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#4523861 - 06/04/20 11:27 PM VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ?  
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They have a new model out, and I am very intrigued. However It will cost me $412 Canadian in the end. $108 of that will be on bloody tariffs.
I know they make very high quality stuff, but this is a lower end model. It replaced the Gladiator Mk II. I'm hesitant to pull the trigger as they are made and shipped from China.
I know there were models similar to the Gladiator made under the FlashFire and Cobra brands (made in China), they have very poor reviews.
VKB Gladiator K

Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4523921 - 06/05/20 09:58 AM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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I've been waiting since April 29th when i pulled the trigger on a VKB Gunfighter Mk.III ‘Modern Combat Edition’. It was shipped first week of May and still shows in transit in the air, must be a ton of air to air refuelling going on and the guy is just doing lazy figure eights somewhere over the Pacific.

I did weeks of yt vid watching, strip downs, reviews, comparisons, forum reading etc before deciding on it. The Warthog lost out straight up and then it was a near coin flip between VKB or a Virpil with Virpil losing out due to too many negative stories about after sales service and that the VKB is better quality and finish inside the stick where it counts.

I know that doesn't really help much Wango smile deciding on a new stick is quite the challenge.


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#4523940 - 06/05/20 12:59 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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I like the idea of a one piece unit. that is what attracts me to the Gladiator K.
I've owned pretty much every low to mid range HOTAS in the past. Right now is a horrible time to be shopping for flight sim gear, prices are jacked, thanks to Covid-19.
The last HOTAS I had and sold was the X56 from Logitech . I liked it in general, but the twist rudder had a bit of a "click" to it. It made me question the quality, and I sold it on Ebay.

BTW Ajay, If Australian customs is anything likes Canada's, you can wait up to 6 to 8 weeks. Those tracking system always seem to be behind, especially international packages.
I hope you get it soon, give us a review !

#4523945 - 06/05/20 02:08 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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I know they have some failings but for the combination of quality/price CH Products are hard to beat.


"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
#4523955 - 06/05/20 03:19 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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VKB joysticks is overall considered the "top of the top" on the market, followed very close by VirPil, in option of this and many other guys (DCS players):

http://jaytheskepticalengineer.com/...ar-reviews/vkb-gunfighter-mcg-pro-mk-ii/

Gladiator MK.II is a very good "entre-level" joystick, I bough pre-used by 1.5 years at more than 1 year ago and still working flawless.

Their plus over other entry level joystick (Thrustmaster T.16000M, Logitech 3D PRO and even Saitek X-52/X-65 H.O.T.A.S.) is that twist rudder axis use contacless sensor (VKB MaRS™), instead the ordinary potentiometer of the other mentioned joysticks, that wear out fast, causing spikes in axis response.

But Gladiator lookalike KG-12A grip is very limited, 3 buttons + POV HAT, with one button (pinky) used as shift allowing have 2 physical buttons + POV HAT + 6 virtual buttons under shift (and +6 in mode 2), base has 13 buttons.

Last year VKB made available a kit that allow install VKB VKB SCG "Kosmosima" grip in gladiator Mk.II, a bit a bit laborious operation.

So now, perceiving a market for a <$200 stick (what are available in this range is X-52 and CH Fighterstick that don't offer rudder control), offer this option ready to use, in form of Gladiator K.

SCG "Kosmosima" grip has more functions (in press buttons and HAT's) than Warthog grip, and Gladiator base has a button for select between 2 modes (advanced users can manage use 3).

If you want a "all-in-one" joystick: Gladiator K.

SCG (Space Combat Grip) "Kosmosima" (Cosmic simulation) name is an appeal for space sim games (e.g. Elite Dangerous), but SCG grip is an very good as all around grip for DCS planes, in opinion of veteran players.
https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=4264068&postcount=82

I have bough stuff in Aliexpress without problems, but in this "pandemic times" things may are different.
Anyway VKB Controllers in USA send for Canada.

BTW - VKB programming software is very powerful, storing changes in controller memory instead rely in a program running in games background (like TARGET and others), but their language is very hard do master.

#4523966 - 06/05/20 04:10 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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VKB makes Left Hand Sticks? Seriously?? This is game changing for a left handed friend of mine who I've been trying to convince to get a right handed HOTAS for years!


"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
#4524000 - 06/05/20 07:41 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: F4UDash4]  
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Originally Posted by F4UDash4
I know they have some failings but for the combination of quality/price CH Products are hard to beat.

Yes,I have owned them in the past. Very good quality. And I always liked the trim wheels on the Fighterstick.

#4524003 - 06/05/20 07:47 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Sokol1, thanks for the link to the in depth review article.

#4524316 - 06/08/20 02:23 AM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Well, I pulled the trigger. There were only 2 left in stock. (right handed premium model). Not looking forward to the tariff charges.

#4524355 - 06/08/20 09:49 AM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Originally Posted by WangoTango
Well, I pulled the trigger. There were only 2 left in stock. (right handed premium model). Not looking forward to the tariff charges.



My left handed friend ordered the left handed premium Gladiator K, $41 shipping.


"In the vast library of socialist books, there’s not a single volume on how to create wealth, only how to take and “redistribute” it.” - David Horowitz
#4524389 - 06/08/20 12:30 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Yeah, my shipping was $46 usd.
Tariffs are what my lovely government charges for parcels crossing the border, plus they want their share of sales tax (even though it wasn't bought in Canada).

#4524816 - 06/10/20 04:23 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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$56.60 for Customs clearance. Not bad.

#4525652 - 06/15/20 07:57 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Two VKB sticks cost me a fortune as well in shipping and tariffs, but absolutely no regrets!

#4525668 - 06/16/20 12:12 AM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: BlueHeron]  
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Originally Posted by BlueHeron
Two VKB sticks cost me a fortune as well in shipping and tariffs, but absolutely no regrets!

What did you get BlueHeron ?

#4525745 - 06/16/20 01:31 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: F4UDash4]  
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Originally Posted by F4UDash4
VKB makes Left Hand Sticks? Seriously?? This is game changing for a left handed friend of mine who I've been trying to convince to get a right handed HOTAS for years!


Thanks to the "space sim" games, and the players created HOSAS (Hands o Stick and Stick) concept, left hand grips became a reality in last few years, being available be VKB and VirPil brands (think that WingWing too).
And right hand throttles are available in by GLV224 (lases topic here), customized at some degree by buyer wishes, queue is ~3 mounts. So a left hand HOTAS is possible.

Any model of this videos can be made for right hand, the only thing that are not able to chance is the base box format.
https://www.youtube.com/user/GVL224




#4525754 - 06/16/20 02:50 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Originally Posted by WangoTango
Originally Posted by BlueHeron
Two VKB sticks cost me a fortune as well in shipping and tariffs, but absolutely no regrets!

What did you get BlueHeron ?


Got the Gunfighter MKII Pro with the KG12 and MCG grips. I really enjoy having dedicated grips for WWII and modern sims, and the stick extension makes a huge difference in precision flying. I loved CH Products but just can't go back after this.

#4525793 - 06/16/20 06:18 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Well it arrived today. 8 days, not bad. Now to play with it. Came with what I assume is a coaster, it's not a magnet
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
To the other VKB owners here, are you using their software, or are you just using the in game controller mapping ?

#4525807 - 06/16/20 08:24 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Basic controller mapping here. Nice stick, it seems the purpose of the Gladiator is that plethora of buttons and an extra axis!

#4525820 - 06/16/20 10:26 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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41 buttons. More than enough. The base has a nice weight to it. It seems like a great all in one solution.

#4525834 - 06/16/20 11:09 PM Re: VKB Sim controllers, anyone have experience with them ? [Re: WangoTango]  
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Ajay Offline
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Nice! I'm using in game mapping as well, enjoy mate!


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