GT3 - Drive shoes obsolete, or required safety gear?
 

Since I can't drive the car, I get to thinking...

With PDK is there any reason to wear driving shoes. The point of the shoes is to make it easier to heel and toe. No reason to heel and toe if there is no clutch.

On the other hand, driving shoes are fire retardant :to_order:

I like to wear shoes with thin soles regardless of whether I'm driving stick or auto. I find it easier to modulate brake and accelerator.

you'll need good shoes to walk to the nearest dealership . . .to get ur loaner car

Agreed, especially helpful to feel ABS coming on (and to back of a hair), which is becoming less obvious in today's new cars. I use Merrel trail running shoes, which are like driving barefooted.

Besides just better pedal feel, I found several benefits to properly designed driving shoes:

1. Heel is locked in the shoe, without much movement, providing a reliable pivot point. I drove in regular shoes, and heel sliding up and down a bit screws up fine throttle adjustments.

2. Oil resistant rubber. Does not matter, until you step on an oil spill, even an old one. Happened to me in regular shoes, and the rubber of the sole somehow bonded with oil, making the shoes slick for the rest of the day (paper towels did not help).

3. Relatively rigid sole between heel and toe area. Helps reduce fatigue of foot arches, from using balls of feel at heels as contact points. When I do track days running in two groups at the same time (over ~3-4 hours of track driving plus driving to track and back), this part of foot feels stressed. I imagine this is even more important for endurance races.

Cup floorboard or similar is better than soft carpet. Just saying if u want nice precise heel/toe. Even if not heel/toeing the fulcrum for throttle/gas/brake is your heal on the floor. Get something solid if you really want feel. Mike

:banghead:At this point, full fire retardant suit, shoes, gloves and helmet sock are recommended for any drive... .:banghead:

I have these brand new in the box Size 11…... very conformable

if some one wants them pm me for a good deal .

Elliot