No matter what level of go-kart racing you're getting involved in, investing in your own go-karting eqipment can be a worthwhile move from the basics such as karting gloves through to helmets and fireproof race suits. You might be thinking about racing cars too, why not check out our guide to beginner motorsports kit or if track days are your thing, we've also got trackday essentials covered too.
If you are thinking about investing in your own karting equipment, you need to start with the basics, I'd suggest:
- Karting boots
- Karting helmets
- Go Kart gloves
- Rib protectors
- Seat insert
- Go-Karting race suit
- Other karting accessories
While you can purchase most go kart safety kit on the above list fairly cheaply, there are a couple of points to bear in mind. Firstly, indoor and outdoor karting circuits may have different requirements on kart equipment certifications, what may be allowed indoors may not meet the standards of an outdoor circuit. Secondly, motorsports is dangerous and as such you should protect yourself by buying the best equipment that you can afford, there's no point regretting it if you have an accident.
It's also worth mentioning that buying your own kartwear won't make you a better racer. It might make you feel more relaxed, which can help improve your flow, but it's not suddenly going to knock 2 seconds off your best lap!
Kart Boots
Possibly the best investment you can make to help your racing improve will be buying your own set of karting boots. You might think that your knackered old trainers are doing the job just fine, but buy a pair of boots designed for the job in hand and you'll literally feel the difference.
Race boots and shoes are made with a very grippy, thin sole designed to offer the driver unrivaled feel and grip on the pedals. The increase in feel and grip should help you to balance the pedals better, allowing you to brake and accelerate with more precision.
Our top 3 picks for beginner karting boots are:
Go Karting & Trackday Helmets
This is arguably one of, if not the most important pieces of karting equipment you'll ever invest in. You only get one head so it's well worth paying to protect it. There is nothing wrong with the helmets supplied by circuits, however owning your own go-karting helmet means you know where it's been. I have seen first hand the damage a loose front wheel can do when one struck a competitors head in the SG Petch Sprint Championship.
There are many different specifications of helmet on the market and we've looked at a good selection in our kart and trackday helmet review. All of these come in fibreglass and carbon fibre variants and of course the price often reflects the spec, but that doesn't mean you can't get value for money.
For many starting out in karting, a top end helmet is often off limits and many circuits will be more thn happy for drivers to use a motorcycle helmet so it's worth considering these as an option too and they tend to come with a few more colour options.
Here are 3 great helmets for new karters:
Here are some examples at each level, as you can see, price varies.
Kart Gloves
Gloves offer several benefits to your racing. They will not only protect your hands from small debris, but they will more than anything provide a comfortable grip on the steering wheel of your go kart. We've all turned up to a go kart venue and seen the generic builders gloves offered, well forget those and invest in a pair of well fitting gloves.
Our top 3 picks for beginner karting gloves are:
Rib Protectors
Some drivers like them, some don’t but whatever your thoughts rob protection offers comfort and improved safety in the event that you have an accident.
They’re fairly rigid things, though that might not come as a surprise given they’re designed to protect your ribs and as you might expect they come in different sizes. I’d strongly suggest trying before buying here too, the wrong size will not only be uncomfortable but may offer less protection.
Seat Inserts
A go kart seat insert is a great investment if like me, you’re quite slim and racing karts with a wider seat. Get the right one and it will help to keep you stable in the seat, preventing you sliding around while cornering.
They also add some weight to the kart and while this may feel counter intuitive, sometimes a little more weight for a light driver can mean better traction, improving acceleration and braking.
There are loads of different go kart seat inserts around to fit all kinds of go kart seat, make sure you check what seat you use before buying a seat insert.
Go-Karting Race Suits
Like most things in go-karting, race suits also vary in specification dependent on price. It's worth while considering what type of racing you want to do, not just now, but in the future too. If you intend to take your racing more seriously in the future, you may want to consider spending more now so you don't have to buy another race suit for a different category or Championship.
There are loads of things to consider with race suits, if it's only for indoor go-karting you are often okay with a cheaper suit, but check taht the venue are happy with your choice.
Spare Visors
Getting spare visors for your helmet is also a good idea!
Other Karting Accessories
Wet suit
Kit bag
Ballast
There are also a few other items which you may also want to consider depending on how seriously you race and how well you fit into the karts you race. Some drivers like to wear some form of padding, whether that is rib protectors or padded shorts to help them fit more snugly into the seat. Alternatively you can buy seat inserts, which slot into the seat before you get in.
Luggage is also something else to think about, if you've just forked out on a load of swanky new race kit, the last thing you want to be doing is trying to carry it all individually and dropping your new helmet. Kit bags can help and offer compartments for everything to keep you organised.
