Proper MINI Driving Shoes
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,164
Likes: 399
The Piloti's have worked out great for driving. I know others swear by them as an everyday shoe, but they're not nearly as comfortable as my Ecco's, so I only wear them to drive. Part of the problem is size--I'm kind of in between a 10.5 and 11, but I hate a shoe that feels too big, so I went 10.5. They do stretch out a bit, and the fit is good, but just a little tight. The lateral side of the shoe sticks out just a smidgeon; these are fantastic for heal/toe--by far my favorite tie driving shoe I've tried.
I have a slip on pair of shoes I like too Rusty, but at the HPDE's I go to,the rules are for tie shoes--although I see alot of folks (including instructors) driving with slip-ons, so it looks like they're pretty lax on that..
I just couldn't get Puma's to work. Too narrow, hurt like hell by the end of the day. I can't heal/toe in them--my ankle is shot from basketball; I heal/toe by rolling the outside edge (Piloti's are great for this) rather than angling my foot (which I can't do physically easily or consistently).
I have a slip on pair of shoes I like too Rusty, but at the HPDE's I go to,the rules are for tie shoes--although I see alot of folks (including instructors) driving with slip-ons, so it looks like they're pretty lax on that..
I just couldn't get Puma's to work. Too narrow, hurt like hell by the end of the day. I can't heal/toe in them--my ankle is shot from basketball; I heal/toe by rolling the outside edge (Piloti's are great for this) rather than angling my foot (which I can't do physically easily or consistently).
is "heal/toe" a freudian slip? 
i've been using a set of Pilotis a year for the last two now, and do wear them everyday. i'm impressed with their durability, and they provide good traction when taking that little running turn around the box and resetting a cone with a mod car rumbling up course!
as driving shoes they work fine for me, with one caveat (to get back to the matter of healing toes...)
the 11s just touch the bottom the plastic at the top of the footwell with my driving position - just enough to snag the shoe once in a while. i therefore use the 10.5s, which means for the first week of each new pair i have to extend the shoe for my big toe (or retract the toe, not sure) until shoe and foot agree on a compromise. once they're broken in no further worries, but there is a little toe healing involved in the heel/toeing...
cheers,
charlie
I wish it wos somthing as sophistecated as that, but the trooth of the mattar is I simpley cannnot spel.
But now that you mention it, I did get some little toe pain until they stretched out, so a bit of healing was in order...
But now that you mention it, I did get some little toe pain until they stretched out, so a bit of healing was in order...
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,164
Likes: 399
my grandfather was a bloody vice president at houghton mifflin - a man of letters in the publishing trade... he culdn't spel ether
3rd Gear
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: New ****ing Jersey
When motoring, I like to go with the classics...
For me, they're easily the best pair of not-expensive shoes when it comes to getting some good pedal feel. The black and white perfectly matches my JB/W too!
For me, they're easily the best pair of not-expensive shoes when it comes to getting some good pedal feel. The black and white perfectly matches my JB/W too!
I wear the Piloti G16s, they're great for in/out of the Mini, so comfortable. The added plus is that the brand name isn't all over the toe so I feel I can wear them with anything. Your milage and your style may vary 
.
.
2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 443
Likes: 2
From: Southern California
I also have a pair of those internet-famous $20 Reebok driving shoes.
Puma track flats for me, and my size 10.5 means I can heel/toe in them too.
BTW, "heel-toe" doesn't refer to the "heel" as the part of your foot that's in the back near the achilles, but rather to the part that's just south of your pinky toe (like the "heel" of your hand) For us USA drivers, that's the right side of your right foot. You should NOT be rotating your foot so that your achilles "heel" hits the accelerator (technically "yaw" if your foot was an airplane), but rather rotating your foot along its long axis (technically "roll") to get the obligatory throttle blip on a downshift.
Well, that or buy a Ferrari with paddle shift and auto-throttle-blip...
BTW, "heel-toe" doesn't refer to the "heel" as the part of your foot that's in the back near the achilles, but rather to the part that's just south of your pinky toe (like the "heel" of your hand) For us USA drivers, that's the right side of your right foot. You should NOT be rotating your foot so that your achilles "heel" hits the accelerator (technically "yaw" if your foot was an airplane), but rather rotating your foot along its long axis (technically "roll") to get the obligatory throttle blip on a downshift.
Well, that or buy a Ferrari with paddle shift and auto-throttle-blip...
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,902
Likes: 2
From: SoCaL (Agoura Hills)
.http://shop.vans.com/webapp/wcs/stor...0101_302951_-1
Also have a pair that looks like old 70's **** carpet,
.
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 443
Likes: 2
From: Southern California
BTW, "heel-toe" doesn't refer to the "heel" as the part of your foot that's in the back near the achilles, but rather to the part that's just south of your pinky toe (like the "heel" of your hand) For us USA drivers, that's the right side of your right foot. You should NOT be rotating your foot so that your achilles "heel" hits the accelerator (technically "yaw" if your foot was an airplane), but rather rotating your foot along its long axis (technically "roll") to get the obligatory throttle blip on a downshift.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKXR9tULryA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21HwiUsEmLU
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA - Old Town
PUMA Speed Cats are great MINI driving shoes
Zappos has lots of shoes... I like the PUMA Speed Cats for driving, because of the fit and the way the sole gives you good traction... I have the grey ones below for MINI driving...
Black the BMW
But I really like these as well...
Black the BMW
But I really like these as well...
Well I have a few pairs of shoes that I have.
I have a pair of pumas that I'm still trying to break in, but my old faithfuls are these
http://www.draven.com/shoe_detail.ph...+Wings+Slip-On
(I actually have a new pair of these, but they are also being broken in, so right now I drive with the old/good ones (which have holes and everything haha) and then pop the boot and change into the new ones to break them in while walking around)
I have a pair of pumas that I'm still trying to break in, but my old faithfuls are these
http://www.draven.com/shoe_detail.ph...+Wings+Slip-On
(I actually have a new pair of these, but they are also being broken in, so right now I drive with the old/good ones (which have holes and everything haha) and then pop the boot and change into the new ones to break them in while walking around)
It really depends on the width of your foot and the placement of the pedals. Yaw may be required in some cases.
Lots of our Club guys use Chucks...
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