Nomex or Carbonx underwear?

[Speed Sport Engineering]

Anyone have any thoughts on the comfort and or protection of the carbon-x underwear vs. regular nomex?

I've been wearing the cheap Simpson nomex underwear ever since I started racing...I'm wondering if one of these two choices would be more comfortable or add more protection:

http://www.saferacer.com/alpine-star...productid=2118

http://www.saferacer.com/oakley-carb...?productid=468

It's hard to find actuall fire rating numbers to compare the two...

[thomschoon]

When I got my new suit from Design 500 I also bought their Carbonx undergaments, a huge improvement in comfort and breathablity on a hot day then the old nomex I had been wearing. I am a fan of Design 500 for the customer service as well as price, plus their stuff is just plain comfortable and their socks are the best I found so far. I had always bought based on price and the cheaper stuff may meet the spec but the comfort difference was huge, never realized a suit could breathe so well and be so comfortable.

[Daryl DeArman]

Yes to both questions.

[kea]

Because Carbon-X is a safer material in a fire and is more comfortable in numerous ways, we no long stock Nomex underwear, hoods or socks. We sell the US made Design 500 and Lady Eagle made safetywear.

[BR21]

I bought Carbon X because of its reported performance. Cant say I know how it does in a fire thankfully but what I can say is the Oakley fitment is awful! Also end of arm wrist sewing, end of leg ankle sewing is also very poor. Would not recommend Oakley as a choice.

[swiftdrivr]

When I ordered my suit 4-5 years ago, I tried to get some real info on Carbon X vs Nomex, but SFI won't release anything except pass / fail. I assume they can't due to manufacturers not wanting us to know. I don't have the means to test for best performance, but SCCA certainly should get this done. We are trusting our lives to this stuff, and there is no data to tell us relative safety of product A vs product B. I ended up with a 3 layer suit, Nomex over Carbon X, but I don't know if it was better than a Nomex / nomex suit. As it ages, I find fine black powder on the suit after washing, that makes me worry the inner layer may be deteriorating, but again; no data. It seems a club as large as SCCA could do better.

PS; My cabon underwear and hood seem to hold up okay, but got real thin and eventually had to be replaced.

[kea]

This is from the web-site of the manufacture of the material.
http://www.carbonx.com/science-innovation.php

Until I looked at your link, I didn't know that the other stuff was so much more expensive than the American made Carbon-X stuff I have been selling.

[M.Hausknecht]

Carbon X breathes much better and is, therefore, more comfortable than nomex of equivalent weight. I concur with the opinion above that the Oakley stuff tends to fall apart (unravel and threads pull out). I only wear the underware in pro races, when it is specifically required. I have a 3 layer Design 500 suit that has seen 3 years of use (30 events or so). The outside is knit nomex, and the two inner layers are Carbon X. The knit nomex is soft and heavy but breathes very well. The Carbon X is holding up very well. Wearing the suit is like wearing heavy pjs. Once the car and air are moving, it is very comfy.

Michael

[Speed Sport Engineering]

When I ordered my suit 4-5 years ago, I tried to get some real info on Carbon X vs Nomex, but SFI won't release anything except pass / fail. I assume they can't due to manufacturers not wanting us to know. I don't have the means to test for best performance, but SCCA certainly should get this done. We are trusting our lives to this stuff, and there is no data to tell us relative safety of product A vs product B. I ended up with a 3 layer suit, Nomex over Carbon X, but I don't know if it was better than a Nomex / nomex suit. As it ages, I find fine black powder on the suit after washing, that makes me worry the inner layer may be deteriorating, but again; no data. It seems a club as large as SCCA could do better.

PS; My cabon underwear and hood seem to hold up okay, but got real thin and eventually had to be replaced.

Yeah, that was kind of my point...there is no real data to compare the two. I certainly can't find anything meaningfull. All we are being told through marketing is that the Carbon-x is better.

http://www.carbonx.com/science-innovation.php

Even the info in that link isn't exactly meaningful.

[iamuwere]

I like science and factual data but it is hard to come by in safety equipment of all things! The YouTube videos of carbonx versus nomex were compelling to me. I have been wearing the same simpson carbonx undies since they came out years ago. The socks finally wore out last year and were replaced but the rest are several years old now.

It does not stretch much but breathes well and doesn't get as much of that seemingly preeminent nomex stink.

Jim

[Matt King]

I had a Carbon-X type undershirt from Impact for couple of years that essentially disintegrated. It developed huge runs, snags and pulls in it like an old pair of pantyhose and became essentially unwearable. I'm not sure who the manufacturer of the fabric was, but I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe there are other brands of similar type material that would hold up better.

[Daryl DeArman]

CarbonX, as with Nomex, is available in different weights and weaves. Some garment manufacturers will use poorer quality stuff than others even though the actual filament thread is the exact same product.

[kea]

We use different Carbon-X material for some of the underwear we sell from Design 500 and Lady Eagle, than others. This may be different than that used inside the uniform.
And I'm sure the Carbon-X used inside a helmet is somehow different.

[mousecatcher]

I'm using Sparco Carmyth these days. Socks aren't available but otherwise it's great. $$$

[dc]

I bought Carbon X because of its reported performance. Cant say I know how it does in a fire thankfully but what I can say is the Oakley fitment is awful! Also end of arm wrist sewing, end of leg ankle sewing is also very poor. Would not recommend Oakley as a choice.

Actually, I found that my Oakley CarbonX underwear not only fit perfectly, but was a real high quality as well. I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Same as anything else, your mileage may vary.




dc

[kea]

The beauty of an American made product is, I've had a couple of customers who needed tops built with longer arm lengths (which we could do) than standard. An issue they had to put up with for years with whatever underwear they had purchased.

[rickb99]

Anyone have any thoughts on the comfort and or protection of the carbon-x underwear vs. regular nomex?....

I raced in Nomex and it wasn't too comfortable. My son raced in Carbon-x and the first time he put it on he said "WOW, these are really comfortable".

Protection?

Hmmmm, I don't think anybody on this Forum wants to 'test' that. But I'm gonna guess that carbon-x may be superior.

We got ours from KEA Averill Racing Stuff: (248) 585-9139

[dalz]

Correct me if I'm wrong...I've heard that Carbon-X has much better deterioration resistance under flame stress, but Nomex still has the edge in insulation properties. If that's so, we should be wearing Nomex undies and suits with Nomex inner layers and Carbon-X outer layers, although that's never the case, because (among other things) Carbon-X can't be dyed other colors?

[kea]

The reason you want Carbon-X between you and the Nomex outer, is for that reason, it has better resistance to deterioration than Nomex, and handles heat different (up to 1000 degrees more). It provides a better last line of defense.
Carbon-X breathes and wicks moisture better than Nomex, thus desired against the skin.
Nomex is a good material, and holds color well.
Carbon-X (in my opinion) is not a very durable outer material.
A common show demonstration is to heat up in a hand covered by Carbon-X, a penny with a torch, than let it drop and burn through a piece of Nomex cloth.

[mousecatcher]

The reason you want Carbon-X between you and the Nomex outer, is for that reason, it has better resistance to deterioration than Nomex, and handles heat different (up to 1000 degrees more). It provides a better last line of defense.
Carbon-X breathes and wicks moisture better than Nomex, thus desired against the skin.
Nomex is a good material, and holds color well.
Carbon-X (in my opinion) is not a very durable outer material.
A common show demonstration is to heat up in a hand covered by Carbon-X, a penny with a torch, than let it drop and burn through a piece of Nomex cloth.

Nice marketing, but I'm not sure that it matters if the material itself withstands more or less heat. Either way it still TRANSMITS that heat to your body. It's nice to know that the underwear will hold your liquefied remains together in lieu of your skin but not much consolation. For outerwear it might make the difference but for underwear methinks the more important consideration (once you reach a minimum, which Nomex does) is comfort.

[La Scuderia Raggi]

Frank-You' still with us!

[mousecatcher]

Still here!! Will be on track soon.

[kea]

mousecatcher, did you read my last line?
Go ahead and wear your Nomex undie's on a hot summer's day.
I'll wear my Carbon-X and be far more comfortable and safer

[brownslane]

But Keith, wearing my nomex undies is the fastest way to lose weight while sitting down!

[mousecatcher]

mousecatcher, did you read my last line?
Go ahead and wear your Nomex undie's on a hot summer's day.
I'll wear my Carbon-X and be far more comfortable and safer

I'll be wearing my Carbon-X/Carmyth as well. I won't be safer than Nomex but I will be more comfy.

[turnbaugh]

I have a full set of Oakley undergear. The socks didn't hold up. Neither did the balaclava. The underwear is degrading also but still usable after 3 years.

Just bought the Simpson socks and balaclava. Much better quality. It is obvious it will last longer.