We’re all passionate about sim-racing. We all know that it’s much more than a Sunday hobby or a quiet evening out. It’s a passion that drives us to improve, to learn more, to share with others, and I love that.

Like racing cars, sim racers are unique. Each has his or her own driving style, favorite titles and brands of peripherals. Personally, when it comes to brands, I’m a fan of Fanatec. The manufacturer has been in the game for two decades and manages to surprise me with every product launch. It has to be said that Fanatec has a wealth of experience in the field of sim-racing peripherals, as does Playseat and its cockpits.

Since every racer is unique, our needs in terms of sim-racing peripherals differ from one person to another, and also from one discipline to another. For example, my F1 setup doesn’t include a gearshift lever, as it’s an unnecessary peripheral in this kind of discipline. However, if I’m rallying, I need to have a handbrake and a sequential gearshift lever to feel the full immersion.

Some racers, in their quest for immersion and feel, take their setup even further with curved screens, cockpits with (dynamic) jacks, VR headsets and even specific shoes for racing. If you’ve noticed, Sébastien Loeb doesn’t wear Jordans when he goes flat out on rally stages, and neither does Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes. Racing drivers wear special shoes, which enable them to perform at their best.

In what follows, I’m going to present you with a list of shoes specially designed for sim-racing, since we sim-racers are also professional drivers behind our screens.

Abruzzi Pro1 Karting Boots

Advantages :

• Good build quality
• Good value for money
• Available in larger sizes (46 and up)
• Slight

Disadvantages :

• Available only on the manufacturer’s website
• Special sizes are made to order, which can take up to 6 weeks.

I’m starting with a pair of shoes for karting and/or sim-racing that look good, are affordable and offer a good level of grip. The Abruzzi Pro1 Karting Boots are exceptional racing shoes that are perfect for sim-racing.

Orders can only be placed via the manufacturer’s website, which isn’t great if you’re the kind of person who wants to go into a store to see and try on a pair of shoes. In fact, this is the only negative point I can find with the Abruzzi Pro1. For the rest, these shoes are simply ideal for sim-racing and/or karting if you’re into both disciplines.

Their design is unique, since you can customize virtually anything on these shoes. Motifs, inscriptions, logos, flags, numbers, you name it. You can have your shoes tailor-made, and I love that about Abruzzi. The brand has been in this segment for many years, and there’s no lack of experience.

The Pro1s are made from top-quality leather and/or suede, are breathable to prevent your feet from overheating when running, and are above all very light. As for the overall colors of the shoes, you have blue, black and red, which should appeal to almost any sim-racer. Wearing them, you’ll experience an unrivalled feeling of lightness, especially if you’ve never worn running shoes before.

As for the sole, I have to say that the level of grip is just very high. Whether you have a crankset with plastic or metal pedals, I can assure you that your feet won’t slip at all, whatever the circumstances of the race. When you get to this point, you’re probably thinking that the Abruzzi Pro1 must cost an arm and a leg. Well, they don’t!

Abruzzi is a well-known brand in the running shoe sector, not only for its quality products, but also for its affordable prices. The Pro1 range from €60 to €85, depending on the shoe you choose (standard or custom). As far as I’m concerned, that’s practically the price of a pair of Nike or Adidas shoes, which is not bad at all, and is what has madeAbruzzi ‘s reputation in the first place.

Goodyear CLUTCH-E

Advantages :

• Good value for money
• Outsole with excellent grip on all surfaces

Disadvantages :

• Shoe not very flexible, can be uncomfortable over time

Did you know that Goodyear makes more than tires? The brand does a bit of everything in the automotive segment, from tires to oils to racing shoes. The Goodyear CLUTCH-E are shoes for karting, racing and sim-racing, with a mid-top design. This design is the result of the preferences of racing drivers who don’t like shoes that are too high, as they can rub the ankle, especially if the material is not of good quality.

So the Goodyear CLUTCH-E are mid-tops, with a clear opening at the ankle, and frankly I like it. The style of these Goodyear shoes is rather sober, with a solid color (black or white) and colored accents. It’s very nice, sober and all-purpose as far as I’m concerned. But then, design is a subjective element that differs from person to person.

As for the materials used by Goodyear on its CLUTCH-E, we have well-made synthetic leather. I’d have preferred real leather, but I think it’s pretty good. The design is sober, with squares covering practically the entire surface of the shoe. What’s more, the inside of the shoes is made of a breathable fabric that keeps your feet cool during sim-racing.

Let’s move on to comfort. The Goodyear CLUTCH-E are sold as comfortable shoes thanks to the use of 2 different types of sole: an outsole and a midsole. On paper, this promises less foot fatigue, especially in the talent department. But in reality, it’s not the same story at all. It’s true that both insoles offer better cushioning, but only for a limited period. If you’re doing long sim-racing sessions, you’re going to feel some discomfort as both insoles become quite hard.

Where Goodyear comes into its own is in the price. The CLUTCH-E come in at around €80, which isn’t outrageously expensive. In fact, they’re in exactly the same price bracket as the Abruzzi we’ve just seen. All in all, the Goodyear CLUTCH-E remain good shoes for sim-racing, even if they are a little uncomfortable in the long run.

OMP KS-3 Shoes

Advantages :

• Use of premium materials for this pair of shoes
• Excellent build quality
• Good foot support

Disadvantages :

• A little heavy to carry

OMP is a major player in the world of motor racing, especially karting. The company manufactures quality products specifically for kart racing, including shoes that are among the best in the world. For sim-racing connoisseurs, OMP is the equivalent of Fanatec, and that’s saying a lot.

Keen readers will certainly have noticed that karting shoes make excellent pairs for sim-racing, as the difference between this motorsport and the discipline we all love is almost non-existent. The KS-3 Shoes are shoes developed for karting, but it’s perfectly possible to use them for sim-racing because of their quality, the materials used and their comfort. It’s simple: anything that’s good for karting or motor sports in general is excellent for sim-racing.

So, back to the KS-3 Shoes. OMP used suede leather for the material of this pair of shoes. It’s premium, well-made and gives the impression of a quality product. In reality, it’s more than just an impression, because the KS-3 Shoes are really quality shoes, and recent ones at that. The suede leather of the KS-3 Shoes is relatively light, because these shoes weigh in at 3 kg, but the comfort is there.

The KS-3 Shoes are mid-top pairs, which means they don’t have any ankle problems, and that’s what I love most about them. As I’m sure is the case for many of you, high-top pairs hurt my ankles, especially on long sim-racing sessions due to the inclination of my feet. But with KS-3 Shoes, there’s no such problem.

When it comes to breathing in this pair, I can tell you that I didn’t feel excessive heat in my feet at all. This is because the mesh on the sides allows natural breathing, preventing heat and perspiration. Incidentally, if a pair of shoes doesn’t have this, I wouldn’t even consider them for sim-racing. As for the sole, it’s thin, very thin, without compromising comfort. What’s more, it’s treated to offer a high level of grip on the pedals, which I was able to test in sim-racing.

The only weak point I find in the KS-3 Shoes for sim-racing is their weight. At 3 kg on the scale, they’re not huge, but they’re still pretty heavy, especially if you’re used to lightweight shoes. As for price, expect to pay around €120, depending on the retailer. That’s a hair more expensive than the Goodyear or Abruzzi, but the KS-3 Shoes are high-end shoes too, and I think the price is right.

Alpinestars TECH-1 T

Advantages :

• Excellent build quality
• Premium materials used
• Lightweight
• Non-slip sole

Disadvantages :

• Premium prices
• Not very breathable

Like OMP, Alpinestars is a very popular brand in the world of motor racing clothing, and a very premium one at that. Offering a wide catalog of unique and extremely well finished products, Alpinestars is a brand that has made a name for itself in the world of karting and motorsports in general.

Among the shoes offered by the brand, I’ve chosen the TECH-1 T which are, in my opinion, exceptional. The materials used are bovine leather and suede, which gives you an idea of the price of these shoes, but I’ll come back to that below. The brand has incorporated a number of features into its shoes that make them uniquely comfortable to wear , including a suede collar at the ankles to give them a high level of support.

The watchword when designing the TECH-1 T was lightness, and it really is. As far as I’m concerned, this is only to be expected, given that Alpinestars is a well-known brand in the world of motorsports, particularly karting. Incidentally, the leather is fireproof, which gives you an overall idea of the quality of the TECH-1 T.

The sole of this pair of shoes is thin, allowing you to feel virtually all the sensations of your sim-racing setup’s crankset. You can see for yourself: the TECH-1 T sole is very thin at the front, thickening towards the heels.

Design-wise, it’s not sober at all if you compare this pair of shoes to others we’ve seen. You have two color combinations: black and red, and black and white, with each color taking up about half the shoe. Plus, you get the brand’s logo on the side and collar. You’ve got to love the TECH-1 T design, and I’m more of a person who prefers simple things, not flashy at all. But that’s a subjective element that shouldn’t bias the choice of a pair of shoes for sim-racing.

As for the price, you’d better hold on to your keyboards, because TECH-1 T shoes are expensive. Retailing at almost €250, this pair of shoes is the most expensive on the list. Logical, given the materials used (cowhide and suede) and above all the reputation of the Alpinestars brand. However, you can easily find them on special offer at around €180 or even €190. Still expensive, but still less than €250.

Which one to choose?

• Need. First of all, you need to know whether you need a pair of sim-racing shoes or not. If, for example, you only do short runs of around 30 mins a day, all year round, a pair of sim-racing shoes won’t be of much benefit to you, as you don’t play enough to feel the benefits. On the other hand, if you do long sessions, especially at weekends, then you’ll feel the need to have a pair, mainly for the well-being of your feet.
• Budget. We’ve seen that many options are inexpensive, yet comfortable and practical. Obviously, you need to stick to a budget and not exceed it, as there are other priorities when it comes to sim-racing.
• Size. Many brands of karting and/or motorsports shoes are located abroad, in countries that don’t necessarily have the same system for measuring sizes. The best thing to do is to research the brands, find out where they’re located and determine your shoe size measurement system, so as to avoid any surprises once you’ve got your pair in your hands.
• Comfort. Not all sim-racing shoes have the same level of comfort, and this point is closely related to need. In my opinion, if you barely do an hour’s sim-racing a day, you can take a pair of shoes that are known not to be very comfortable when worn for long periods, as long as the price remains advantageous. Otherwise, you should choose a pair that’s comfortable, whatever your use.
• Design. This point is mostly subjective, but it’s still nice to wear a pair of shoes you like, isn’t it? Some brands are sober, others completely the opposite, and it’s up to you to see which one suits your eyes and style best.