This is the Piloti Apex, it’s a modern driving shoe designed to look like regular streetwear, but it hides a number of features that have been developed specifically for automotive use.
Piloti was founded back in 1999, at first they were focussed on developing boots for racing drivers. Over the years they’ve created a broader line of footwear to include shoes for casual weekend drivers, trackday enthusiasts, and Mulholland Drive heroes.
The Piloti Apex uses the company’s Roll Control 2.0™ heel technology, essentially it’s a curved and cushioned heel that allows smooth movement in the pedal box and equal distribution of downwards force for comfort.
The sole of the Piloti Apex has a tread pattern reminiscent of vintage tire tread. It contains a steel torsion bar for improved foot stability, and it has rounded sole edges to avoid catching while transitioning between pedals.
Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time driving while wearing regular shoes will likely have experienced discomfort in their heel, as their shoes aren’t designed to carry weight in this way. Piloti developed a new kind of shoe to fix the issue.
The Piloti Apex has an Italian suede leather upper, an OnSTeam® anti-microbial lining, and a molded cork and EVA insole for comfort.
The shoes also have a slightly thinner and more malleable forefoot area to ensure good pedal feel, and they have rounded sole edges to avoid catching while transitioning between pedals, and while heel-and-toe shifting.
This is the Asphalt version of the Piloti Apex, it has an Italian suede upper in matte black with matching black laces and a natural rubber sole.
Each pair is handmade in Portugal and orders are fulfilled from the company’s warehouse in the USA to ensure quick deliveries.
Sizing ranges from 7 to 14 US and colorways on offer include Asphalt (shown above and below), Black, Charcoal, and Cognac.
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Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
