What driving shoes do you recommend?
I love my Simpson racing boots, but they don’t match my street clothes, and they’re a bit much for short trips. Same deal with my OMP boots. All of my other shoes lack the rounded heel and tend to catch on the floor and lack the smooth roll off for fine controll. Solid black leather would be best, but I’m open to other options.
TIL that there are people who have special shoes when they drive a car
I wouldn’t call it life-changing, but driving a manual with thin, flat soles makes a noticeable difference. Driving in my hiking boots feels like trying to use a game controller with thick ski gloves on.
Spring to fall, I drive in bare feet whenever it’s appropriate. It’s so much more direct and comfortable. That said, I prefer bare feet when possible anyway - I realize it’s not for everyone.
Yeah, me too. I’ll drive in whatever I happen to be wearing, whether that be Adidas samba, Harley Davidson boots, or chunky skate shoes. I’ve never felt the need to have specific shoes to press pedals.
The best driving shoe is bare feet. Nothing feels better than direct skin contact when piloting the machine.
take off your shoes and drive barefoot for maximum control, then change back into shoes for your workday
I keep hearing this, but I don’t think it’s for me. So many people seem to like it that I’ll at least respect it, but I can’t imagine liking that.
If you want to feel what the car is doing, it’s great. If you want to feel the clutch point, it’s great. If you want to have precise throttle control, it’s great. If you want to have protection in a fire, not so great.
I believe you. I won’t go barefoot. I also intend not to catch fire.
I wear moccasins for this reason. Thin, responsive, lightweight. But then you do have to change when you’re done.
Thanks. This might be a good compromise.
Vans, comfortable basic shoes that go with any outfit, and the flat bottom makes it super easy for heel-toe
Maybe a weird take, but check out some fencing shoes. There’s a ton of variety but they seem to have the traits you’re looking for:
- Rounded heel
- Responsive up in the toes
- Generally look like normal street shoes
Genius. They all look like high-quality, half-priced luxury driving shoes. Thanks for the tip. My only regret is the violent life of dueling that will surely come with them. Still, sacrifices must be made sometimes. In all seriousness, thank you.
I second the general recommendations of Vans or converse but IMO if you’re also going to be on your feet all day wearing them the thin soles does get old fast. I wear my crossfit shoes most of the time and they are really good driving shoes because they tend more towards flat soles and unobtusive tread but still pretty good cushioning.
Driving shoe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkRkuI0ZgX0&t=82
I always ran converse low tops for non-track driving. Lots of feel, plenty of space to heel-toe, and they go with anything
I haven’t personally tried them, but maybe pilotis? Bonus is that some of their shoes look casual enough to wear out and about
Thanks for the tip. I’ll take a look.
Off topic but i’m curious: what car(s) are you driving/tracking in? I eventually plan on converting my current car into a more track-oriented build
Nothing fancy. It’s a Miata, but I love it.
Love to hear that :) that makes two of us. I’m in an nd!
NA owner checking in!
NA crew assemble!
I’ve got fireproof racing shoes for racing and track days but for everyday driving I’d put another recommendation in for Vans.
Thanks for the feedback. +1 to Vans it is.
