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GSM Performance Customer Car Colouring Book Edition 1
The Perfect Sim Seat for Drivers with a 38-Inch Waist
Sim racing seat guide
Most sim rigs come with a seat sized for an average build, and a lot of bucket seats are cut for a 32 to 36 inch waist. If you are around 38 inches, that usually means bolsters pressing into your hips after half an hour, which is the last thing you want in a long race.
This guide picks out the motorsport bucket seats on our site that are sized for a 38 inch waist, explains the difference between steel frame and fibreglass seats on a rig, and flags a few popular seats that are not quite wide enough. Garreth's advice is simple: measure your waist over the clothes you race in, and if you can, come and sit in the seat before you buy.
- Seats listed for a 36 to 40 or 36 to 42 inch waist suit most 38 inch drivers
- Our picks: OMP TRS-E XL, Sparco Evo XL QRT, OMP WRC-R XL and Sabelt Titan XL
- The TRS-E XL is a steel frame seat; the other three are fibreglass
- All four are side mount seats, so your rig needs side mount brackets
- The Sparco Sprint L is cut for a 40 to 42 inch waist
- The Cobra Suzuka T GT and Mirco RS7 are listed for up to 36 inches
Why fit a motorsport bucket seat to a rig
- Fit. Motorsport seats come in several shell widths, so you can choose one that fits, not one that nearly does.
- Posture. A fixed back holds you in a consistent driving position, which helps with long sessions.
- Feel. A seat that holds your hips and shoulders lets you feel what the rig is doing, especially on a motion platform.
- Durability. They are built for use in cars, so a rig is an easy life for them.
- Harnesses. Harness slots let you add a harness to the rig if you want the full feel.
For a bigger driver the first point matters most. A seat that is too narrow is uncomfortable within minutes, and no amount of padding fixes the shell width.
Measuring for a 38 inch waist
Seat makers give a waist range for each shell. Measure your waist and your hips, in the clothes you sim race in, and compare them with the range. At 38 inches you want a seat whose range goes past you, such as 36 to 40 or 36 to 42 inches, so you are not at the very top of it.
Height matters too. Some wide shells are also taller, which suits a tall driver and can make a shorter driver feel lost in the seat. If you are close to the edge of a range, send us your waist, hips and height and we will tell you which shell to choose.
Steel frame pick: OMP TRS-E XL
The TRS-E XL is the wide shell version of OMP's steel frame TRS-E, cut for a 36 to 42 inch waist and listed for drivers under six feet. It is one of the few FIA approved seats that goes this wide at a steel frame price, homologated to FIA 8855-1999.
It has a tubular steel frame, velour trim, removable leg cushions and five harness slots, and it weighs 12.3kg. The XL is side mount only, unlike the standard TRS-E, so your rig needs side mount brackets. Our guide for a 42 inch waist covers it too.
Fibreglass picks
Sparco Evo XL QRT (sim racing version). The larger shell version of Sparco’s Evo, in fibreglass, rated by Sparco for a 36 to 40 inch waist and drivers over six feet. The version we list for sim racing carries a gaming and sim racing approval, not FIA, which is all a rig needs, and it costs less than the FIA version. It is side mount only, in black velour, with six point harness slots and no head support wings.
OMP WRC-R XL. The wide shell WRC-R, 50mm taller and wider than the standard seat, for a 36 to 42 inch waist and drivers under or over six feet. Fibreglass with Airtex trim, high side bolsters, a removable split leg cushion, adjustable lumbar and five harness slots. FIA 8855-1999 approved, side mounted.
Sabelt Titan XL. Sabelt’s large driver seat, for a 36 to 40 inch waist and drivers over six feet. It has high sides with no head restraint, removable cushions with a breathable 3D mesh backrest cushion, and anti-slip material at the shoulders. It weighs 9.9kg, is FIA 8855-1999 approved and side mounts at 290mm spacing.
Popular seats that are not quite right at 38 inches
Some seats we are often asked about for bigger drivers do not fit a 38 inch waist on our listings, so check before you choose them:
- Sparco Sprint L. A steel frame FIA seat that base or side mounts, but the L shell is cut for a 40 to 42 inch waist, and the standard Sprint for a smaller one. If you are 38 inches you are between the two.
- Cobra Suzuka T GT. Cobra’s wider Suzuka, but listed for a 32 to 36 inch waist.
- Mirco RS7. A popular fibreglass FIA seat, listed for a 32 to 36 inch waist.
If you are nearer 36 inches, the Suzuka T GT and the RS7 are both worth a look. If you are nearer 40, the Sprint L comes into play.
Steel frame or fibreglass on a rig?
| Steel frame | Fibreglass | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Usually lower | Usually higher |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Feel | Firm and durable | Stiffer shell, more shaped |
| Mounting | Some base or side mount; the TRS-E XL is side only | Side mount |
On a rig, weight matters less than in a car, unless it is a motion rig with a weight limit. The bigger question is how your rig takes a seat. Most profile rigs take side mount brackets, which suits all four of our picks. If your rig only takes a base mounted seat, check with us before ordering, because none of our four picks base mounts.
Remember the brackets. All of these seats are supplied as the seat only. Many rig makers sell their own side mount brackets, or we can suggest a pair.
Which bucket seat suits a 38 inch waist for sim racing?
On our listings, the OMP TRS-E XL, Sparco Evo XL QRT, OMP WRC-R XL and Sabelt Titan XL are all sized to cover a 38 inch waist.
Does a sim racing seat need to be FIA approved?
No. FIA approval matters in a race car; on a rig, fit and mounting matter more.
Can the OMP TRS-E XL be base mounted?
No. The XL is side mount only, unlike the standard TRS-E.
Will a Sparco Sprint L fit a 38 inch waist?
Our listing gives the Sprint L a 40 to 42 inch waist range, so at 38 inches it is likely to be too wide.
Do these seats come with brackets?
No. They are supplied as the seat only, so you need side mount brackets for your rig.
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Best value at 38 inchesOMP TRS-E XL
A 36 to 42 inch waist shell on a steel frame, side mounted.
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