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Sparco SPX is foldable whereas LWB seats is one-piece and fixed. This is NOT intended to rehash LWB vs. sport buckets vs 18-way!
My question is focused specifically on the issue of “road feel” — and what information is transmitted through the seats?
Argument A: road feel is essentially a function of being secured with harnesses. Road feel on the track is roughly the SAME with these two seats when when used with 6-point harnesses. Choose SPX if foldability is important to you.
Argument B: one-piece seat designs transmits substantially more “information” to the upper portion of the seat. If you really want to optimize feel through the seat during track use, choose LWBS
Does anyone else have direct experience moving from lightweight carbon buckets to Sparco SPX?
What did you gain in terms of comfort? All around convenience? What did you give up?
One piece bucket seat of any type will convey more of the car's dynamics to you. They also have the added benefit that you are not struggling to stay in position during high g-force cornering. This allows your focus to be on driving the car. A 6-pt harness just makes both of these points even more significant. Both of your arguments are basically true. It is really down to how much you value each requirement; folding / access to the rear of the cabin or ultimate driving response.
All I know is I love my buckets...would not change a thing....well other than P1Design red Alcantra memory foam seat that are on my very short list (as in I think I am going to order them as soon as I get done typing).
No experience with the Sparco seat but generally I would say the most important aspect is how the seat fits you individually. I have driven on track the 996 fixed back, 997 folding back and the current LWB fixed back seats. I felt the 996 and 997 seats fit me better and were better on track. I don't think the 997 seat gives up anything due to being folding back. The LWB feels a little wider and not quite as communicative. For general use including street though the LWBs are more comfortable.
Thanks for sharing your experience with 996 fixed vs 997 folding seats! Sitting in the seats and assessing their fit will be key. Does anyone else have experience with fixed vs reclining seats in the same or similar car?
If you want the best feel sit in as many racing seats as possible. Nothing supports and transmits feedback like a seat that fits you versus one made for the masses.
I have been in both the folding buckets (also known as GT2 buckets, mostly found in 997 cars), along with the fixed (LWB's, also known as 918 buckets, mostly found in 981/991 GT cars). Both transfer road feel to you well, but the fixed LWB's, in my opinion are way better because you sit much lower than the GT2 buckets that fold. I don't have experience in the Sparco's you mention.
Its all a matter of degrees. A stiffer seat (fixed) will always be better than folding. But is it enough to feel it? If you are driving down the road with nobody sitting in the passenger seat you might notice the passenger seat back vibrating. This pro race seat is designed to bolt to the cage behind the shoulders (additional fitting required) as well as at the floor, in order to improve feedback and feel. In a road car where the seat is on runners this introduces more slack in the system so its a question of how far do you want to go?
02-25-2021, 08:21 AM
Technical Question about LWB Seats
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