Race boots that are actually good for racing cars

My sparco race boots are a very fashionable item, they look very pretty with the latest syling in sky blue with a white stripe however........

....they are rubish for heel and toe breaking! My car is a bit of tight sqeeze and my legs lay flat along the floor so I have to heel and toe with my big toe and little toe, not my toe and heel. The boots are too narrow to reach the break and gas pedal confidently so I need a boot that is sized midway between a trainer style shoe and a raceboot... Any ideas anybody? Bearing in mind I hate the black leather ones that look like my ex's horse riding winklepickers... And the suplliers dont show outer dimensions in their catalogues...

I'm a UK size 11, my boots are 105mm, if you have the same size foot I'd be gratefull if you could measure youre girth [:rofl: ] at the widest part of the toe area of the boot and post here....

regards
Tanky

its not 105mm, its 90mm. I need to have 100mm-ish at the very bottom of the boot. Please state the make/type of boot too please.

Cheers
Tanky

Why don't you:
Put a plate on the brake and/or accelerator
bend the brake and/or accelerator so they are closer together?

luckyly i still have a pair of the boots we had produced for our company
years ago...

i have tried some boots meanwhile, and found that they all vary a lot in
shape and fittment.

you will not get around trying them all on in person if you want to be perfectly
comfortable !

there are models about that have the sole bend around the outside of the
boot to aid heel and toe techniques. i have that on mine, and it not only
helps the boots to last longer, it really helps to apply the pressure to the
pedal !

also if you legs are almost horizontal, look into the style that has the low
cut on the back, but covers the ankles as asked for by many rulebooks.

working just by width of foot is not going to work, as lenght to width,
or circumference ratios vary more than you can account for with the
strings.

You may find it easier to adjust the pedals to suit your feet, not your feet to suit the pedals. That's what I did anyway and it works for me.

Why don't you:
Put a plate on the brake and/or accelerator
bend the brake and/or accelerator so they are closer together?


Have done that allready, spent ages riveting ally plates of various size/shapes to the pedals so i didnt have to fork out on new footwear but it means the pedals are too close together for convensional right foot breaking... Boots are the only option..

you will not get around trying them all on in person if you want to be perfectly
comfortable !

There are no suppliers in the channel islands so I need to mail order correct size first time....


there are models about that have the sole bend around the outside of the
boot to aid heel and toe techniques. i have that on mine, and it not only
helps the boots to last longer, it really helps to apply the pressure to the
pedal !

also if you legs are almost horizontal, look into the style that has the low
cut on the back, but covers the ankles as asked for by many rulebooks.
.

My boots are of this design...


working just by width of foot is not going to work, as lenght to width,
or circumference ratios vary more than you can account for with the
strings.

I realise that, again another reason for my asking for somebody to post some measurements of their boots. There has to be a boot out there that is slightly wider then norm - rally boots perhaps?

Cheers for replys guys!

You may find it easier to adjust the pedals to suit your feet, not your feet to suit the pedals. That's what I did anyway and it works for me.

see reply above...
Have done that allready

the car is a single seater with a flat floor and very little room, on a saloon car it's easier as the angle that your legs arch down towards the pedals allows more sideways twisting of your feet. On my setup it is a case of rolling the foot on or off the other and so-on.

Cheers
Tanky

one more thing, I know a wider boot will work as I fitted a 10mm extension made from ally on my boot and it worked a treat.... The problem arose when i was out the car walking about the pits with a limp and a strange clonking sound coming from my feet, someone even asked me if I had a prosthetic limb :laugh:

Also tried wrapping duct tape round my boot but it started cutting off the blood to my foot so that had to come off....

Try here (www.advanced-wear.co.uk).
They are always ready to help.

its not 105mm, its 90mm. I need to have 100mm-ish at the very bottom of the boot. Please state the make/type of boot too please.

Cheers
Tanky

I have just found a pair of plimsoll type shoes with a hard flat rubber type sole that is just under 100mm at the wideset point but I think they are only size 9 or 10 UK, definately not 11, so this could be what you need.
I have a similar problem to you with heel and toeing so may try these next time I practice or race

I sympathise!

I have really wide feet, and racing boots just don't really feel comfortable at all. My feet stretch the sides of the boot down, so that that side material contacts the floor, as well as the rubber sole. If I try to heel-toe in the car with them, my foot either slips between the pedals, or I just don't end up pressing the pedal properly.

So, I've resorted to using trainers. Yes, I know I shouldn't.

I notice Demon Tweeks have some Puma race boots on special offer at the moment.. Anyone use those?

I have just found a pair of plimsoll type shoes with a hard flat rubber type sole that is just under 100mm at the wideset point but I think they are only size 9 or 10 UK, definately not 11, so this could be what you need.
I have a similar problem to you with heel and toeing so may try these next time I practice or race

good idea! Only thing is that i hated wearing plimsoles at school (how many moons ago was that!), but may have to give it a try...

So, I've resorted to using trainers. Yes, I know I shouldn't.

I notice Demon Tweeks have some Puma race boots on special offer at the moment.. Anyone use those?

Ive tried trainers, but they are too big - they were a cross trainer style so i'm sure i could find a narrower type, again i would have to check regs (alltho I have seen another chap in the pit wearing them)... Will see what d/tweeks have on offer...

Roger Clark used to make everyone laugh because he always wore a pair of really comfortable shoes rather than special boots - not sure what was vailable in those days tho but a comfy pair of leather soled slip on shoes might be safer than trainers

I wonder if boots are available in a size larger than 11 - I think that's 45 continental, same as mine, and i was told that Sparco don't do anything bigger but maybe others do - a bigger pair with 2 pairs of socks might do the trick

Another idea - you mention something in between the racing boot and a trainer - one thing that seems to be in fashion at the moment are trainer style casual shoes - loads of them on the high street - with flat soles

Have you tried changing your driving style. I just used the flat of my foot over both pedals as there was no room to heel & toe. The pedals need adjusting until your happy with it, but I never had a problem (until the brake pedal went soft and I arrived at the corner a bit quicker than expected!).

Have you tried changing your driving style. I just used the flat of my foot over both pedals as there was no room to heel & toe. The pedals need adjusting until your happy with it, but I never had a problem (until the brake pedal went soft and I arrived at the corner a bit quicker than expected!).

the flat of my foot is what i am using, no room to use the toes and the heel - read above :banghead:

Another idea - you mention something in between the racing boot and a trainer - one thing that seems to be in fashion at the moment are trainer style casual shoes - loads of them on the high street - with flat soles

has been sugested allready, these would still need modifying - cutting down of the heel for height clearance in the car.

Judging by the replies to the replies there are no solutions. :eek: :( The best will be a little bit of everything to help you get a bit closer to the situation you crave. I know, it won't work see above. :)

I'm lucky, there is plenty of room down there. The other comfort/accessibility problem I have is long body, short limbs. On boots I like the thinnest sole that is still sturdy. I suffer with wide foot too, but as long as I get to try the boots first I can find one I'm happy with.

There were mentioned above, but I've never got on with the fashion racing shoes in terms of racing. I bought a pair for everyday use, but there are strictly for fast road rather than race ;)

good idea! Only thing is that i hated wearing plimsoles at school (how many moons ago was that!), but may have to give it a try...
...
Not exactly plimsolls but plimsoll type. Could they be better described as yachting shoes?


http://www.tkracing.co.uk/stuff/plimy.jpg

i guess any solution you find outside nomex fia registered racing boots might
be doomed to be obsolete pretty soon.

isn't it mandatory to not just have fia norm suit and underwear, but also
boots and gloves by next year ?

when i had our boots produced by a company in the uk, we made them up to
12.5 UK !
i'd still do them if the italian maufacturers hadn't pushed nearly all the small
ones off the market ! now we got to live with italian sizes... ;)

the flat of my foot is what i am using, no room to use the toes and the heel - read above :banghead:

Sorry I got a bit confused as you said you were using your toes. I actually meant the flat of the foot and not the toes.

I am a size english 12 yes big feet but have you tried boxser training boots
come in large sizes from the good sport shops for boxing and they are nice and comfortable.;)

I am a size english 12 yes big feet but have you tried boxser training boots
come in large sizes from the good sport shops for boxing and they are nice and comfortable.;)

I have a freing that boxes (he's a quite a good fighter - regularly finishes in 2nd place :laugh:) so i'll ask him.....

I wonder if boots are available in a size larger than 11 - I think that's 45 continental, same as mine, and i was told that Sparco don't do anything bigger but maybe others do - a bigger pair with 2 pairs of socks might do the trick

Yes, but you can't get all the latest "flash" designs, I am Cont 47 UK 12
Gloves are a problem. Sparco only make one style in 13.

Sorry I got a bit confused as you said you were using your toes. I actually meant the flat of the foot and not the toes.

No probs, keep the ideas coming!

Yes, but you can't get all the latest "flash" designs, I am Cont 47 UK 12
Gloves are a problem. Sparco only make one style in 13.Bet you are a great swimmer Notsoswift!:rofl:

Of more use a friend of mine sells boxing boots over the internet, mention my name I am sure he will look after you. http://www.warriorboxing.com/

Bet you are a great swimmer Notsoswift!:rofl:

Nope, heavy bodied so I sink like a stone. I once went to a health spa where they had a pool that was "more boyant than the dead sea", I couldn't lie there and float! I have to keep moving or I go under. I am (or at least was) built like a swimmer (6'5 tall and a 6'6 span) but I have to use too much energy to be fast throught the water.

Seriously, back OT

Glenn
Thought you needed race boots, maybe altenative footware will sort you out (such as boxing boots ot Topsiders)
Otherwise, as you have tried everything else, about the only thing you can do is change your style
Personally I don't really Heel Toe anyway, I use the ball of my foot and behind the big toe on the brake (strong, secure part of the foot) and "roll" my "outer mid-foot" across the throttle.
My knee movement controls the brake while the ankle controls the throttle.
I hope that is as clear as mud!

Have you looked at the race boot style trainers, a friend has a pair and they seem to be very similar to a race boot but of more sturdy construction so I am assuming slightly larger. I think they are by Sparco.

I use sparco classic leather and have no problem with them. However have just bought a pair of everyday shoes from marks and sparks - leather -narrow heel that curves up the back of the shoe, and no chunky separate heel, but flatter and wider across the sole - quite a delicate fine tread- may be just what you are looking for ( they are shoes not boots )- about forty quid in the UK, but should be less in your tax haven.
Happy Hunting


Alan