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| Beautifully anodized, quality construction and smooth function are what Sparco harnesses are all about. In the near decade we’ve been using Sparco harnesses, we’ve yet to have a latching error or malfunction. |
We chose Sparco harnesses for many reasons: their more stringent FIA-approval not only means they’re safer, it also means they’ll last longer. The Sparco cam-lock buckle is not only much easier to use than a standard latch and link setup, simply push each belt into the buckle individually and you’re done, it’s also quicker to release in an emergency. Lastly, the Sparco units always look much better than the competition. While this may not shave lap times, it certainly helps with annual tech inspections, as cheap and shoddy appearance means extra scrutiny, possibly cutting into valuable track time.
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| The Sparco cam-lock buckle is much easier to use than a standard latch and link setup. A quick quarter turn and you’ll be on your way to getting out of your car safely in an emergency. |
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| Installed in the car. Make sure to use cotter pins on all latch connections to the car, and double back the harness through the three bar slide after gross adjustment is done. |
So, how did it all do on the track? Luckily, I didn’t get to test its safety capabilities, but I did get to use it on the track, and here’s what I noticed: nothing. The HANS device was absolutely unnoticeable once I was belted in and ready to go. On the track, it did not hinder my visibility, the padding on the legs made it so I couldn’t really tell the difference between the harnesses and the device, and the angle was adjusted perfectly for our car, making it so there was no annoyance with the back of the device digging into me. As always, the Sparco harnesses functioned flawlessly, were simple to adjust for comfort, and held me in perfectly. About the only time you’ll notice wearing a HANS device is while putting your helmet on. The easiest for me was to put my helmet and HANS on, then get into the car and deal with the harnesses and gloves. You’ll also need someone to spot for you backing out of the pits. While the device does not limit visibility under racing conditions, it does make it difficult to look out the back window while backing up, effectively eliminating it for street use (well, that and the funny looks you’d get).
Overall, the only thing I thought after a weekend of racing was: “Why didn’t I do this earlier?”
With and without HANS side by side comparison.
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