Yahoo Autos What Are the Best Driving Shoes? Auto Journalists Pick Their Favorites
- 1/13
What Are the Best Driving Shoes? Auto Journalists Pick Their Favorites
This story was updated in March 2023 with fresh products and new information.
When it comes to selecting driving shoes, there is one important question to ask yourself. Autoweek's West Coast editor, Mark Vaughn, put it best: "Do you think the car you're driving is going to catch fire, or is it relatively safe? If you're driving your new stock 911 on a Sunday in the canyons, chances are you will not go up en flambé, so you can get a more comfortable shoe that you could wear outside the car too."
For racing shoes, you want skinny sides, thin soles, and heat-insulated heels—and make sure they're flameproof. For your everyday river roading or canyon carving, you're looking for a comfortable shoe that provides plenty of pedal feedback. Sneakers with minimal stack height are ideal. A padded heel with rubber grips is a huge plus.
We talked to the fleet-footed editors at Car and Driver, Road & Track, and Autoweek about their favorite speed shoes and compiled this list. Snag a pair and soon you'll feel like a pro on the pedals.
RELATED: What Makes a Driving Shoe a Driving Shoe?
Car and Driver - 2/13
Speedcat LS
PUMA
amazon.com
$118.93
Puma's Speedcat is a classic. Racing equipment manufacturer Sparco partnered with Puma to make the original Speedcat. While these have been updated from the originals, they still feature an athletic look, a stout rounded heel, and narrow sides, making them perfect for tighter pedal boxes.
Amazon - 3/13
Original 2-Eye Boat Shoe
Sperry
amazon.com
$143.95
The iconic Gold Cup Boat Shoe isn't designed to be a driving shoe, but it does the trick anyway. With lambskin linings and a cushioned heel, it's built to provide all-day comfort both in the car and out.
Amazon - 4/13
Redden Driving Loafer
POLO Ralph Lauren
amazon.com
$118.00
For those who may not know, Ralph Lauren, purveyor of fine luxury goods, is also a huge automotive aficionado. So it makes sense that his Polo label would produce a quality driving shoe. They are made from 100 percent leather and feature a rubber sole, which makes them comfortable for driving or walking.
Amazon - 5/13
Stan Smith
Adidas Originals
amazon.com
$72.98
In the words of Autoweek's Mark Vaughn, "The owner of what is now the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, once recommended that his students drive in Stan Smith Adidas. 'It’s all you need,' he said." With firm soles and hard edges, they are made for heel-toeing.
Amazon - 6/13
Cloudfoam Pure 2.0 Shoes
Adidas
adidas.com
$75.00
These running shoes are breathable and extremely comfy, making them good candidates for driving shoes. The rubber sole provides nice grip, and the shoe itself hugs your foot like a sock, so your contact with the pedal feels secure. With these, you can tear up a back road and go out for a jog right afterward.
Adidas - 7/13
2022 Tech-1 Z V2
Alpinestars
alpinestars.com
$399.95
These Alpinestars Tech-1 racing shoes are seriously good. Keeping safety a priority, the Tech-1s comply with FIA 8856-2000 and SFI Spec 3.3 homologation standards. With a focus on comfort, the shoes feature "sock" construction designed to provide, well, a more sock-like fit. Alpinestars went full Colin Chapman mode and made these as light as possible, which is what you want on the track.
Alpinestars - 8/13
Tiger Mexico 66
Onitsuka Tiger
amazon.com
$100.00
These gorgeous shoes rock a classic style. Along with looking good, there's plenty of padding and cushion in the heel and midsole to keep your feet happy during a Sunday drive. With a flexible heel and durability fit for a runner, you'll be pirouetting on the pedals like a pro.
Amazon - 9/13
FiveFingers KSO EVO
Vibram
amazon.com
$79.95
These are a bit unorthodox and may take some getting used to but once you do, they provide a unique experience. They are incredibly light, offer an unheard-of amount of articulation, and are all about feel—perfect for the interface between your feet and the pedals.
Amazon - 10/13
Daytona II Shoes
Stand21
shopstand21.com
$345.00
These beautiful racing shoes combine style, protection, and performance all in one package. The Daytona IIs meet FIA 8856-2000 and SFI Spec 3.3 standards to make sure your feet stay safe, and the space-age materials used in the construction make sure you're fast. Their premium suede material and shock-absorbing heel make these shoes some of the best you can buy.
Amazon - 11/13
Roma
PUMA
amazon.com
$70.00
The Puma Roma is a classic do-it-all shoe thanks to its comfort and style. The sticky rubber sole and durable leather combine to do wonders on the pedals but won't give you blisters when you walk around the track at lunch. For brownie points, drive an Italian car with these on.
Amazon - 12/13
Samba Classic
Adidas
amazon.com
$74.18
The Adidas Samba is another example of a sporty shoe turned driving shoe. With a grippy rubber sole and thin sides, it makes the transition from soccer field to your car's floor mat. The midsole offers great comfort, and the all-around support of the shoe means you can feel confident in the corners.
Amazon - 13/13
Chuck Taylor All Star
Converse
amazon.com
$57.61
Will these ever go out of style? We don't think so. Chucks have been an icon in the shoe world since the 1920s. Originally designed as basketball shoes, Chucks work well in the car too. With a feedback-heavy sole and narrow sides, they function as solid driving shoes. The retro styling makes them even better.
Amazon
