Finding The Perfect Sim Racing Bucket Seat: A Definitive Guide
Sim racing, December 2024
Sim racing has grown into a serious hobby, and as rigs get more sophisticated, more people are replacing gaming chairs with proper bucket seats. A real seat puts you in the same position as a race car, holds you still through long sessions, and makes the whole experience feel more authentic.
Choosing one is the hard part, which is why we encourage people to come and sit in seats before they buy. One sim racer did exactly that recently, and filmed his visit to our showroom for YouTube. His top three were the Sparco Grid Q, the Sparco Evo L and the OMP WRC. Here is his video, a look at each of those seats, and what to think about for your own rig.
- A customer filmed his showroom visit to choose a sim racing seat
- His top three: Sparco Grid Q, Sparco Evo L and OMP WRC
- The Evo L is the large shell version of Sparco's Evo
- The OMP WRC has no built-in head restraint, keeping the shell low
- We also offer non-FIA sim racing versions of Sparco's seats
- Trying seats in person is the best way to find the right fit
What is on this page
Watch our customer's visit
Our customer came to the showroom to try a range of bucket seats for his sim rig, and documented the whole visit. In the video he goes through the seats he sat in, what he thought of the comfort and fit of each, and which three he would pick for sim racing.
If you are weighing up seats for your own rig, it is a useful, real world look at how different shells feel when you actually sit in them.
Why the right seat matters for sim racing
Comfort over long sessions. A properly shaped bucket supports your back and thighs, so a long race or a practice evening does not leave you aching.
Immersion. Sitting low in a fixed back shell, held at the sides, is how a race car feels. The wheel and pedals fall into the same positions they would in a car.
Consistency. A bucket seat bolted rigidly to the rig does not move or flex, so your driving position is the same every time, and so is the feel through the wheel and pedals.
His top three seats
1. Sparco Grid Q. A fibreglass, fixed back, side mount bucket for a 32 to 36 inch waist, with slots for a six point harness. It was the favourite in the video for its snug, supportive fit. The FIA version is trimmed in fabric, and there is a non-FIA sim racing version in velour.
2. Sparco Evo L. The large shell version of Sparco’s Evo seat, with more width at the shoulders and hips than the standard Evo. It suits broader drivers, or anyone who prefers a little more room around them, and it is trimmed in velour.
3. OMP WRC. A fibreglass seat with high side bolsters and a rally car feel. It has no built-in head restraint, which keeps the top of the shell lower, and it comes with a removable leg cushion and adjustable lumbar support, trimmed in OMP’s breathable Airtex fabric. The standard WRC suits drivers under six feet with a 32 to 36 inch waist, and there is an XL version for larger drivers.
Non-FIA versions for sim racing
A seat in a sim rig does not need FIA approval, because it never goes in a car that competes. That is why we offer non-FIA sim racing versions of many of Sparco's seats, including the Grid Q, the Evo, the Evo L, the Evo XL, the Rev, the Pro 2000, the Pro ADV and the Circuit.
They use the same shell shapes, so you get the same fit and feel, without paying for an approval you do not need. They are approved for gaming and sim racing only, and must not be used in a car.
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Mounting a bucket seat to your rig
Most sim rigs, especially aluminium profile rigs, mount a bucket seat on side mounts bolted to the rig’s seat rails, and some use runners for fore and aft adjustment. Check whether the seat you like is side mounted or base mounted, and that your rig has the right brackets for it. The seats in this guide are side mount seats, sold as the seat only.
If you are not sure what your rig needs, tell us the make and model of the rig and the seat you are considering, and we will point you at the right mounting parts.
Why visit the showroom
A seat that looks right in a photo can feel quite different when you sit in it. In the showroom you can sit in seat after seat, compare the width and the height of the bolsters, and feel how each one holds you, as our customer did in his video.
Garreth’s advice is to try the seat in the position you will actually use it: sit back, put your hands out where the wheel would be and stay in it for a few minutes. If you cannot visit, send us your height and waist size and we will narrow the choice down for you.
Which seats did our customer pick for sim racing?
The Sparco Grid Q, the Sparco Evo L and the OMP WRC.
Do I need an FIA approved seat for a sim rig?
No. A non-FIA sim racing version gives the same shape without the cost of approval.
Can a sim racing seat be used in a car?
No. The non-FIA sim racing versions are approved for gaming and sim racing only.
How does a bucket seat mount to a sim rig?
Usually on side mounts bolted to the rig’s seat rails; check the seat’s fixing type and your rig’s brackets.
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Customer's choiceGrid Q, Evo L and WRC
Three seats one sim racer rated after trying them in our showroom.
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