Leather is skin — it needs the same logic. Keep it clean, keep it conditioned, never bake it dry, and inspect it like the safety equipment it is. A suit that lasts ten seasons is a suit that's looked after.
After every session
- Air it out — hang the suit open in a ventilated space. Sweat degrades leather and liner alike.
- Wipe down bugs, rubber and track grime with a damp cloth before they set.
- Never use a radiator, heater or direct sun to speed drying — heat cracks leather and weakens adhesive-bonded components.
Cleaning & conditioning
For the leather panels: a proper leather cleaner, then a leather conditioner to restore moisture — dry, unconditioned leather loses tear strength. For the Keprotec stretch panels: mild soap and water only, no solvents. Zips and velcro last longer with an occasional clean and a silicone-safe lubricant.
Storage
Hang it on a wide, shaped hanger — never folded, never compressed in a gear bag long-term. Cool, dry, out of sunlight. If the suit goes away for the off-season, clean and condition it first so nothing degrades in storage.
Post-crash inspection
If anything looks wrong, contact the fitting team — your measurements are on file, which makes repair and replacement panels straightforward.
- Seams — check the recessed safety stitching anywhere the suit took load or abrasion
- Sliders — alloy sliders are sacrificial; check for grinding or deformation
- Stretch panels — Keprotec can tear under concentrated abrasion; check inner arms, crotch and behind the knees
- Armour — inspect CE armour for cracks or compression, and the airbag system per its manufacturer's procedure
- Leather — abrasion that has thinned the hide or opened the grain means the panel needs attention