03-25-2021, 07:54 PM | #1 |
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Hypothesis: Merino>Cotton for Track Days
I posted this over in the E90 forum, but thought I'd share here too since this sub-forum seems more active. This past weekend at Atlanta Motorsports Park, I finally got my E92 328i out on the track for the first time (saving the M2 for later). I wasn't sure what to wear, so I did a lot of research comparing clothing fibers, which I thought I'd share here. If you have additional insights from your experiences feel free to share!
TL;DR: If you don’t want to invest in a Nomex race suit yet, skip the 100% cotton clothing and wear Merino wool for a material that’s just as comfortable with much higher ignition temps, no melting, and WAY better cooling performance when you’re sweating, especially in the summer. As an avid outdoorsman, I was appalled by the HPDE requirement to wear 100% cotton on the track (for fire safety reasons) since cotton is TERRIBLE for temperature and moisture regulation, particularly in the summer when many driving events are held. Cotton tends to capture moisture, which disrupts your body’s natural sweat cooling system. No wonder everyone always looks so sweaty out there! You can read more about why cotton is a terrible performance layer here: https://www.outsideonline.com/178508...end-base-layer Wearing nylon or polyester sports garments near flames is a bad idea, since those materials will melt at relatively low temperatures, which can lead to dangerous skin injuries. Cotton helps you avoid the melting problem but totally compromises cooling performance and the resulting sweat can boil and cause steam burns. Nomex solves the melting problem, but it’s fairly expensive for casual drivers and I’m not sure how well it wicks…I’m guessing not great since many manufacturers don’t list “wicking” as a feature. As I purchased a $99 Nomex balaclava that looked very similar to my $26 Merino wool balaclava that I use for snow-skiing, the thought crossed my mind: “I wonder how Merino wool would do in a fire?”. Turns out it’s WAY better than cotton! Check out these ignition temps:
Wow, Merino looks pretty awesome with no risk of melting and a much higher ignition temperature than cotton or even Nomex! Additionally, Merino is self-extinguishing, has a low rate of heat release, and forms an insulating char when it does burn. Per Sola (a company that makes fire-resistant technical clothing): “Wool’s natural flame resistance properties make it an ideal fiber for protecting firemen, military and anyone else exposed to fire or explosives. Wool’s attribute of only smoldering and not melting or dripping into the skin, can be a lifesaver.” If merino is good enough for firefighters, I think it’s good enough for me to drive in! Now for those of you thinking, “no way I’m wearing itchy long-sleeve wool shirts and pants in the middle of the summer” go ahead and throw out your preconceived notions of what a wool garment feels like. Merino wool is super comfortable, and per my favorite gear site Switchback Travel, it’s “just as good of a summertime material as it is winter. We consistently wear merino wool for running, hiking, and mountain biking for its comfort across a range of temperatures. In the morning, it’ll keep you reasonably insulated, but you’ll be cool, dry, and ventilated once you start working up a sweat.” You can read more about Merino’s performance characteristics here: https://www.switchbacktravel.com/mer...is-it-worth-it So, if you’re just getting started on the track, I’d suggest checking out some Merino clothing to stay safe AND comfortable. You’ll also be able to wear these things in daily life or under a Nomex suit if you buy one in the future. Here’s the 100% Merino apparel I bought after quite a bit of research:
Comparable Nomex motorsports stuff:
Here are a few of the sources that support my hypothesis that Merino is probably the best material for you to be wearing in a fire (beyond a Nomex suit):
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2017 F87 M2: MGM, 6MT, AA Tune, Eibach Pro-Kit, Fabspeed Catted Downpipe, Evolution Racewerks FMIC+Chargepipe, Autosolutions SSK, CDV Delete, Vorshlag Plates, PFC-08 pads, Apex EC-7 18x9.5"
2013 E92 328i M-Sport: BSM, 6MT, 3IM+AA Tune, BMW PE, M3 control arms, Eibach Pro-Kit, Bilstein B8, BMW SSK, CDV Delete, Apex EC-7 18x9" |
03-25-2021, 11:25 PM | #2 |
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Interesting to see track day organizers requiring specific clothing material. For racing, obviously it's a requirement, never seen it required for regular HPDE/trackday events.
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03-26-2021, 07:55 AM | #3 |
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Thanks, for putting this together!
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03-26-2021, 08:47 AM | #4 | |
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BMWs don't seem to spontaneously combust so my race suit doesn't get all that much wear.
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03-29-2021, 03:47 PM | #5 |
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Is it because of this thread that I'm now getting Merino Wool ads on Facebook?
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03-29-2021, 07:57 PM | #6 |
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Yes.
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03-29-2021, 10:27 PM | #8 |
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This thread is genius! I mean, has anyone ever seen a merino sheep on fire? Anyone??
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04-01-2021, 11:36 AM | #10 | |
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Anyone else know of an advantage nomex has over merino?
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2017 F87 M2: MGM, 6MT, AA Tune, Eibach Pro-Kit, Fabspeed Catted Downpipe, Evolution Racewerks FMIC+Chargepipe, Autosolutions SSK, CDV Delete, Vorshlag Plates, PFC-08 pads, Apex EC-7 18x9.5"
2013 E92 328i M-Sport: BSM, 6MT, 3IM+AA Tune, BMW PE, M3 control arms, Eibach Pro-Kit, Bilstein B8, BMW SSK, CDV Delete, Apex EC-7 18x9" |
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04-02-2021, 08:22 AM | #11 |
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Is one more breathable/cooler than the other?
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04-03-2021, 08:46 AM | #12 |
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I think it's gotta be the durability
So I did a little more research. I can't find much comparing Nomex to Merino, but Nomex is a synthetic fabric comparable to Nylon so we can probably use Nylon as a good proxy.
Let's define a few terms: -Breathability: The ability for air to move through a fabric. -Wicking-ability: The fabric's ability to stay dry and move moisture (through capillary action) to its outer surface for evaporation. -Durability: The fabric's ability to resist abrasion/damage. To stay cool on a hot day, you want a fabric that breathes well so you can stay cool from convection. But then when you start sweating, the fabric needs to move that moisture away from your skin so it can evaporate on the fabric's outer surface, which has a cooling action when heat energy is used to convert the liquid to a gas. Wicking also helps you feel less clammy. If your fabric doesn't breathe, you're going to build up body heat from lack of convection. If your fabric doesn't wick, your sweating cooling system is going to be ineffective. I've never seen numeric ratings for these characteristics, but they're generally rated on a low/med/high scale. This is what I found: Nomex: low breathability, high wicking, high durability Merino: high breathability, medium wicking, medium durability Cotton: high breathability, low wicking, high durability From what I read, Merino is going to have better cooling capabilities on a hot day due to having both good breathability AND wicking. Even though Nomex has terrible breathability, it could be more popular in the motorsports world due to its higher durability, or maybe just good marketing by its creator, Dupont. Sources: https://www.rei.com/blog/hike/what-d...e-wicking-mean https://www.rei.com/blog/run/how-to-...thable-fabrics https://www.ejisinc.com/blogs/news/w...wicking-fabric https://besthiking.net/comparison-of...yer-materials/
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2017 F87 M2: MGM, 6MT, AA Tune, Eibach Pro-Kit, Fabspeed Catted Downpipe, Evolution Racewerks FMIC+Chargepipe, Autosolutions SSK, CDV Delete, Vorshlag Plates, PFC-08 pads, Apex EC-7 18x9.5"
2013 E92 328i M-Sport: BSM, 6MT, 3IM+AA Tune, BMW PE, M3 control arms, Eibach Pro-Kit, Bilstein B8, BMW SSK, CDV Delete, Apex EC-7 18x9" |
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04-03-2021, 11:25 AM | #13 |
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Thanks, again. This is good stuff.
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04-04-2021, 04:09 PM | #14 |
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Sure thing! Hopefully this helps folks be safe AND comfortable for their next summer track day. I always drive better when I'm not overheating.
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2017 F87 M2: MGM, 6MT, AA Tune, Eibach Pro-Kit, Fabspeed Catted Downpipe, Evolution Racewerks FMIC+Chargepipe, Autosolutions SSK, CDV Delete, Vorshlag Plates, PFC-08 pads, Apex EC-7 18x9.5"
2013 E92 328i M-Sport: BSM, 6MT, 3IM+AA Tune, BMW PE, M3 control arms, Eibach Pro-Kit, Bilstein B8, BMW SSK, CDV Delete, Apex EC-7 18x9" |
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