Best Simracing Boots?

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Anyone got experience with these? Should I go rubber sole or sheet sole?

Any alternatives? Ive tried to find some slim Puma sneakers but they seem to be hard to find in shops these days.

 

[Connor Caple]

I actually race in my socks - no shoes at all. They do look fun though. Guaranteed to get more strange looks off my wife for my 'sim' habits if I get those

(She already laughs at my Fishing Hat that I wear when I play my sim, with rod, on XBox and my Pilot's Cap for FSX)

 

[Qazdar Karim]

Socks are the best ! better braking control and very accurate on the throttle ! they just sliiiiide

 

[Stefan Sparco]

Been using these Gul watersport shoes for the last 4 months:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gul-Neopren...UTF8&qid=1413922442&sr=1-3&keywords=gul+power

But I think sole is too thin and feet can get sweaty sometimes so got some Sparco Esse coming tomorrow. We'll see if they are any better.

 

[museumsteve]

I've been using various aqua shoes for the last couple of years, easy to slip on and off which is very convenient and I find the soles just hard enough for my Clubsport pedals

 

[Stefan Sparco]

Yeh, the Gul shoes were fine for hot lapping but recently started doing long races and on some cars where you press the brake really hard, my foot started to ache. So I thought I'd try something with a thin but harder sole.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Cool, let us know how the new Sparcos feel!

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Bugger, I noticed now that I forgot to link to the boots I was asking about in my first post
http://www.fasttracksims.com/sim-racing-gear/
Was wondering if anyone has experience with those and which version to go for.

 

[Stefan Sparco]

The Sparco Esse were no good. Too much grip so my heel was lifting off the pedal base. I think I'll use them for when I'm exercising and stick to the watersport shoes for sim racing.

 

[Alberto Casado]

I find all the specific "racing" shoes outrageously expensive for what they are, totally not worth it.
I would advice, depending on the taste for firm/soft sole:

For flexible sole: martial arts shoes (like http://***********/kr3gqn7). There is plenty of options for the sole material, from grippy rubber to hard plastic passing by string soles. 15 EUR or less easy.

For a bit stiffer sole: indoor soccer shoes, just go to the next sport shop and grab the cheapest. 20-25 EUR are easy to find.

Either shoe was designed to be used for running, jumping and kicking with precision and to be comfortable for hours of violent movements on your feet, which is much more stringent than pressing a pedal sitting in your living room.


I personally use a pair of indoor soccer shoes that turned out to be a bit too small for my feet (so I would get sore feet if I run a full match with them). But for driving they are fine, they are hardly bigger than the bare feet and have good grip. They will probably outlast every other piece of equipment I use for sim racing.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Actually, both a pair of Puma Speed Cats and the Fast Track Sim boots will run me about the same amount that buying martial arts boots/wrestler boots here in Stockholm. So price really depends on where you are at.

 

[Alberto Casado]

Actually, both a pair of Puma Speed Cats and the Fast Track Sim boots will run me about the same amount that buying martial arts boots/wrestler boots here in Stockholm. So price really depends on where you are at.

Yeah well, I bet you can find cheaper models than the puma speed cats. Those are also similar price here in Austria, but you are paying brand+ (maybe) quality that perhaps makes the difference when playing soccer, totally overkill for racing.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

I think you missed my point, I was saying that martial arts and wrestling shoes are as expensive as those Pumas and the Fast Track Sim boots are here in Sweden, so yeah, I'll much rather pay the same price and get something that was made for what I'll be using them for.
Furthermore, I've spent far more on wheels and other hardware that doesn't make me faster, a pair of boots for $55 to increase my enjoyment with my hobby is a piss in the ocean

 

[Alberto Casado]

Ah, misunderstood you. Life must be tough in Sweden then , those martial arts shoes are usually dirt cheap in the four countries I know.

 

[Pär Öqvist]

I got some ninja tabi boots like this but with cotton sole and shorter http://www.amazon.com/Macho-Martial..._sbs_sg_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1HAJPSQTXGJFD3NXFPJ9

As close to racing bare foot you can get while still having some protection against grating metal and some added stability. However since I run the HE Sim Ultimates Professional for comfort I have went back to regular racing inspired shoes. You do loose quite a bit of feel using racing shoes but it´s not ergonomically justifiable using 85 kg brake pressure bare footed for endurance racing without added stability of decent shoes.

I got some Sparco race shoes also but I use some no name bluish non race shoes generally as they have a bit thinner sole and feels a tad better.

 

[Connor Caple]

I tried my old MMA (Russian CAMBO) boots at the weekend. They're not bad. very soft uppers, quite warm and the sole is not too thick. They made my heel more comfortable but, as others say, you do lose the 'feel' of the pedals. The G25 pedals feel very light when wearing any kind of shoe, which is why I've usually raced in socks.

My wife suggested I try a pair of suede Mocassin slippers - I might give that a go as the nights get colder.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

I can completely understand how you wouldn't want to race in shoes with G27 or similar pedals, but heel/toeing on a stiff loadcell brake in socks hurts my feet. It didn't for the first few weeks, but I started getting sore the more I raced.

 

[Eric Estes]

I use water shoes, very thin sole and net upper that breathes. Can be found $5-10 US. Similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Slip-Wat...d_sbs_a_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1P5TE66PQR21CGBZCR0D

 

[KJProX]

I can't stand to sim race in socks or bare feet, more power to the guys that do. I use a pair of Asics Tiger wrestling shoes that are mid top with a thin flat rubber sole. I originally got them when I was racing karts because I couldn't afford real racing shoes and these looked like the same thing for far less money.

I looked around on the net and don't see these same ones anymore but I only paid about $25 for them 15+ years ago. As for the complaint about shoes having too much grip and don't slide on the pedals like socks, just wear them around the house or outside the idea being get the soles dirty/ dusty they will slide then. I know if I happen to get mine damp on the bottom I can't drive till I get them dirty again to de-grip them.

 

[Bez]

http://goo.gl/8R9zfG
http://goo.gl/ayph8x

Im not sure i like the idea of that toggle at the back of the gul ones, might order both and see which is best