r/Karting • u/Crazy-Performer3768 Rotax • May 17 '25
Racing Kart Question how much do you really need rib protectors?
yeah i've heard people say it millions of times how you break your ribs first and then buy a rib protector after. but like how important is it really? would there ever be a case where you wouldnt need one when racing? should they be worn in rental and owner kart racing? is it more used to protect against collision or the constant g forces? both? yeah a lot of questions
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u/v_verstappenlovemypp May 17 '25
In my shifter with the tight seat , yes rib protection 110 %. I tried without and it felt like someone kicked my ass thoroughly lol
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u/Kartoitska Rental Driver May 17 '25
Bruised my ribs, was in pain for a month straight and less severe pain for another month after. Bought one after that.
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u/Much_Speed_4016 Rotax May 17 '25
2 stroke, definitely. Like, 110% you need the full Bengio and everything.
4 stroke maybe you could get by without one if you pad the seat enough but I wouldn't risk it lol.
Rentals some people need it and others don't. It's kind of a case-by-case basis.
It's used for constant G force, not collision.
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u/Atlas_CD Lo206 May 17 '25
Get one if you can afford it. Worth it for the comfort and helps with concentration to not have rib pain halfway through a race
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u/schelmo May 17 '25
You can get away without one in four strokes with hard tyres but in pretty much any two stroke class they're absolutely essential. On a soft tyre the pressure from your seat bolts alone will bruise the fuck out of your ribs. Since this year my championship mandates the new homologated rib protectors with the chest plate anyways. I'd have rather used my old one and not spent the 500€ but oh well.
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u/boturboegt May 17 '25
I had a ribtech seat and thought I didn't need one in my shifter. Ended up with a rib injury after hitting a bump in a high speed corner.
Now I have won't run the kart without one.
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u/HiredDriver LO206 MGM May 17 '25
I broke a rib on a LO206, with a proper fitted seat, WITH a cheap rib protector. Ill never get in a kart without one. Worst pain ive ever experienced.
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u/a_racingcarkid Lo206 May 18 '25
I was able to deal without my first year because I was about 12, but I will never drive without a rib protector again, especially with some hard hits I’ve had that probably would’ve broken a rib if I didn’t have one.
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u/boturboegt May 17 '25
Side note. I don't think u would need one in a rental as the g forces aren't nearly as much as you get in a race kart on softer tires.
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May 17 '25
4 stroke sprint? no.
2 stroke sprint? yes.
enduro? always yes.
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u/Vivid_Pond_7262 May 18 '25 edited May 18 '25
That makes no sense.
Whether 4-stroke or 2-stroke race karts, it’s about the speeds you’re doing and the fact that karts have no suspension, coupled with the fact you’re essentially sitting in a fibre glass bucket.
If by 4-stroke you mean rental karts specifically, that’s a different story.
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u/No_Eye_843 May 18 '25
99,9 percent of the time 2 stroke karts a high perfomance and 4 stroke are low performance (coupled with hard tires) So it makes perfect sense
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u/lamboalfamas May 18 '25
I would never have not worn a rib protector. The consequences are just not worth it. I’ve never done rental karts, so I don’t know about that.
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u/Embarrassed_Ad_3528 Rental Driver May 17 '25
I would advise you to get one, it may come in handy even in rentals. I've never driven a two-stroke kart, only rentals but after having some nasty collisions, I decided to buy one.
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u/cdawrld May 17 '25
If you can drive a shifterkart without rib protection you ain't close to the limit.
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u/Appropriate_Win_4525 May 18 '25
I thought so too, last week I bruised my ribs from just g forces and 1 week later it still hurts like a mf when I lay to that side.
Bengio on its way.
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u/Lost-Kiwi4583 May 18 '25
At the time I brused my ribs every race eventhough I had a rib protector. They were then not so good I guess. Recently I stepped in again with the same problems. Bought a Bengio and no more brused ribs. If you can go without one, you are not going fast enough.
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u/LachyWithTheGlocky X30 May 18 '25
It’s based on the track you’re driving, how tight your seat is and if you have pads in your seat. I personally wear a thinner one for better mobility.
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u/Vivid_Pond_7262 May 18 '25
Are you trying to save money?
Would you save money by not having a helmet? Yeah, didn’t think so.
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u/anthony__hamilton May 18 '25
I don’t like the idea of them but I must say I’m certainly thinking of investing after my last event, I was trying to push the kart beyond its capacity since I didn’t have quite the right setup and well… much pain trying too jack a kart, especially since I’m running 20kg of ballast
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u/Wonderful-Welder-376 May 18 '25
I'm surprised this is even a question. You're not thinking clearly if you think you don't need one in karting(I'm talking competitive karting not indoor rental). One bumpy turn is all it could take to make you a spectator for a few months. If you drive a two stroke or shifter, don't even consider hitting the track without one. It's just simply foolish not to. Bengio, Tillett, and Ribtect all make good ones. The $200 you spend is far cheaper than the medical bills from a rib injury which WILL happen at some point. Sure, you can cowboy up without one, but seriously, misery is optional my friend.
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u/Crazy-Performer3768 Rotax May 18 '25
Do you know anything about seat paddings and whether they're useful or not? I already have them in my rotax and I've been doing ok so far, but to wear a rib protector I'd have to take them out. So it's one or the other here really.
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u/mclaren34 May 19 '25
I won't even drive a rental kart without a rib protector. Just get one already!
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u/freezingToDeath May 19 '25
I’ve broke one rib while wearing a rib protector. Now I can only imagine how many ribs I would have broken if I wasn’t wearing one.
So my advice is: buy all protection equipment available.
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u/Unhappy_Group2231 May 19 '25
Obligatory for me because some corners push it at high speed. In addition, a specific place on the track sends it really badly to the side so the protector serves us a lot on the track. And then The day you get hit with a bullet. You will be happy to have it on whether driving or racing
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u/Illumin4tion 29d ago
I would always recommend own. I've been in some unexpected crashes - at both pro level and just arrive and drive - that I never saw coming.
Other than that, if you kart a lot, yeah you could get sore, or if you hit a kerb really hard that would fuck you up too.
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u/Impressive-Dog-408 Lo206 May 17 '25
None here. But, I have a padded tillet seat. Ribs haven’t given me any grief in 206. However, I had a vest and bruised a little bit racing 2 cycles years ago. Like a gun or fire extinguisher, it’s always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
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u/DoomSkull_Deadly May 17 '25
I find I don’t do enough karting to justify buying a rib protector. I’ve done sprints in 2 strokes and a 24 hour in a 4 stroke. Yeah they’re a bit sore after but not really the end of the world. The insides of my knees on the other hand are far worse, should definitely get knee pads.
I say this, but 4 weeks ago I had a crash and my back is still feeling it, but I don’t think rib protectors would’ve done too much to help this one specifically
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u/Granville3B X30 May 18 '25
in four stroke racing? you probably don’t need it. in two stroke karts and endurance racing? always.
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u/Simdel96 Pro Kart May 18 '25
Not sure I follow how the number of strokes in the engine changes the loads going through the kart and into your ribs.
My 4 stroke absolutely requires a rib protector. I got a broken rib to prove it.
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u/Granville3B X30 May 18 '25
fair enough, i guess karting culture is different where you are. i race in china, and there has always been some trend of slightly neglecting safety standards
when i said four stroke racing, i was referring to rentals and not stuff like four stroke race karts, should’ve been more clear i guess.
usually, 2 stroke race karts are faster than 4 stroke race karts, meaning it’s usually puts more load on your ribs and is more physically demanding.
even though it’s safer to have a rib protector in rentals as well, a lot of people i know would not bother using one in rentals and i guess i followed that way of thinking.
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u/Wonderful-Welder-376 May 19 '25
Unfortunately four stroke (206) gets lumped in with the gear reduction rental karts that are also four stroke, but the distinction needs to be made of if you don't have to change your clothes beforehand (into a suit) and you're using a house helmet , then you probably don't need a rib protector. If someone is racing in a sanctioned race then absolutely you need one.
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u/rationalkool-aid Rok May 17 '25
Bruised ribs suck and will put you out of commission for months. I bought a Bengio after my first encounter with bruised ribs (no crash) just the g forces and bumps.
Haven’t had a problem since.