newbie buying kit

Author
Discussion

meehaja

Original Poster:

607 posts

107 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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I"m looking at starting hill climb and appreciate I now need some proper safety kit. As I understand it, I"m going to need a suit, gloves and helmet, all to FIA standards... are these standards likely to change anytime soon? Does safety kit "expire" like I think safety belts do? (I appreciate nothing lasts forever, but for 3-5 events a year I don't want to buy expensive kit that only lasts a few years!). Is there a better place for second hand kit than ebay? Obviously a new helmet, but if I could save on a suit until i have a better understanding of what I need, that would be good!

88racing

1,748 posts

155 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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Yes they do expire because the standards are superseded. It’s in the Blue Book.

AWRacing

1,710 posts

224 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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Dont forget you’ll need a HANS device, mandatory in curcuit racing but not sure about hillclimbing.

Some places do starter kits which comprise of helmet, suit, gloves and boots - grandprix racewear have done in the past.

Everything is lifed and if you plan to race at FIA (rather than MSA) events then you’ll also need approved underwear and everything needs to be in date.

You’ll usually get around 10years out of a standard before replacements needed.

meehaja

Original Poster:

607 posts

107 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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Thanks, 10 years is reasonable, I was just wary of the previous regs being “1986” then “2000” made me think we were over due a new set, and whilst I’m not buying high end, I don’t want to spend near enough £1k on something that is scrap in a year!

Trev450

6,314 posts

171 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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As already said, the Blue Book give the permitted specs and their expiry date. Having been caught out before I don't purchase any lifed items before checking first.
You will need a HANS if you intend competing in any class other than production, and the lifing of seats and harnesses once again applies to all classes except production.

Dan BSCS

1,173 posts

235 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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Trev450 said:
As already said, the Blue Book give the permitted specs and their expiry date. Having been caught out before I don't purchase any lifed items before checking first.
You will need a HANS if you intend competing in any class other than production, and the lifing of seats and harnesses once again applies to all classes except production.
Just to clarify, seats only have to be in date for Rallying and FIA events. There is currently no requirement for in date seats in MSA circuit racing, sprinting or hillclimbing, regardless of class, unless specified in the series specific regulations.

Dan

Trev450

6,314 posts

171 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
Dan BSCS said:
Trev450 said:
As already said, the Blue Book give the permitted specs and their expiry date. Having been caught out before I don't purchase any lifed items before checking first.
You will need a HANS if you intend competing in any class other than production, and the lifing of seats and harnesses once again applies to all classes except production.
Just to clarify, seats only have to be in date for Rallying and FIA events. There is currently no requirement for in date seats in MSA circuit racing, sprinting or hillclimbing, regardless of class, unless specified in the series specific regulations.

Dan
Well spotted. My bad.

df76

3,614 posts

277 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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meehaja said:
Thanks, 10 years is reasonable, I was just wary of the previous regs being “1986” then “2000” made me think we were over due a new set, and whilst I’m not buying high end, I don’t want to spend near enough £1k on something that is scrap in a year!
You can get decent deals on second hand suits (see auction sites), and that could save you a packet. I wouldn't be buying a second hand helmet in any circumstance though.

meehaja

Original Poster:

607 posts

107 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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nope, helmets new all the way, I once dropped a MX helmet from a 1st floor window, not a mark on it, but it wasn't getting tested again with a head in it! Demon tweaks suit/gloves/boots deals seem reasonably competitive... got to find a discount code though!

Nampahc Niloc

910 posts

77 months

Monday 7th May 2018
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https://www.fia.com/file/64293/download/20677?toke...

See link above. There is a change coming and it’s focused around electrical protection. This will take a few years to filter down to club motorsport, but it looks like that is their aim.

cookracing

155 posts

145 months

Monday 7th May 2018
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This is from the point of someone relatively new and aimed at circuits, in case you decide to switch smile - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFueKrHa1Zg&t

Nampahc Niloc

910 posts

77 months

Monday 7th May 2018
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I would definitely recommend reading this as well (its the FIA’s Begginer’s Guide to Safety).

https://www.fia.com/file/2050/download/8971?token=...

I’m also just getting in to motorsport (racing though) and am trying to get my head around what suit/helmet/gloves/underwear etc etc to buy. My problem is that I am pretty tall (6’4”) and relatively slim. I have no intention of skimping on safety, but also don’t want to spend all my money where it’s not necessary. Especially since more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Weslake-Monza

461 posts

182 months

Monday 7th May 2018
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Everything isn't lifed. Suits, gloves and boots aren't lifed other than by a standard. There is an old standard for suits (but I think still legal for hill climbs and sprints) but the current standard has been around since the year 2000. Boots and gloves are UK race legal to even older standards.

At club/UK level it's harnesses that have the shortest life followed by the helmet.

carl_w

9,154 posts

257 months

Monday 7th May 2018
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I've bought a fair bit of kit from here: http://rrs-direct.com/store/ who seem very reasonably priced.

Even if you select English you can end up on pages written wholly in French, though.

Thurbs

2,780 posts

221 months

Wednesday 9th May 2018
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Not sure why the advise is to buy new helmets and not new seats? I wouldn't want to sit in a seat which has been through a big shunt, same for belts and hans attachments.