track day shoes

[motorsportbeng]

bit of an un-manly question, i apologise, but im on the look out for another pair of driving shoes after having worn out my current sparco pit lanes. i need them for general driving and occasional track day due to the tight pedal box of the caterham. they arent making the pit lanes any more and i tried the model that replaced it at the autosport show and they were no where near as good. any suggestions and where you got them from?
cheers

[huwp]

I use some karting boots in my Caterham. Relatively discreet when compared to full race boots. Doesn't make you look too much of a knob in the filling station.

Piloti shoes and boots seem to get reasonable reviews as well.

[GreigM]

puma speedcats

[stumpy67]

Piloti shoes?

[Conor D]

Out of curiosity what is your opinion on the Sparco Pitlanes? Some online stores must still be selling them, I've been tempted to get a pair..

I have a pair of Puma Speed (or Drift, I'm not sure) Cats which are almost like a Black leather. I found them good, and they look alright too..

[medullanocte]

Converse All-Stars are clearly the way to go.

[Phil Dicky]

stumpy67 said:

Piloti shoes?

+1 for Piloti's

[mattmurdock]

I have a pair of Piloti Tifosi that I wear in the Caterham, and which also don't look so much like driving trainers that they look out of place on a night out, so another +1 for Piloti from me.

[gtdc]

The Pilotis are fantastic. Apart from being good in the car they've also got excellent foot support so at the end of a day on circuit tarmac and concrete you don't have sore feet. They're probably more to buy than Pumas but they are streets ahead.

I think they look pretty cool too.

Melindi

[cheddar]

I have 3 pairs of Piloti, all bought in one whisky/internetty evening by mail order.

They're all poor quality, ill fitting contrived nonsense.

Your old comfy trainers will serve you better........

[Baryonyx]

I'd like to recommend the Saloman Speed Cross 2 shoes as a good driving shoe. They're not designed as driving shoes and will eventually make your legs tired due to lack of sole support if you're spending long periods on your feet, but if you're looking for an everyday trainer that crosses over as an excellent driver's shoe then these are great. They have a very thin sole which communicates what the pedals are doing in a very tactile sense, and the grip is excellent. The heels are still and the shoe is very tightly contoured, which inspires confidence in things like heel toe braking.

I reckon Saloman could make a top notch dedicated driver's shoe if they wanted to!

[Mousem40]

I've got 2 pairs of Piloti's - the Tifosi's and the Prototipo. Both very well made, both very comfortable to walk around in. However, they don't have much pedal feel.

I've got a pair of Sparco's. Very good pedal feel, but a bit flimsy, they bend too much, not comfortable to walk in.

The best I've had is a pair of Adidas Tuscany (with the tyre tread sole) fantastic pedal feel, very firm and not flimsy, but very uncomfortable to walk around in.

[Dan Friel]

I tend to avoid using my salomons, even for everyday driving. The sole is too thick and inflexible. A pair of cheaper karting shoes are ideal. I also like the merrels that I have.

[braddo]

medullanocte said:

Converse All-Stars are clearly the way to go.

Yep

[DiscoColin]

For track days I wear Adidas Ferozas, but day to day I find that a pair of Merrells does a very good job (the ones I have are like a climbing shoe style - narrow, thin soles and agreeably discrete).

[VeeFour]

braddo said:

medullanocte said:

Converse All-Stars are clearly the way to go.

Yep

Adidas Samba.

[gtdc]

cheddar said:

I have 3 pairs of Piloti, all bought in one whisky/internetty evening by mail order.

They're all poor quality, ill fitting contrived nonsense.

Your old comfy trainers will serve you better........

You haven't mixed them up with that rubber gimp suit you ordered have you?

[NorthernExposure]

I tried Sparco racing boots but when faced with chunky stiff pedals of a BMW E46, I find these much more effective

[MC Bodge]

Baryonyx said:

Too much tread and they are,...sports shoes.

Style never goes out of fashion. I have a collection of Italian footwear for my italian thoroughbreds. Anything else would be disrespectful to the craftsmen of Modena.

Edited by MC Bodge on Tuesday 29th March 10:39

[gtdc]

My eyes.