- #151
rhody
Gold Member
- 679
- 3
Yesterday I went to the only place I would consider buying a set of new or used track day leathers, http://www.vansonleathers.com" , got measured for a suit, they take over 30 measurements, the reason is because the suit is made to work best when sitting, not standing on the bike.
I met and got acquainted with the sales/grizzled racing veteran, Mike, who I could tell when he came over by the way he walked had many racing injuries over the years. He had a great knowledge of tracks up and down the east coast, having raced at most of them over the past two decades. I tried on a one piece suit, and as I said earlier they are tight enough through the chest when standing, enough so that it bothered my breathing a bit because of my sarcoid. He said the suits have to be tight because if you fall and the suit bunches up it traps the skin underneath and can do damage, makes sense.
We looked around the shop and there were a number of suits that had survived crashes up to 160+ mph and really were in very good shape, a testament to their workmanship and materials. We discussed some of his injuries/etc... that I won't go into, but one thing he said I wanted to share. He said many racers if they have been racing long enough have deformed or missing little pinkie fingers. I asked why and he said basically it is because when you fall at high speed your little finger doesn't have the strength to crab and protect itself as other fingers do. Their answer to that problem, you guessed it, they web the gloves pinkie and second fingers together to protect it. Mike related a story of a fellow racer who sustained a nasty pinkie injury and with the season not being over and races to compete in, he shocked the orthopedic surgeon by telling him to cut if off, which he did, so he could race the following week, which he did. Josh Hayes, whose girlfriend/now wife I found out, see this video I posted in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uohBhH_G7rE&feature=related" has the ends of both pinkie fingers missing (Mike knows him personally) for this very reason. Needless to say at this point that you can see that this bunch are "different" from the average person engaged in their sport of choice, their sport of passion.
I left the shop humbled, fascinated, and a bit frightened because I was hearing the reality from a veteran racer of what really goes on in their sport. As far as a one piece suit goes, he said when you are ready, we will accommodate you. Lastly, these guys, a friend of his who is a bike drag racer came in in the middle of our conversation will talk about their passion with the same focus and attention they give to their sport, what they have to say is sobering at times, yet despite a lifetime of injuries Mike still loves the sport. he still plays hockey too, and confessed one of the few bones he hasn't broken was his collar bone. I wished him well and will be back when I need to get the suit for track day. He gave me his e-mail and I told him I would send him some links to PF, including this one, so we will see what comes of it, if anything.
Rhody...
I met and got acquainted with the sales/grizzled racing veteran, Mike, who I could tell when he came over by the way he walked had many racing injuries over the years. He had a great knowledge of tracks up and down the east coast, having raced at most of them over the past two decades. I tried on a one piece suit, and as I said earlier they are tight enough through the chest when standing, enough so that it bothered my breathing a bit because of my sarcoid. He said the suits have to be tight because if you fall and the suit bunches up it traps the skin underneath and can do damage, makes sense.
We looked around the shop and there were a number of suits that had survived crashes up to 160+ mph and really were in very good shape, a testament to their workmanship and materials. We discussed some of his injuries/etc... that I won't go into, but one thing he said I wanted to share. He said many racers if they have been racing long enough have deformed or missing little pinkie fingers. I asked why and he said basically it is because when you fall at high speed your little finger doesn't have the strength to crab and protect itself as other fingers do. Their answer to that problem, you guessed it, they web the gloves pinkie and second fingers together to protect it. Mike related a story of a fellow racer who sustained a nasty pinkie injury and with the season not being over and races to compete in, he shocked the orthopedic surgeon by telling him to cut if off, which he did, so he could race the following week, which he did. Josh Hayes, whose girlfriend/now wife I found out, see this video I posted in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uohBhH_G7rE&feature=related" has the ends of both pinkie fingers missing (Mike knows him personally) for this very reason. Needless to say at this point that you can see that this bunch are "different" from the average person engaged in their sport of choice, their sport of passion.
I left the shop humbled, fascinated, and a bit frightened because I was hearing the reality from a veteran racer of what really goes on in their sport. As far as a one piece suit goes, he said when you are ready, we will accommodate you. Lastly, these guys, a friend of his who is a bike drag racer came in in the middle of our conversation will talk about their passion with the same focus and attention they give to their sport, what they have to say is sobering at times, yet despite a lifetime of injuries Mike still loves the sport. he still plays hockey too, and confessed one of the few bones he hasn't broken was his collar bone. I wished him well and will be back when I need to get the suit for track day. He gave me his e-mail and I told him I would send him some links to PF, including this one, so we will see what comes of it, if anything.
Rhody...
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I understand the love of a sport, but... oh man. I really would prefer to not have my leg or anything else friction-burned and torn.
