Put your foot down with the best driving shoes
Photo Joshua Rondeau / Unsplash
If you’re going for a hike in the woods you wouldn’t choose a pair of brogues, and you wouldn’t wear your hiking boots to a fancy dinner. So when it comes to driving what you slip onto your feet needs to be considered too, says Nik Berg.
As the owner of two cars with incredibly tight pedal boxes (a Caterham Seven and a Lotus Esprit) my footwear completely dictates my ability to drive smoothly and safely. Just a fraction too wide and I’ll catch the brake as I dip the clutch or, worse, hit the accelerator when I’m dabbing the brakes.
Then there’s the question of feel. Too thick on the sole and finding the clutch biting point can be harder and modulating the brakes is no easy feat (feet?). When I first learned to drive I favoured the thinnest kung fu slippers (which also happened to be trendy at the time) and for decades my default driving shoes have been trusty Converse All Stars. I prefer the style of the high tops and, as long as you don’t lace them all the way to the top, your ankle movement isn’t restricted.
I like the Cons and Onitsuka Tigers because they go with almost any other clobber and you don’t look like a wannabe racing driver (although wandering around with the Caterham’s detachable steering wheel does rather counter that).
Even if you drive a more modern car you’ll need shoes with a grippy sole and to avoid high heels or shoes that will slip off. I noticed that during a dune-bashing drive in the UAE desert my driver took off his sandals and drove barefoot which was a better option than risking a pedal-shoe entanglement. And, no, driving shoeless isn’t illegal, although in Spain high heels, flip-flops and open shoes are banned by law.
The right shoes can make a real difference to how much you enjoy your drive, so check out some of our favourite footwear and upgrade your pedal pushing.
Daily drivers
I favour Converse and Onitsuka Tigers but most narrow, thin-soled trainers work well. Adidas Stan Smiths are a classic choice or, if you think you might get caught up in a car chase or two, then you could try a pair of 007 No Time To Die Ultraboosts. For something a little more relaxed then you could try Piloti’s Avenue or Pistone.
Getting racy
Setting aside full-blown race boots from the likes of Alpinestars, Sparco, Sabelt and OMP, which have been homologated for competition thanks their fireproof qualities but will make you look like a major try-hard if you wear them to the pub, there are a number of sporty shoes that would suit a track day or a supercar driver. Puma’s Speedcat and Driftcats are popular for good reason. They don’t look too different to a typical trainer, but have a thin sole and heel pad for extra grip and come in designs for men and women. Piloti’s Apex line is a soft-soled boot that looks rather swish in black leather.
Posh clogs
If you’re dressing to impress then Tod’s is a good starting place with its Gommino range of driving shoes, they come in suede or leather, in men’s and women’s styles and a wide range of colours to match your outfit - or your car. You can even create a custom pair. Prada sub-brand The Original Car Shoe has espadrilles, loafers and slip-on trainers tailored for driving or you could chose a pair of Loake Herbert slippers as worn by Ayrton Senna.
Heel and toeing the loyalist line
Are you a Ferrari fan-girl or a BMW boy? Then perhaps you’ll want the footwear to match your marque. Puma has branded versions of its Speedcat and Driftcats, Tod’s has a line of Ferrari shoes, Nissan has released a line for its new Z with Negroni and even Mazda has a shoe inspired by its “Kodo- Soul of Motion” design language produced in collaboration with Mizuno.