So I thought about the seats as I drove back to work (yes, I starved myself over my lunch break to try out seats, heh). I guess there's a lot of situations you'd have to think about before you commit to getting one of these.
What kind of harness / support do you need?: obviously, if you're building a track vehicle, a full bucket seat is what you want. And if you're going for a track vehicle, chances are you already know all this. But a major difference (apparently obvious to many, but oblivious to me
) is with the Gias / other reclining seats, you are limited to a four-point harness system. You need a five-point harness? You're stuck with a Zeta III or equivalent full bucket seat. Just the way it is.
How often are you using your car?: If your Z is a daily driver, definitely go for a Stradia or something with low-rise bolsters. The Gias bolsters are SUPERB, I love how they locked me in place. Even just resting on the couch I was nice and snug. However, I would never be able to get in and out of the car easily with those things. Maybe if it's just a weekend warrior you can live with it, but that's your call.
What are your physical attributes?: So I'm a 34 inch waist, and with only a light jacket and some jeans on, the seat is SNUG. The phrase 'fits like a glove' was never better than this. I believe the Gias is advertised to be okay up to a 38 inch waist, but I'm still not 100% sold on that. If you want a really rough idea of how you'd fit, use the picture I posted up above and compare against your back measurement.
Also, if I understand things correctly, the low max system (depending on rails) can lower your driving position by a maximum of three inches. Keep that in mind when you order. This wasn't something I could tell from a simple sit-test. I'd need to be in a car to really feel this one out.
Final comments: To me, getting a proper seat is just as important as working under the hood. And simply put, I like the Gias II. I was chuckling to myself on my way back to work, as I was noticing just how much I was moving around in my seat just from making an easy right hand turn (I'm talking about my daily driver, not my Z).
Back to the Z - The touring seats are good already, but I imagine these will just improve my driving position in my Z. I'd love to get at least a driver side seat, maybe the Gias since I have a daily driver / ground-pounder, so I won't have to deal with the bolster hopping on a daily basis. With that said, I don't think it's particularly necessary to go all out on the passenger side, Euro would suffice there if you want it to match. Personally, I'm leaning towards a black Gias seat to match my passenger's touring seat; at least they can still be comfortable and get in/out of the car easily.
But these seats aren't for everybody. If you have a chance, get out and try them for yourself, nothing beats actual 'seat time'. There's a lot of dimensions to worry about, get one wrong and it could ruin your driving posture / stance / whatever you want to call it. And make sure you get the right rails!
ALSO:
On my way out I snagged the old 2009 BRIDE catalog. It's all in Japanese, but that's okay, the technical stuff is in English, and I can generally pick up the Japanese if necessary. Want some information? I'll be glad to look it up for you (provided you couldn't find it yourself in the first place
)
I'm by no means an expert on these seats, this is just what I think ONLY. There are many more experienced members and vendors here on this board, and I welcome any input / corrections / constructive criticism / whatever anybody might have on my post. As always, I will try to answer any questions you have to the best of my ability, and refer you elsewhere if I cannot do a good job of it. If you would like more pictures, ask away, I will make a list and see if it's possible to go back and snap some more.
Hope this helped some of you! Cheers
