How do you avoid blisters on your hands when go karting?
February 23rd, 2007 • Related • Filed Under
mrsjulieburnett asked:
My husband has a shifter kart and no matter what he does he gets blisters on the heels of his hands. He has tried mole skin and first aid tape but it either slips off or rips out his hair when he takes it off. He has even tried adjusting the steering wheel but he still gets them. Is there something out there that we can buy or another technique he can try to avoid these blisters?
Create a video blog…instantly.
My husband has a shifter kart and no matter what he does he gets blisters on the heels of his hands. He has tried mole skin and first aid tape but it either slips off or rips out his hair when he takes it off. He has even tried adjusting the steering wheel but he still gets them. Is there something out there that we can buy or another technique he can try to avoid these blisters?
Create a video blog…instantly.
Comment by christos_swc on 24 February 2007:
Blisters are a result of too tight a grip.
The obvious answer is he has to loosen his grip on the steering wheel.
It will not only take care of the blisters but he will shave lots of time off his best and also start enjoy the whole experience.
First thing one does is try to remember to loosen his grip on the straights.
That’s not as easy in shifters because gearchanges somewhat upset the kart but it’s doable.
Every time he sees a straight he’ll have to loosen his grip, very light touch on the wheel.
Corners come next.
Should that not be enough he can try a thinner steering wheel, one that provides better grip and won’t tire his hands as much.
If he has a cheap pair of gloves there are much better ones on the market, they make a difference.
In any case, one should only hold the steering wheel as tight as is necessary and never tighter.
It’s very common in karts for drivers to grip the wheel hard but through experience they learn to relax their grip and in the end it’s not a problem.
He can also buy some blister plasters, they not only help rid of the blisters but , when applied,also protect the skin from the pressure.
I believe he would find those in a pharmacy and are usually for feet, but he should be able to find the right size and shape for his hands.
Comment by Paul S on 27 February 2007:
Just to add to the previous answer, which I think is generally right on. One of the main reasons for too tight of a grip in karting (or any racing) is when someone is overdriving. If he is feeling sore in his shoulders as well as the blisters, this is a key sign that he’s spending too much time fighting the kart and also losing a good amount of time out there in the process. Driving should be fairly relaxed, and the wheel grip would generally be fairly light when everything is going just right.
Comment by Jay on 28 February 2007:
I can understand a few blisters when first getting into racing, but after a while, your hands usually get calloused up and you don’t get any more blisters. I agree with the loosening the grip answers. Under normal circumstances, steering a kart shouldn’t require so much effort. Take a look at the front suspension settings. A washer in or out of the front end can make it a bear to drive.
Comment by ITS ME AGAIN on 2 March 2007:
wear gloves the tighter the grip the more control so gloves are the answer