there is a lot of variables that make a suit the best. the best suit for you may not be the best suit for another, first part is fit, if it doesn't fit him right its going to be horrible, i'm half way lucky, some off the rack suits fit me pretty well w/o alterations, others not. I still say a custom suit would be best for him or anyone, i've gotta get the legs altered on mine to get rid of some slack.
I'm in houston for the week and hope to hit up some of the shops around here and try some on. So far the Dainese is in the lead. But I HAVE heard such passionate and good things about RS Taichi suits that i'm really hoping to get my hands on one before i make a decision.
interesting, i never knew over the boot was an option for road racing suits either. it seems common in the drag race world though...
Hey guys. Thought i'd give an update on this. I just got my 1pc suit in this morning! I dont know WHY i insist on having things shipped to the office. Now i just have to sit here and look at it and cant try it on. I went with an Alpinestars GP Pro 1pc in the White/red combo. A lot of good people around STT gave me some stellar advice and really guided me and helped me out. I had settled on either an RS Taichi or a Dainese. Until...... I found this used suit. Worn for 4 track days. Never down, and has a small oil stain on the leg (no biggie). Also came with an A* bionic snap-in back protector! Which is a steal for $575 shipped. Im really stoked to get it home and try it on. Stay tuned for hilarious gopro footage of a newb trying to put a 1pc on for the first time!
I would advise putting on an undersuit like spandex or something like that first...makes it easier to slip in and out of a 1pc. Also helps to have someone nearby that can help take it back off... just in case (Sorry, I didn't read through the 100+ posts, someone might have mentioned this already)
+1. It'll be difficult as hell without an undersuit or a piece of cake with. For $59 there is NO excuse not to have one in this sport. http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=8415
I apologize for coming in after the fact but one thing I saw mssing was Barnacle Bill. His suits are custom made and tough as nails. All at a very reasonable price. So anyone else looking should add him to the search process :thumb:
I'm only posting here because I saw a few comments about some custom suits being sketchy. Dave from Spartan leathers is a real stand up guy, he does everything that he can to continuously improve his product. I've crashed in his suit, you wouldn't even know I was ever down. Phenomenal quality. Also, what's wrong with being made in Pakistan? Look at the tags on your gear! Vietnam, Tunisia, Pakistan, Italy, Hungary, it doesn't matter as long as the quality control is there.
Quality of leather is one issue that can occur. What kind of thread etc. As far as quality there are decent quality custom suits AND the fit is better which also should help. BB and Vanson are both brands that I would wear without any concern. I am not familiar with Spartan so can make no comment. However I know people that went down in Vanson suits with excellent protection and durability. Also the same can be said about Barnacle Bill's which in addition I personally went down in and was run over with no repairs needed. Regardless of the source, quality of material and construction matters the most. While no off the shelf suit will fit people as well as custom IMO.