This guide covers seats you buy to fit a sim rig: fixed bucket seats, reclining seats and what each needs to bolt on. It compares six seats with US prices checked on 19 October 2026.
The site does not test hardware. Prices, stock, size limits and mounting details come from the brand pages. Owner views come from GTPlanet threads from 2014 to 2025, listed under sources, with the year given where it matters. Not enough current owner posts could be found on any one of these six seats to label it owner-reported, so all six are spec-checked.
The seat owners mention most on GTPlanet is the Next Level Racing ES1. Its page showed it out of stock on 19 October, so it is not a pick. The ES1 Hypercool, the ventilated version, is in stock and is listed. Reddit and OverTake could not be opened for this update.
We can’t test everything, so each pick is labelled with where the evidence comes from. How we research and test. Some links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you (disclosure).
The cheapest seat here, and the only one with sliders in the box. NLR lists a wide height range starting at 120 cm, which helps if more than one person uses the rig. One GTPlanet poster (Nov 2024) said it can be bolted straight onto a Trak Racer aluminium profile using its own slider, with no extra bracket. NLR describes the double recliner as built for heavy load cell pedals, which is a brand claim.
Type
Reclining seat, PU leather
Supported height
120 to 210 cm (3'9" to 6'9")
Supported max weight
150 kg (331 lb)
Product weight
17 kg (37.5 lb)
In the box
Seat, seat sliders, mounting hardware
Best for
Shared rigs, mixed gaming and first-time buyers who want sliders included.
Worth knowing
The reclining mechanism is where owners expect flex. No owner reports on this seat under a load cell were found for this guide.
A bucket seat with a wide fit for waists up to 42 inches and a mount for a ButtKicker in the box. NLR describes it as more comfortable than the firmer ES1. On GTPlanet, owners praised the older ES1 (Dec 2023, Apr 2024) and one said NLR's stock F-GT seat was not suited to load cell pedals (Jan 2025). No owner posts on the ES2 itself were found.
A fixed-back fiberglass GT seat sold with or without brackets, so you can match it to a Trak Racer rig or another side-mount rig. Trak Racer lists a 28 to 44 inch waist range. No owner posts on this exact seat were found.
Type
Fixed-back GT bucket, fiberglass shell
Price options
Seat only $349, seat with brackets $399
Recommended waist
28 to 44 inches
Mounting
Side-mount compatible. Sold as seat only or seat with brackets. Seat sliders sold separately
Harness
Listed as suitable for advanced simulator harness setups
Best for
Trak Racer and other side-mount rigs, and drivers who want a locked-in position.
Worth knowing
Sliders cost extra, and a fixed back gives no recline for other games or movies.
A reclining seat that locks the backrest from both sides, which Trak Racer says reduces twist under heavy pedal loads. That is a brand claim. A GTPlanet poster (Nov 2024) said he had read that Trak Racer's reclining seats are not the best for flex. The RE2 is a dual-lock version, and no owner posts on it were found.
Type
Reclining seat with dual-side recline lock
Price options
Seat only $299, seat with brackets $369
Frame
Welded tubular steel, reinforced shoulder structure, cross-braced base
Recommended waist
28 to 44 inches
Mounting
Bottom mount for compatible seat rails, sliders and simulator frames. Sliders sold separately. Sold as seat only or seat with brackets
Best for
Rigs that double as a gaming or flight sim seat, and shared rigs.
Worth knowing
Reclining seats are where owners expect flex, and there is no owner evidence yet on this one under a load cell. Sliders cost extra.
The ventilated version of the ES1. The plain ES1 is the seat GTPlanet owners praised in the threads read (Dec 2023, Apr 2024), but its NLR page showed it out of stock on 19 October 2026, so the Hypercool is the in-stock revision. No owner posts on the Hypercool were found. It has the highest weight rating here at 250 kg.
Type
Bucket seat with two integrated fan motors and adjustable fan speed
Supported height
160 to 210 cm (5'3" to 6'11")
Supported waist
Up to 42 inches
Supported max weight
250 kg (551 lb)
Product weight
12.6 kg (27.8 lb)
Power
12 V 2 A adapter included
Listed as compatible
Elite Series cockpits with side seat brackets, NLR Universal Seat Brackets, third-party side-bracket cockpits
Best for
Hot rooms, long sessions and heavier drivers.
Worth knowing
It needs a power outlet near the seat and costs $599. The box lists no brackets, and NLR's Universal Seat Brackets are $99 extra.
A fixed-back fiberglass seat from NLR's ES3 line, with a custom bracket in the box. It costs more than every other pick here. No owner posts on it were found, so the case for it rests on the spec sheet.
Type
Fixed-back fiberglass bucket
Supported height
150 to 210 cm (4.92 to 6.89 ft)
Supported max weight
150 kg (331 lb)
Product weight
18.8 kg (41.5 lb)
In the box
Seat, custom NLR seat bracket, assembly hardware
Listed as compatible
Elite series cockpits, third-party cockpits with side mounting
Best for
Elite series and side-mount rigs where you want a rigid shell and have the budget.
A fixed bucket holds you in one position. A reclining seat lets you change the backrest angle. Owners on GTPlanet split along use. One poster (Nov 2022) chose a reclining seat pulled from a Miata so he could change position for comfort or for the type of sim, and said racing buckets are bolstered in ways he did not want and are more awkward to get in and out of. Another (Nov 2022) uses a BMW passenger seat for comfort and says his ButtKicker and under-seat subwoofer are probably less effective through the padding but still work well enough.
Older posters (2014) who used cheap bucket seats said a bucket is comfortable for racing but keeps you in one position, which gets tiring if the rig is also your desk, and that padding on cheap seats can be thin. A 2019 poster with a back injury said sitting in any racing bucket for long hurts, and said a gaming-chair seat with a reclining back works best for him. A 2024 poster with a budget cockpit said his seat was rock hard with annoying shoulder bolsters, and a second poster agreed that shoulder bolsters are a poor fit for sim use.
Owners who race only, in one position, often pick a fixed bucket. Owners who share the rig or use it for other games often pick a recliner. The risk with recliners is flex under heavy brake loads, covered below.
Check the seat that came with the cockpit
Many entry cockpits ship with a seat that was designed for light pedals. A January 2025 poster with a Next Level Racing F-GT said the included seat was not suited to load cell pedals: the pressure pushed him back so he could feel the metal structure behind the seat. He upgraded to an ES1.
Two other owners say the ES1 is solid and comfortable once mounted correctly. One bought two for separate cockpits (Dec 2023) and said there was plenty of adjustment from the optional mounts. Another with the same seat on an NLR GT Elite (Apr 2024) called it very comfortable. Neither post covers the ES2 or the ES1 Hypercool.
A May 2025 poster with a GT Omega Prime said the original seat had taken a structural beating from the brake stiffness he runs, with too much play in the incline joints, and asked for a replacement bucket. Another poster (Jun 2023) said the seat in the older NLR GT Track hurt his back after 30 minutes and swapped it for a Sparco.
How a seat attaches to the cockpit
Seats attach in two ways. Bucket seats usually bolt to side brackets. Reclining seats and office-style seats usually bolt through the base. Brands list which they use: Trak Racer says the RE2 recliner is a bottom mount for compatible seat rails and sliders, and the GT Pro bucket is side-mount compatible. NLR lists the ES2 and ES1 Hypercool as compatible with side-mounting cockpits and its Universal Seat Brackets.
Check what is in the box. The NLR ERS3 includes seat sliders. The ES2's box list has a ButtKicker mount and hardware but no sliders. Trak Racer sells the GT Pro and RE2 as seat only or with brackets, and sliders are separate. A Nov 2024 poster asked about fitting an ERS3 to a Trak Racer TR160 and was told that because the ERS3 has a built-in slider, he could skip the Trak Racer slider and bolt the seat directly to the aluminium profile.
Seats can be brand-locked. Fanatec's GT Cockpit Seat ($349.99) is listed as only compatible with the Fanatec ClubSport GT Cockpit, so it is not an option for another rig. Always check the hole pattern and the bracket type with the rig maker before ordering.
Sizing and adjustment
Brands list different limits, so compare them to your own measurements. NLR lists the ES2 for 150 to 210 cm and waists up to 42 inches, the ES1 Hypercool for 160 to 210 cm and waists up to 42 inches, and the ERS3 for 120 to 210 cm. Trak Racer lists a recommended waist of 28 to 44 inches for the GT Pro and the RE2. Each also lists a weight limit: 150 kg for the ES2, ERS3 and ES3 Elite, and 250 kg for the ES1 Hypercool.
A 6 foot, 230 pound buyer (Nov 2022) who wanted room to sit with his legs apart chose to order from a retailer that accepts returns, because he could not judge a seat by specs. Another poster (Jan 2022) warned that a rig or seat set low to the floor gets harder to climb out of as you get older.
If kids or other drivers share the rig, a wide height range and easy slider adjustment help. Of the seats here, the ERS3 lists the widest range.
Used car seats and race seats
Several owners skip sim seats. In Nov 2022 and Feb 2024 threads, posters recommended pulling a seat from a Miata, Honda, Dodge Dart or Ford Focus at a salvage yard. Tips from those threads: use a passenger seat because it is less worn, pick one with manual recline and sliders, and watch for airbags. A 2018 poster added that some seats have airbags and to be careful when removing them.
Others use race seats sold for cars. In May 2025, one owner said a Sparco EVO II is comfortable and recommended Sparco's non-FIA seats, and another (Dec 2024) said a Sparco Sprint takes his 185 cm, 95 kg frame comfortably, mounted with Trak Racer brackets and a slider. No Sparco listing was checked for this guide, so none is a pick here.
Questions buyers ask
Do I need a racing seat for a sim rig?+
No. Owners in GTPlanet threads use salvage-yard car seats, race seats from motorsport brands and sim-specific seats. A seat that fits your rig's brackets, holds you comfortably and does not flex under the brake is what matters.
Should I buy a fixed bucket or a reclining sim racing seat?+
Owners who only race often pick a fixed bucket. Owners who share the rig or use it for other games often pick a recliner. Reclining seats are where owners expect flex under heavy braking, so check the recline lock and your pedal force.
Will any seat fit my cockpit?+
No. Some seats are brand-locked: Fanatec's GT Cockpit Seat is listed as compatible only with the Fanatec ClubSport GT Cockpit. Other seats need side brackets or base mounting. Check the maker's compatibility list.
Do I need seat sliders?+
Only if your rig does not have them. The NLR ERS3 includes sliders. The Trak Racer GT Pro and RE2 are sold with sliders as a separate purchase, and Trak Racer's TR120S V2 and TR160 V5 rigs list a seat slider kit as included.
Does the seat matter with load cell pedals?+
Owners say it can. A poster with an NLR F-GT said the stock seat was not suited to load cell pedals, and a GT Omega Prime owner reported play in the seat's incline joints with a stiff brake setting. A rigid seat and mount stop the pedal force from pushing you back.
What size seat should I buy?+
Use the brand's own limits. NLR lists the ES2 for waists up to 42 inches, Trak Racer lists 28 to 44 inches for the GT Pro and RE2. Buy from a retailer that accepts returns if you are between sizes.
Can I use a Sparco or other car race seat?+
Owners do. One GTPlanet poster (May 2025) said the Sparco EVO II is comfortable. You will need compatible side brackets or a base mount for your rig. No Sparco listing was checked for this guide.
