We’ve all become pretty familiar with some of the bigger names in the racing seat business. Sparco, Simpson, Impact, etc. Sabelt is another popular racing safety equipment supplier based in Moncalieri, Italy, and a lot of U.S. racers are familiar with the company’s racing seat belts, but perhaps not its seats.
Maelstrom Kiewiet with NASA’s official equipment supplier, Competition Motorsport, put together this deep dive into Sabelt’s line of seats, which provides U.S. racers another choice for their racecars. Here’s Kiewiet’s rundown of the Sabelt seat line:
One of the more difficult pieces of the race car puzzle to fit has traditionally been the racing seat. Sure, there is a variety of designs in the racing seat market, and if you’re built like an Italian racing driver you won’t have much trouble finding a seat that fits you properly. But what if you’re among the other 95 percent of people who are built like, well, regular people? What if you’re tall? Or wide? Or tall and wide? What if you’re racing a smaller car? Racers who don’t fall into seat manufacturers’ idea of “proportionate” often struggle to find a solution that’s safe and comfortable. Depending on your body shape, you may find it nearly impossible. That is, until now.
For the past couple years, Sabelt has been quietly building a lineup of high-quality racing seats to fit people of all shapes and sizes. They’ve especially run the table in the big-and-tall market. There is no manufacturer of racing seats making a more affordable product line that fits as wide an array of body types. In this article, we’ll give you some fitment examples to help guide you to the best seat for you. Talking to one of our experts, taking proper measurements, and reviewing size charts will save you time, money, and aggravation. Call Competition Motorsport at 844-438-7244 and talk to a racing seat expert about the right seat for you.
If you’re proportional in height and weight:
First off, if you are built like an Italian racing driver — average height and weight — you must check out the Sabelt Racer Duo Racing Seat. We’re not sure how they can make a seat of this quality and sell it for $395, but trust us when we tell you it doesn’t feel like a seat that costs less than $400. The shoulder pass-throughs on the Racer Duo are a bit higher than many similar seats, so it works well for people with longer torsos.
If you have a car with a small cockpit:
If you’re looking for a full-containment seat and have a small-cockpit car (e.g., Miata, Corvette, Boxster) you owe it to yourself to check out the Sabelt X-Pad Racing Seat. It is one of the most innovative racing seats we’ve seen in a long time. From start to finish, this seat was designed with full containment and small-cockpit cars in mind. Whether it’s eliminating the “rolled” material on the sides to reduce width, or minimizing padding to maximize headroom, the Sabelt X-Pad is redefining race seating. The X-Pad carries the highest price tag of any Sabelt seat at $1,025, but when you consider its pioneering design and game-changing compatibility, we don’t think that’s asking a lot.
If you’re tall with a slim or athletic build:
The Sabelt GT3 Racing Seat is a great seat for taller drivers who don’t need a full containment seat. The GT3 is the most “standard fit” in the Sabelt line-up of seats, so, size-wise, it doesn’t necessarily stand out in the crowd. But the Sabelt GT3, priced at $690, offers excellent fitment, features, and exceptional craftsmanship for the taller, more slender driver. Getting all of this for under $700 is truly impressive.
If you’re big and tall:
The Sabelt GT-Pad Racing Seat will fit various body shapes and sizes thanks to its three levels of customizable padding thickness. With an outer shell best suited for cars with more cockpit space, the GT-Pad really shines for the big-and-tall crowd. It offers unmatched lateral support coupled with taller shoulder belt pass-throughs, a taller halo, and ample shoulder wings to keep you firmly in place. All three pad sizes are centered around the big-and-tall driver rather than just one XL size like most other manufacturers offer. You can also swap out pad thicknesses as needed whether you have multiple drivers or just wear them out over time. And the $1,025 price of the Sabelt GT-Pad doesn’t go up, regardless of the size you choose.
If you’re bigger or taller than that:
We’ve never seen a seat more suited to tall drivers (i.e, 6’1” and taller) than the Sabelt Taurus Racing Seat. And with three sizes of Taurus, there’s no reason tall (or big and tall) drivers ever need to sacrifice comfort again. The Taurus Max, for example, offers significantly more width in every area of the seat, making it a fantastic option for those buying jackets with T’s and pants with X’s. On the other hand, the Medium Taurus is narrower in the torso and hips for more proportional body shapes. In between, in both height and width, is the Large Taurus. Every Sabelt Taurus requires ample room to mount, so don’t expect to squeeze it into a tight cockpit. At $910 for Medium or Large sizes and $960 for Extra Large, this big and/or tall racing seat is priced competitively with most standard sized racing seats.
If you’re not that tall but still, well, big:
The Sabelt Titan Racing Seat is for you! Available in two sizes (Standard and Max), the Titan is an exceptionally comfortable seat for those of us with more width than height. This seat has high sides to prevent lateral movement and shallower shoulder cups for added comfort, further reflecting its tailor-made purpose. It’s not for everyone, but those for whom it was designed have never had a better option. Like the Taurus, the Sabelt Titan is priced competitively at only $815 or $860 (Large or Extra Large), below the price of many competitors’ standard-sized seats.
See all the Sabelt seats at CompetitionMotorsport.com
