Boots better than shoes for heal & toe
Discussion
Footwear isn't going to make any difference to your heel and toe (which is rarely actually using the heel fwiw)
'racing' footwear usually has a thinner and more sensitive sole, and a narrower platform, helps with sensitivity, and small footwells. I can't honestly see why you'd need ankle support driving a car - I think the boot format is more likely for fire protection than any support.
'racing' footwear usually has a thinner and more sensitive sole, and a narrower platform, helps with sensitivity, and small footwells. I can't honestly see why you'd need ankle support driving a car - I think the boot format is more likely for fire protection than any support.
I find heel and toe more enjoyable in a thin soled shoe (I have some very naff looking Puma Driftcats) but as others have said, the shoe itself won't make much of a difference to the technique and I'm not really sure how/why boots would help (I'm not saying that they don't but simply that I personally can't see why they would).
The reason I like a thin soled shoe is purely because you can feel the right position and pressure on the brake pedal easier. I often wear a pair of NB trainers (the type somebody in the 70s may have run a race in) and they are technically fine but feel a bit too cushioned for precise pedal control.
The reason I like a thin soled shoe is purely because you can feel the right position and pressure on the brake pedal easier. I often wear a pair of NB trainers (the type somebody in the 70s may have run a race in) and they are technically fine but feel a bit too cushioned for precise pedal control.
LennyM1984 said:
I find heel and toe more enjoyable in a thin soled shoe (I have some very naff looking Puma Driftcats) but as others have said, the shoe itself won't make much of a difference to the technique and I'm not really sure how/why boots would help (I'm not saying that they don't but simply that I personally can't see why they would).
The reason I like a thin soled shoe is purely because you can feel the right position and pressure on the brake pedal easier. I often wear a pair of NB trainers (the type somebody in the 70s may have run a race in) and they are technically fine but feel a bit too cushioned for precise pedal control.
Puma drift cats FTW! Just ordered my 4th pair, love them!The reason I like a thin soled shoe is purely because you can feel the right position and pressure on the brake pedal easier. I often wear a pair of NB trainers (the type somebody in the 70s may have run a race in) and they are technically fine but feel a bit too cushioned for precise pedal control.
brillomaster said:
LennyM1984 said:
I find heel and toe more enjoyable in a thin soled shoe (I have some very naff looking Puma Driftcats) but as others have said, the shoe itself won't make much of a difference to the technique and I'm not really sure how/why boots would help (I'm not saying that they don't but simply that I personally can't see why they would).
The reason I like a thin soled shoe is purely because you can feel the right position and pressure on the brake pedal easier. I often wear a pair of NB trainers (the type somebody in the 70s may have run a race in) and they are technically fine but feel a bit too cushioned for precise pedal control.
Puma drift cats FTW! Just ordered my 4th pair, love them!The reason I like a thin soled shoe is purely because you can feel the right position and pressure on the brake pedal easier. I often wear a pair of NB trainers (the type somebody in the 70s may have run a race in) and they are technically fine but feel a bit too cushioned for precise pedal control.
Much prefer my sparco 'fashion' shoes than various boots I have, more ankle movement, same thin sole.
https://uk.sparcofashion.com/product/sparco-imola-...
can usually be had for £40 or so in their seemingly continual 'sales'.
https://uk.sparcofashion.com/product/sparco-imola-...
can usually be had for £40 or so in their seemingly continual 'sales'.
upsidedownmark said:
'racing' footwear usually has a thinner and more sensitive sole, and a narrower platform, helps with sensitivity, and small footwells
The problem is that it looks really naff getting out of your car at a service station wearing Sparcos - even though I regularly do that myselfThe way around this is to wear Converse or similarly styled boots that are skinny enough to make the most of a cramped footwell
Do the sparco fashion shoes and the drift cats have a stiff sole?
Converse and similar shoes are good for their slim size and feel but the soft sole is bad for braking as your foot just wraps around the pedal when pressing hard; a more rigid sole (at least laterally) that is also thin gives better feel and also power/control particularly for cars with no brake servo.
The difference is like in cycling and the contrast between clip-in cycling shoes versus normal trainers.
Converse and similar shoes are good for their slim size and feel but the soft sole is bad for braking as your foot just wraps around the pedal when pressing hard; a more rigid sole (at least laterally) that is also thin gives better feel and also power/control particularly for cars with no brake servo.
The difference is like in cycling and the contrast between clip-in cycling shoes versus normal trainers.
Can't speak for the other but the Sparco is fairly stiff, I don't notice much difference to my FIA reg boots in that regard. I only wear the boots when I have to, racing.
Plus I'm quite ok with looking like a southern ponce, comes naturally I guess. Rather that than drive with a pair of converse tbh, aren't those soles like 1" thick?
Plus I'm quite ok with looking like a southern ponce, comes naturally I guess. Rather that than drive with a pair of converse tbh, aren't those soles like 1" thick?
I used to drive in dunlop green flash, which i think are technically tennis shoes! 
But i dont find puma driftcats embarrassing, mine are just plain black with black laces, pretty subtle. Certainly dont look out of place on a trackday, nearly everyone is wearing something designed for driving.
Or it might be that i dont really care what people think of my footwear choices, i wears what i likes!
But i dont find puma driftcats embarrassing, mine are just plain black with black laces, pretty subtle. Certainly dont look out of place on a trackday, nearly everyone is wearing something designed for driving.
Or it might be that i dont really care what people think of my footwear choices, i wears what i likes!
brillomaster said:
I used to drive in dunlop green flash, which i think are technically tennis shoes!
But i dont find puma driftcats embarrassing, mine are just plain black with black laces, pretty subtle. Certainly dont look out of place on a trackday, nearly everyone is wearing something designed for driving.
Or it might be that i dont really care what people think of my footwear choices, i wears what i likes!
Hi-tec squash for me, thin soles after 10 years, gutted I had to buy new again last year.But i dont find puma driftcats embarrassing, mine are just plain black with black laces, pretty subtle. Certainly dont look out of place on a trackday, nearly everyone is wearing something designed for driving.
Or it might be that i dont really care what people think of my footwear choices, i wears what i likes!
Definitely helps having racing boots/shoes as they have grip on the side allow you grip on the throttle pedal especially if you go for a stab at it like I do 🤣😜
https://youtu.be/NNugHrP7evo
https://youtu.be/NNugHrP7evo
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