Is normal foam padding enough protection on door bars or would you recommend SFI? My roll bar has SFI on it now but I'd also like to protect my hands and legs/knees in the event of a rollover or side impact. The car is used for track days, auto-x and hill climbs with occasional road use.

 

SFI makes a dual-thickness foam that should be used when unprotected limbs can contact a bar. "Normal Foam" is for insulating pipes and has no actual safety value.

 

SFI. Don't cheap out on something that may save your life.

 

Thank you! Seems most of the race sites have foam padding as well as SFI padding with a considerable price difference so wanted to be sure before placing the order.

Edit: To clarify as I don't think I was very clear, there is high density non SFI foam and high density SFI foam padding. I was referring to non SFI high density padding.

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...p?Product=2390

 

The non sfi stuff is commonly called the pool noodle padding, because it feels, looks, and compresses just like pool noodle foam does.

It seems logically backwards that you want the harder/firmer padding on roll bars instead of the softer squishier stuff, but it actually compresses much much less, which is what you want, which is the more expensive stuff.

If I were you, I'd fully strap in the car, extend your arms, tilt your head where you can. Those are the areas where you want the firm padding.

 

I like this stuff. Pretty cheap, way better than pool noodle foam.

Longacre Roll Bar Padding 65182

 

I saw that on Racer Parts Wholesale, it was my other option. Personal reviews are the best, I'll buy that instead.

 

That is the stuff I have. Awesome padding

 

That's actually where I bought it, but it didn't come up when I googled it. Good seller.

Yup. I used it for the roll bar on a previous Miata. Very dense, but easy to trim. I wasn't sure about the adhesive so I just used zip ties instead. Covered the straight parts with some neoprene/Velcro wrap and it looked great. I think I purchased that from RacerPartsWholesale as well.

 

I use this stuff on my rollbar and door bars.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...p?Product=2397


Just crawling around the car I've lightly bumped my head/limbs on the regular SFI padding. It hurts, A LOT. Less than steel would yes, but enough to make me think that in an accident anything hitting it that isn't my helmeted head is going to be in bad shape. After all, that's all that normal SFI padding is for, protecting your head, when it's inside a helmet.