- Start from the number of drivers you kit out at the same time, not the number of karts alone.
- Multiply by your washing rotation: at least one set in use and one being cleaned.
- Add spare stock for repairs and busy days, based on your own experience.
- Split the total by size using your booking data, and round each size up.
There is no universal number
Two tracks with the same number of karts can need very different fleets. Session length, changeover speed, washing routine and the mix of adults and juniors all change the answer. The method below works from your own numbers, and the Fleet Builder does the arithmetic for you.
Step 1: drivers kitted out at the same time
Count the drivers wearing a suit at the busiest moment: usually the karts on track plus the next group getting changed. This is your number of driver positions.
Step 2: washing rotation
Suits come off sweaty and need washing and drying before reuse. If one set is in use while one is being washed, you need two sets per position. If you wash less often, or drying takes longer, you may need more. Choose the number that matches your routine.
Step 3: spare stock
Add a percentage for suits out for repair, unexpected busy days and size swaps. Base it on your own experience; if you are new, start modestly and track it.
Step 4: replacement stock
If you replace retired suits from stock, add replacement suits to the first order or plan them as regular top-ups. Use your own records of suits retired per year. We do not publish a garment lifespan, because it depends on your use.
Step 5: split by size
Divide the total across sizes using your own booking or suit-issue data. If you have none yet, start with an even split and correct it after a few weeks of recording which sizes run out. Round each size up so you are never one suit short. See size planning for adults and juniors.
A worked example
Suppose 12 drivers are kitted out at once, you keep 2 sets per position, add 10% spare and order no extra replacement stock:
- 12 × 2 = 24 suits
- 24 × 1.10 = 26.4, so about 27 suits before sizing
- Split across sizes and rounded up per size, the order comes to a little more.
These numbers are only an illustration; enter your own in the Fleet Builder.
Multiple locations
Work out each site separately: their peaks, washing and customer mix differ. The Fleet Builder multiplies per location, and the multi-site procurement guide covers central ordering.
FAQs
Do balaclavas follow the same method?
Only if you wash and reuse them. If you issue one per visit, the quantity follows your customer numbers and how many days of stock you keep. The Fleet Builder handles both.
What about gloves?
Gloves scale with driver positions in the same way, with junior and adult sizes split by your customer mix.