Karting
7 go-karting accessories you should always have in your kit bag
There are some accessories that will make racing that much easier, or help you look the business on track. Get these to improve your look, comfort and speed.
Be prepared for any instance by keeping your kit bag full at all times. These accessories have been picked up by many top drivers from decades of experience, and may save you some time, money, or discomfort. Most are inexpensive and will make a race weekend much easier.
1. Antman Trimz – £17.99
Customise eyeport and helmet base
© Antman
Not an accessory per se, but Antman Trimz are a great way to personalise your helmet or enhance your paint job. They are coloured eye-port and helmet base seals that are easy to fit and add an extra level of bling. Some of the world’s best kart and car drivers use these Trimz to enhance their style, and don’t they look great? The best news is that you can Jazz up your helmet for just £17.99 from Demon Tweeks.
2. Latex Rubber Gloves – under £1
Wearing Latex gloves under racing gloves can help in bad weather
© Amazon
This isn't quite as sexy as some of the other accessories, but a box of latex rubber gloves is a kit bag essential. They'll keep your hands clean should you need to work on your kart, and wearing them underneath your racing gloves in wet or cold conditions will keep your hands and fingers toasty warm when everyone else’s are blue and frostbitten.
The latex gloves keep the water away from your hands and reflects the heat back in, as well as deflecting the wind rushing past as you speed around the track. Warm hands mean better feel and control so could be the difference between you and your competitors.
3. Rain Repellent – £6.99
Rain-X water repellent
© Rain-X
Us British karters are a tough breed, racing all year around, in all weather conditions. Visibility in the wet is a struggle, and one of the best cures for this is adding a rain repellent to your visor.
RainX is an established brand and certainly one of the best for this application. A couple of squirts on the visor and a rub with a non-lint cloth will see any water bead up and roll off, allowing for a much clearer view. Just resist the temptation to wipe your visor unless necessary as it will ruin the water repelling properties. For even better results in cooler weather apply an anti-fog spray to the inside of the visor to stop your breath clouding your view.
4. Elbow Grease – £1
Elbow grease can remove tough dirt
© Elbow Grease
When you’ve been racing hard and close, oil, insects and rubber dust will pepper your helmet leaving marks which can be difficult to remove using just soap and water. Elbow Grease can be bought from most home stores for just a £1 and removes grease and dirt easier than anything else. A few sprays over the helmet and a wipe with a cloth will see your helmet sparkle and shine like new.
5. Tinted Visor – £40-£80
Harry Thompson performs during Karting World Championship 2018
© Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull Content Pool
A tinted visor is one of the most common racing accessories. Acting like sunglasses, a tinted visor will filter the sun’s rays to allow you to see the circuit much better in bright conditions. Moreover, if doing an endurance race or competing in a long race weekend, it will also preserve your eye muscles from fatigue, allowing you to perform at your best until the last lap of the weekend. Having the correct visor for the conditions is important for your driving, as well as helping you look as cool as Max Verstappen.
6. Ear Plugs – From as little as 40p
Howard Leight Laser-lite ear plug
© Demon Tweeks
An underused and underrated accessory for karting is the ear plug. Wearing ear plugs is not only important to prevent hearing damage from prolonged exposure to the engine and wind noise, but can also give you a competitive advantage. Earplugs reduce the kart’s noise to well below threshold so you are more sensitive to other sounds, whether that be something on your kart, or a competitor right behind you looking to make a move. It might not be a cool accessory, but all professional riders and drivers use them, and it can stop you losing your hearing.
7. A Kart Wetsuit – around £40
OMP Rain K Kart Rain Over Suit
© Demon Tweeks
When it rains, karts give little-to-no protection from the elements, and if you race outdoors you will inevitably get wet sooner or later. Being prepared both in your driving and your equipment will allow you storm through the field like Senna, and a specialised karting wet suit is the perfect accessory to enable you to do this.
Usually made of transparent plastic, allowing your sponsor logos to show, a kart wet suit is the best thing to keep you warm and dry on circuit – with elasticated wrists and ankles, and a waterproof zip there’s no way for the water to get in. Keeping warm and dry will allow you to drive at your best, so this is a great accessory for both comfort and performance.
