Features:

  • Real WWII KG12 Grip Replica
  • Ergonomic Grip Angle
  • Smooth Precise Movement
  • Pitch, Roll and Twist Axes
  • Sturdy Internal Structure for Long Use
The Best Single Stick on the Market

I sincerely hope they keep making this stick, and I'd love nothing more than for them to delve into the stick and throttle market. Any flight sim folks know that there's a huge gulf right now in between the affordable joystick, which is missing precision and features, and the good joystick - which, right now, is only an x-52 if you want to roll the dice on reliability, and a thrustmaster warthog if you want the best and have over $400. Everything in between the two is either a compromise or total crap (see: any saitek stick after the X-52). So thank the gods for this stick. Rugged design, precision, great ergonomics, as many buttons as you can fit on one stick...it is the perfect single stick and throttle in the market. I even found myself loving the pinkie switch, because using it with the primary fire buttons creates a second mode. So you have a trigger and a "bomb button," but the pinkie switch lets each of them serve a second function. The only negative I have discovered is that the large trigger is hinged around a metal pin with a hex nut that tends to stick if tightened or not lubricated. Occasionally my trigger would stick in the on position. The fix? Loosen slightly and apply WD40. If that sounds like too much work for you, turn back now and buy a cheap Wingman or Thrustmaster... I've went arms-deep in X-52 wiring more than once just to keep that stick alive, and as many can tell you, it's among the more reliable precision flight sticks. If you want a joystick with amazing feel, huge durability, great looks, and as much functionality as a single stick can hold, then look no further. Until VBK Sim or someone else makes a good stick and throttle combo, this stick is your best bet for both.

None of the pedal options looked great. The CH's are close together and loud

I wanted to post something brief for the people struggling with the same decision I just was: I bought a warthog for Elite Dangerous and I need to control the rudder somehow. None of the pedal options looked great. The CH's are close together and loud. Anything under $200 is plastic. The holygrail of the rudder peddle world (Crosswinds) are 350 euros and you have to send away to Germany for them. So I cheaped out. I bought the CH pedals and immediately hated them. The center detent is obnoxious, they are huge, and sound like a bolt action rifle being fired. Not a fan. And so, having already spent far more than I had really wanted to, I did the only logical thing. I spent more. Enter these lovely little things. They are small, elegantly designed and pretty customizable. And they are SILENT. I swapped the cam around to lower the detent in center as I was using them to steer the SRV and I raised the tension a bit. Plus they came with a useless, but absolutely neat little keychain. Are they expensive? Yes. More than you want to spend? Ok. But they are solid as a rock and are an absolutely perfect companion to the Warthog in Elite. o7 CMDRs

Destroys the X-55 in comfort alone.

This is hands down the best flight stick I have ever used. I primarily use it to play Elite Dangerous, so keep that in mind. Currently, I'm also using this in tandem with the X-55 Throttle, which is to say, not ideal due to the fact that half of the X-55 buttons don't work anymore. Having said all that, this stick is incredible. The movement along all axes is buttery smooth. There is a looseness to the stick around the center point that feels faulty at first, but soon you'll realize how necessary this is for fine adjustments. With the tension of the X-55, I found myself over correcting constantly when trying to make minimal adjustments to dogfighting, often shooting past targets. I blamed my clumsy hands for the longest time, at least until using the VKB Gladiator. I really can't stress enough how good this stick feels. That alone makes it worth the price, in my opinion. However, I am using this primarily with a VR headset. The additional buttons, while nice, aren't very useful if you plan on using this with a HOTAS/VR setup. I still haven't mapped any of these buttons. Also, the pinky shift button takes some getting used to (I would really love to remap it as a standard input, or at least a "toggle" instead). Additionally, the thumb hat is not the greatest. The flat design puts it just over the edge into "slightly cumbersome" territory, especially when hitting "right" as your thumb will collide with the bulkier part of the flightstick. A witch hat would have alleviated all of these issues, in my opinion. So why am I still giving this five stars? Well, as I mentioned earlier, the stick just FEELS good. Better than any flight stick I've used before. My current complaints with this stick go away as soon as I invest in a throttle that isn't complete garbage (seriously Saitek, good riddance). As it stands right now, I have to rely on the Gladiator hat to navigate menus, while pinky shift + hat switch to engage vertical and lateral thrust. With a proper, non-Saitek setup you'll adore this stick, guaranteed. If you plan on using this stick by itself, you'll find plenty to love as well. The mini throttle feels weighted and smooth, and does its job well (I have it currently setup for radar zoom). There are honestly enough buttons on this stick alone that using a HOTAS is more of a preference over necessity.

Exceptional product

Received my VKB T-Rudder MKIV pedals last night, and here is a quick review. I purchased the T-Rudder pedals to replace my aging set of CH Pro Pedals USB that have a low fidelity USB controller and analog potentiometers. In my review I will compare the CH pedals I have been using for more than a decade to the VKB MKIV pedals. Attached pictures show a general size and width comparison to the CH pedals. My CH pedals still function, but they lack precision and they “spike” (you can see the pedal response jump and jitter around as you push left and right in a joystick testing program). It was time to replace them, and after doing some online research I decided to go with the VKB T-Rudder pedals. Ordering, shipping, and packaging: Ordering was a breeze (I got my directly from [...] and they are also available on Amazon in the US). They shipped quickly, and the packaging is solid and efficient. Everything you need to adjust the pedals to suit you is included as well as a really cool keychain with a replica trigger from a KG-12 control stick found in Luftwaffe fighters from WWII and early Russian jet fighters. Overall look and feel: Pictures do not do the pedals justice. They are solidly built and give off a glow of quality and craftsmanship. The design is complexly-simple for lack of a better word. The pedal actuation uses an up/down motion similar to the pedals in a car when flat on the floor. I find it very comfortable and easy to use. My feet are relaxed and fine control takes no thought or concentration. I use an office chair and my floor is tile. The pedals do not slip or slide around when in use like my CH pedals did. Setup: Out of the box you only need to attach two hex nuts and the cables. By default the cam is set with a center detent. It is very simple and easy to flip the cam around for a much smoother transition from left to right as you cross center (video here: [...] I never liked the center detent on my CH pedals, so I followed along with the video and swapped the cam before attaching the T-Rudder pedals to my PC. I also moved the spring tension mount (also shown in the video), because I wanted a little more resistance. The whole operation took about 7 minutes using my phone as a timer. Function: The T-Rudder pedals were recognized immediately when plugged into my USB hub. They are perfectly calibrated, and ridiculously precise. No jitter, and the smoothest response you can imagine from 0-100%. They center perfectly and operate like the finely oiled machine they are. The CH pedals feel barbaric by comparison. Virtual Flying and thoughts: I jumped into IL2:Battle of Stalingrad and then Digital Combat Simulator to take the VKB T-Rudder pedals for a test drive. The difference was night and day compared to the CH pedals they replaced. I noticed an immediate improvement taxing, making coordinated turns, and making gun passes on air and ground targets. I can best describe them as “telepathic”. You don’t have to think about using them, and in a dogfight I am no longer distracted by (or fighting) the transitions from left to right as my feet work the pedals. The only minor negative I can find is the lack of separate axes for toe brakes that were present on the CH pedals. I knew when I bought the T-Rudder pedals that this was the case, and VKB provides a software solution to emulate the toe brake function. My personal preference is flying virtual planes that do not have toe brakes, and instead use a lever and rudder input when taxing. So this minor “negative” does not impact me much at all. Summary: To sum up the results far exceed my expectations. I am 100% satisfied, and I am confident that I will be enjoying the T-Rudder pedals for many years to come. Anyone looking to add rudder pedals to their simulation setup, or to replace an older set of pedals, should really consider the VKB T-Rudder MKIVs. They are an outstanding product.

Got it for Elite Dangerous

Has enough buttons for elite dangerous, for what that's worth. I went with this over others as its got easy access mounts for screwing it into your desk and doesn't have all that plastic 'elite gamer' froo froo crap all over it. Software isn't the most intuitive, but I got the essentials figured out within a couple minutes of tinkering and actually reading the instructions.

I am extremely happy with this flight stick.

Pros: Soft stick springs, firm and smooth throttle, high quality buttons, rubber feet, metal base, small foot-print, awesome trigger and safety feature. Cons: lack of 2-4 buttons on the stick (not a big deal), almost too many buttons on the base and not enough spacing to put labels on them (not a big deal), and not enough cons for this list. :-) The grip feels comfortable in the hand and the stick's springs are pretty soft, just the way I like it. Most sticks out there I find have strong springs and with helicopter flying I find myself fighting the spring a lot but, not this stick, I highly recommend this stick for helicopter flying. The throttle is small but, the best built in throttle I have ever used on a flight stick, it has a smooth resistance feel to it, its hard to explain but it basically doesn't go none to full throttle quickly and feels really smooth, perfect for small adjustments and helicopter flying. The buttons are very high quality and are in descent positions.

An Absolute Steal From VKB

This stick should cost more. Flat out it is a great deal, and has all the features of some much more expensive sticks but at about half the cost. With some 20+ buttons and switches, it's difficult to get more customization out of a single stick. The mode switch effectively doubles the functions of all the buttons along the base nearest the user, and the modifier button that rests under the pinky makes for double the trigger/bomb functions. The software to configure everything is less than ideal, but it's not needed as the geniuses at VKB had the foresight to design the stick for plug-n-play use. The actual action of the stick couldn't be described as anything less than glorious. An unbelievably smooth movement and wicked sharp sensors makes this stick an absolute knockout for the price. The stick does have some registered play in what many consider the "deadzone" around the center of the stick, but this was intentionally put there by the designers to make it easier to finely aim near the center of the craft's flightpath. All in all, I absolutely love this stick, and I'm looking forward to put more hours on it than I already have. Highly recommended.

Best fight stick I've ever used!

After having 2 flight sticks, Saitek Cyborg X and then a Mad Catz F.L.Y. 5 (same flight stick). Over the course of 6 years, it was time for a change. Looking at what was out there for a fight stick, they really weren't offering much from what I had. The big problem from both of mine was that the twist would start having problems. That's why I bought another one, but it too when the same way. The Gladiator is awesome. It feels solid. works just as it should and the first thing I noticed was how butter smooth it was. It's like I just found out what a real fight stick could be. So much better. Worth the wait. The build quality is great and the weight is about 3 times what my old one was. Super grippy feet on the metal plate. Throttle is smooth. Twist is tight with short rotation that works very well. Some of the reviews I saw here almost had me thinking twice about getting it, but I don't like the build quality that I'm seeing from other companies. You should read up on this company and see that they have a real passion for flight controls. I use this mostly for Arma 3 flying helicopters and jets. I think you could use it on most fight style games or simulators. I look forward to other products from VKB.

a $150 joystick for $99.99

This stick is the best I have owned. It is sturdy and accurate. It does lack the sheer number of buttons seen on competitor offerings but the build quality more than makes up for that. The software is not great but adequate. I am seriously considering buying a second one and having a left hand stick printed...it is that good. If i purchased a second i would honestly go for the pro version for the improved internals as I don't see a need for a second twist axis. I would like the pinky button to be an actual button and not a second toggle but the decision was clearly to allow this setup to have more programmable buttons which is understandable considering the fact that there is basically a trigger and a hat which can be reached with hands on, and the remaining 13 actual buttons are located around the base. The inclusion of a throttle on the base is also only there to meet a requirement. There is no way to easily use that throttle unless your left hand is free and you are using this stick in a central position on your desk. Also if you have very large hands this will feel very small. my right hand only fits because the hat is on the left side of the stick. i tried to use it lefty and it was simply in the way. I hope vkb makes a throttle to pair with this also because it seems there is an unused port on the back of the base for this, and the software seems to be looking for the pedals and a separate throttle. Lastly there is the issue of waiting 1-2 months for one of these. I say it is worth it when compared to buying an x-56 which you may have to RMA within that time frame. I can only imagine how nice the pro version must feel and I would say that is a more worthy stick for $250 than the saitek.

The best I've had so far

Got started with an X-52, then moves to a CH setup, then this. The Gladiator stick is the best I've had (although the CH combat stick was also great). The accuracy, tension, and return to center and a cut above the previous two. In addition there is no jitter in center position and thus no need for a dead zone. Could use more buttons but the "alt" button on the base of the front of the stick gives dual function to all the buttons on the stick itself.

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