The 4 Best Karting Rain/Wet Suits: Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

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Choosing a karting rain suit for wet weather racing isn’t at the top of everyone’s list of priorities, but it definitely shouldn’t be ignored. For that reason, and to keep you racing even when the skies open up, we’ve put together a list of the best karting wet suits.

The 4 best karting wet suits are:

  1. Alpinestars Kart Rain Suit
  2. Sparco T-1 Wetsuit
  3. OMP Rain K Kart Over-Suit
  4. K1 Rain Suit

Below, we’ll go into more detail about what makes each of these wet suits so great. We’ll also touch on the things to look for when choosing a karting wet suit, so that you can make the right choice.

The Best Overall
Value For Money
Our Budget Pick
    • • Great value for money
    • • Durable and comfortable
    • • Lots of protective features
The Best Overall
  • • No loose plastic
  • • High-quality materials
  • • A stylish choice
Value For Money
  • • Reasonably priced
  • • Snug but comfortable fit
  • • High level of rain protection
Our Budget Pick
  • • Great value for money
  • • Durable and comfortable
  • • Lots of protective features

How To Choose A Karting Wet Suit

Do You Need One?

I always hear new kart drivers and owners dismissing the importance of a wet suit and putting it on the back-burner to buy another day. Now, if you live somewhere that rain falls heavily once in a blue moon, you can definitely take this stance on wet suits. However, if rain is always a possibility where you live, the last thing you want to do is ignore buying one.

Your go-kart is open to the elements at all times. Even if you get to the track and most of the rain has stopped, there’ll be puddles of standing water on the circuit itself to contend with. Let me tell you now that there’s nothing worse than racing without proper protection in the pouring rain or otherwise splashing through every puddle!

It’s a bit of kit that you’d rather have available than not. I always consider a wet suit to be like an umbrella – if you take it with you, chances are it won’t rain, and if you don’t bring one, you can almost guarantee a downpour!

They Protect Your Suit

Not only is racing in the rain without a wet suit uncomfortable, but it can be damaging to your expensive race suit! They’re made out of SFI-rated materials and flame-retardant fabrics, and are not designed to be soaking wet and left that way for long periods of time.

Reputable Brands

As with any go-karting safety equipment, I would also recommend that you spend ample time researching a variety of trusted brands. Because you’ll likely have a budget to cover all of your karting gear, the last thing you want to do is buy a wet suit that tears after one race! Reputable brands are usually the ones to opt for in general, but especially in karting.

A collection of brands that I always consider trusted and worth their salt include Sparco, OMP and Alpinestars. They each offer a wide variety of karting products at various price points, making them ideal for all experience levels.

Do Your Own Research

Even though my advice here is founded on years of go-karting experience, I will always recommend doing your own research before buying anything for go-karting.

Check out the various karting sub-forums on sites like Reddit, where people share stories and recommendations about all things kart-related. You’ll find people who race near where you live, for example, and these people can be valuable sources of information as to where you can find good wet suits or anything else you might be curious about.

Consider Your Budget

I’d also suggest not to get too hung-up on your budget as a solid, unshifting number. Sometimes an extra $30 or $40 can get you something way better in terms of quality and durability, which can be especially important with something like a rain suit.

What To Look For In A Good Karting Wet Suit

The key features to look for in a good karting wet suit are:

  • Clear waterproof material
  • Heat resistant
  • Well-fitted
  • High-quality plastic

Clear Waterproof Material

First and foremost, you want to make sure that the wet suit is made of a clear, waterproof material. This allows your suit to be seen underneath and, during races, it allows race officials to easily identify you.

Even if you aren’t racing, a clear PVC-type material will be far more lightweight than other waterproof materials simply due to how it’s made. In go-karting, you want to be as lightweight as possible to seize every advantage over your competitors!

Heat Resistant

Another important thing to look for is a level of flame retardancy or general resistance to heat. This is because you’re always very close to hot pieces of equipment, such as the engine, and you run the risk of PVC melting and sticking to your body if it isn’t properly heat resistant.

Always try to look for welded seams, as this points to the wet suit being melded together to maximize its protective qualities. If you look for this, plus extra heat mitigation features (such as a patch covering the right arm where the engine is located, for example), you won’t have to worry about scorching plastic burning your arm mid-race!

Well-Fitted

When I say you should look for a well-fitted wet suit, you might think that sounds obvious. However, some wet suits out there may fit you in terms of physical size, but they will also have excess plastic that hangs loose around you, which you don’t want.

This can’t be fixed by just going a size smaller either – it’s just how some suits are made. You want to avoid this at all costs because excess plastic flapping around at high speeds is distracting and irritating in equal measure.

Generally speaking, most brands will make wet suits that are as slim-lined as possible. Just in case, make sure that the website or store has a direct fitting guide that you can use.

High-Quality Plastic

You always want to get high-quality protection gear in go-karting as a rule of thumb, especially when the weather is working against you. Nobody wants to get soaked to the skin in a kart race!

A common problem seen in cheaper wet suits for karting is the lacking quality and durability of the plastic materials used to make them. A few companies simply choose waterproof plastics and these aren’t necessarily the best when it comes to preventing rips and tears.

Make sure to do plenty of research and try to get your hands on a few wet suits in person to test the quality of the plastic before committing to purchasing one in particular. You also want to make sure that the plastic isn’t too thick, because that will be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.

KEY POINTS

• Always buy a rain suit made by a reputable karting manufacturer

• Opt for one with clear, high-quality plastic that won’t flap around while you race

• Choose one that fits well, or it can become uncomfortable during long races

The Best 4 Karting Wet Suits For Rain

1. Alpinestars Kart Rain Suit

Although Alpinestars are better known for their motorcycle safety gear and their very noticeable, unique designs, they’re also a solid bet for karting thanks to their wide range of high-quality products.

The Best Overall
Alpinestars Kart Rain Suit
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Stylish & Functional

Straight away when you compare it to the other products on this list, it has a way more stylish look about it. Unfortunately, wet suits just aren’t designed to be fashionable or cool. Alpinestars have managed to design one that is not only highly functional and high-quality, but also has a stylish look about it!

Material-wise, the wet suit is made from a mixture of waterproof materials such as PVC, but the whole thing is also breathable. Normally, wet suits have a plastic bag-like feel and can trap a lot of heat, so this is an appreciated extra.

No Flappy Plastic

More than any other manufacturer, Alpinestars have specifically tailored their wet suit so that there isn’t excess material flapping during races, which can slow you down and generally be an annoyance to you on the track.

They have also included a fully waterproof zipper closure for the torso, which negates the typical complaint that drivers have about zippers on wet suits. And at the neck, the closure is a Velcro strap, which also cuts down on water getting in.

On the right arm, you’ll find a large black patch integrated onto the suit via heat-treating and seam welding. It is made of a tougher waterproofed material. This serves a specific purpose of providing better protection from the heat of your kart engine, always situated on the right side in the US.

It Ticks All The Boxes

As well as showcasing Alpinestars logos, the whole suit is see-through so that your sponsors can be seen with ease. It employs every single feature that kart drivers need in a good wet suit, and all of the added extras only lengthen the lifespan of it.

The Alpinestars suit is slim-lined and even fashionable, making it the perfect choice at the peak of excellence in necessary rain protection for those rained-off races. It will cost a fair amount, but it will guarantee long life and high-level, high-quality protection from the elements.

Alpinestars Kart Rain Suit
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PROS:

  • Toughened patch on the right arm for heat protection against the engine
  • Far more tailor-made than any suit on this list

CONS:

  • Elasticated wrist and ankles are thin, which can let some water in

2. Sparco T-1 Wetsuit

In terms of karting excellence, you don’t need to look much further than Sparco! They’ve been designing and making award-winning safety and racing gear for years, resulting in universal trust within the karting world.

Sparco T-1 Wetsuit
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Great Value For Money

After owning Sparco wet suits for years, their upgraded T-1 was an immediate choice to showcase as one of the best of the best! When I first started go-karting, everything had to be done on a budget as I learned the ropes, and Sparco stood out as a great quality brand without an insane price tag.

The T-1 wet suit is made from see-through PVC, which is the perfect thickness to stop premature rips and tears while remaining lightweight enough for unobstructed racing. All of your race suit will be visible through the clear material, allowing sponsors to be shown and race officials to identify you on a rainy track.

Welded Seams

A further measure to strengthen the otherwise flimsy nature of a wet weather suit is the welded seams you’ll find securing it together. The method of welding seams uses heat and pressure sealing, so it’s a stronger manufacturing technique than the ones used for most cheap wet suits you’ll find on the market. This also gives the wet suit good protection from heat from your go-kart engine.

The wrist and ankle portions of this suit close with elasticated sections that will stop rain and standing water getting inside the suit too. To combat the spray and rain, Sparco have included a Velcro fastening around the neck to close tightly and completely negate the opportunity for rain to sneak into this area.

An Excellent Choice

Overall, The T-1 is a simple product executed very well with high-quality PVC and years of experience poured into making it worth the price. You can expect to not spend too much on this wet suit, depending on where you source it from, which makes it a good choice for those on a budget that don’t want to compromise on quality.

Sparco T-1 Wetsuit
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PROS:

  • Welded seams give extra durability to the wet suit
  • Large variety of sizes

CONS:

  • No Velcro fastening on the wrists and ankles
  • A fair bit of excess plastic

3. OMP Rain K Kart Over Suit

Another one of the giants on the karting scene, OMP have been making race gear that outfits high-level drivers for a long time. A lot of potential buyers are turned away by looking at their top levels of gear due to the expensive price tag, but their K Kart Over Suit breaks this stereotype!

Value For Money
OMP Rain K Kart Over Suit
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A Durable Choice

The suit is made from a strong, clear PVC compound that makes it more resistant to tearing when compared to the average cheap karting wet suit. It’s a little thicker overall too, which adds an extra assurance that the suit won’t give up on you only a few races later.

It has a zip closure on the torso and a PVC tab over the top of it, allowing for the secure fit of a zipper while also keeping water out of this area, which can be susceptible to rain seepage over long races. A zipper isn’t entirely waterproof, with the teeth actually having small gaps in-between, but OMP have addressed this issue well.

Elasticated Waist

This attention to detail from OMP continues in the application of an elasticated waist section of the wet suit, which gives it a better, more comfortable fit. If you think about your race suit, this at least has some kind of fitted area in the waist, and OMP wanted to replicate that with its over-suit.

Similar to the Sparco wet suit, the Rain K suit comes with welded seams, and the suit has been heat-treated to prevent the PVC melting due to the close proximity of your kart engine.

Great Fit

The ankles and wrists of this suit have elasticated closures to allow for a flexible fit, and the ankle area specifically has been designed to allow for a better fit when pulled down over the top of karting boots.

There’s a full sizing guide available from OMP that details numerical measurements for this over-suit, allowing the buyer to get the perfect fit rather than guessing with universal sizes. It’s important to note as well that this suit will be going over the top of your race suit, so remember that when taking measurements!

This is a durable, reliable wet weather suit that comes with all of the features you should be looking for in a wet suit. And for a reasonable price, you’ll be getting a high-quality piece of protective gear that’ll last you a long time.

OMP Rain K Kart Over Suit
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PROS:

  • Heat-treated PVC gives extra durability and protection
  • Zip closure gives a better fit than most wet suits

CONS:

  • Elasticated wrists and ankles can become loose over time, allowing water to get in
  • Thicker PVC can feel restrictive during long races

4. K1 Rain Suit

Last but certainly not least, we have K1 – a brand that prides itself on the ability to make competitive gear for a lower price. They have been dedicated to making high-quality karting products since they emerged on the scene, and this makes them a favorite of many karting fans in the beginner to intermediate levels of karting.

Our Budget Pick
K1 Rain Suit
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Very Durable

The suit is made of an entirely waterproof plastic constructed entirely in one piece, which offers improved comfort and durability. Tears are less likely to happen if there aren’t weak points in the construction, such as the appearance of seams.

You close the torso area with a zipper covered by the waterproof plastic, which keeps water out of the suit, even during long races in the pouring rain.

Pull Strings vs The Rest

The wrist and ankle closures are made of pull strings, which are better elasticated than the standard material used on wet suits. This will keep the water out of these usual weak points far better than those on much cheaper, lower-quality suits.

The elasticated waist provides a better fit than those that lack this feature. The suit has all of the essential features you need, with waterproof plastic that fits well over your race suit and ways to stop water sneaking into it. Overall, it’s executed well, and the suit being made of one sheet makes it one of the most durable suits on this list!

K1 Rain Suit
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PROS:

  • Suit is made from one piece for increased longevity
  • High-quality elasticated cuffs

CONS:

  • Plastic is thinner than on other suits in this list

Final Thoughts

Choosing a karting wet suit can be tough, but as long as you pick one from a reputable brand, and one that is made from high-quality plastic, you can’t go far wrong! The best karting wet suit on the market right now is the Alpinestars Kart Rain Suit.