Best Racing Shoes
As always with karting and racing gear, there are a lot of choices out there and it might be overwhelming to see clearly what are good racing shoes options. We are here to help you shed some light on this. Let’s start by the end: we have 2 recommendations for racing and karting shoes depending on your budget.
First, if you have big buck to spend, buy the Sparco Superleggera. (Check it here). This is the best pair of shoes in the market, but it is quite expensive. It has everything you are looking for. It has been made and studied to suit the needs of pro racing teams at the highest level.
It is as its name indicates, incredibly light. This is achieved by using a mix of leather and fabric giving this pair of shoes high durability while staying very light. The shape of the boot is studied to give max comfort to the driver. The sole has also been developed to provide the maximum feel of pedals and also provide maximum grip. You can literally walk on oil and not slip. They are built to be ultra-resistant over time. As we said, they have everything. We highly recommended these boots even if they are expensive: it’s better to have high-quality shoes that will last over time than buying new ones every year.
However, if this is too expensive for you we recommend the Alpinestars Tech 1-K shoes. (Check it here ). This pair of shoes is probably the one for which you will have the best value for money. It costs way less than the Superleggera but it is still very good. It is not as good as the Superleggera but it has still a lot of features. They are made of bovine leather and suede. The shoes are very comfy and resistant. They are a bit heavier than the Superleggera. The only negative thing would be that the sole is somewhat thicker than the superleggera’s which gives less sensation when using the pedals. But overall, great shoes.
After this strong intro let’s look at what you should focus on before buying a pair of shoes.
What To Look For in Racing Shoes
Grip. Very important when using the pedals are just walking in a garage or pit-lane. You want shoes with which you will never slip.
Weight. Try to pick light shoes. When you are racing and using the pedals hundred or thousands of time during a race having light shoes can make a huge difference.
Comfort. This is probably the most important criteria of all. If they are not comfy chances are you won’t be using your new fancy shoes, so check this thoroughly. You want to be as comfy as possible while racing.
Sole thickness. A very important feature that is often overlooked. The thinner the sole the better your sensations will be while driving. Best shoes have this combination of thin sole and durability which can only be achieved by using the best materials out there.
Durability. It joins the point above. Pay attention to the used materials. It should be leather, fabric or any other high-end material.
Design. A lot of designs are out there for shoes but this should be secondary criteria when searching for racing shoes. It is a bonus to have nice looking shoes but it should not be the primary drive for buying a particular pair of shoe.
Ventilation. Another very important point. During long races, you need to have a breathing system otherwise, with hot feet, it can be hard to feel properly the pedals and use them.Price. Obviously important, we recommend buying the best shoes in order to buy fewer shoes rather than buying the cheapest ones every 6 months.
Some Brands and Products to Consider
Some top racing and karting shoe brand are :OMP. A very good choice. The OMP KS-1 particularly is very good. It is light and offers great comfort. It has a special feature on the back of the boot protecting the heel and avoiding fatigue due to overuse of the pedals.
Simpson. You should check their MT-BK model (check it here) which seem solid according to the research we made. It seems to be a solid pair of shoes with a great value for the money: check it on our link, they are quite cheap.
Racequip. Overall a great brand but not as good as the others mentioned here. They make good shoes but they are not as sophisticated, They have great durability but the soles are too thick and the shoes too rigid. They are also quite cheap.
A Note About Comfort
It is very important that the shoes you will buy fit perfectly. If the shoes you are interested in offers nothing but pain and discomfort you should not buy them! Taking your time is very important when it comes to finding the right pair. If you want to race under the best set of circumstances you should be absolutely sure about the comfort level you have while wearing your shoes. If you buy shoes that seem uncomfortable you will tend to not use them which will be a shame since you will have lost money. The shoes are probably the driver’s gear part where the comfort factor is the most important.
You should focus also on 2 features of racing shoes when it comes to comfort. The shoes should be relatively flexible and with special protective material on the inside back in order to use the pedals during long races without hurting your feet. Venting is also important but not as important as the 2 points we just discussed.
Conclusion
It requires experience to choose the right pair of shoes. According to ours, the best of the best are:- The Superleggera (check it here) if you are ready to spend big bucks.
- The Alpinestars Tech 1-K if you are a bit savvier.
- If you are really on a budget, you can check the Racequip 303 (check it here). They have great durability but we don’t recommend it as they are quite rigid.
You should research heavily before buying your shoes as there are many important features. Give a particular focus on comfort, which is very important for shoes.
If you are looking for other karting or racing gear recommendation, we have other pages just like this one on our recommended products section. We also have a section for sim-racing equipment. This is the best gear on the market in our opinion.
