People often ask what is the best suit for fire protection? In the US, SFI tests suits and assigns a rating. Suits with the same SFI rating have been tested to have equal fire protection. SFI is a certification that demonstrates that the manufacturer certifies the driver gear has been laboratory tested to meet or exceed SFI safety specifications.
As an example, a suit rated SFI 3.2A/1 has a TPP (Thermal Protection Performance) value of 6 and gives the driver 3 seconds before a 2nd degree burn. Most tracks and sanctioning bodies in the US require a suit that is rated SFI 3.2A/5 or higher.
|
SFI Rating |
TPP Value |
Time to 2nd Degree Burn |
|
3.2A/1 |
6 |
3 Seconds |
|
3.2A/3 |
14 |
7 Seconds |
|
3.2A/5 |
19 |
10 Seconds |
|
3.2A/10 |
38 |
19 Seconds |
|
3.2A/15 |
60 |
30 Seconds |
|
3.2A/20 |
80 |
40 Seconds |
The SFI rating will be represented by a patch on the driver’s left shoulder. The SFI rating is not the only criteria when selecting a suit. Keep in mind that suits with ratings of SFI 3.2A/5 can be different in quality and wearability. An economical 3-layer suit rated SFI 3.2A/5 will keep you as protected as a higher quality suit with the same rating, but the higher quality suit may have a lighter weight material to keep you more comfortable when in the cockpit. Some 2-layer suits have the same or higher SFI rating than 3-layer suits. A higher quality suit may offer better tailoring and more freedom of movement than the other. It really depends on your level of comfort, what fits you best and how much you feel comfortable spending.
For extra protection, we also recommend a base layer that includes a fire resistant top, underwear and balaclava. In addition to the extra layer of fire protection, these base layers will provide additional comfort from chafing from the suit. The underwear can be washed more often than the suit, so you stay fresher. Most importantly, the extra base layer will double the protection time.