Shoes for racing drivers – which ones to choose?

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It takes approx. 4 minutes to read this article

The right shoes are the basic equipment of a racing driver. We suggest what they should have in order to ensure the highest level of comfort.

Get the right motorsport equipment

Before you start your adventure with car racing, you should consider the necessary equipment. Many people think that only skills are important, but actually you need more than that

Driver safety and comfort should come first, which is why you should get special racing clothes. This includes a helmet, overalls, gloves and special shoes. The market offers a wide range of racing accessories not only for adults but also for children who want to develop their passion. The individual items of clothing can be purchased separately or in a set. With larger purchases, very often discounts or interesting additions are offered. Racing accessories are available in different sizes and colors, but there is no distinction between the assortment for men and women. Usually all offered items of clothing are unisex products.

Why can’t you ride in regular shoes?

Can you imagine driving a car in stilettos? Despite the fact that a large number of women decide to do it, it is certainly not comfortable. Even more so if you care about high technique and safety while driving. It is the same with shoes for car racing. The use of specialized and professional footwear is the key to success. Sneakers, trappers, baggers and other standard shoes will be a very bad idea. The main task of racing shoes is to protect the foot. It is very important that they are as close to the body as possible, thus taking up as little space as possible under the steering wheel of the car

What should a motorsport shoe have?

Correctly fitting shoes will guarantee comfort and precision of movement. The ideal racing shoe should be characterized by

  • a streamlined design,
  • a minimalist design,
  • maximum thinness of the sole,
  • height above the ankle,
  • lightness.

Suitable dimensions

A minimalist style of shoe construction will guarantee us as much space as possible under the steering wheel of the race car. Such a solution will allow us to drive freely and, above all, comfortably. It will also eliminate the risk of snagging your foot on the wrong vehicle pedal.

Thin sole

The maximally thin and flexible sole will perfectly serve as a link between your foot and the pedals. The sense of touch plays a very important role here. We will be able to fully supervise the pressure exerted, which will ensure the precision of various operations. The flat tread of the sole will guarantee a large friction surface, which will enable a better feel of the pedals

High rise

The height behind the ankle is designed to protect the ankle joint from various mechanical injuries. During fast and violent ride, when we are under the influence of adrenaline, it is not difficult to have such accidents. Let us remember that our safety should be the most important thing. High-top shoes will also ensure a perfect combination with the suit.

Shoe size

The rules of choosing the right size of racing shoes practically do not differ from the rules we follow when buying classic shoes. The most important thing is that our foot should not “fly” to the sides, because it may even lead to an ankle sprain. On the other hand, shoes which are too small will cause pain and abrasions making it impossible to ride. Before buying a particular model, it’s worth to check the manufacturer’s sizing chart, because as we know, it may vary slightly depending on the brand of the shoes

Laces or Velcro?

Among the offered products, we can find laced shoes, velcro fastened, and tied with a line. The best choice will be laced shoes with additional Velcro. When the shoe is untied, we will have a guarantee that it will not slip off the foot.

Materials used

Sports shoes are made of natural and synthetic leather, suede, shoe fabric and fireproof material called Nomex. The choice of the right material depends mainly on the individual preferences of the users.

Weight of the shoe

The lighter shoes we choose, the better for our feet. Legs will definitely tire slower, thanks to which a long stay in a car will not be a problem for us. If we decide to buy ultralight racing shoes, we have to reckon with a price even twice as high as in the case of classic models

(photo: pixabay.com)

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