I'm having trouble deciding on the right seats to put in my Boxster. No real experience. Can't get comfortable in stock seats and 3 pt belts. Left leg gets real sore. Prolly only keep the car a year or 2 before moving to ready to go track/race car. Timing depends on how I progress. 6 pt harness for sure.
Cheap Seats? Middle of the road? High end?

 

Joe Marko from HMS gave a great presentation on seats and belts at Zone 1 Tech Tactics. You really have to go try some out, see what fits you, see what the seat / safety experts have to suggest. A lot depends on your height and proportion.

 

The problem these days with trying seats is that most everybody sells online. Not many brick and mortor vendors left. I've only been able to sit in a couple. Thats why I'm asking.

 

The next time you go to the track, seek out others who have various racing seats in their cars and ask to try time out. You really want it to fit you well.

 

I realize and that's my point - you can't buy track seats online. You have to go and try them on and talk to the expert, even if it means a couple hour drive or even a flight. I know so many that bought Recaro Pole Positions sight-unseen and had a terrible experience. I know a guy who was 100% sold on one seat and when he took the time to drive to HMS, found that seat was not at all what he really wanted and ended up with another brand and model.

If you can't get to a shop, then head to a club race, DE, etc. and try as many seats as you can - but before you do, at least research the proper fitment so that you will recognize whether a fit is best for safety or not. Where the shoulder belts go through the seat is very important (per Joe). If you are 5'6" then the slots in a Pole Position might be just right. But if you are 6' then they are not lined up right (per Joe). All I'm saying is when you are talking about safety, be it seat or belts, you really owe it to yourself to get to an expert.

Try these guys, they are right near Atlanta (I checked Recaro's site and did a dealer search):

JRD Tuning
1101 Highway 124
US-30548 Hoschton (Georgia)
404-213-3908

Try the same on the other brands out there and you might find a shop near you.

 

Randy, I can give you a couple places you can try seats out since you are in Atl.
Kinetic speed shop carries Cobra and Sparco I believe. I went there once but I was following someone and didn't pay too much attention but they are near Cumming. They have seats in their showroom.
Another one to try is a place called Automod. It is practically across the street from Jim Ellis Porsche on PIB. They carry Corbeau and they have a ton of different seats to try out. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks guys. All great ideas. I set in a friends at RA last weekend. Small.
I never considered height of shoulder pass throughs. Only thought about hips and back support. I tried two a vendor had a the track but, that is limited for comparos.
I thought I would only keep em until I bought the track car and use the ones that come with it. Now I think I will buy the best seat I can afford and take it with me to the new car. Are they all interchangeable from car to car?

 

Typically you will need a different mounting bracket depending on the car you move it to. Also, you may have to worry about the seat fitting if you get a tiny car (like an SM...). Otherwise you're good to go.

 

Discovery Parts has a good seat selection as well; they're down in Fayetteville. I bought four (long story) Sparco seats from them, very good service.

J3Racing is further north: http://www.j3racing.com/whoweare_facility.html. I'm not sure if they have a retail showroom, but they're worth calling. If nothing else, they'll have a few race cars around with a variety of seats you can sit in and try.

 

+1 for Ron at Discovery Parts. My next purchase from him will be the RaceTech RT-4009HR seat.