What Size Is A Sparco Thunder Kart Suit, And How Do You Check One That Does Not Say?
A customer asked us whether an eBay listing for a Sparco Thunder suit is an adult medium, because the description doesn't give a size. We can't see that listing, so we can't say. What we can tell you is what the Thunder comes in, how kart suit sizing differs between makes, and how to get a size out of the seller before you pay.
- Sizes, colours and prices read from the live Sparco Thunder Advanced listing, inc VAT
- Sizing advice taken straight from the product listings
- Sparco and OMP kart suit size labels compared side by side
A missing size means the description says nothing about medium
£205.20inc VAT
The Thunder Advanced is made in six sizes, XS to XXL.
- The Thunder comes in XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL, so a medium exists but so do five other sizes
- Our listing does not label any size as adult or junior
- Ask the seller for a photo of the size label and the suit measured flat
- Go by chest and height, and take the larger size if you sit between two
Is the eBay suit an adult medium?
If the description gives no size, then nothing in it says medium either. The Thunder is made in XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL, so a medium does exist. So do five other sizes, and a suit with no size in the listing could be any of them. We haven’t seen the suit in that listing, and you can’t read a size off a photo of the front.
Whatever the brand, Cameron’s advice is to ask for a clear photo of the size label on the suit itself and the chest and length measured flat across the garment, and a seller who has the suit in hand can do both in a minute.
On the word adult: our listing runs XS to XXL and doesn’t mark any of those sizes as adult or junior. We wouldn’t treat adult medium as a Sparco size name. If the seller means the M from the XS to XXL run, ask them to say so.
What the Sparco Thunder Advanced is, on our listing
The Thunder Advanced is Sparco’s entry FIA kart suit. It is a two-layer Cordura construction approved to FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1, with perforated panels under the arms and along the inner leg. The arms are semi-floating and pre-curved, and the neck is ribbed with a hidden zip.
It comes in seven colour combinations and six sizes, from £205.20 inc VAT. Every colour has every size on our listing. So if you can name the colour on the eBay suit, you can compare it against ours and check the photos line up.
The listing’s own sizing advice is short. Kart suits are cut for a seated driving position, so go by chest and height rather than your usual clothing size, and allow room to move freely. Between sizes, take the larger one.
- From £205.20 inc VAT
- FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1, part number BKS0010B0
- Sizes XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL
- Black and Orange, Fluorescent Yellow and Black, Blue and Red, Black and Yellow, Black and Red, Black and Blue, Red and Black
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From £205.20 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Product cards show prices excluding VAT. Prices in the text include VAT.
Kart suits do not all label their sizes the same way
Medium only means something on a suit that sizes in letters. The Thunder does, and so does the Sparco Kerb Advanced. The Sparco Prime-K Advanced sizes in numbers from 44 to 62, and the OMP KS-3X listing says karting suits use European suit sizes, not UK sizes or age sizes, with its own run from 42 to 62.
This is where second-hand and marketplace listings go wrong. Someone writes a medium on a suit that carries a number, or a number on one that carries a letter, and the buyer is left guessing. Don’t trust a number converted to a letter from memory. Give Cameron your chest, height and waist and he’ll tell you the size on the specific suit you’re looking at.
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From £189.60 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £205.20 Incl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £460.80 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadySelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £242.40 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
| Product | Approval | Sizes | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparco Thunder Advanced Kart Suit | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | XS / S / M / L / XL / XXL | From £205.20 |
| Sparco Kerb Advanced Kart Suit | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | XS / S / M / L / XL / XXL | From £242.40 |
| Sparco Prime-K Advanced Kart Suit | FIA 8877-2022 Grade 1 | 44 / 46 / 48 / 50 / 52 / 54 / 56 / 58 / 60 / 62 | From £460.80 |
| OMP KS-3X Kart Suit | FIA 8877-2022 | 42 / 44 / 46 / 48 / 50 / 52 / 54 / 56 / 58 / 60 / 62 | From £189.60 |
From means the lowest price across the sizes and colours on the listing. Prices include VAT and were read from the live site.
How to measure for a kart suit
Three measurements decide it: chest, height and waist. They’re the three the OMP KS-3X listing asks for, and the same three we ask for on the Thunder. Measure over the thin layers you’d wear under the suit, not over a coat.
Kart suits run close, and the OMP listing puts it plainly: sizing slightly wrong becomes apparent after an hour in the seat. That’s why the Thunder listing says to take the larger size if you’re between two. Garreth’s tip is to size up before squeezing in.
You can book a fitting at the showroom and try one on, or drop us an email or click to open a chat with your numbers, and we’ll come back with a size for the suit you’re looking at.
Our other guides cover the next questions. Kart suit standards explains what short circuit and Race Venue events ask for, including the junior suit trap. Can you alter a race suit or kart suit covers legs and sleeves, and the Sparco kart suit range shows the Thunder next to its siblings.
Common questions
Is the Sparco Thunder an adult suit?
Our listing runs XS to XXL and does not label any size as adult or junior. If you need to be sure which group a suit belongs to, send us the part number and the size label details and we will check. Our kart suit standards guide covers junior suits.
What sizes does the Sparco Thunder come in?
XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL, in seven colour combinations. Prices start at £205.20 inc VAT. The exact figure depends on the size and colour you pick, so open the listing and choose them to see it.
Can you confirm the size of a suit you have not sold?
Not on a suit we haven’t seen, but we can work out which size of the Thunder fits you from your chest, height and waist, so you have a number to hold the seller to.
Should I go by my usual clothing size?
No, the listing says kart suits are cut for a seated driving position, so go by chest and height and allow room to move freely.
What if I am between two sizes?
Take the larger one, as the Thunder listing advises.
Can I wear a Thunder for car racing?
The listing says no. Kart suits are built for abrasion protection, and car racing needs an FIA 8856 suit. Our guide to choosing an FIA race suit covers the car side.
What we would buy
Garreth
Garreth's top tip
If the listing will not tell me the size, I walk away. A Thunder in the right size is a good suit at £205.20, and a guess is a poor way to spend that.
If I wanted the Thunder, I would pick the size from my own measurements first and then look for a suit that matches.
Cameron
Cameron's fitting view
Write down your chest, height and waist before you look at any listing, then ask the seller for the label photo and the flat measurements and compare.
For the eBay suit, wait for the seller's label photo and flat measurements, and only go ahead if the number matches yours.
Not sure which size the suit is?
Tell us the suit, the part number and your chest, height and waist. Cally, our digital receptionist, takes your details. Cameron comes back to you with the size before you order.
