What to wear go-karting
Total Karting Motorsport
As with most sports, the most important things to remember when it comes to karting attire are safety, practicality and comfort. Whether you’re a seasoned karter, or you’re trying it out for the first time, deciding what to wear go-karting is an important part of planning any karting day. If you’re wondering what to wear when you’re next out on track, keep reading.
Do I have to wear a racing suit?
Depending on where you’re going karting and at what level, you may be required to wear a race suit. If you’re a karting newbie or an infrequent racer, you might not want to go to the expense of purchasing your own. In this case, some tracks and karting groups will allow you to wear your own everyday clothes, whereas others will provide a hire suit, which offers fire protection and will prevent your own clothes from getting damaged.
However, this isn’t always the case, so we recommend that you check that racing suits are provided before setting off.
Do Total Karting Zero provide a racing suit?
As Total Karting Zero race with professional race karts, a race suit must be worn for your safety. Your race suit must meet specific regulations which can be found on page 14 here.
If you’re joining us for a training day, we will provide you with a race suit, helmet and gloves.
What to wear go-karting
If you’re not wearing a racing suit or the circuit doesn’t require them, it’s important to choose your go-karting outfit with sensibility in mind. You’ll be getting in and out of your kart and sitting down for long periods of time, so wear bottoms that allow you flexibility and comfort, like tracksuit bottoms, or jeans with plenty of stretch in them. You’ll want to wear clothes that allow you to focus on your racing technique and not how uncomfortable you are.
Long sleeve t-shirts and sweatshirts will help keep your arms protected and we recommend that you layer-up where you can, as the karts can get hot and you’ll likely want to remove a layer throughout the day. Some karting tracks and groups will provide racing gloves, but if not, take your own gloves to keep your hands warm and protected.
When it comes to shoes, trainers are best as they generally have good grip, cover the whole foot and allow for some flexibility. A helmet is usually provided by the karting facility, however you may need your own balaclava to go under the helmet, which can usually be purchased at the circuit.
Is this the case for Total Karting Zero?
Yes! Except you will be wearing a race suit on top – either your own race suit or one of ours if you’re joining us for a training day. In wet weather, we do also encourage taking spare clothes or wet-weather-wear to go over the top.
What not to wear go-karting
When you’re getting your karting outfit ready, there are a few things you’ll need to avoid to ensure you have the most safe, practical racing attire.
- Loose clothing – Unfitted clothing, including scarves, can get caught in moving parts.
- Hoodies – The hood can prevent the helmet from sitting comfortably and can also become caught. Where race suits are provided, this will need to be tucked in.
- Your best clothes – Expect to get dirty, so avoid clothing that you wouldn’t want to spoil.
- Sandals – You won’t be able to race if you’re wearing open-toed shoes, Crocs, or any other footwear that doesn’t cover the entire foot.
- Jewellery – Jewellery is prone to catching and may dig into your skin uncomfortably whilst you’re karting.
- Long hair – You must keep long hair tied back and tucked out of the way.
Can I wear glasses go-karting?
Plenty of people wear glasses whilst go-karting and there is no reason why they should negatively impact your experience. Simply place your helmet on first and then, lifting the visor, place your glasses on your face as normal.
Can I wear shorts?
Different circuits will have different rules on whether they allow their racers to wear shorts, or not. For safety reasons, we recommend that as much of the body is covered as possible. On a particularly hot day, you may be more comfortable wearing shorts whilst walking around the circuit before your race, before changing into trousers or a racing suit when it’s time to get into your kart.
Wrapping up
If you’re ever unsure about what to wear go-karting, reach out to your karting group or circuit to check what their rules are and whether any clothing will be supplied on the day.
You can find out more about Total Karting Zero’s raceday requirements on page 14 here.
Ready to give karting a go? Book your training now, we’ll provide everything you need for the day.