Driving Shoes

[Tickle]

Sparco Imola are quite inoffensive. I may get some when my Piloti give up.

Also have Puma Driving Power in grey that are decent for pedal feel. Slightly different sole to drift/speed cats.

[ali_XFR]

Puma Drift cat 5 suede in black.


Inoffensive, reasonably priced and super comfortable. Which reminds me I need to get a pair for an uncoming driving holiday and they seem to be out of stock everywhere. Any sneaker heads know where I could get some from?

[anonymous-user]

Oilchange said:

I sometimes drive barefoot, what's wrong with that?

Nothing if you are a Hobbit or tramp.

My vote goes for Crocs.

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 5th March 14:23

[zarjaz1991]

I don’t drive barefoot all the time, but I have done it, quite a few times now, notably on very long summer journeys where it is simply more comfortable. Short trousers and barefoot, feels great on a hot day. (No I don’t go topless, blokes doing that look gross).

No safety issues at all, don’t get why anyone would think that. Sure, it feels different, but a competent driver can deal with that. It’s easy.

[p1stonhead]

Pricey but I have always liked

https://www.pilotiuk.co.uk/collections/prototipo-c...

[del mar]

Thank you - I will try the Piloti ones if I can find my size, unless you have size 5 - 7 feet they appear to be difficult to find !

Sad Ken - Gloves I could do with a pair of those, any suggestions ?

Blade7 - I am also looking for some new motorbike boots, now yes I could wear trainers as well but.....

[glenrobbo]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=pics+of+jimmy+ch...

HTH

[blade7]

del mar said:

Blade7 - I am also looking for some new motorbike boots, now yes I could wear trainers as well but.....

Sensible choice, in an accident there's less chance of having your foot ripped off.....

[Frank7]

MYOB said:

Blue Oval84 said:

Just go barefoot if you really want to feel the pedals?

In the summer I go barefoot quite regularly if I'm wearing flip flops (which are dreadful to drive in IME)

I hope you are not being serious?

I couldn’t believe that the OP was being serious, DRIVING SHOES? I thought, “surely he’s having a Turkish?”
If I HAVE to drive, which I avoid like the plague, I just wear whatever shoes I have on at the time, I just can’t imagine poncing about putting a different pair on, just to operate the two pedals.

[del mar]

Frank7 said:

MYOB said:

Blue Oval84 said:

Just go barefoot if you really want to feel the pedals?

In the summer I go barefoot quite regularly if I'm wearing flip flops (which are dreadful to drive in IME)

I hope you are not being serious?

I couldn’t believe that the OP was being serious, DRIVING SHOES? I thought, “surely he’s having a Turkish?”
If I HAVE to drive, which I avoid like the plague, I just wear whatever shoes I have on at the time, I just can’t imagine poncing about putting a different pair on, just to operate the two pedals.

Are you on the right fourm here ?

This is where you have it all wrong...

Even a simple run to B & Q I put on a full race suit and fire retardant underwear, makes the run far more exciting.

That is where you and I are different, I enjoy driving, I will go for a drive just to drive, and a track day with big wide trainers in a narrow little peddle box can be less than ideal.

[Rostfritt]

zarjaz1991 said:

I don’t drive barefoot all the time, but I have done it, quite a few times now, notably on very long summer journeys where it is simply more comfortable. Short trousers and barefoot, feels great on a hot day. (No I don’t go topless, blokes doing that look gross).

No safety issues at all, don’t get why anyone would think that. Sure, it feels different, but a competent driver can deal with that. It’s easy.

Agreed, drive barefoot all the time. Sandals are dangerous and the one time I tried I nearly crashed and ended up lurching to a stop with my right sandal hard on the brake and accelerator at the same time.

Technically illegal where I am but I'm sure people do it all the time. Would also agree that driving topless is not a good idea. If it is hot then you just soak the seat with sweat and the seatbelt feels weird on bare skin.

Apparently this is frowned upon as in an accident you might have to quickly get out the car and there might be broken glass on the ground.

[SeeFive]

Frank7 said:

I couldn’t believe that the OP was being serious, DRIVING SHOES? I thought, “surely he’s having a Turkish?”
If I HAVE to drive, which I avoid like the plague, I just wear whatever shoes I have on at the time, I just can’t imagine poncing about putting a different pair on, just to operate the two pedals.

...not forgetting your nomex socks just in case it all goes up in flames.

Folks can’t heel and toe in normal shoes? WTF? Sounds like a chauffeur is needed rather than driving shoes. Size 9 wide fitting and I have not found a pedal box outside of single seater race cars where my feet don’t fit and operate the pedals effectively with all the feel I need.

Driving shoes. Posy wker fashion statement off track, a tool for the job on track which are removed as soon as the job is done, as the race suit comes off and normal clothes go back on and life continues with a little grace and dignity.

FFS

[C&C]

SeeFive said:

Frank7 said:

I couldn’t believe that the OP was being serious, DRIVING SHOES? I thought, “surely he’s having a Turkish?”
If I HAVE to drive, which I avoid like the plague, I just wear whatever shoes I have on at the time, I just can’t imagine poncing about putting a different pair on, just to operate the two pedals.

...not forgetting your nomex socks just in case it all goes up in flames.

Folks can’t heel and toe in normal shoes? WTF? Sounds like a chauffeur is needed rather than driving shoes. Size 9 wide fitting and I have not found a pedal box outside of single seater race cars where my feet don’t fit and operate the pedals effectively with all the feel I need.

Driving shoes. Posy wker fashion statement off track, a tool for the job on track which are removed as soon as the job is done, as the race suit comes off and normal clothes go back on and life continues with a little grace and dignity.

FFS

I always wear driving shoes whenever I go out in the Noble - basically because the pedal box is narrow, and I want to avoid any chance of hitting the brake and accelerator at the same time - particularly in an emergency.

Not a lot of help to the OP, as I can't find anywhere that still supplies them, but mine are Lico brand which I bought from Grand Prix Racewear a few years back. They have minimal branding (just the name on the velcro strap at the top), the rest is just plain black suede, so with jeans/trousers over them, they just look like a plain narrow shoe.

This is an issue for that particular car, as when first taking it on a test drive, the guy told me that I would hit both brake and accelerator at some point, and coming up to the first roundabout despite the warning, he was proved correct.

For other cars, it's not an issue so I just wear whatever shoes/trainers I have on.

[glenrobbo]

del mar said:

Are you on the right fourm here ?

This is where you have it all wrong...

Even a simple run to B & Q I put on a full race suit and fire retardant underwear, makes the run far more exciting.

You have my full attention!
I am very interested in the fire retardant underwear. Could you recommend a reliable supplier?
And should it be worn inside or outside of my Billy Connolly incontinence trousers? And how often do they need to be serviced / safety inspected?
Do they have any sort of anti-skid device?

Edited by glenrobbo on Monday 5th March 12:00

[havoc]

On a related topic, aside from just buying online where do you all get your driving shoes from?

I'm a size-11 with a fairly-wide ball and narrow heel, so I find it difficult to get shoes that fit comfortably. On top of that, I've fitted into anything from 10.5 to 12 in the past, depending on how the mfr has cut them. So I'm loath to just 'buy stuff off the internet' as I'm likely to send 3 out of every 4 pairs back, which could get pricey in return shipping...


...and everywhere I go right now, I can't find thin-soled trainers - the fashion nowadays is for really chunky soles.

My current preferred "driving" shoes - a really subtle pair of brown suede-look Patrick trainers (look like a slightly lower copy of a Sparco Imola), where the hard sole wraps-up around the side of the blade of the foot - are pretty-near worn out...

[aaron_2000]

Not that I'm suggesting them obviously, but I've never felt a shoe that feels as good as my old pair of Converse in the car. This thread is getting me interested in a good pair of driving shoes though.

[AdeTuono]

Driving shoes? Driving gloves? Can't believe I've managed to drive upwards of a million miles over the years without needing either. Whatever next?

[Frank7]

del mar said:

Frank7 said:

MYOB said:

Blue Oval84 said:

Just go barefoot if you really want to feel the pedals?

In the summer I go barefoot quite regularly if I'm wearing flip flops (which are dreadful to drive in IME)

I hope you are not being serious?

I couldn’t believe that the OP was being serious, DRIVING SHOES? I thought, “surely he’s having a Turkish?”
If I HAVE to drive, which I avoid like the plague, I just wear whatever shoes I have on at the time, I just can’t imagine poncing about putting a different pair on, just to operate the two pedals.

Are you on the right fourm here ?

This is where you have it all wrong...

Even a simple run to B & Q I put on a full race suit and fire retardant underwear, makes the run far more exciting.

That is where you and I are different, I enjoy driving, I will go for a drive just to drive, and a track day with big wide trainers in a narrow little peddle box can be less than ideal.

Yes, I’m on the right forum, I appreciate that with a name like pistonheads, it’s primarily aimed at car enthusiasts, which emphatically doesn’t include me, but it has lots of other interesting and humorous content I find.
Just as I find your throwaway line about fire retardant underwear humorous.
You’re right, we are different, I can’t understand going for a drive “just to drive”, to me, driving was a way to earn a good living, and that’s it.
When you’ve driven a 40 tonner loaded with Michelin tyres, from Clermont-Ferrand, in the Auvergne region of France, to Dieppe, caught the Newhaven ferry, then back to London, all you want to do is get out of the cab and don’t look back.
Likewise, if you do 6 or 7 hours driving a Black Cab in central London, driving down to the coast won’t be high on your agenda when you’re done.
So it’s horses for courses sport, you carry on enjoying reading about cars, and I’ll amuse myself with some other of the forum’s diverse stuff, okay?

[aaron_2000]

Frank7 said:

del mar said:

Frank7 said:

MYOB said:

Blue Oval84 said:

Just go barefoot if you really want to feel the pedals?

In the summer I go barefoot quite regularly if I'm wearing flip flops (which are dreadful to drive in IME)

I hope you are not being serious?

I couldn’t believe that the OP was being serious, DRIVING SHOES? I thought, “surely he’s having a Turkish?”
If I HAVE to drive, which I avoid like the plague, I just wear whatever shoes I have on at the time, I just can’t imagine poncing about putting a different pair on, just to operate the two pedals.

Are you on the right fourm here ?

This is where you have it all wrong...

Even a simple run to B & Q I put on a full race suit and fire retardant underwear, makes the run far more exciting.

That is where you and I are different, I enjoy driving, I will go for a drive just to drive, and a track day with big wide trainers in a narrow little peddle box can be less than ideal.

Yes, I’m on the right forum, I appreciate that with a name like pistonheads, it’s primarily aimed at car enthusiasts, which emphatically doesn’t include me, but it has lots of other interesting and humorous content I find.
Just as I find your throwaway line about fire retardant underwear humorous.
You’re right, we are different, I can’t understand going for a drive “just to drive”, to me, driving was a way to earn a good living, and that’s it.
When you’ve driven a 40 tonner loaded with Michelin tyres, from Clermont-Ferrand, in the Auvergne region of France, to Dieppe, caught the Newhaven ferry, then back to London, all you want to do is get out of the cab and don’t look back.
Likewise, if you do 6 or 7 hours driving a Black Cab in central London, driving down to the coast won’t be high on your agenda when you’re done.
So it’s horses for courses sport, you carry on enjoying reading about cars, and I’ll amuse myself with some other of the forum’s diverse stuff, okay?

Wait so you're not a car enthusiast yet you're on a forum (which I guess has enough content that you don't need to be into cars per-se) commenting on which driving shoes the OP should get? If driving is nothing more than a chore to you, what did you sign up for?

[Frank7]

aaron_2000 said:

Wait so you're not a car enthusiast yet you're on a forum (which I guess has enough content that you don't need to be into cars per-se) commenting on which driving shoes the OP should get? If driving is nothing more than a chore to you, what did you sign up for?

Yes aaron, you read it right, I’m NOT a car enthusiast in the slightest, and I thought that I explained that I signed up, because I noticed there was some other stuff on the site, it isn’t all about cars.
I commented on the driving shoes bit, because I noticed it in The Lounge, which I was perusing, The Lounge section contains many threads, “phrases that annoy you”, “What are your unpopular opinions”, “a bit Council”, “Sean Connery joke Thread”, etc. etc.
Driving shoes just happened to involve cars, I wasn’t actively seeking something about cars.
I hope that this explains it okay, respect, Frank.