Diving Shoes (for heel toe)

[e82n54]

What brand and style shoe do you use to heel toe or blip the throttle in your 1er while on the track? (edited to be more specific)

I need proper driving shoes so that I can blip the throttle safely on track.

I've tried using different kinds of shoes, but they're either too wide or too narrow or just not shaped properly. I haven't tried real driving shoes yet, so I'm looking for recommendations.

[Tommeh]

Never though about the shoe. I was driving around today after watching some Initial D stage 2 (Yup this is a bad idea) and was practicing my heel toe. I came to the conclusion that I suck at it because the gap that makes the pedals level is to great ahaha

[RimasRS]

I am doing it with winter, summer or any other shoes does not matter. It is really easy just try to use this method

[WillisW555]

I have lots of Pumas, future cats mostly. They are low-top versions of driving shoes, but they are not fireproof as the "real" ones are.

That being said, when you get the technique down, you can heel-toe with whatever. I do it in flip flops.

[tuj]

I can do it in any shoe on almost any car. Its more about technique than the pedals or your shoes. I think the name 'heel-toe' is a bit of a misnomer as unless you have short legs, its actually easier to use the side of your foot than the heel which means you don't have to move your knee. I also use the double-clutch method.

That said, I believe Simpson makes some nice narrow driving shoes.

[heiman5]

http://www.tods.com/us/shopmen/shoes...th-front-tie-9

[Tatsu]

Originally Posted by tuj

I can do it in any shoe on almost any car. Its more about technique than the pedals or your shoes.

"Can do" is not nearly the same as "Can safely, comfortably and easily do..." I could heel and toe in y Icon motorcycle boots.... but I hate driving my car in those.... If you're practicing heel and toe, you're already trying to exert a level of control far more precise than what is necessary during average street driving and, in such a case, shoes can make a huge difference...

I personally have only been wearing Onitsuka Tigers for the last few years because it makes all of my driving experiences better... Check em out, OP...

[int2str]

Senna did it in loafers

[tuj]

If you're practicing heel and toe, you're already trying to exert a level of control far more precise than what is necessary during average street driving and, in such a case, shoes can make a huge difference...

You can heel-toe while street driving or while performance driving. In fact, you should learn to heel-toe while *stationary* and then move to street driving, and finally introduce threshold braking with the heel-toe motion.

My experience is that if you can only heel-toe when braking hard, you aren't doing it correctly. You should be able to heel-toe under light braking, maintaining full control of the brake pedal pressure. The blip honestly is not that important in terms of how high you rev the engine; as long as you get the rev's higher than than need to be in the lower gear, the clutch-drag will account for any extra revs.

[e82n54]

Thanks for the replies. I should clarify my question. Some of you did answer this, but I'm curious what others use also.

What brand and style shoe do you use to heel toe or blip the throttle in your 1er while on the track?

I can blip the throttle very easily on the street with many different shoes, but not as easily on the track. I brake much harder on track, which causes the the brake pedal to go further toward the floor. If my shoe is to wide then when the brake pedal goes past the level of the throttle pedal I inadvertently push the throttle with the right edge of my shoe, which is dangerous.

This happens a lot with my running shoes, which are 5 inches wide. It never happens with my Pumas because they're only 3 inches wide, but they're too narrow to blip the throttle. I have some casual shoes that seem nearly ideal at 4 1/4 inches, but I'd like to try a driving shoe that has some thick rubber wrapping over the right edge.

[pkimM3r]

I wear chuck taylors at the track. I don't think its a matter of shoes, more than braking technique. With your wide shoes, you may just have to have more foot on the brake pedal or roll your ankle inwards a little more. Its uncomfortable but doable.

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by RimasRS

I am doing it with winter, summer or any other shoes does not matter. It is really easy just try to use this method

dont know about that method. I use the foot and roll method. The mini's throttle pedal hangs where as in bmw's the pedal is hinged at the bottom. Hitting the bottom of the pedal at the hinge wouldn't really be the best way.