Is it time to replace your race suit? Let’s get you track-ready. OMP Tecnica Evo 2026: Lighter Underwear, And A Size Chart That Changed
OMP has updated the whole Tecnica Evo underwear range for 2026, and the new pieces are live on the site now. A set of padded kart shorts turned up at the same time, so they are in this post as well.
All four have been out of the packet and on the shelf here, so this is what actually changed rather than a rewrite of the OMP catalogue.
The headline OMP leads on is weight. The new top and long johns are 15 per cent lighter than the version they replace, which you notice on a long stint. The other thing worth knowing is that the sizing has changed for 2026, so it is worth a quick look at the chart below before you order.
What FIA 8856-2018 covers
All three Tecnica Evo pieces carry FIA 8856-2018. That is the clothing standard, the same one that sits on a race suit, gloves and boots.
On a suit, most people understand what the label is for. On underwear it gets less thought, and it is the part people ask about most. A suit is homologated as a system, and the layer against your skin is part of that system. The approved base layer is the part that buys you extra seconds, and seconds are the whole point of the exercise.
Whether you are required to wear it depends on what you are competing in. I wrote up the class-by-class picture for hillclimbs and sprints in this guide to what Motorsport UK requires in 2026, and the same principle runs through most disciplines: the further up you go, the more of the list moves from recommended to mandatory.
The 2026 size chart
The old Tecnica Evo top and long johns were sold as XS-S, M, L, XL and XXL. The 2026 version pairs them up into three options, mapped to OMP numeric sizes like this:
| 2026 size | OMP numeric | Old range it replaces |
|---|---|---|
| XS-S | 42 to 46 | XS-S |
| M-L | 48 to 54 | M and L |
| XL-XXL | 56 to 62+ | XL and XXL |
So if you wore an L before you are in the M-L now, and an XL or XXL puts you in the XL-XXL.
The colours moved as well. The old range was white or black, the new one is white or anthracite. Anthracite in the flesh is a dark grey with a bit of a sheen to it, so if you are topping up an existing set it is worth ordering the pieces together to keep them matching.
Tecnica Evo Long Sleeve Top 2026
The top is the piece where the weight saving is most obvious. Pick the new one up next to the old one and it genuinely feels like less fabric, which sounds like a small thing until you have had three layers on in a car in August.
The main body is knitted in one piece so there are no seams running down your sides. The seams that are there are flattened right down, which is the part that matters when a harness is pulling a suit tight across your shoulders for an hour. The old version used Nomex with 3D cube inserts. The new one moves to mapped flex and ventilation zones instead, with the breathable panels put where you actually get hot rather than spread evenly.
Prices start at £119. Full detail and the size guide are on the product page.
- FIA 8856-2018 approved
- 15 per cent lighter than the previous Tecnica Evo top
- Seamless torso with ultra-flat anti-friction seams
- White or anthracite, sizes XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL
-
From £119.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £97.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Tecnica Evo Long Johns 2026
Same construction, same 15 per cent saving, same three sizes. The stretch and pressure relief zones are mapped round the hips, knees and inner legs, which is where long johns usually annoy people.
If you have ever taken a set off after a race and found a red line across the back of your knee, that is what the flat seam work is aimed at. It is not a glamorous feature and it does not photograph well, but it is the difference between kit you forget about and kit you notice all afternoon.
They are the cheapest of the three Tecnica Evo pieces, starting at £97.
- FIA 8856-2018 approved
- Seamless construction with flattened anti-friction seams
- Ventilation panels at the high heat areas
- White or anthracite, sizes XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL
Tecnica Evo Balaclava 2026
The balaclava is an eye hole cut, so a single opening across both eyes rather than an open face. It comes in white or anthracite, in two sizes.
Balaclava sizing is the one people guess at, so here are the actual numbers: S/M covers 55 to 58 cm and L/XL covers 59 to 61+ cm. That is measured round your head just above the ears, the same way you would size a helmet. If you already know your helmet size you already know your balaclava size, and if you do not, a tape measure takes ten seconds.
Sized right it sits flat under the cheek pads and leaves the eye opening where you expect it. If you land between the two sizes, message us and we will talk it through.
- FIA 8856-2018 approved
- Eye hole cut with flat seams
- S/M covers 55 to 58 cm, L/XL covers 59 to 61+ cm
- White or anthracite, from £58
-
From £58.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
The padded kart shorts
The padded kart shorts arrived in the same delivery, and they do a different job from the three pieces above.
Karting puts a lot through the seat, and most of that is vibration going into your hips and the base of your spine. The shorts put foam where the seat presses and a shaped panel across the lower back. They are a comfort layer rather than a fire layer, so they go on over your Tecnica Evo underwear.
I would not have believed how much difference they make until I started hearing the same feedback back from customers who race full seasons.
-
From £69.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
OMP Padded Kart Shorts
Foam inserts at the hips, rear and upper legs, a 3D embossed panel across the lower back, and laser cut perforations through the hot areas. The waistband has a silicone strip on the inside so they stay put instead of rolling down inside a kart suit.
Sizing is by waist measurement rather than a letter guess: XS is 27 to 28 inches and it goes up in two inch steps to XXL at 37 to 38 inches. From £69.
- Comfort layer, worn over your fire underwear
- Foam at the hips, rear and upper legs
- 3D embossed lower back panel
- Sized by waist, XS 27 in to XXL 38 in
The four of them side by side
| Item | Approval | Sizes | Colours | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tecnica Evo Long Sleeve Top | FIA 8856-2018 | XS-S, M-L, XL-XXL | White, anthracite | Fire protection, upper body |
| Tecnica Evo Long Johns | FIA 8856-2018 | XS-S, M-L, XL-XXL | White, anthracite | Fire protection, lower body |
| Tecnica Evo Balaclava | FIA 8856-2018 | S/M 55-58 cm, L/XL 59-61+ cm | White, anthracite | Fire protection, head and neck |
| Padded Kart Shorts | Comfort layer | XS to XXL by waist, 27 to 38 in | Black | Cushioning and vibration in a kart |
Weights are not published for any of these beyond the 15 per cent figure on the top and long johns, so I have left that out rather than guess.
Common questions
Do I have to wear FIA underwear, or is it just recommended?
Which pieces carry the FIA approval?
I wore an L in the old Tecnica Evo. What size am I now?
Is anthracite the same as the old black?
What changed between the 2026 range and the previous one?
How do I measure for the balaclava?
What I would actually buy
If you are starting from nothing and your class needs FIA underwear, buy the top, the long johns and the balaclava together and buy them all in the same colour. It costs no more than doing it in pieces and it keeps the set matching.
If you already own the previous Tecnica Evo set and it is in good condition, I would not rush. The old range is still on the site and still does the job. The 15 per cent is real, but it is 15 per cent of something that was already light. Replace it when it is worn out.
If you kart, get the shorts. They are the item on this page that people come back and tell me about unprompted.
One thing worth knowing on the balaclava. If you have only ever worn an open face cut, an eye hole takes a session or two to get used to. It is the same adjustment people are making with the Alpinestars ZX Evo V3, which moved to an eye slot this year. Both work well, they just feel different on the first outing.
Final thoughts: check the size chart before you order
The 2026 Tecnica Evo range is a lighter version of a good base layer, the approval is unchanged, and the kart shorts are a comfort layer that landed at the same time.
The one thing worth two minutes of your time is the size chart, because five sizes became three and the dark option is now anthracite.
If you are unsure, message us on the number at the top of the page and we will help. Bring your chest or waist measurement in centimetres and your helmet size and I can size the lot of it in one go. You can also browse the full racing tops, racing bottoms, balaclavas and karting underwear ranges, or read OMP own take on the range at ompracing.com.
Cameron