No Footwear Needed: Socks Will Do For Most Sim Racers

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Sim racing and the preferences of those who enjoy it - there are probably thousands of opinions out there. Our poll on sim racing footwear supports this claim - our community's unsurprising winner: socks.

Depending on the sim racer you ask, the level of realism they strive for may vary. Many do aim for the ultimate race car feeling, but plenty of sim racers are also fine with running a desk-mounted setup to simply enjoy their favorite games and sims on something a little more suited to the genre than a controller.

But even among those who own a full rig, load cell pedals and direct drive wheel base, there will be different preferences. We recently wanted to know what type of footwear you use when running on the virtual tracks and rally stages, and answers were spread relatively evenly - starting in second place, that is.

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Almost 55% of our community who participated in the poll choose plain ol' socks when firing up their favorite sim. Most pedal sets allow for this, although your comfort levels may vary - but it is still interesting to see that in a genre where 'realism' is probably one of the words that appears most frequently in discussions, socks will do for most.

In second, the barefoot brigade clocked in at about 18%, followed by those who wear regular shoes in third at roughly 12%. Specialized sim racing shoes or socks are not very popular among the OverTake community, it seems, and we do not even know how those who answered "Flip flops" manage to pull it off.

However, it gets more interesting among the crowd who chose 'Other'. While @DB_1973 prefers wrestling shoes, @Cote Dazur makes a solid case for slippers - it is not just Jimmy Broadbent who gravitates to the cozier side of sim racing footwear, it appears.

Meanwhile, racing or driving gear not specifically designed for sim racing also has its fans, such as @Ruttman98, who wears driving shoes, or karting boots like @TShrimp opts for.

Insider Tip: Aqua Shoes​

Perhaps more of an insider tip, several of our community members swear by water shoes, also referred to as aqua shoes, proponents of which include well-known Assetto Corsa track modder @Fat-Alfie. These shoes are usually worn in the water (duh) to protect your feet from rough terrain or sea urchins.

Considering the advatnages listed by @Perico Lospa, it is easy to see why. They find water shoes to be comfortable and breathable, while the thin sole allows for a good feel of the pedals. Then, there is the cost factor - they are usually relatively cheap, making them a great alternative.

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Image: @Elmar3rd

Of course, a few oddball suggestions cannot be left out, either. @Elmar3rd went with self-made sim racing socks, having modified their soles for extra grip. @Michael Krone, on the other hand, has found out about the quality of hospital socks, which have a thicker sole than normal. Rather impressively, their pair is still going strong after 20 years - not bad, if you ask us.

Meanwhile, @Andrew Hollom throws squash shoes into the mix, and @THK84 is wondering why no one is racing in crocs. High heels, as @GeForce06 posted (humorously, we assume), do not seem like the greatest idea comfort-wise. But who knows, maybe the brake modulation is out of this world.

What do you make of the poll results regarding sim racing footwear? Let us know in the comments below!
About author
Yannik Haustein
Lifelong motorsport enthusiast and sim racing aficionado, walking racing history encyclopedia.

Sim racing editor, streamer and one half of the SimRacing Buddies podcast (warning, German!).

Heel & Toe Gang 4 life :D

Comments

it gotta be shoes for me, but not the ones like New Balance or these one with high sole. i have an old adidas abaca (not worthy anymore for daily use lol) that are really confy for simracing.
 
I switched from old sneekers to aqua shoes one week ago and the feeling is good
 
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Socks when I had Logitech G29 (anything more substantial on foot made the pedals collapse when you tapped them).

Cheap thin-soled trainers when I had Fanatec CSR Elite (load cell brake) for a more authentic experience. Did the job well but became rather uncomfortable, being cheap thin-soled trainers.

I'm now in a unique situation of having nerve / sensory dysfunction on the underside of my left foot causing partial numbness, and the sensation of touch and pressure is about say 50% of normal, so to have enough feel of the brakes on my CSL Elite V2's (30% brake force) it has to be soft-soled slippers (not memory foam though). They provide enough rigidity to protect my feet from pressure-related aches (for not-long sessions) while also being soft enough to have all the sensitivity and feel that I need. Plus they keep me toes warm in the winter.

I may try some real-life racing boots one day if I feel like going full immersion, but slippers will more than do for now.
 
Premium
I've tried socks, but I have goat-like hooves, so they just don't stay on.
 
I've tried socks, but I have goat-like hooves, so they just don't stay on.




No Show Socks

Designed to stay on
:p
 
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Heavens to Betsy !
I am so gullible.
Just brought 4 pack of #13's :roflmao:
To fair $3.25U a pair is cheap... $2.25US
 
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Socks all day, I'm not getting dressed up to sit in a chair. But my toes do get cold on metal pedals.
I would definitely go for a thick sock.
 
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Premium
Water shoes here also. I found the perfect ones from decathlon here in Europe, got 3 pairs for sim use and one pair for my irl car, they work for that also, but that depends on the pedals, but the feel is absolutely amazing irl also.
 
Highly recommend Puma speedcats, they are cheap and great for a sim. They get discounted frequently too, and if you are lucky you might even snatch a classic blue sparco pair for a good price. Once you go with shoes, you can never go back. I mean have you ever tried driving a real car with just socks? Its so weird lol
 
I used to go barefooted with G25, but once I got a proper rig and CS v3 pedals I switched to cheap trainers, because the metal of pedals is quite sharp, maybe it is also how I keep my foot, but now with these shoes it is more comfortable and I really like the feel, feels tight and grippy on the pedal. Also my left shoe is getting shreded by the clutch pedal, there is allways shred particles on the clutch pedal base and I looked at the sole, I might need to replace it soon lol
 

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