Thoughts on these Driving Shoes?

[rider]

Hello gentlemen, thoughts on these driving shoes? 

 

Alpinestars: 

Tech-1 Z V3 Shoes SFI

 

 

 

Sparco:

PRIME EXTREME

 

 

 

 

The Alpinestars looks narrower. But. Sparco's heel section looks too narrow to be comfortable. I've a lot of experience with Alpinestars' motorcycle gear; a big fan. This will be my first driving shoes. Or, any other good quality pair you can suggest? Looked at Piloti; not a fan of white bottom-color. They will get dirty and ugly in no time! 

 

For reference, my upcoming 420R is SV. I wear size 8.5. When I test-drove briefly in a SV, about 10 mins, I wore narrow street shoes; I was still slightly touching adjacent pedals. 

 

Thanks.

 

 

[IamScotticus]

Wrestling shoes. 

https://a.co/d/bgb4xX9

Or this

https://a.co/d/i3WEQPF

https://a.co/d/2GPoHfC

 

I think you're looking at $300+ shoes that aren't going to help you with technique any better than more reasonable options.  At 8.5, you are already on the smaller side. Any of these slim shoes will do.  The wrestling shoe can skip some lace holes.  There are Goodyear race sneaker shoes with more support than an athletic mat shoe.  I don't think the licensed race team marketing is worth the price.  

 

Edited November 25, 2025 by IamScotticus

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

$400 shoes aren't going to cut any seconds off your lap times, and $400 spent somewhere else might.

1. Narrow enough for you to put the brake down before the clutch without getting your feet tangled.

2. Stiff enough to allow the distributed load of your foot to be concentrated on the small area of the pedals.

3. Going to stay tied on snugly.

4. Reasonably comfortable to walk in.

 

I can say from experience that climbing shoes do all but #4 well, and then miserably fail when you stand up.

The Goodyear auto racing shoes Scott mentions run $24-$64 on Amazon. 

[JB455]

First- Are you using them for racing? Do you need an SFI rating? If not, I wouldn't bother with anything aimed at racing. 

I would think with an 8 1/2 shoe in an SV car you wouldn't have any issues unless wearing work boots or something similar. I wear size 11 and can wear my Puma Suedes in my Birkin without any issues. I have a pair of Puma Speedcats that wear occasionally that do provide a little bit more room for maneuvering my feet in my Birkin. I like the Speedcats as they are reasonably priced and quite comfortable. 

[KnifeySpoony]

With my size 12 feet and modern S3 pedal box (with absurd proximity between throttle/brake), I need the absolute narrowest racing shoes and even then I had to bend my throttle pedal towards the tunnel in order to be able to brake without hitting throttle (which is still very easy to do without deliberate effort top avoid doing so). I ended up with Sparco shoes in a brown leather, to not look like as much of a tart/power ranger walking around the paddock on a trackday. 

 

That said, I agree with the sentiment that with an SV and 8.5 you probably can drive in boots. My understanding is that the SV has generous pedal spacing - in fact there are various threads on brake pedal extensions to ease in heel/toe. So you may have the opposite problem actually. 

[wdb]

Size 9.5, Euro 43, and I need skinny shoes to properly drive the Caterham and Elan. Yes I can operate the pedals in bigger shoes, but I have to do stuff such as depressing the clutch pedal before hitting the brake pedal so I have enough room. I also adjusted the pedal locations in the Cat to make it better for heel/toe.

 

I concur with the opinion that if you don't need racing shoes, don't buy racing shoes. There are also a lot of regular 'driving' shoes that cost more than they should. I found a pair of lightweight trail running shoes a few years ago that work great. They are very form fitting, the heel is nicely curved, and they're dark gray so it doesn't look like I'm wearing advertisements on my feet. (Maybe that's just me.) They're also a good enough shoe that I can wear them all day in comfort. Sadly I can't find them again lately.

[IamScotticus]

6 hours ago, Timothy Keith-Lucas said:

$400 shoes aren't going to cut any seconds off your lap times, and $400 spent somewhere else might.

1. Narrow enough for you to put the brake down before the clutch without getting your feet tangled.

2. Stiff enough to allow the distributed load of your foot to be concentrated on the small area of the pedals.

3. Going to stay tied on snugly.

4. Reasonably comfortable to walk in.

 

I can say from experience that climbing shoes do all but #4 well, and then miserably fail when you stand up.

The Goodyear auto racing shoes Scott mentions run $24-$64 on Amazon. 

1+2+3+4= a $400 shoe

 

I would say, hold off on the $$$$ shoe until you are sure that is what you need.

I also noticed neither of the proposed shoes were fire retardant.  If you were going that way, get safety shoes.

Edited November 25, 2025 by IamScotticus

[slowdude]

I use alpinestars moto stuff. I just picked up a tech air offroad system that I love. That being said, the lower cost alpinestars stuff has definitely gone down hill in quality. Theyre not the company they were 10-15 years ago. I dont know if id invest in their car gear.

 

I have wide feet, so having a narrow shoe helps a lot in these cars. 

 

Given pricing, $400 is your money to burn. I glady pay for quality, but its not there at that price.

 

Me personally, I wear SFI rated pilotis I bought on sale for $50.

 

Theyre running a black friday deal too, where you can get some good driving shoes for under $100.

 

https://piloti.com/products/cruise-black-red

 

Edited November 26, 2025 by slowdude

[rider]

20 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

Wrestling shoes. 

...... At 8.5, you are already on the smaller side. Any of these slim shoes will do.  .... I don't think the licensed race team marketing is worth the price.  

 

 

Thanks; will take a look at those. Yeah, Race-governance-bodies' certifications may add to the cost. They may not be relevant to the street applications.

 

15 hours ago, Timothy Keith-Lucas said:

$400 shoes aren't going to cut any seconds off your lap times, and $400 spent somewhere else might.

.........

I can say from experience that climbing shoes do all but #4 well, and then miserably fail when you stand up.

The Goodyear auto racing shoes Scott mentions run $24-$64 on Amazon. 

 

Thanks. Yeah, something like climbing shoes may not work well for walking around.

 

 

14 hours ago, JB455 said:

First- Are you using them for racing? Do you need an SFI rating? If not, I wouldn't bother with anything aimed at racing. 

I would think with an 8 1/2 shoe in an SV car you wouldn't have any issues unless wearing work boots or something similar. .....

 

No, won't be tracking. Yeah, I may need to check the clearance again before buying anything. 

 

 

11 hours ago, KnifeySpoony said:

.......

That said, I agree with the sentiment that with an SV and 8.5 you probably can drive in boots. My understanding is that the SV has generous pedal spacing - in fact there are various threads on brake pedal extensions to ease in heel/toe. So you may have the opposite problem actually. 

 

Yes, I'm currently thinking I should the clearance again.

 

 

10 hours ago, wdb said:

........

I concur with the opinion that if you don't need racing shoes, don't buy racing shoes. ........

 

Agree.

 

8 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

.......

I would say, hold off on the $$$$ shoe until you are sure that is what you need.

I also noticed neither of the proposed shoes were fire retardant.  If you were going that way, get safety shoes.

 

Thanks. I'm indeed leaning toward holding off, for now. See my comments below.

 

 

3 hours ago, slowdude said:

........

https://piloti.com/products/cruise-black-red

 

 

Thanks. I did look at Piloti. The white lower section on all the models I cared about is no-go. They will get dirty and ugly real quick. 

 

 

Thanks everyone; appreciate the suggestions. Good ideas. Based on them, I've decided to wait until I drive the car. It'll be by early-May when I get behind the wheel. I have a pair of Allen Edmonds dress shoes that are pretty narrow. Narrower than all my other pairs. So, I can wear them if I have to, for the first drive. 

 

One of the big negatives of Race/Driving Shoes seems they are not comfortable off the car, walking around any length of distance. Will be silly to keep a regular pair in the car and switch, and back, after reaching somewhere! 

 

In SV, do pedals have an adjustment to increase the gap between them? 

 

 

[FE07]

Look at some of the karting shoes as well.  Same design and fit of a race shoe without any fire protection.  Less expensive and same appearance.

 

Jim

[rider]

Thanks Jim. They do look good; will consider it. 

 

[Walshy7]

Someone mentioned it earlier but I genuinely don't believe there is a better call than the Adidas boxing/wrestling shoes, they're lightweight, thin soles, narrow and even suede/alcantara 

 

Another shoe I'd highly recommend would be the Adidas Tokyos. Although technically women sneakers, size up on them and jobs a goodun, fit perfectly too.

Edited December 2, 2025 by Walshy7

[rider]

On 12/2/2025 at 9:45 AM, Walshy7 said:

Someone mentioned it earlier but I genuinely don't believe there is a better call than the Adidas boxing/wrestling shoes, they're lightweight, thin soles, narrow and even suede/alcantara........

 

Thanks; yes, read that suggestion. Out of curiosity, boxing/wrestling shoes have totally different use cases from driving shoes, as we know. So, wouldn't purpose-built driving shoes be better than shoes designed for different use cases? And, if the price is taken out of the equation, will the comparison still be equal? I would think there would be other differentiating factors beyond being light weight and thin soles. 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2025 by rider

[theDreamer]

Resurrecting this thread as I have just purchased two pairs of what I hope will be excellent driving shoes. These are from Puma. Although I do have smaller feet than many on here at 7 ½ - 8 depending on style and manufacturer they are wide. So, getting a slender style shoe that fits me and works well in the Super 7 has meant I’ve been wearing my dress shoes as my DC’s are all too wide and the wife can’t find where she packed my racing shoes. I was actually looking for new dress shoes.

First are Men's Speedcat Low Profile Sneakers in Black with White in men’s size 8. (The black is smooth and the white panels are a suede-ish material. These were in store and on sale.

Next the wife spotted Women's Bella Donna SD Low Profile Sneakers in Deep Plum and Snow Mountain Blue The store only had size 7. (These are all a suede-ish material and the wife says the mountain blue is really a pale violet.) They did not have these in in size 9 in store so I ordered them. This was yesterday afternoon. The purple shoes were delivered this morning. They are a bit tight but I’ve been wearing them around the house all day with just a thin pair of socks and they’ll work well and look great with the car.

I’ve seen these advertised here in the Great White North for as much as $160 CND before taxes. I got both pairs with taxes and delivery for under $200 CND.

Now if it will just stop raining, I’ll get the car out give to them a real world test.

Edited 18 hours ago by theDreamer

[11Budlite]

I've been using Puma Speedcats for the last 5 years for trackdays in my S3 and find them very comfortable and acceptable on track. I'm sure they aren't as good as a dedicated racing shoe, but they seem to be a good compromise and should work well on the street too. Mine are a blue/grey suede version.

Edited 17 hours ago by 11Budlite

[Slonie]

3 hours ago, theDreamer said:

Next the wife spotted Women's Bella Donna SD Low Profile Sneakers in Deep Plum and Snow Mountain Blue

 

I mean, how often can you find a pair of shoes that matches your car?

[IamScotticus]

These are perfect. Do they have any support shank? Or are they floppy as bath slippers?

 

From Footlocker:

• Details

   
  Product #: 39884601
  Supplier-sku #: 39884601

  An icon of racing culture—the PUMA Speedcat OG is back to bring the excitement of racetrack right to your everyday rotation. Synonymous with speed, precision, and unparalleled performance for over twenty-five years, these silhouettes started as Formula 1 shoes but emerged as street-style icons in no time. Featuring soft suede and premium leather, these sneakers are reissued in their original colorways to keep you looking your best, no matter how fast-paced your day gets. The new PUMA Cat logo on the front keeps the classy style fresh, while the IMEVA material ensures a lightweight and comfortable feel. Bring a dynamic edge to your outfits with the PUMA Speedcat OG.

  PUMA Speedcat OG features:

  • 99.06% leather/0.94% textile upper offers a sleek and durable fit.
  • 100% textile lining provides a soft and smooth interior.
  • 100% textile sockliner ensures step-in comfort.
  • Suede PUMA Formstrip adds a pop of style.
  • PUMA Cat embroidered logo on the toe brings brand rep.
  • 100% rubber midsole allows a well-cushioned ride.
  • 100% rubber outsole delivers superior traction and durability.

Edited 8 hours ago by IamScotticus

[pethier]

I dropped into the Puma dealer at the local outlet mall and picked up a pair of Ferrari-badged Puma shoes for 42 USD.  Got back in my Porsche, went home and tossed them into my Caterham.

 

Of course they don't stay clean.