kart racing suits

Karting suits, not fire suits — what makes them different

A karting suit is built for one job: protect the driver from abrasion if you slide across asphalt or dirt at speed. Unlike SFI or FIA auto racing suits, karting suits are not flame-retardant and don't carry SFI 3.2A or FIA 8856 fire certifications. The threat in a kart isn't fire — it's road rash. That's why every Epic Racewear karting suit uses a Cordura outer shell, the same abrasion-resistant fabric trusted in motorcycle riding gear.

If your kart series rulebook requires a fire-rated suit, you need one of our SFI racing suits instead — check your sanctioning body's rules before you order.

Two homologation levels: FIA Grade 1 and club-spec

FIA Grade 1 karting suits (FIA 8877-2022) are the premium tier, built and tested to the current FIA international karting specification. These are required for most sanctioned national and international karting events — including ASN Canada FIA karting championships, Eastern Canada Karting series events, and any FIA-licenced competition. Our FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 Karting Overalls carry full homologation.

Club-spec karting suits match the same construction standards but skip the FIA homologation certificate, which lets us offer them at a lower price point. They're the right pick for arrive-and-drive sessions, club karting nights, regional non-sanctioned series, practice days, and entry-level competitive racing where homologation isn't required by the rules.

Both tiers use the same Cordura outer shell, the same custom-fit construction, and the same artwork options.

Embroidered vs. sublimated: pick your finish

When you order a custom karting suit from Epic Racewear, you choose how your design is applied to the suit.

Embroidered. Sponsor logos, team name, car number, and graphics are stitched directly into the fabric using high-density thread. The result is tactile, premium, and very durable — embroidery doesn't fade or scratch off. It's the traditional pro-team look, and it photographs beautifully under track lights. Embroidered suits suit smaller logo counts and bold colour-block designs.

Sublimated. Your full design — base colour, panels, gradients, logos, sponsor walls, photographic elements — is printed into the fabric using dye-sublimation. The dye becomes part of the fibre, so colours stay vivid and graphics never crack or peel. Sublimation is the right choice when you want unlimited colour, photographic detail, or sponsor-heavy designs that would overwhelm an embroidered build.

Both finishes are fully custom — no off-the-rack templates you have to compromise around.

Built for how you actually drive

Every suit ships with the construction features experienced karters look for:

• Cordura outer shell — premium abrasion-resistant nylon, the standard for serious kart suits
• 360-degree arm gussets — full range of motion in the steering arc, no binding through corners
• Lower-back stretch panel — accommodates a forward-canted seat position without pulling at the shoulders
• Crotch and inseam stretch panels — comfortable in the seated kart position for full sessions
• High Velcro collar — clean, secure, and adjustable
• Custom sizing for every body — youth, adult, men's, women's, plus sizes, and big-and-tall builds

Ordering from Canada

Most Canadian karters end up choosing between three options: import from a US brand and absorb cross-border duty plus 6 to 10 week offshore lead times, source through a Canadian dealer reselling a US brand, or work with a Canadian-based builder direct.

We're the third. Every Epic Racewear karting suit is engineered, cut, decorated, and finished at our Walkerton, Ontario workshop. No offshore production wait, no US-to-Canada duty calculation, no exchange-rate guesswork. You order in CAD, we ship from Ontario, you get the suit.

We work with karters at tracks across Ontario (Goodwood, Mosport DDT, Hamilton, Innisfil), Quebec (Trois-Rivières, ICAR), the Prairies, BC, and the Maritimes.

Frequently asked questions

Is a karting suit fire-resistant?
No. Karting suits are abrasion-resistant — they protect against road rash if you exit the kart at speed. They are not SFI or FIA fire-rated. If your series rules require a fire-rated suit, you need an SFI racing suit instead.

What is FIA 8877-2022?
FIA 8877-2022 is the current international karting suit homologation standard from the FIA. It replaced the older FIA 8856-2018 specification for karting. Suits built to 8877-2022 Grade 1 are approved for sanctioned international and most national karting series, including ASN Canada FIA events.

Do I need a Grade 1 suit or a club-spec suit?
Check your series rulebook. Sanctioned national and international karting requires a Grade 1 homologated suit. Club series, arrive-and-drive sessions, practice days, and most regional non-sanctioned racing accept a non-homologated club-spec suit.

How long does a custom karting suit take?
Production runs 6 to 10 weeks from artwork approval, depending on artwork complexity and current production load. We confirm a firm ship date when we accept the order.

What's the difference between embroidered and sublimated?
Embroidery stitches your design into the fabric for a tactile, traditional look — best for cleaner designs with fewer logos. Sublimation prints your full design into the fabric for unlimited colour and photographic detail — best for sponsor-heavy or complex artwork.

Do you ship across Canada?
Yes. Every suit ships from Walkerton, Ontario to every Canadian province and territory.

Related collections

Complete your karting kit:

• Karting Gloves
• Karting Shoes
• Karting Tech Layers
• Team & Fan Apparel

Why Canadian karters choose Epic Racewear

Built in Walkerton, Ontario. Shipped from Canada with no cross-border duty or exchange-rate guesswork. FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 and club-spec tiers. Embroidered or sublimated, your call. Custom-fit to your measurements. Direct support from a team that races.