Driving shoes (It's OK, I'm not going to say "talk to me")

[sherman]

Have a look a merrel trainers some of their designs are snug fitting around the foot, light weight and have very grippy soles.
Something like these would work perfectly
http://www.merrell.com/UK/en-gb/Product.mvc.aspx/M...

[SimonV8ster]

utgjon said:

personally, i have a pair like this:

http://www.office.co.uk/mens/ted_baker/origin_driv...

admittedly those aren't the most attractive examples, but the principal is the same.

mine even come with an extension of the sole up the back of the heel to aid grip.

...good enough for Senna, good enough for me

You might as well get the ones with tassles on and look like a right tw*t

[SimonV8ster]

Cock Womble 7 said:

When I said I don't want to look like Carlos Fandango, I also don't want to look like Joe Calzaghe either.

Lonsdale, I ask you.

Those Lonsdale ones are wide as f*ck too - you feel like a clown at a circus walking around with those on !!

[utgjon]

SimonV8ster said:

utgjon said:

personally, i have a pair like this:

http://www.office.co.uk/mens/ted_baker/origin_driv...

admittedly those aren't the most attractive examples, but the principal is the same.

mine even come with an extension of the sole up the back of the heel to aid grip.

...good enough for Senna, good enough for me

You might as well get the ones with tassles on and look like a right tw*t

it's ok, i've got the floppy hair and the italian coupe...i feel the tassles may overdo it a little ;-)

[jas xjr]

Cock Womble 7 said:

When I said I don't want to look like Carlos Fandango, I also don't want to look like Joe Calzaghe either.

Lonsdale, I ask you.

the ones i am talking about have very little branding on them and are very slim with thin soles. if mine were in a decent state i would post a pic

[k1600ssred7]

I have some OMP race boots for driving the 7 but they seem to be a bit pricey these days.
These look like they might do teh job: http://www.grandprixlegends.com/motorsport-and-f1-...

[StratosGirl]

utgjon said:

it's ok, i've got the floppy hair and the italian coupe...i feel the tassles may overdo it a little ;-)

Which Italian coupe? I bought an Alfa GT recently...

Sorry, OP. Just wear shorts all year round. No-one will be laughing at your shoes.

[nigelpugh7]

Cock Womble 7 said:

My trusty Converse All Stars - the only items in my footwear arsenal that won't push down all three pedals in the Caterham at once - are (no pun intended) on their last legs. They are blimmin' ideal for the job - comfortable, nice and narrow and with a thin sole, but they are pretty much falling apart.

There may be some who find the idea of a 43 year-old bloke wearing "trendy" basketball boots a bit, well, y'know (Dave2000modelsanhour was one of them) but that doesn't really bother me.

Before I just go out and buy a new pair of Converse, I wondered if there were any (reasonably priced) alternatives I might consider. I quite like the look of the Piloti Prototipos, as featured in the "Gear" section of the latest TG magazine (although maybe not in yellow and green).

What I don't want is anything that makes me look like Carlos Fandango when I hop out of the 7 to fill up at Tesco. I'd prefer driving shoes that look like, well, shoes.

CW7, I have got some of the Piloti ones that you mention, I actually bought them from here, the Pistonheads shop that its, and they are ideal when driving my R500.

I have always had Sparco Top racing shoes, but I wanted something a bit more shoe like than pixie boot when just out for a ordinary blat!!

I got these ones as they are white and green to match my car!!

http://shop.pistonheads.com/?section=shop&prod...

I am happy with them, and they are comfortable to walk around in as well as driving.

Nige.

[rhinochopig]

Do you need to be able to wipe murdered prostitute blood off them? Avoid suede boots if you do.

[GTO Scott]

I'd like some decent driving shoes, but nothing seems available in a size that will actually fit me.

Anyone know of anywhere that does 14's (possibly need a 15 if they're really narrow)?

[Poledriver]

I find These really good. Maybe not quite as narrow as some, but perfect in the Cerb and really comfortable!

[cazzer]

Stick with the converse.
You csn listen to the Ramones then too.

[utgjon]

StratosGirl said:

utgjon said:

it's ok, i've got the floppy hair and the italian coupe...i feel the tassles may overdo it a little ;-)

Which Italian coupe? I bought an Alfa GT recently...

Alfa GTV

[911motorsport]

Lonsdale Kensal III,

Quite a few of the guys wear these at the track but they're getting difficult to find

Some of the others wear Kensal 02's as a sustitute: CW7 Driving shoe

Very slim sole with nice grippy nodules just where you need them

And cheap!

Edited by 911motorsport on Saturday 13th November 16:09

[V8mate]

jas xjr said:

Cock Womble 7 said:

When I said I don't want to look like Carlos Fandango, I also don't want to look like Joe Calzaghe either.

Lonsdale, I ask you.

the ones i am talking about have very little branding on them and are very slim with thin soles. if mine were in a decent state i would post a pic

I've got some Lonsdale trainers for track days. Just like boxing boots but just trainer shaped. Not much thicker than a sock all round.

ETA: Got a fair weather and poor weather pair

You can see that the soles are wafer thin and the body of the shoe is equally narrow and snug.




They were about £15 a pair from TK Maxx, IIRC.

Edited by V8mate on Saturday 13th November 16:24

[sjp63]

red stiletto's seem all the rage

[judas]

Pumas are good - I've had a few pairs. Or you could get some Pilotis from the PH shop: http://shop.pistonheads.com/?section=shop&prod...

[mizx]

sherman said:

Have a look a merrel trainers some of their designs are snug fitting around the foot, light weight and have very grippy soles.
Something like these would work perfectly
http://www.merrell.com/UK/en-gb/Product.mvc.aspx/M...

+1, I bought some Moto-Racers recently, they are similar to those.

My feet are off the scale in width so I've worn skate shoes for years, I have a few pairs of the same eS shoe that are more towards a casual shoe in design. Those have been fine for driving, but I've been after something with more suitable soles for a while.

I've lost count how many shoes I tried on or returned this year, the words "wide" and "driving shoes" just don't seem to go together, but I eventually found the Merrels. They're great because they fit my feet perfectly but still look and feel compact.

[7mike]

Another vote for Lonsdale, these were dirt cheap & bought them three years ago when I got the Caterham. Still going strong but a bit wiffy

[enioldjoe]

Cock Womble 7 said:

My trusty Converse All Stars - the only items in my footwear arsenal that won't push down all three pedals in the Caterham at once - are (no pun intended) on their last legs. They are blimmin' ideal for the job - comfortable, nice and narrow and with a thin sole, but they are pretty much falling apart.

There may be some who find the idea of a 43 year-old bloke wearing "trendy" basketball boots a bit, well, y'know (Dave2000modelsanhour was one of them) but that doesn't really bother me.

Before I just go out and buy a new pair of Converse, I wondered if there were any (reasonably priced) alternatives I might consider. I quite like the look of the Piloti Prototipos, as featured in the "Gear" section of the latest TG magazine (although maybe not in yellow and green).

What I don't want is anything that makes me look like Carlos Fandango when I hop out of the 7 to fill up at Tesco. I'd prefer driving shoes that look like, well, shoes.

......but I thought you were only ever supposed to wear All Stars when they're in this condition?