint to the paramedics was " My nads hurt". I guess they bruised and were swollen for a couple days. You know kind of like this

 

yeah, the nomex is fine, just like cotton for the most part. only down side, it is hot as pooh on the sidewalk in August. It does not breath well at all, like wearing a plastic bag. The guys that dont wear underwear have a multi layer suit so they dont need it. Single layer suit needs nomex underwear while a 3 layer suit doesnt. 3 layers are typically cooler but more expensive and offer slightly less fire resistance in terms of seconds than a suit and a nomex underwear, but it is not much, maybe like a second. The ratings tell you your leval of protection in seconds but I can not remmeber exactly.

yeah, socks suck. I dont think they put alot elastic in them becuase elastic just welts and isnt fire resistant.

And I have all omp or gforce nomex, cant afford the extreamly expensive carbon-x or sparco fancy stuff.

 

If you wear a multi-layer suit you don't need underwear. I still wear them but that's what the GCR says anyway.

Like anything else there are many different types. Some more comfortable than others. Many of the latest fabrics are designed to wick moisture away from your body to keep you cool like modern sports wear. There's also different ranges of fire protection. Nomex, treated cotton, Carbon-X, Pro Ban, etc. etc.

 

3 layer suit is easier to get off, once you get out of the car. The "Fart proof" ( as we refer to it) underwear requires a bit more privacy.
Otherwise, the choice is really up to you, and your budget.

 

Well, I'd like to be comfortable, and burning to death should I wreck the car isn't high on my priority list. Aside from what would I be sacrificing on a lower priced suit?

OMP, G-Force... What other brands of clothing should I look into?

 

they are all rated at differnet levals so there is no loss of quality from one to the other, they all have to stand up to the same standards. Check saferacer.com, they have a good selection and is the cheapest I have been able to find, also a great company to do business with.

Sparco, Alpinestare, simpson, impact, ect....

 

There really are some nice comfort features in some of the more expensive suits. You don't always get what you pay for but it's something to keep in mind. They're not all made equally. Realistically, without seeing them all side by side and trying on multiple brands it's hard to tell what fits right.

 

SFI 3.2A5 rating or above is no underwear req, some 2 layers meet this requirement, my take is get 2 layer 3.2A5 and all the underwear, get both long sleeve top and a short sleeve top, depending on the weather choose dress accordingly, if you are going to wear anything under your suit for sure make it fire resistant clothing always, on cold days wear it all, hot days wear less, this is why some of us have open face or a hybrid helmets with glasses(hybrid=chin bar, visor, no face shield) so your face gets some fresh air all the time.....

 

OH, along with a fire extinguisher get a onboard fire system put in the car......it will buy you some precious time in the event of need...
it is suprising how long it could take to get from 100mph to stopped and then release yourself and climb out of the car, let alone if you end upsidedown and shaken up.......

 

I was actually planning on getting a 5ish lb B/C or A/B/C class fire extinguisher and mounting it on the battery tray. (I'll be using a smaller battery.)

If you remove the hose on some, it has a NPT fitting that can be adapted to almost anything. I could make my own custom plumbing to hit the carburetor, fuel lines, anything.

Hood releace or bicycle brake cable would pull the trigger easily.

 

you might want to reconsider playing McGiver with safety eqpt
buy a real halon fire system with proper nozzles, release handle/cable etc.....cost 3-500 bucks, worth every penny, put a nozzle at the carb (more acurately where the carb will spill on the header) if you want, but also put one near your right knee to protect your lower body, the bottle will be in the driver compartment (try behind passenger back seat location for weight balance) and also have a smaller ABC hand held mounted in the car (on tunnel?). Use metal mtg brackets/straps. You might want to use steel lines for the system piping as some kits give you aluminum tubing.....typ ABC will put out a white powder that you cant see thru and sure dont want to inhale...