Sparco Balaclavas Updated For 2024
Racewear news, December 2023
We have been through our Sparco balaclava range for 2024. The listings have fuller information, there are new products, and every Sparco balaclava now has matching add ons you can pick at the same time.
The big news is a new model. The Sparco Pista is new for 2024 and is on its way to us. Here is what it is, and how the rest of the range lines up.
- Our Sparco balaclava listings updated with fuller information and add ons
- New for 2024: the Sparco Pista, approved to FIA 8856-2018 and SFI 3.3
- The Pista has a microphone opening and cable openings for a radio
- The Sparco RW-4 range is on display in the showroom
- The FIA RW-4 is a single layer open face balaclava with pressed flat seams
What is on this page
What a balaclava is for
A racing balaclava is made from flame resistant material and is worn under the helmet and inside the collar of the race suit. It covers the head, neck and throat, which is the gap between the helmet and the suit, and it keeps the helmet lining cleaner too.
Many championships that ask for FIA racewear list the balaclava in the same section as the suit and gloves, so it is worth checking your regulations. Our guide to FIA fireproof underwear covers what goes under a suit.
The new Sparco Pista
The Pista is Sparco's new balaclava for 2024, and it is on its way to us. It is approved to FIA 8856-2018 and SFI 3.3, and it uses ultra flat seams for comfort under a tight helmet.
The practical detail is the radio. The Pista has an opening at the mouth for a microphone and openings for the cables, so it works with an intercom or radio system without the wires fighting the fabric.
The rest of the Sparco range
The RW-4 is the one we have on display in the showroom. The FIA approved RW-4 is a single layer open face balaclava with pressed flat seams, which keeps it slim under a race suit. Sparco also make a single layer RW-4 without FIA approval, which suits track days where no approval is asked for.
Above that sit the two layer balaclavas. The RW-7 is two layers of Nomex with a little Elastane for stretch, and the RW-10 Shield Pro is Sparco’s top balaclava, with printed logos and ultra flat seams at the front.
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Garreth’s advice is to choose by how often you race. The RW-4 meets the standard at a sensible price, and the two layer balaclavas earn their place over a long day in the car. If you use a radio, the Pista is the one built for it.
Common questions
What approvals does the Sparco Pista balaclava have?
It is approved to FIA 8856-2018 and SFI 3.3.
Does the Sparco Pista work with a radio?
Yes. It has an opening at the mouth for a microphone and openings for the cables.
Which Sparco balaclava was on display in the showroom?
The Sparco RW-4 range.
Are all Sparco balaclavas FIA approved?
No. Most are approved to FIA 8856-2018, but there is also a single layer RW-4 without FIA approval for track days.
FIA and SFI approved, with a proper opening for a microphone.
Tell us your helmet and your suit and we will suggest a balaclava and underwear to go with them.
