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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
