Sim Racing Gifts

Gloves

Gloves are the most common small upgrade in sim racing: they stop sweaty hands slipping on the rim and save suede and Alcantara wheels from wear. Sparco's are made for sims, with touchscreen fingertips so they can stay on between races.

Best for

Any sim racer who wants better grip and less wear on the wheel rim; touchscreen-compatible thumb and index finger.

Worth knowing

Sizing matters (Sparco sizes 08-12) and the retailer listing is per size; not FIA/SFI homologated, so not for real-car racing.

Shifter · PC / PlayStation / Xbox (via a G29, G920 or G923 wheel)

If they already race on a Logitech G29, G920 or G923, this is the cheapest way to add a proper six-speed H-pattern gearbox. It plugs straight into the wheel, so there is nothing to set up.

Best for

Someone who already owns a Logitech G29, G920 or G923 and wants a 6-speed H-pattern manual gearbox.

Worth knowing

Only works with those Logitech wheels; it will not plug into Fanatec, Moza or Thrustmaster bases.

Subscription / gift card · PC only

iRacing is where most serious online sim racing happens. A gift card can pay for membership ($15 a month, $125 a year) or buy the cars and tracks they want next, which takes the guesswork out of choosing.

Best for

Anyone who races, or wants to start, on iRacing; recipient picks membership, cars or tracks.

Worth knowing

iRacing needs a Windows PC; and Steam-linked iRacing accounts cannot use gift cards for subscriptions (only content/hosted sessions).

Gift card · PC

Most PC sims, including Assetto Corsa EVO, Le Mans Ultimate and the F1 games, are sold on Steam. A gift card lets them buy the next game or DLC pack themselves.

Best for

PC sim racers who buy games and DLC on Steam (Assetto Corsa EVO, Le Mans Ultimate, F1, etc.).

Worth knowing

Useless if they race only on PlayStation or Xbox; sender needs a Steam account and must be Steam friends with the recipient.

Book

Ross Bentley's book explains racing lines, braking and car control in plain language. The technique carries straight over to sims, and it is a good pick for someone who is fast but wants to be faster.

Best for

A sim racer who wants to get faster: real racing-driver technique (lines, braking, car control) that transfers to sims.

Worth knowing

Written for real-world track driving, not specifically for sim racing; the 2011 edition predates modern sims.

Gloves

A step up from entry gloves, with a microfibre leather palm that grips well on suede or leather rims. Good for someone who races several nights a week.

Best for

A step-up glove for regular racers; microfibre leather palm for grip on suede or leather rims.

Worth knowing

Only L-XXL listed and reported to run small; a reviewer says the touchscreen fingertip works poorly.

Shoes

Thin, flexible soles let the driver feel exactly how hard they are pressing the pedals. That matters most with load-cell brakes. Alpinestars makes real race boots, and these borrow the same idea for the sim rig.

Best for

Sim racers with pedals who want thin-soled, grippy shoes for better pedal feel.

Worth knowing

Labelled 'Sim Racing Only' (not for real driving); you need their shoe size, and US sizes run 5-13.

Handbrake · PC

Rally and drift games feel incomplete without a handbrake. MOZA's connects by USB, so it works with any wheel brand on PC.

Best for

Rally and drift fans racing on PC (Dirt Rally, EA WRC, Assetto Corsa drift).

Worth knowing

Needs a rig or desk mount to clamp to, and handbrakes are generally a PC-only accessory in rally games.

Shifter · PC via USB; or via a MOZA wheelbase shifter port

A seven-speed-plus-reverse H-pattern shifter that works over USB on PC, whatever wheel they own. Good for road cars, classics, rally and trucks.

Best for

A PC racer who wants a 7-speed-plus-reverse manual gearbox for road cars, rally and trucks.

Worth knowing

Needs a rig or desk mount to clamp to; console use depends on their wheelbase and game.

Wheel + pedal bundle · G29: PS5/PS4/PC; G920: Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC

Still the default first wheel for most people, and the easiest to buy as a gift: it clamps to a desk, includes three pedals and works with almost every racing game. Buy the G29 for PlayStation and the G920 for Xbox. Both work on PC.

Best for

The safe first wheel for a beginner on PlayStation, Xbox or PC; clamps to a desk.

Worth knowing

Gear-driven 2.3 Nm force feedback feels notchy and weak next to direct drive; buy the right version (G29 vs G920) for their console.

Wheel + pedal bundle (direct drive) · Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / PC (a PC-only R3 bundle is $279)

The cheapest way into direct drive force feedback, which is smoother and more detailed than the gear-driven wheels below this price. A big jump for an Xbox or PC racer moving up from a Logitech.

Best for

An Xbox or PC beginner who wants direct drive force feedback at an entry price.

Worth knowing

3.9 Nm is the weakest direct drive base on sale; pedals are two-pedal (no clutch); not compatible with PlayStation.

Wheel + pedal bundle (direct drive) · PS5 / PS4 / PC (a separate Xbox/PC version is $599.99)

Direct drive for PlayStation owners at well under Fanatec prices. A strong pick for a Gran Turismo 7 or F1 player who has outgrown an entry wheel.

Best for

A PlayStation racer (Gran Turismo 7, F1) who wants direct drive without going to Fanatec prices.

Worth knowing

Included Raceline Pedals LTE are only two pedals; the load-cell upgrade kit is sold separately.

Load-cell pedals · PC (with any wheel via USB); PS5/PS4/Xbox with Thrustmaster force feedback bases (not T500)

Load-cell braking (up to 100 kg of force) is the upgrade most sim racers say made them faster, because braking becomes about pressure, not pedal travel, like a real car.

Best for

An upgrade for someone on stock pedals: load-cell brake (up to 100 kg / 220 lb) for more consistent braking.

Worth knowing

On consoles it only works with Thrustmaster bases; needs a rig or solid mounting to get the most from a load-cell brake.

Wheel stand · n/a (Logitech, Moza, Thrustmaster, Fanatec mountable)

A solid, foldable stand that holds the wheel and pedals at the right height, so they can use their own chair and fold it away after. A good gift for someone racing off the edge of a desk.

Best for

Someone racing off a desk who needs a stable, foldable place for wheel and pedals; uses their own chair.

Worth knowing

Rated for wheelbases up to 10 Nm only; seat not included.

Cockpit · n/a (pre-drilled for Logitech, Thrustmaster, Fanatec)

A complete folding cockpit with seat, adjustable between GT and Formula positions. It makes an entry wheel feel far more like a real car, and it folds away when not in use.

Best for

A beginner with a gear-driven or light wheel who wants a foldable full cockpit with seat for GT and F1-style positions.

Worth knowing

Tube-frame 'Lite' rig is aimed at entry wheels; electronics not included and stiffness for strong direct drive is not stated.

Cockpit · All consoles / PC (wheel-agnostic)

The best choice for small homes: it folds flat in seconds with the wheel and pedals still attached and fits drivers from 120 to 220 cm.

Best for

Small homes: folds flat in about 10 seconds with wheel and pedals attached; drivers 120-220 cm, up to 120 kg.

Worth knowing

Limited adjustment (wheel only up/down, pedal tilt fixed); reviewers say not for heavier wheels like Fanatec direct drive.

Monitor stand

Putting the screen close and at eye level is one of the cheapest ways to make a sim feel right. This floor stand sits over a cockpit and can be extended to triple screens later.

Best for

A racer with a cockpit who wants the screen at eye level, close to the wheel, instead of on a desk.

Worth knowing

Triple and quad upgrades cost extra; you need to know their screen size/VESA (200x200 plates supplied).

Wheel + pedal bundle (direct drive) · PC; Xbox only with a Fanatec Xbox-licensed wheel; NOT PlayStation

Fanatec's entry direct drive bundle, with base, wheel and pedals, and an upgrade path most other brands can't match (Boost Kit, load-cell pedals, dozens of wheel rims). For PC racers only, not PlayStation.

Best for

A PC racer ready to step into the Fanatec ecosystem with direct drive; Boost Kit 180 later lifts it to 8 Nm.

Worth knowing

Not PlayStation compatible; included CSL Pedals are two-pedal, non-load-cell (load cell kit is extra).

Wheel + pedal bundle (direct drive) · PS5 / PS4 / PC

The officially licensed Gran Turismo wheel, and the direct drive bundle most PlayStation sim racers aim for. It works on PS5, PS4 and PC.

Best for

The PlayStation and Gran Turismo 7 fan: officially licensed direct drive wheel, base and two pedals.

Worth knowing

Pricey for 5 Nm (8 Nm needs the Boost Kit 180); pedals are two-pedal only.

Wheel base + wheel (direct drive) · PC only, PS/PC or Xbox/PC versions

Logitech's direct drive wheel (8 Nm, with TRUEFORCE) and the natural upgrade for someone who started on a G29 or G920. Note that pedals are sold separately.

Best for

A Logitech G29/G920/G923 owner upgrading to 8 Nm direct drive with TRUEFORCE; RS50 Base, hub, round wheel and table clamp.

Worth knowing

Pedals NOT included (RS Pedals $159.99 extra, bundle discount in cart); pick the right platform version.

Cockpit

An aluminium-profile rig that stays rigid under strong direct drive wheels and load-cell pedals, and can take a seat, monitor stand and shifter mounts as they upgrade.

Best for

A serious racer with a direct drive wheel who wants an aluminium-profile rig that will take upgrades.

Worth knowing

Seat is an optional extra; US shipping limited to the contiguous US.

VR headset · PC VR via Meta Horizon Link (cable or Wi-Fi) with a capable Windows PC; not PlayStation/Xbox

VR gives true depth perception, so judging braking points and gaps to other cars becomes much easier. Many PC racers never go back to a flat screen afterwards.

Best for

A PC sim racer who wants true depth perception in iRacing, Assetto Corsa or Le Mans Ultimate.

Worth knowing

Needs a powerful Windows PC for sim racing; useless for console sims; some people get motion sick.