Seat for big guys 2022

[SFBayCat]

Okay Sim Racers, I'm on the hunt for a seat for my soon to be purchased sim rig cockpit. I plan on buying the RSeat C1 by cyber Monday 2022. It does come with a number of Sparco seat options. If did have a seat included it, I choose the Sparco EVO XL. I assume the XL is for bigger people. I'm no giant but, I am 6'0 tall, 230lbs and I sit with my legs spread. Racing seats look a little confining and I feel uncomfortable in tight spaces. I don't do well on long flights in the middle seat...lol.

If I don't include a seat with my purchase I can save $400 US. Of course I would still need to purchase a seat. I'm going to do some research but, I would love to get some feedback from anyone that has some experience and knowledge. My two criteria are durability and "big guy" comfort. Oh and BTW, I am not looking for a all-in-one type seat or desk seat. I am only looking for a seat that will fit on a cockpit rig. Suggestions anyone? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tornado]

I would legitimately suggest going to a junkyard and yanking something out a Miata or 90s Honda (Prelude, EP/EK, Integra) or Impreza or Corvette that's clean and in good condition. I've done that for all of my gaming chairs for the past 6-ish years with great results (I currently have a "main" seat out of an NA and a spare out of a C4), and looking at how the actual seat mounts work on the RSeat C1 (a flat piece of metal with slots cut into it) I suspect it would be pretty trivial to attach a real car seat to it unless the car seat had really weird mounting in the car it came from. It definitely would cost a lot less than $400.

 

[SFBayCat]

That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. I think I'm going to save the $400 and get a real leather seat that I wouldn't cry about if I needed to replace it. Thank you.

 

[Daz555]

Tip on getting a used car seat. Get a passenger seat as they are used less than the driver's side and so the seat will be less worn - including the hidden stuff like padding and springs.

 

[SFBayCat]

Tip on getting a used car seat. Get a passenger seat as they are used less than the driver's side and so the seat will be less worn - including the hidden stuff like padding and springs.

Excellent point! Thank you.

 

[Northstar]

One alternative to the junkyard seat is getting one from a site like Jegs or Summit. This is what I did a few years ago and it’s still holding up.

When I built my cockpit a few months back I used an old, cheap office chair I had lying around. It turned out pretty much as one would expect and broke after a couple months. Originally my plan was to replace it with a used car seat but everything I found was either in rough shape, expensive or had electric adjustments. So I broke down and bought a new one. It doesn't look much like a proper race seat, but I figured I would go for comfort.

I was kind of worried when I ordered it though as there seemed to be conflicting information as to whether or not it came with the slider assembly. Thankfully it did (although it was a pain to assemble) and it actually worked perfectly with how I had the old seat mounted.

View attachment 890437

My next project is making a small table to sit next to it as I'm currently using the G29 box for that purpose (adding a bluetooth keyboard & mouse is also on my list).

 

[SFBayCat]

One alternative to the junkyard seat is getting one from a site like Jegs or Summit. This is what I did a few years ago and it’s still holding up.

Another great idea! Thanks.

 

[SFBayCat]

After further research, I've decide to go fixed mount versus recliner. I've heard, it's more intense and you get a better feel for the road. I'm a GT racer and (no offense but...) I don't plan on F1 racing. I will be the only one in the sim so, once I find that sweet spot, that's it. The hunt continues...

 

[FPV MIC]

Tip on getting a used car seat. Get a passenger seat as they are used less than the driver's side and so the seat will be less worn - including the hidden stuff like padding and springs.

👍 I'm using a passenger seat from a BMW for exactly that reason. The equivalent driver seat was worn and shabby and full of electronics so it was extremely heavy. The passenger seat was like new, had no electronics but it still had great adjustability and had the added bonus of a slide out under seat storage tray.

@SFBayCat Fellow big guy here, I wouldn't worry about the extra road feel unless you're going into a full motion rig. I have a ButtKicker mounted to my rig and a subwoofer under my seat and while they're probably not quite as effective with all the padding my seat has, they still work well enough to give me an extra layer of immersion... and I wouldn't trade my comfort for anything

There's also days when I just want a more relaxed drive and I honestly don't think I'd be happy in a more race orientated seat, but that's just my personal preference.

 

[SFBayCat]

👍 I'm using a passenger seat from a BMW for exactly that reason. The equivalent driver seat was worn and shabby and full of electronics so it was extremely heavy. The passenger seat was like new, had no electronics but it still had great adjustability and had the added bonus of a slide out under seat storage tray.

@SFBayCat Fellow big guy here, I wouldn't worry about the extra road feel unless you're going into a full motion rig. I have a ButtKicker mounted to my rig and a subwoofer under my seat and while they're probably not quite as effective with all the padding my seat has, they still work well enough to give me an extra layer of immersion... and I wouldn't trade my comfort for anything

There's also days when I just want a more relaxed drive and I honestly don't think I'd be happy in a more race orientated seat, but that's just my personal preference.

@FPV MIC I here you on that comfort thing. I'm keeping my options open. My racing-rig is also going to double as my space-sim-rig. That's a lot of seat time. I'm spending a few extra bucks and purchasing (what seems to be), a well cushioned, quality fixed seat. I'm still concerned about the size because I need my wiggle room so, I'm buying through Amazon so I can send it back if I doesn't fit my liking. Return shipping is usually free but, I've never sent an item this big and heavy back before.

After all the research on wheel bases, pedals, screen setups and chassis', I never considered what a tough time I was going to have choosing a seat.

 

[TimonBoss351]

Tip on getting a used car seat. Get a passenger seat as they are used less than the driver's side and so the seat will be less worn - including the hidden stuff like padding and springs.

Great minds think alike. I went to a U Pull It junkyard yesterday and found a great condition passenger seat in both a Dodge Dart and a Ford Focus. Both sporty seats, both were very comfortable and both had manual controls. That’s the other thing you want is manual recline and sliders.

You will need the 45 or 50 star bit for the Focus seats and one of the mortorq bits for the Mopar seat.

If airbags are still in them the cost is $52 with taxes. Found a few very nice seats in some Chevys but someone has slashed them in the back to get stuff out of them. I didn’t want to worry about getting the seat repaired.