Is all safety gear equal?

[Vipergrün]

Ok, in preparation for dropping bucks into safety equipment I have begun the process of figuring out what I want/need to buy.

I've looked at Sparco, Crow, OMP, G-force, Simpson, etc. The prices seem to vary from place to place. Some deals seem pretty good. Is it safe to assume that an SFI 3.2/5 driving suit from G-force will be as good as Sparco?

Right now I'm thinking about the Crow stuff cuz I can drive down and try stuff on.

Do certifications look at quality AND specs?

Is most of this stuff made at the same place and re-branded?

Yes I value my safety, but I am also on a budget.

Thanks much!

[ErVikingo]

I own an OMP, a Sparco and a G Force suit. All have the same certification but the fit, heft and breathability vary.

Oddly enough, my favorite is the GForce; fits better and has held together much better than the other ones following repeated washings. It ain't as cool (temperature wise not cool factor) as the Sparco though.

[ErVikingo]

checkout gforceoutlet.com for deals.

Safe Racer has a lot of specials and Circuit Motorsports is great also.

[Tom W]

To answer the questions directly:
Certifications look at specs.
The quality of construction, fit and comfort can be very different. Some have likened some inexpensive driving suits to like wearing an oven mitt. It protects you but is far from comfortable or a nice fit.

Is it made by one supplier and re-branded?
Generally, no. Some simple items (Carbon-X socks come to mind) may be.

[Vipergrün]

Great replies, thanks!

[trekkor]

I just picked up the package deal from '24 Hours of Lemons'.
All Pyrotect and Bell.

Nomex suit, shoes, gloves, innerwear and SA2005 closed face helmet for.... $425!!!

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-14891464457018_2064_1521112

All nice and fits well. SFI rated.


KT

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Grassroots Motorsports mag did a review of driving suits last year. The info may have made its way onto their website by now -- Grassroots Motorsports Magazine . They've also done comparos on a selection of helmets. Worth a look if they are on-line now.

--DD

[JohnJL]

My limited experience is that they might meet the same specifications (I dont know, I rely on the label for that) but features, comfort, durability and style differ significantly.

For example, some suits fade and blotch easily. Some don't.

Some belt systems include fasteners, velcro belt organizers and clear labels/instructions. Some dont.

Some have local or toll-free, knowledgable support. Some don't.

Asking around and borrowing gear seems the best approach.

[glewis80SC]

I've been going down the same route, Crow has great products and is local and Lico has a great suit too. I am a little biased to a three layer Nomex suit, that is the material i wear at work and it has served me well and holds up very good to abuse.
I like the three layer because it gives me the feeling of a little more time if things go bad and the layering system is what my gear at work is based on and it has allowed me to survive in some bad conditions. The layering allows air between them thus giving a better barrier to dissipate heat away from your skin and giving a bit of extra time, plus I'm not totally convinced that the cotton impregnated material doesn't eventually wash out a bit and reduce the suit effectiveness, and they have to be washed often.
Crow has a great three layer suit but it does not come it my "husky" size but the Lico does, I would get a suit that doesn't fit real tight because that doesn't allow air between the layers, reducing the heat dissipation. I will be deciding pretty soon too, i would like to bump up to TT with POC and the suit etc is a requirement.

[eric523]

I have CROW belts in all my cars and have been happy with them. They are local, cheap, and customer service is good.

My suit and underwear is all STAND 21 because they fit a little better and have more precise sizing to choose from.

[Vipergrün]

This is interesting, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but does this imply LICO are made by Sparco? I found this under the tech info page for LICO suits at OGracing

Sparco: 0L23372xx Internal: LI23374 SIZE COLOR

[OffCamber00]

Lico is the new entry (budget) level from Sparco.

[glewis80SC]

PROFOX Racing Suits Racing Shoes Gloves - Race Fire Suit
This is another local company and their products looks pretty good and they have a nice three layer suit.