Cslaher's new boots

[murph7355]

Race boots:

 

I swear by Sparcos. Very comfy and they seem to survive even my hobbit-esque feet.

 

Previously had some low cut Elite's which have a s****y leather reinforcing bit on the outside which helpd protect them more. These lasted 4 years and probably near 25-30k miles (excluding obligatory laps of Tescos etc - add another 0.5 miles).

 

Now have some "mid height" standard Sparcos. No leather bit (so they may not last as long) but I wanted to try the comfort of the higher boot. They're also cheaper (think they were about 60 quid versus 80 or so for the others).

 

GrandPrix Racewear do some karting boots that are like the Sparcos for about 45 quid. Didn't feel quite as roomy or comfy though.

 

Also at GPRW are the Puma, No Fear and OMP boots, but I got bored trying shoes on and most were more pricey. GPRW are well worth a visit as they have a nice seat display from where you can watch motorsport on the telly. You can also try out all the crash helmets and overalls etc, and thumb through their catalogue asking to see various items from it (girls do it so why can't I?).

 

Then there are places like Merlin who do their own types. The site's worth a look for the amusing photos of the poor girl modelling the gear!

 

 

Now, if on the other hand you're looking for a formal work boot, I get mine from Russell and Bromley. Not cheap but they last ages and money spent on decent shoes is money well spent. If you want hiking boots I can't help as I'm allergic to walking. We have evolved with two legs and feet so that we can operate clutch and accelerator pedals.

 

Final tip - buy the brightest, most stupid colour you can. My original ones were black, the idea being that they'd look like trainers and people wouldn't be able to tell. Wrong! Eventually you still look like your auditioning for a role as a pixie. And with someone my size that's not big or clever. At least if they're bright you look like you're acknowledging you look daft.

[Jan T]

Andy

Time for some sleep I reckon!

On serious note went to GPR this afternoon. I enjoyed it but my 12 year old daughter who accompanied me submitted a (home) transfer request to her mother when she got home. Can't think why!

The 'good' news is that my eldest will kill me if I don't take her on the next larks' outing.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Jan

....

[Alex Wong1697456877]

Sleep is for whimps. smile.gif

[Alex Wong1697456877]

Anybody know if you can buy Nike raceboots?

 

Michael Schumacher wears them but I don't think you can buy them. question.gif

 

Alex

[kenny.]

FWIW, I've always bought the Sparco full height boots, but agree that for anything else apart from being at the circuit look prattish............but, Sparco released two training shoe type racewear shoes with Puma branding on them last year,the first being a standard width shoe which just looks like a trainer....I bought this one at Autosport NEC, but I have not been able to get the other style, which was a suede shoe in the race boot design, which I thought would be great for driving the 7.......and not look stupid under jeans etc..........anyone seen these yet?.....I've struggled to get a pair.....aprox £40 per pair....not bad.

 

Kenny HPC

 

 

 

[Big Brother]

Kenny,

Probably not the ones you were thinking about but Puma have a trainer type race boot in the Demon Tweeks catalogue (page 23). Called the "replicat" they cost £43.80 a pair and come in red, black, blue or grey.

 

Steve

 

cool.gifScream...if you want to go faster!!!id=limegreen> cool.gif

[kenny.]

Without checking Steve, I'd say they probably were the ones.

 

Cheers,

Kenny HPC

 

 

[murph7355]

I've searched high and low for the Nike type (mainly because they don't look too far removed from trainers). No joy. Shame as you'd have thought Nike would exploit their Schumacher link (obviously isn't the market for them).

 

The Puma badged ones don't look much different from std. Sparcos except they have the Puma slash down the side and a puma on the toe.

 

Jan - how did you get on with the crash hats?

 

 

[Pete]

Andy

 

I was interested by your Tesco jaunts in racing boots. Do you have any lap times to post?

 

pete

[CHRIS CLARK]

Pete.

 

I suspect Andy's Tesco lap times vary as mine do depending on if it's the clubman circuit or the full GP one (ie. did I write the shopping list or did the significant other!!!!).

[Jan T]

Andy

.....you have mail!

Jan

[kenny.]

Andy, the Puma one's I got are just like trainers...with Sparco on the tongue........it's the other Puma shoes that look like the race boots.

 

Kenny HPC

 

 

[CommaGirl]

You'll have more than Sparco on your tongues when you see me in my thight length boots.... You'll have the gravel off the pavement!

 

Sadly their 6 inch heels make it difficult to drive in them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

wink.gif CommaGirl wink.gif

 

[Blatman]

RM Williams is the only place to buy boots that you don't want to drive the Westf1eld (or even C******mwink.gif) in.......luvverlysmile.gif

 

Edited by - Blatman on 23 Sep 2001 22:35:44

[kenny.]

I went off thigh length boots on ladies years ago........a big bird I was seeing said "pull them off"........I put so much force into dragging the first one off , that when it eventually went it sent me crashing through her bay window!!!!!!!

 

Kenny HPC

 

 

 

Edited by - kenny on 23 Sep 2001 22:45:57

[Vogon SuperTrooper]

Question: what's the point of special boots? I can see that thin soles are useful for the taller hobbits. But what else?

 

Cahelrs

[Blatman]

Feel, Chalres Feel............

[Alex Wong1697456877]

Same category as aerofoil wishbones and carbon sill protectors.

 

My Nike trainers are much better for driving but I wouldn't be seen at a circuit in them! What would the others think? You've gotta look the part. I mean, they wouldn't take me seriously with trainers would they? teeth.gifAs for their flame resistant properties, I suppose in the worst case scenario, they may help stop your toes frying but I personally only have them to look cool. smile.gif

 

The soles on my OMP boots (clubman cheapo ones) are too thin and my left foot gets quite sore after puhing the rather heavy clutch in my car repeatedly. I guess that if I replace them, I'll get some better ones, but my Nike trainers are actually much more comfortable to drive in. The extra width also makes toe and healing easier as well. I only have one pair that's narrow enough though. My others put me at risk at hitting more than one pedal at a time.

 

Alex

 

 

 

Edited by - Alex Wong on 23 Sep 2001 23:14:41

 

Edited by - Alex Wong on 23 Sep 2001 23:15:20

[murph7355]

Width is the key thing for me. They make it close to driving without shoes, but with a decent enough (thin) sole to make pressing the pedals hard a possibility.

 

Feel is also improved (IMO) over trainers - the only example of which I've been able to drive in were some Nike squash trainers which were destroyed in very few trips in the 7 owing to my proximity with the sides of the footwell etc.

 

The only time I've tried driving in proper shoes I gave a rather too exciting passenger ride to a work colleague. Hit brake and accelerator at the same time along one of the cobbled bits near monument. Took 'em off there and then.

[murph7355]

PS Tescos - accompanied I've never been out in less than 60 minutes.

 

On my own, it usually takes about 30secs before I feel nauseous and have to leave.

 

It's amusing watching others watch you try and get two week's worth of shopping in the 7 though. Especially if you've bought 9 of Andrex's finest and a couple of baguettes.

[sjwb]

Obviously no motorcyclists here! Fancy being self consious about a pair of boots. I cannot drive in anything other than me Sparco's so it's a done deal. My best compliment this year came from a tattoed badass m******f****r biker and his brothers at a pub one summer evening. The conversation went something like.

"Hi, aren't you hot in those (racing) leathers?" Quoth he sitting there in sawn off jeans and denim jacket. "No" I primly replied. "I like to look after my skin." "Cool" he said, "You know what we (bros) call you lot"? Like a merth to the flame.

"No, tell me".

"Power Rangers!" came the retort. Larf, I peed myself.

Now, off to practice those skyscraper leaps!

There is always another skew on things.

 

Steve B

[Graham Perry]

Having wide feet I have always had this problem, and like many others here don't want to always wear my race boots as they can look poncy in the wrong situation, but find I standard trainers far too wide. Then I discovered football boot style trainers, the ones they use on astroturf. Soles are not too thin, uppers are solid and importantly they are quite narrow so heel-toeing is easy. They don't look too bad either. They are the only trainers I have ever tried in which I can easily drive my car.