Which karting suit should you buy?

On this page

1. 01Our karting suit picks at every budget
2. 02Compare them side by side
3. 03How we chose
4. 04How to choose the right suit
5. 05Sources

This guide is for hire drivers who are thinking about their own suit and for anyone heading towards club racing. It covers our four picks at different budgets, what hire tracks lend you and what Motorsport UK and the FIA accept. It also covers how to read the label and how a suit should fit.

Our karting suit picks at every budget

The low pick has no FIA approval, so it belongs at indoor tracks and corporate nights. From the mid pick up, every suit is homologated to FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1, which the 2026 rules accept at Short Circuits. Above the mid pick, the money goes on lighter fabric, better breathability and air flow for hot days in the seat.

Compare them side by side

The table shows the approval and price of our four picks and two more suits worth a look.

Prices are from Demon Tweeks on 3 Nov 2026 and include VAT. A range means the price varies by size: child sizes are VAT-free. If you buy through these links we may earn a commission. It doesn't change the price you pay.

How we chose

We have not lab-tested or track-tested these suits, and we don't give scores. We picked by approval first, because that decides what you can actually race in. Then we looked at fit and size range (including child sizes), then ventilation and weight where the maker states them, and then price. We read every spec from the product page at Demon Tweeks on 3 November 2026. Prices move, so check before you buy.

How to choose the right suit

What does a karting suit do?

A karting suit is a one-piece garment that covers everything except your head, hands and feet. The FIA standard for karting clothing describes it as designed mainly to protect against abrasion, with requirements for contact heat and tearing as well. In plain terms it is there for the slide across the tarmac after a spin or a coming together. It is the one bit of kit you hope never earns its keep.

Do you need your own suit for hire karting?

Most tracks lend you one. Our venue data records what each track says it supplies, and 86 of the 127 venues in the data have kit information recorded. Of those 86:

• 76 list a suit of some kind (race suit, overalls, racewear or a wet-weather suit).
• 71 list both a helmet and a suit.
• Ten do not list a suit, and some of those say only that safety equipment is provided without naming items.

That is a count of what venues say. It doesn't guarantee a suit for any single session, so check the track page and the venue's own booking terms.

The dress code is a separate field. It mostly covers footwear and loose clothing: hire venues ask for closed shoes, and some also ask you to tie back long hair. Browse the go-karting tracks for each venue's recorded details.

Which suit do you need for club racing?

Racing is a different game from a hire session. The Motorsport UK National Competition Rules 2026 set out what drivers wear at club events in Chapter 18 Appendix 7.

• At Race Venue Kart Events, suits must be leather, FIA Standard 8877-2022 Grade 2, or EN17092 Class AAA.
• At Short Circuits, only leather suits or suits of a recognised CIK homologation standard are acceptable.
• Leather suits must be at least 1.2 mm thick at every point and comply with current CIK-FIA regulations.
• The CIK-FIA suits the rules accept are those to standard 2001-1, standard 2013-1 level 1 or 2, or FIA Standard 8877-2022 Grade 1 or 2.
• All clothing must be fastened securely at the wrists, ankles and neck. Two-piece suits are allowed if they zip together. A properly fitted wet-weather suit may be worn over an approved kart suit.
• Trailing or loose scarves are not permitted, and scrutineers can ask to inspect your suit at any time.

Motorsport UK's beginner guidance squeezes the minimum into one line: overalls that are CIK-homologated, or a leather suit. The same page says a leather suit is mandatory for long circuit karting. The 2026 rules (Article 4.3, the first bullet above) also allow FIA 8877-2022 Grade 2 and EN17092 Class AAA suits at Race Venue Kart Events, so check the rules for your event.

What should the label say?

Three names matter on a label.

• CIK-FIA N2013-1 (Level 1 or 2). This is the older karting standard. CIK-FIA events require Level 2, and the Motorsport UK 2026 rules also accept Level 1. The CIK-FIA 2026 technical regulations (international) accept overalls of this standard during their useful life, shown on the label, but not beyond 31 December 2029.
• FIA 8877-2022 (Grade 1 or 2). This is the current FIA karting clothing standard, and it covers suits, gloves and shoes. The CIK-FIA regulations make it mandatory for overalls in international karting from 1 January 2030. Homologated items appear in FIA Technical List 101.
• EN17092 Class AAA. This is a European standard for motorcycle clothing, and the Motorsport UK rules name it for Race Venue Kart Events.

Under 8877-2022, an overall carries an FIA homologation label on the outer layer at the back of the collar, a hologram inside the front closure flap and a user information label with care symbols. Look for all three before you buy, particularly on a second-hand suit. A suit with missing labels is a suit you have to take on trust.

When should you stop borrowing?

Hire suits are fine for sessions. Owning your own starts to make sense when you move towards club racing, because you need a suit that satisfies the Motorsport UK rules above and passes scrutineering. Race Venue Kart Events ask for Grade 2, leather or EN17092 Class AAA, so check the label against the series you plan to enter before you buy.

The 2029 and 2030 dates above are CIK-FIA (international) dates. The 2026 Motorsport UK rules still accept 2001-1 and 2013-1 level 1 or 2 suits with no end date, but check the current rules. If you are heading to owner-driver racing, our guide to getting started covers the licence and club side.

How should a karting suit fit?

The suit has to stay fastened at your wrists, ankles and neck. It needs to do that sitting in a kart with your arms out as well as standing in a shop, so try it in a seated driving position if the seller allows it. Check that there is room for a base layer without the suit bunching, and that you can turn your head and reach the steering wheel comfortably.

How do you wash a karting suit?

Follow the care label. The standard requires a user information label with cleaning symbols, so the manufacturer's instructions are the authority on washing temperature and what not to use. Check seams, zips and cuffs for wear before each season. A torn seam undermines a garment whose whole job is resisting abrasion.

Sources

• Motorsport UK, National Competition Rules 2026 (Edition 5), Chapter 18 Appendix 7, Article 4 (pages 668 to 669).
• Motorsport UK, Get Started: Karting (getstarted.motorsportuk.org/karting/).
• CIK-FIA Technical Regulations 2026 (v1.2), Article 7.2 (fiakarting.com).
• FIA Standard 8877-2022, Protective Clothing for Karting Competitors (fiakarting.com).
• kart365 venue data (kit_provided field), read 2026-11-03.