Community Question | Do You Wear Gloves To Sim Race?

[ThugUK]

I don't wear gloves in order to play a video game.
Also, interesting to observe how disconnected from reality this forum is. I think that a very very small minority of people actually use gloves and those who do take simracing very seriously, a very little group.
I wonder what would be the results of this poll when asked on the Assetto Corsa steam page for example, where there is a much bigger variety of people.

Out of interest what equipment do you use?
I don’t wear them to feel like I am a actually racing a car, I wear them as I hate the feeling of the wheel as it’s rough and feels ‘bitty’ As if pieces are coming off as I use it.
I don’t even wear kart gloves, just thin gardening gloves
If it was leather I wouldn’t use them at all.

Now, people who wear full race suit and helmet need to seek help.

 

[wombat999]

No and why bother?

 

[ThugUK]

No and why bother?

Read the replies and you will see why some bother

 

[xoph]

Gloves. I even use different ones for different wheels/cars. Leather for the wooden wheel for the 20s-60s cars which had wooden wheels, and most h-shifting street cars, and karting wheels for all others. I had real racing gloves once, but they were worn through within 3 months. Not sweating much, but it reduces wear of the wheels, and prevents from blisters and calluses on the palm which I get easily. No issues with heat which at the beginning surprised me.

 

[yannickraw]

To anyone complaining about the fact it's stupid to wear gloves don't really get the idea. Buy some cheap karting gloves and try it for yourself. I never had any blisters but I do wear gloves on long sessions for the grip you get. You won't have to hold the wheel as hard, alcantara will stay in better shape and it won't be as slippy with sweat.

 

[Overnight76]

With the FFB pushing my skin and hurting me, that was the best solution for hours and hours of driving.

When I try without the gloves, it's not the same.

 

[DM77]

I wear some fingerless cycling gloves to protect the finish of my wheel. Sweat on alcantara is not a nice combo. I feel paranoid even touching the wheel with bare hands. Plus it keeps the resell value higher if I ever decide to sell my kit to upgrade.

 

[Nevini]

The biggest problem is the use of Alcatara which is a rubbish matrial for a wheel rim. you only need to look at it ,for this matarial to start wearing away.

Used it in the real world, as it has very good fire retardant properties.

Do I wear gloves for playing computer games, no.
I think its silly trying to protect Alcantara (that's all you are trying to do) just go buy a rim covered in leather no need to worry. Will still look good in 5 years.

Do I wear gloves driving to work, no.
I have a leather rim ;-)
even fine before with plastic rims

However I do wear shoes when playing my gamers and driving my car.

 

[Squared Circle]

Problem can be (it was in my case) that the market for leather rims of a specific size and shape can be small. In fact it can be almost zero. So I had to go for Alcantara. Using some thin gloves now but I'm sweating in them so I ordered Golf Gloves (that somebody advised on in this thread). Will see how that works.

 

[DM77]

The biggest problem is the use of Alcatara which is a rubbish matrial for a wheel rim. you only need to look at it ,for this matarial to start wearing away.

Used it in the real world, as it has very good fire retardant properties.

Do I wear gloves for playing computer games, no.
I think its silly trying to protect Alcantara (that's all you are trying to do) just go buy a rim covered in leather no need to worry. Will still look good in 5 years.

Do I wear gloves driving to work, no.
I have a leather rim ;-)
even fine before with plastic rims

However I do wear shoes when playing my gamers and driving my car.

Fanatec don't seem to do any leather F1 rim I've seen or liked the look of, so its not really been an option.

 

[TShrimp]

Never tired gloves. My hands don't tend to sweat, and I am okay with my hands getting calluses as that is just the bodies natural protection. I have also never gotten a blister from racing. I would think that adding something over the hands would also take away from the feeling we get from the receptors on our hands. Not sure if maybe it is the more subdued nature of my T300 wheel. I have a DD wheel on order (Still 2 long months away), so maybe things will change with the increased power .

 

[Elaphe]

I've been using my traditional leather driving gloves for some time now. Last week I purchased a couple of golf gloves. I like how they fit and how comfortable they are. The material used is thiner, cooler and the palm (lamb skin) is much grippier when using a leather rim (then main reason why I bought them).

 

[Dennis Karlsson]

I've been using my traditional leather driving gloves for some time now. Last week I purchased a couple of golf gloves. I like how they fit and how comfortable they are. The material used is thiner, cooler and the palm (lamb skin) is much grippier when using a leather rim (then main reason why I bought them).

How are they? Do you get sweaty hands?

 

[gamer19]

I get that you folks use gloves for better grip (or even keeping the wheel material without damage from palm sweat)
but what about buttons ? Don't they feel harder to press ?
I know real life drivers have same problems, so it's perhaps... "when they can, I can do it too" but still...
we don't really have to.

 

[Dennis Karlsson]

Thought I post a funny picture of my thin leather work gloves that I drive with at the moment.

From left to right:
New, 3 days, 2 months

This is from driving with a suede wheel, never touched by bare hands.

 

[Squared Circle]

I've been using my traditional leather driving gloves for some time now. Last week I purchased a couple of golf gloves. I like how they fit and how comfortable they are. The material used is thiner, cooler and the palm (lamb skin) is much grippier when using a leather rim (then main reason why I bought them).

Yupp, got very similar ones (Wilson Feel Pro). Cut off the last centimeter of each finger (gloves of course) for a better feeling when touching keyboard, mouse or touchscreen.

 

[gamer19]

Yupp, got very similar ones (Wilson Feel Pro). Cut off the last centimeter of each finger (gloves of course) for a better feeling when touching keyboard, mouse or touchscreen.

Exactly my point. I use (not often though) some driving gloves without fingers. I feel like that's the best compromise.
Imagine drivers in F1 use those

 

[Alex Townsend]

I get that you folks use gloves for better grip (or even keeping the wheel material without damage from palm sweat)
but what about buttons ? Don't they feel harder to press ?
I know real life drivers have same problems, so it's perhaps... "when they can, I can do it too" but still...
we don't really have to.

Keyboard buttons are a little difficult sometimes. But not the buttons on the wheel itself. They're designed to be easily pressed with gloves on.

 

[Ezio Bonaccorsi]

No

 

[Boonatix]

For me it is all about protecting the fanatec wheel from my sweat... because I sweat a lot And grip is much better with gloves... so for me, no way around proper gloves!