Driving shoes. Do I really need them.

pinchvalve wrote: I bought a pair of booties for the hillclimb and would try them for the autocross, but I don't want the looks of "really? fireproof shoes and shorts? What a tool." Maybe for colder days.

Fireproof shoes are also $$$ and of course, not as durable in the long term. And most of them have colors and patterns that make them impossible to pass for "normal" shoes. If you do need them, one of the best deals out there is from Sparco believe it or not.

One of those big $$$ brands used to make a shoe similar to the red bootie style, but in reflective GOOOLD. Sparked hilarity when someone yelled at a local driver with "John, you goldshoed fairy twit!"

Nope. Something with relatively thin soles that fit in the pedal box is all you need. You may find it helpful to always were the same thing for consistent pedal feel.

Wingtip loafers like Dave Marcis. They work really well and the thick heel soles aren't destroyed by the skateboard tape on the floor.

I fail to see the need for thin soles for "pedal feel". Pedal feel is through all of the senses. Heck, when I was ice racing I wore the same light winter boots I always wore. My threshold braking was noted by many. So choice of foot wear depends on the vehicle and size of the footbox.

Soccer shoes for the win.

These to be specific.

Kind of ugly, but the narrow sole should help with not stepping on two pedals at once.

Thanks!

For autocross?

I have a set of nomex driving shoes, but the Chucks are way more comfortable, so I only use those on the track.

I have a pair of Asics/Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81's that I bought online for super cheap. They are super lightweight and super comfortable.

Honestly I primarily wear them while using my sim rig

Ransom wrote: These days I usually wear Vans (with laces for me, though I dig slip-ons for other occasions) or Chucks. I really liked the Adidas Adi Racers, but they went from resembling proper driving shoes to resembling cheap kids' Halloween costumes that have a picture of what you're supposed to be on the front (why should I want CF trim on my shoes?), to no longer existing. Got a very confused look from the 20-year-old at the Adidas store the other day when I thought I'd ask whether they were a thing... I liked that the Adi Racers were pretty trim, and had a moderately stiff sole for a sneaker, which I actually prefer for heel/toe. I keep meaning to try the Pumas, but they also seem to mostly get weirder and weirder looking... EDIT: And I only heel/toe under extreme duress at autocrosses; you have to NEED 1st to make it worthwhile to try.

You can actually still get the Adi-racers except they're not really Adi anymore, they're made by goodyear. Click here

iceracer wrote: I fail to see the need for thin soles for "pedal feel". Pedal feel is through all of the senses. Heck, when I was ice racing I wore the same light winter boots I always wore. My threshold braking was noted by many. So choice of foot wear depends on the vehicle and size of the footbox.

I think this may be a personal preference as well as somewhat vehicle specific. In a Porsche GT3 I feel like I'm getting useful feed back through the pedal itself. In my Camaro, not so much.

I used to wear "driving" shoes for autocross... until I realized driving shoes suck for chasing cones... so I would either have to remember to bring a change of shoes (sometimes not a bad idea if you might have to chase cones in the rain), or just wear comfortable shoes for driving as well.

I don't know if the Abomination is substantially different than a normal Spitfire, pedal box-wise, but I generally don't have a problem wearing normal shoes when driving mine.

Given the walking:driving ratio in autocross, pick the most comfortable shoe for you.

You don't need SFI / fireproof shoes, so comfort rules the day. You will wear out a set of racing shoes at autocross in a season because the soles are so soft.

Wear something light that breathes. Nothing worse than getting swamp foot because you're shagging cones in a downpour before you have to drive. You might even want two pairs and extra socks, just in case.

I really like my Puma Speedcats. Mainly because I wear a size 12 1/2, so my big feet get a little tight in the pedal box sometimes. I like the rolled heel and feedback from the thin soles too. I'm also perfectly comfortable wearing some minimalist cross trainers too.

Another vote for the Puma Speedcats. I've had the Asics/Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81 too and the sole is a lot more solid. For mashing pedals, Speedcats were the ticket for me.

Toyman01 wrote: Soccer shoes for the win. These to be specific. Kind of ugly, but the narrow sole should help with not stepping on two pedals at once. Thanks!

If you go with soccer shoes, I'd recommend the smooth bottom ones. The turf cleats could get hung up on the pedals. The good thing about these is that they're actually made for running around and are comfy.

Ian F wrote: I don't know if the Abomination is substantially different than a normal Spitfire, pedal box-wise, but I generally don't have a problem wearing normal shoes when driving mine.

It's narrow enough that there is no place for a dead pedal. The front tube for the roll bar lands where the dead pedal was. Once you are off the clutch, your left foot has to hover. It takes some getting used to.

That's one of the changes on the horizon. That bar is going to get replaced and moved out into the door and hinge area for the door. It should give me another 4" to 5" of foot room.

In reply to Toyman01:

A stock Spitfire has no room for a dead pedal either, roll bar or not... on long highway stints I will squeeze my left under the clutch pedal so I can stretch my leg out for a bit.

Thinking about it... while I had not really considered swapping the pedals for something like a Wilwood set-up, I wonder if the more compact assembly would allow room for a dead-pedal...

Ignore the extraneous wiring. It is pretty tight though. The entire drivers compartment is tight. I just ordered a 11.5" steering wheel to replace the 13.5" wheel, to get me some more leg clearance.

This is my size 11.5 for reference.

I road race a spitfire and wear (a requirement)fire proof shoes. I normally buy G Force high tops but have tried Simpson's and Bell. I have size 11.5 feet as well and I do notice a difference between the racing shoes for the track car and regular sneakers for the street spits/ GT6. The smaller toe and better grip of the soft sole helps me be more precise. Very rarely do I hit clutch and have the side of my foot drag on the brake in the race car. I'm not a fan of the reduced flexibility of the high tops but I use them for two reasons. One is the shoe laces, I've had them get stuck on the pedals, interesting bit of a distraction in traffic, with a high top, I just tuck the extra lace under the velcro band at the top and I'm good to go. The second reason is flame. I've had an oil fire burn through into the foot well (rod through the block onto the header) and the shoe took the grilling for me. Racing shoes do wear out quickly, I only put them on when I'm heading to the car to race. Good for about two seasons 7-8 weekends a year.

The footwell F500 is obviously on the small side so driving shoes are a must. I simply bring my normal comfortable show for working and then change to,the driving shoe before I line up in grid. It takes all of 30 seconds to swap shoes. If you can find a close out on some driving shoes they're likely as cheap as any narrow non driving shoe.