Folks - I plan to do a few more track days this season, and I'm wondering about gloves. I'll certainly remain in the 'restricted' classes, because I've got no business anywhere else. That said, being on the track in my 348 is about the most fun a boy can have without getting tossed in jail. My question however, surrounds gloves. I find that as a newbie, my hands sweat a little more, I probably grip a little too tightly, etc. etc. I'd like to find some reasonably priced gloves. There are lots of OMP and G-Force ones on-line, but I'm not even sure which "features" or construction I need. Some suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Kindly, Daniel
I'm in the same boat as you. I bought MOMO gloves and boots. The gloves are great for grip and sweat.
Well someone here on Fc pumped up Speedgear for closeout Ferrari stuff and from there I got to Driving Impressions website 973-3610508 an OMP distributor. They closed out the cool M Schamcher nomex shoes and 718 OMP gloves. They ran out of 718's and upgraded me to 733's at no charge so the gloves were only 60 bucks! My 348 driving may suck but I look good! YMMV
Daniel: It may be worth going to one of the shops in person to try them on. Get something you are comfortable with, rather than what brand is on the outside. I have a pair of G Force gloves that are made out of roo leather, very comfortable. Good luck, Erik
Hello Daniel, As far as gloves and racing equipment, there are only two brands out there that have the best comfort and quality, Sparco and Puma, I am a distributor for both brands, give me a call I will give you my wholesale price. Victor
The most important requirements for any safety gear that you wear are safety and comfort. Don't get caught up in the "nifty" design or cool colors. Bottom line ....all that matters is that they work as designed and fit comfortably. Also don't get caught up in the price aspect. Gloves can run from $50 to $150 and more. Strand21 makes some endurance gloves that cost $200 and are custom made. I've tried every glove on the market during my track and race career. In the end I was quite surprised to find the one that works best for me is one of the cheaper gloves. I bought a pair of G-Force Pro 5 gloves for about $80 as a last resort at the track when I forgot one of my Alpine Stars. Every glove is a little bit different. For instance you mentioned the "sweat" factor which the G-Force may not be best for you since it's material is very thick. Overall Sparco and G-Force are my favorites in terms of fit and last. I really liked the Alpine Stars gloves but they are junk. Went through two sets in one season. They simply can't hold up to my abuse. One the first pair the stitching came undone near the wrist area. On the second pair the same thing happened and then a hole surfaced in the same area. Sparco's are very good gloves, but you really have to take care of them or the leather palms get very hard. Also for some reason Sparco's don't like to be washed very often (they tend to shrink). Momo's just never fit me well and neither did Simpson's. OMP's had the same problem as the Sparco's with the palms getting hard if not treated right. I did borrow a friends pair of Impact Racing (Bill Simpson's new company) and they fit well. Try everything and don't just pick what looks cool or what everyone else uses. In terms of shoes I like the OMP's and Sparco/Puma's (Puma built a model for Sparco until this season). Last bit of advice...don't order online, first go to a shop and try everything on. In most cases it will only be a few dollars less online so I usually buy at a race shop since they were nice enough to allow me to try them out. Then I buy replacement pairs over the net. Regards, Jon P. Kofod www.flatoutracing.net
