Yet another budget rudder pedal question, and a toe brake question too.

Newbie here, on a budget of about 200 dollars. Undecided between VKB and the Saitek/Logitech Proflight pedals.

1. Are the Saitek and Logitech the same?

2. I gather from reviews here that the VKB is better quality. So, how much better? And is it worth giving up the toe brakes?

3. If I get the VKB, can I get a third pedal that could ac as a wheel brake pedal? Something inexpensive. Is it even feasible to take your foot off the rudder pedal to apply wheel brakes?

I am happy with the VKB, much much better than my previous TM TFRP.

Loosing the toe brakes was also a concern but I decided to push the trigger and I don’t regret it.

In fact you can bind a modifier key and when depressed, your rudder will works as differential brakes (like Mig). In fact, with this binding all the plane can be taxiing has if they had differential brakes instead of toe brakes. No totally realistic but it works well and the VKB are top quality, a pleasure to use when flying.

However, I can’t answer your precise questions, no experience with the Saitek/Logitech or mix setup

Newbie here, on a budget of about 200 dollars. Undecided between VKB and the Saitek/Logitech Proflight pedals.

 

1. Are the Saitek and Logitech the same?

2. I gather from reviews here that the VKB is better quality. So, how much better? And is it worth giving up the toe brakes?

3. If I get the VKB, can I get a third pedal that could ac as a wheel brake pedal? Something inexpensive. Is it even feasible to take your foot off the rudder pedal to apply wheel brakes?

I have the TM TRFP, Saitech/Logitech Pro and the CH Products Pro pedals. The ones I use are the CH products, the rest are in the garage. I interface them directly to DCS (plugged them in and hit adjust controls), they work very well. They are on the light side but this makes them not move around on their rubber feet like the other and you get to appreciate their smooth functionality including the toe brakes that work well. I bought them because of the recommendation on this forum, and the guys were right. Haven't flown the VKB, but these shall be combined with a Russian grip with the brake lever on the grip (has historical reasons). I have such a grip, the Virpil MG-C2 but use the brake lever for other things (Zoom view).

No wish to sell VKB at all but saying that they shall be combined with a Russian grip with the brake lever is not true. For sure, it would be better and more realistic but a simple button works well. I use a TM F18 stick and bind the VKB rudder brake modifier on my throttle. I also use Virpil stuff and find these pedals a good match regarding their quality/precision without breaking the wallet.

IMO, in the budget, can’t go wrong with CH or VKB

I like my VKB pedals. I don't fly warbirds a ton but I use a modifier for differential brakes when I do, works just fine. Feels amazing for helicopters though.

1 - Yes Saitek products is now under Lotigech G brand.

2 - Yes, VKB T-Rudder materials (steel, aluminum), construction, sensor and electronics is "high end" like MFG, VirPil, TPR pedals.

Logitech G PRO Pedal is entry level product, like TFRP, CH PRO, made in plastic using cheap/low quality potentiometer.

Only get this model if you can't live without "toe brakes", a very secondary thing used only for taxi and not all planes in flight games have this feature (e.g. Spitfire, Mig-21).

3- An awkward option, just use VKB T-Link for emulate "differential brakes (like Spitfire, MiG-21 brakes) in joy/throttle button for any plane in any game, is not need in IL-2:B0'x"x that have this feature native for all planes.

If eventually you bough VirPil T50, VFX, Alpha or VKB MCG grips with analog brake lever you have proportional brake (differential brakes).

Then is a trade; a secondary feature, used only in taxi X quality, precision, durability.

It comes down to what type of aircraft you like to fly , and what joystick you have . If you prefer eastern aircraft , or the Spitfire , and have a VKB or Virpil stick , the VKB pedals are fine . Also great for choppers , regardless of stick .

Most western aircraft use toe brakes , and i find them much easier to use with those aircraft . For that reason , i use the CH pedals , which are very long-lasting , and available for $130 or so .

I have pedals from both and prefer the vkb way over the saitek

Thanks guys. So, now to decide between the CH and the VKBs. Love the looks and build quality of the VKBs, and maybe toe brakes not so important I guess.

If you do helicopters or jets I would suggest the VKB.

Wheel brakes are nice and all, but honestly not much so that I wouldn't be able to use a bind somewhere for them.

Might be iffy to use a second pedal for the wheel brake since you often need to use the rudders for steering at the same time, and you need both feet for the pedals to work.

Only thing where I would consider toe-brakes important would be for tail dragging warbirds, and I still think you can get far using button binds for that.

The CH pedals are so awkwardly angled for me the only way I could ever use them was by pushing with my toes against the heal rest and I never really used them at all.

I mostly played elite dangerous while I owned my ch kit, so no need for toe-brakes there.

I would definitely pick the VKB over the CH, which are plastic, rolling pedals that will collect dirt, get bumby and won't stay smooth for long, cleaning them is a nightmare, the wires inside there are short, and really thin, just opening them cut the cable to my right toe-brake, and in the end cleaning the rails didn't do much at all for the smoothness.

So I took that as an excuse to buy some MFG's :P

If you do helicopters or jets I would suggest the VKB.

 

Wheel brakes are nice and all, but honestly not much so that I wouldn't be able to use a bind somewhere for them.

 

Might be iffy to use a second pedal for the wheel brake since you often need to use the rudders for steering at the same time, and you need both feet for the pedals to work.

 

Only thing where I would consider toe-brakes important would be for tail dragging warbirds, and I still think you can get far using button binds for that.

The CH pedals are so awkwardly angled for me the only way I could ever use them was by pushing with my toes against the heal rest and I never really used them at all.

I mostly played elite dangerous while I owned my ch kit, so no need for toe-brakes there.

 

I would definitely pick the VKB over the CH, which are plastic, rolling pedals that will collect dirt, get bumby and won't stay smooth for long, cleaning them is a nightmare, the wires inside there are short, and really thin, just opening them cut the cable to my right toe-brake, and in the end cleaning the rails didn't do much at all for the smoothness.

 

So I took that as an excuse to buy some MFG's :P

I would love the MFGs, but am such a noob, I just can't justify that price. Thanks. Will go with the VKBs.

I would love the MFGs, but am such a noob, I just can't justify that price. Thanks. Will go with the VKBs.

I never think nice things are a waste in people's hands if they aren't the greatest. Many a very amateur golfer can enjoy and appreciate good quality clubs. Sure some talented person with clubs a tenth of the cost may preform better but that doesn't take away the enjoyment of using nice things.

Anyway the VKBs should be good quality, I have got through a pair of Thrustmaster T-Flight and Saiteks and ended up returning/selling both as they felt so cheap. I guess this is because I am used to a decent set of sim racing pedals, which I am using until I can get something decent for flying.

If I had to justify buying things on my flying ability I would need to be looking in the free to collect ads!

 

I never think nice things are a waste in people's hands if they aren't the greatest. Many a very amateur golfer can enjoy and appreciate good quality clubs. Sure some talented person with clubs a tenth of the cost may preform better but that doesn't take away the enjoyment of using nice things.

 

Anyway the VKBs should be good quality, I have got through a pair of Thrustmaster T-Flight and Saiteks and ended up returning/selling both as they felt so cheap. I guess this is because I am used to a decent set of sim racing pedals, which I am using until I can get something decent for flying.

Spot on, but, this is a new hobby in a long line of ongoing expensive hobbies :)

Heh I wasn't even flight simming when I switched from CH to a virpil setup.

It actually started with the pedals after a buddy ordered a set I kinda needed a pair, and this spurred me on to try cleaning my CH that ended up breaking one of my toe brakes.

At that time I was pretty much only playing Elite dangerous, first time I had a stick since descent, wing commander etc.

The new pedals though was a massive upgrade, so much so that next month I ordered a virpil t50 stick.

I had spent over $800 on kit before I even downloaded DCS, and had yet to get the throttle, which I did promptly a few months later, I believe I was on the first or second batch of regular orders of the t50 throttle.

I'm still far from a 'good pilot's heck I have now been playing DCS for over a year and I have yet to barely engage in hornet bvr/bfm