Racing Shoes

Early B.

Anyone own a pair of racing/driving shoes? Are they good for walking, too?

I've been considering a pair of Piloti shoes or something similar for a while now. Last time I drove a long distance, it was a bit rough on my right heel. Cruise control is great, but not when there's a lot of traffic. Just wondering if these kinds of shoes actually work or if it's simply a fad or a bunch of marketing B.S.

Thanks.

PolkThug

I think they're made more for weight reduction.

dorokusai

Unless you start going to work on an SCCA or IMSA circuit....regular shoes are fine.

You're driving style has much more to do with your foot issue than it has to do with your shoe type.

Early B.

dorokusai wrote:

You're driving style has much more to do with your foot issue than it has to do with your shoe type.

Are you implying that I have a lead foot?:eek:

Well, I'll never admit it in court, that's for sure.

Early B.

I may buy a pair anyway. They have a high "cool factor." I like some of the colors and the styling. I don't wear tennis shoes often 'cause I'm a grown **** man [see music thread about me getting older], so they should last several years.

Bought a pair of adidas 6 or 7 years ago. They still look practically new but don't fit very well. Time for something new.

ledhed

I have some Adi Racers. Actually, you can find them in a lot of shoe stores now (they are the ones that say goodyear on them and have carbon-fiber heel and arch support - you can barely see it) They use actual goodyear rubber for the soles, are the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn and yes, are great for driving. Oh, and they look good

Also, the Adidas ones come in high and low top and are pretty much just a street stylized version of their actual driving/racing shoes.

Ok, so I know too much about these shoes

dorokusai

They have actual doctors that know feet better than a marketing concept, aka podiatrists.

Shizelbs

dorokusai wrote:

They have actual doctors that know feet better than a marketing concept, aka podiatrists.

Yeah, and I know drugs better than ex-cons on infomercials. Get real dude.

unc2701

Check out fencing shoes (fencing as in the olympic sport). They're designed for a lot of impact and have a rounded heel.

ohskigod

I drive a stick, and while I dont find shoes to be a big issue, if I wear clunky sneakers, its a pain in the arse (having size 13 feet dont help either).

my favorite shoe for driving (and banging through the gears on a spirited drive) was a pair of Mizuno golf shoes. a very thin rubber sole, and very flexible, yet easily dressy enough for me to wear to the office. I owned them for years, and they saw a golf course maybe twice a year (you could screw in spikes in needed). I wore the hell out of those shoes just for the comfort factor.

I nearly cried when my wife threw them out.

nesticle

After wearing work boots a lot, I've realized that it really doesn't depend on the shoe you're wearing. I can double clutch/rev match just as well with big boots as I can with thin-soled running shoes.

GaryZ06

For me a good driving shoe is with a fairly thin sole so I can feel what the clutch and brakes are doing.

jdhdiggs

Why would you even consider racing shoes? No support, no sole, nothing... They are made for racers. They are insulated from heat and provide tons of pedal feedback so you can better control your car. If you are not racing competively, you are just burning money. They are not comfortable to walk in or drive long distances.

Driving shoes? No experience with those. Go see a foot doctor if your having this many issues. It will save you money and pain in the long run.

I mean, driving doesn't exactly put a lot of impact and stress on a foot so I can't imagine a shoe helping to relieve that pressure.

Nesticle: How old is your car if you're still double clutching?

Early B.

jdhdiggs wrote:

Why would you even consider racing shoes? No support, no sole, nothing... They are made for racers. They are insulated from heat and provide tons of pedal feedback so you can better control your car. If you are not racing competively, you are just burning money. They are not comfortable to walk in or drive long distances.

We're talking about the street versions.

jdhdiggs

Don't know anything about those. I can't imagine them being better than any other kind of shoe...

read-alot

I used to get a laugh out of watching those young and dumb mechanics in the Cup garage show up wearing the free driving shoes that Simpson or who ever passes out to get the TV time. They end up limping by the end of the day.

Thom

A guy that used to work with us wore race shoes at shows (among other times). He had them on one year at SEMA, which is as much walking as I've ever done. He was in better shape than I was after all the walking, so they work for some people. Or maybe some shoes are better than others...

read-alot

They may be ok if you don't have to push a 33 hundred pound stock car around all day especially when it's time to get those damn plug checks and pit road seems like a mile from the garage. I am partial to SAS when I stand on concrete all day and leave the driving shoes to when there may be flames involved when driving.

Jstas

Driving shoes offer no support to your feet or ankles. They are nothing more than leather and nomex sewn together with rubber glued to the bottom. For driving competativly, they work great. For anything else, unless you are used to walking barefoot, they will not offer any improvement over any other shoe.

If you are having problems with your heel on your right foot then what are you doing that is causing you to wear blisters on the heel of your foot? You don't have to leave your heel on the floorboards, you can pick it up off of the floor. If you are trying to drive with a heel-toe style of throttle/brake management then it should be known that your heel rarely touches the floor while you are braking.

If you are using regular shoes and you are having issues with your heel, then inserts that you can get at any drug store might help out better than buying a whole new shoe. Your heel is probably too small for the size of the heel pocket on your shoe. If you use an insert, it will help take up some of that extra room and give you a more snug fit. If it fits better, it will shift around less and cause less aggravation to your right heel.

Early B.

Jstas wrote:

If you are having problems with your heel on your right foot then what are you doing that is causing you to wear blisters on the heel of your foot? You don't have to leave your heel on the floorboards, you can pick it up off of the floor. If you are trying to drive with a heel-toe style of throttle/brake management then it should be known that your heel rarely touches the floor while you are braking.

No, it's nothing like that. I was simply wearing the wrong shoes for an extended drive. But it did get me thinking about a pair of driving shoes.

Nothing wrong with a simply-made shoe with little support. Think about it -- lots of sandals, flip-flops, etc. are pretty simple and comfortable. Often the greastest level of comfort is no shoe at all. It's only been in the past 20 years or so that shoe marketers have gotten into this comfort and technology thing. In my day, we sported Keds and Converse made of canvas. Today, you have soles made with high tech gels, Goodyear tire parts, air cushions, etc. None of that **** allows you to run faster or jump higher.

PolkThug

Yep, Goodyear has been doing that for a long time. When I was building tires there, the effed up ones would get hacked up for shoes.

opus

Man, you guys must be living the good life. If I showed up in a pair of driving shoes I have at least 5 friends who would kick my ****. And one is a girl.

Oh well, Rock on