You’ve decided you either want a new kart seat, or your new and you just need one to race. There are many factors to consider when choosing.
Seat placement
Generally on a straight kart it will be placed in the center of the kart. On an offset kart for oval racing it usually is placed farther left.
Types
There are some different styles and materials that they are made out of and it’s not too large of a collection, so it makes your choice easier. Here are the main ones you will see:
Fiberglass Kart Seats
Fiberglass is usually the choice of most racers. It has a nice finish, and is strong to a point. Fiberglass are popular for the same reasons fiberglass bodies are. They are easy to patch up if they crack a little bit. They also come out with a good finish when painted. It is a strong lightweight material.
Plastic
Plastic bends but doesn’t break, but when they do break, you can’t really fix it. This is probably the 2nd mots popular type but still not that close to the fiberglass ones.
Carbon Fiber
These are the most expensive and the highest quality, as well as the lightest. If you have the money it is a good investment. If you have ever seen carbon fiber it has a unique look to it, like it’s woven together. This is a strong material as well, but rarely seen in karting.
Kart Racing Seat Designs
When picking a seat, you have different design choices to pick from. Here are some:
Lay down Seats
These are the choice for most racers. It has the least wind resistance, and most feel it’s more comfortable. The only downside is for shorter people and seeing over the steering wheel.
Upright Seats
These are the original seats in karting, and are just more upright than the lay down seats.
Sizes
The best way to really check for your size is to sit in a seat. But if you want to get a rough estimate, they come in mostly general sizes like, extra small, small, medium, large and extra large.
Padding
There is padding out there you can buy specifically for kart seats, but most people find it best just to add their own, using anything from duct tape to foam.
