Best joystick without getting a divorce

So. I have been using a thrustmaster T fight hotas x for about 5 years and it to be fair has served me well.

However I have now gotten bitten by the DCS bug and dont feel that th stick quite cuts it regarding fine control.

I recently picked up a used x55 throttle which needs repair but I have no issue doing that, however I need a stick to go with it. I have been reading around and the scare stories basically boil down to get a Virpil/VKB or go home. Now I would love a gunfighter 2 with MCG grip or even better the new Virpil F14 replica as I pretty much exclusively fly the F14 now, but damn they are expensive. I just don't think I can sneak that past the missus.

As a compromise I have been looking at the VKB gladiator mk2 as a compromise. Is it a good choice or is there another stick I am missing out on?

PS I don't like the look of the TM 16000M despite how good it is. The VKB looks more like a proper stick.

Regards

FC

Hey,

the VKB Gladiator MK2 is a good device to see what is possible aside of Logitech, TM and all that "toys" to compare with. I shot it for around 100€ with VAT and shipping and I can really recommend it. For me it is/was the nearly perfect table-top-solution, one device with nearly everything I need. Buttons, Twist and a hell of a complete new feeling regarding the gimbal and it´s smoothness when used in Heliborne, ArmA3 and War of Thunder.

Only the lack of a more complex/modern Grip for the Gladiator-Base with some more button and HAT-options hurt me on the long run - this is why I´m still not flying DCS right now.

But for me it was just a small backup to my decision to the next step - pre-ordering that cool F14-Grip, the WarBRD-Base and the T50CM-Throttle, now waiting for the dispatch. Man am I curious about that gear coming to me..

If you do require more hats (and you will in DCS) have a look at the CH Fighterstick . 4 hats , 3 buttons plus trigger and using high-quality components .

How can we recommend a good stick if you place arbitrary conditions on it? There is no shortcutting a good flight experience with shoddy gear, so read into that what you will!

Or rob a bank maybe?

:music_whistling: :music_whistling: :music_whistling:

Budgets aren't arbitrary conditions.

I recently picked up a used x55 throttle which needs repair but I have no issue doing that, however I need a stick to go with it.

Get Gladiator Mk.II ($85) and (or after) the "X" Upgrade with SCG grip ($100) or SCG Premium ($140), what will beat any other stick in this price range ($185 - 225), with contacless sensor in X,Y and twist axes.

If you have no issues for fix a X-55 throttle, can consider (if wife will not beat you): :)

Get a used CH FigtherStick (due their 20 buttons) and 3D Print a CAM gimbal, for get rid of their "clunck" gimbal and replace their (obsolete) electronics/pot with Arduino + MMjoy2 and TLE5011 contacless sensor. Probable ending cost $150/200 but again beat any commercial option by the same price.

How can we recommend a good stick if you place arbitrary conditions on it? There is no shortcutting a good flight experience with shoddy gear, so read into that what you will!

 

Or rob a bank maybe?

 

:music_whistling: :music_whistling: :music_whistling:

Glad your doing so well! I have many other hobbies, family, mortgage and all that to deal with. Money only goes so far. I could save up but if I said to the missus, here look at this £400 joystick I'd never hear the end of it.

Budgets aren't arbitrary conditions.

Agreed!

Get Gladiator Mk.II ($85) and (or after) the "X" Upgrade with SCG grip ($100) or SCG Premium ($140), what will beat any other stick in this price range ($185 - 225), with contacless sensor in X,Y and twist axes.

 

If you have no issues for fix a X-55 throttle, can consider:

 

Get a used CH FigtherStick (due their 20 buttons) and 3D Print a CAM gimbal, for get rid of their "clunck" gimbal and replace their (obsolete) electronics/pot with Arduino + MMjoy2 and TLE5011 contacless sensor. Probable ending cost $150/200 but again beat any commercial option by the same price.

I like the idea of upgrading the gladiator later but I thought the upgrade kit to allow other grips was now discontinued?

Or do I just bite the bullet save up and sneak the VKB or Virpil in the house?

As a fellow dad, who also started with a Hotas X.

CH Fighterstick USB. I picked one up used off ebay for $50. Works great in modern planes, is near identical to the F-16/A-10 (Missing paddle switch, that's it). People complain about the resolution, but it's LIGHT YEARS better than the Hotas X, and I honestly don't know that I'm going to bother upgrading it.

Yeah , i hear the "but it's only 8-bit" thing too . Classic case of falling for marketing bs . One division at web-of-hand height would be about .02 inches . Who can discern a hand movement that fine ? I even use it for a helo cyclic without issue . Granted , for an extended stick , higher res might be a valid wish , but for a desktop stick-not so much .

Go through the wife’s makeup and skin care products. Do the math. Then go buy yourself a proper flight system. :thumbup:

:megalol: naw , she'd just say she's doing all that for him :)

Go through the wife’s makeup and skin care products. Do the math. Then go buy yourself a proper flight system.

Forgiveness usually comes easier than permission.

Live it!

I think a bunch of ya'll never had a healthy marriage...

A game is a game, a wife is for life.

Yeah , i hear the "but it's only 8-bit" thing too . Classic case of falling for marketing bs . One division at web-of-hand height would be about .02 inches . Who can discern a hand movement that fine ? I even use it for a helo cyclic without issue . Granted , for an extended stick , higher res might be a valid wish , but for a desktop stick-not so much .

The issue is I hear it has a hard centre detent which to me is offputting. I like my stick move off centre easily so fine adustments are natural but have some stiffness moving away. I don't know that the CH will do this from what I heard.

Go through the wife’s makeup and skin care products. Do the math. Then go buy yourself a proper flight system. :thumbup:

My wife is a diamond and she doesn't spend her cash or mine on sich things. She often sacrifices money she has been saving to pay for something needed for the kids or house. I feel a little guilty slapping down £400 on a flight stick when she has just spent her savings on some new clothes for the kids.

Forgiveness usually comes easier than permission.

 

 

Live it!

True

I think a bunch of ya'll never had a healthy marriage...

 

A game is a game, a wife is for life.

My wife is awesome and would never say I couldn't have it. Makes it worse sometimes though as my conscience says have to 'do the right thing' haha.

I guess this is more an issue of my mental state regarding sticks.

I have the ch fighterstick, it's a very light stick, so yes, there's a center detent of sorts, but coming from a hotas X? It's almost non existent.

(Again, I did the Hoyas X to ch fighterstick)

And its 50$ used, and can be resold for 50$ if you dont like it. :)

I have the ch fighterstick, it's a very light stick, so yes, there's a center detent of sorts, but coming from a hotas X? It's almost non existent.

(Again, I did the Hoyas X to ch fighterstick)

 

And its 50$ used, and can be resold for 50$ if you dont like it. :)

True, however on Ebay at the moment the only one in the UK is £150 which is 50% more than the VKB Gladiator.

Would the CH stick still be better?

Wow, that's crazy about the price!

My only concern with the gladiator is it has so few hats. Not an issue if you only fly the tomcat I guess, but if you ever wanted to fly an a10, hornet, viper or harrier it would be sorely lacking.

Would the two hats and mouse stick on my x55 throttle not suffice in addition to the one on the stick? I also can have modifiers for the single hat in the stick?

Would the two hats and mouse stick on my x55 throttle not suffice in addition to the one on the stick? I also can have modifiers for the single hat in the stick?

You can learn anything with muscle memory and time. The fancier HOTAS make it easier, but are not required. A good stick (gimbal and sensor) is more important than total button/hat count.

If memory serves the Gladiator Mk II has a gimbal similar to CH in design.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gladiator Mk.II KG-12A grip is too limited for use in "jets":

Is just two buttons + POV HAT - this placed in the most awkward position in any stick until now, that associated with pink (shift) button allow you use more 6 "virtual" buttons (plus + 6 in mode 2).

If you use with X-55 throttle, the (13) buttons in Gladiator base will have little use in flight.

Gladiator Mk. II gimbal is "clone" of CH gimbal (a kind of U-Join), but improved with grooves in pivot axes and damper grease, what minimize the spring back effect and make the center "clunck" of this gimbal mechanics less noticeable.

Anyway, Gladiator biggest plus is the contact less sensor (VKB MaRS) in X, Y and twist axes, and ARM32 USB controller. CH still using potentiometer, that soon or latter cause

Besides the 'X' upgrade ($100-$140) an DIY person can improve their grip with 3D printer parts, adding HAT ans buttons since since their controller (theoretically) support up to 120 buttons, are some examples in VKB forum.

Then if your budget is limited to $100 Gladiator is your best option.

I like the idea of upgrading the gladiator later but I thought the upgrade kit to allow other grips was now discontinued?

No, the 'X' upgrade, announced a more than year only recently became available - for USA and Russian market, for EU still "coming soon™". ;)

Do you think that there is any chance of a gladiator pro for EU any time soon?

I like the idea of the cam gimbal and swappable grips.

I think that Gladiator PRO was discontinued for good.

Although VKB PR give a elusive answer when asked about. :)

Yes, that is really that sad.

The pro-version with it´s buttons on the base, full-metal-gimbal, changeable grips and a twist-function (that addon which seems like vapor-ware for now) would be the best all-in-one-table-top-solution in my humble opinion - but seems like never going to happen. So this made me go full Virpil..

Playing devils advocate I guess they would sell much fewer of their more expensive stick/bases if they kept the Gladiator Pro in the range.