Choosing some pedals

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I'm having trouble making a decision. Here's what I've found so far:

 

VKB T-Rudders

• Good quality
• No real toe brakes

MFG Crosswind

• Good quality
• Expensive with shipping and long wait (location is NA)

Thrustmaster T.Flight

• Rather flimsy
• Inexpensive

Saitek PRO

• Rather flimsy
• Strange prices

CH Pro

• Obsolete?

Baur

• Not easily available?

 

I would appreciate any advice. Is there anything missing from this list? Right now I'm leaning towards VKB despite the lack of brakes because the price and availability seem reasonable.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Mitthrawnuruodo

[curiousGamblerr]

If you have the cash, the MFGs are totally awesome and worth the wait. They are the best piece of sim gear I've ever owned by far. Setup, calibration and adjustment are a breeze. Also, Milan was easy to work with and responsive when I emailed him about an anomaly when tracking my package (package was fine and arrived when expected, but the courier's website was broken is all).

 

I don't own the VKB pedals but I do have their Gunfighter and while it is also awesome in itself, it lacks in many areas. First of all, the VKB calibration software is crap; counter-intuitive and half the operations cause an error and crash of the calibration software. Also very difficult to adjust CAMs and stuff, and the wait was just as long as my MFGs. These things might not affect the VKB pedals, again I can only speak to the Gunfighter, but that is my VKB experience.

 

I'm not sure exactly how big the price difference is, but if it's $100 or less difference, you should totally get the MFGs over the VKBs in my opinion. Otherwise, just get the fan favorite Thrustmasters.

Edited December 6, 2017 by 19//curiousGamblerr

[Archie]

You've also got Slaw pedals, but again they are expensive, with a long wait. Personally I'd go with the Crosswinds.

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Thanks for the responses. 

 

MFG Crosswinds are very tempting. The price and wait are tolerable as long as I can trust that the package will arrive eventually.

 

The VKB pedals seem like a bad choice after hearing that they have other problems. 

[dburne]

I can certainly vouch for the Crosswinds, have been running mine for couple of years now and love them as much as day I got them. Very high quality pedals and Milan is a class act.

[Rebel_Scum]

I use a VKB T-Rudder and a VBK Gladiator Pro.  Yes, the calibration software is clunky and not very impressive, but it took me less than two minutes to calibrate both the stick and rudder and both have functioned flawlessly since then.  The T-rudder is amazingly precise and its ergonomics are designed to accommodate desks + office chairs rather than replica cockpits.  The lack of toe brakes hasn't been an issue for me because IL2 adequately emulates the function of toe brakes on aircraft equipped with them.  

Edited December 6, 2017 by Rebel_Scum

[No_85_Gramps]

I have the VKB T-Rudder Mk III's and could not be happier. No trouble setting them up and performance has been superb. Rebel_Scum's other comments are echoed as well. 

[OrLoK]

Im not a dedicated simmer but i have no regrets buying an mfg set.

 

Well worth it.

Edited December 6, 2017 by OrLoK

[Sokol1]

I use VKB T-Rudder (Mk.II) and brakes on pedal is not need even in DCSW WW II planes, I can taxi just tap a button (for differential brakes though T-Rudder virtual brakes - that in Bo'X is not needed) in P-51, Bf 109, Fw 190 and meanwhile see people with fancy (and expensive) pedals with "toe brakes" making "jugglery" setting brakes on throttle axis   to be able to taxi Spit IXe. 

. 

Brakes on pedals is convenience, but secondary - some people talk about as if are the most important function of rudder pedal.

 

Between buy Tm TRFP, Saitek PRO Flight (actually overpriced) or CH PRO Pedals (yes, have obsolete electronics) to have brakes and VKB T-Rudder (all metal, modern electronics/sensors) without no doubt, get T-Rudder, has good price in X-Plane.org store.

 

The main differential of T-Rudder is be designed to use in conventional office chair with wheels without became unconfortable.

 

But if money is not problem get Baur, MFG or Slaw high end pedals, will last all your virtual pilot career.  

Edited December 6, 2017 by Sokol1

[=TBAS=Sshadow14]

$25 racing wheel pedals work fine (obviously no toe brakes)
But still no need to blow $$$$

[Jade_Monkey]

+1 for Crosswinds.

 

Very satisfied customer here. I got the black ones and they look great.

[=EXPEND=Tripwire]

Another +1 for Crosswinds. Great product. Stay away from Saitek, some big quality issues there.

[J2_Trupobaw]

CH were the best there was until MFG/Slav appeared on the market, nothing obsolete about them. They are solid minimum, above flimsy saitek/logitech, below really expansive ones. 

[VBF-12_Stick-95]

Went from CH to MFG.  Can't go wrong with MFG.

[DD_Perfesser]

Another +1 for Crosswinds. Great product. Stay away from Saitek, some big quality issues there.

I keep hearing that. I've had my Saitek for about a decade of regular use. They're getting sloppy but have been trouble free.

[Matt]

I have the VKB pedals and previously had the MFG Crosswinds and would recommend both 100%. Both are excellent and worth the money.

[=EXPEND=Tripwire]

I keep hearing that. I've had my Saitek for about a decade of regular use. They're getting sloppy but have been trouble free.

 

I went through two sets in just over a year. First died within 1 month. Second died after 12. Severed cables inside the base the second time round. Fixed them and gave them away for free.

[MacLeod]

+1 for Crosswinds.

 

Very satisfied customer here. I got the black ones and they look great.

Ditto

[Sokol1]

CH were the best there was until MFG/Slav appeared on the market, nothing obsolete about them. 

 

Don't confuse "durable" (what CH is) with "obsolete" (what CH is).

 

8 bits electronics  - 256 "steps" on axis is obsolete (is 1990's thing), even Saitek's use 10 bits (1.024 "steeps") at good time ago, high end pedals models (MFG, Slaw, Baur, VKB) use 11/12/14 bits.

 

Actual flight games FM are no more so simple like in 2000's, good luck for one flying DCSW helicopters with CH pedals - of course this is possible to do (even with twist rudder in cheap sticks) but...  

 

IMO - In 2017 continue buy that obsolete electronics is the same of buy a computer with Pentium 2 CPU, or Windows XP as OS, both still working, but... 

 

Until people don't stop buy cheap made Saitek's or CH's with obsolete electronics their manufacturers will no bother in improve then.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Sokol1

[von_Tom]

Buy once but buy quality. MFG are fine.

 

If you can, visit someone with quality pedals and compare to cheap. That will help you decide bang for buck.

 

von Tom

Edited December 8, 2017 by von_Tom

[No601Jab]

+1 Crosswinds

[19//Moach]

Having just had my pedals literally TEAR on me during a dogfight, I feel I must pitch in to this discussion with a clear and simple answer:  NOT SAITEK.

 

 

 

Else you end up like me, impatiently pacing the forums while waiting for the duct-tape-superglue composite blob to fossilize.  Hopefully it can take the load once the layers of tape and glue fuse into a brick.  This same method worked well enough for my stick, also Saitek... Do you see the pattern here?

Edited December 8, 2017 by 19//Moach

[HotPursuit]

+1 for Crosswinds.

 

Hardware and software are premium quality and Milan is great to deal with.

 

As for your location I'm in Australia and had no trouble getting them.

[WWCraven]

Another +1 for the Crosswinds.

[LLv24_SukkaVR]

+1 for Crosswinds from me as well. First i was going to buy cheap Saitek pedals but luckily they were out of stock and decided to buy Crosswinds instead and i couldnt be any happier. They are very high quality, very accurate and highly adjustable pedals. My first pedals so it took some time to get used to them but now that i've used them for 11 months i couldnt fly without them anymore.

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I appreciate all the responses.

 

Nice to hear that many people have had good experiences with this rather expensive hardware. Now I feel much more comfortable. 

[ST_Pirato]

I can only highly recommend the MFG Crosswind Pedals aswell. Mine are from the very first production run,Serial number 003, still going like on day one after well over 4 years of heavy use. Never had any trouble, only had to replace the brake axis cables once because they broke after a few weeks. That was over 4 years ago, I never heard of anyone having the same issue so I propably had just bad luck. Replacing was easy enough though.

I had those Saitek pedals too,they broke after not even 3 weeks.

[Macross]

I have vkb t-rudder mk4 and happy with them, toe brakes arent must in fly sims, buttons works fine, or shift+rudder.

I would say, if you want good and cheap rudders, go for t-rudder and if money isnt problem, slaw/bauer.

Crosswinds are somewhere between t-rudder and slaw/bauer.

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

I ordered Baur's BRD-F3, with both Me109 and SU-35 footrests. I will report on them when they have arrived. Slightly less money than crosswinds, due to a weak ruble, but full metal construction. And I can switch footrests to Russian style as well. Amazing!

Took him just 1 week to process order and send them, now they are in Moscow. They will arrive within the next week, most probably right after Xmas. Means 2 weeks in total, that's quicker then I expected.

 

They are easily available! Just PM Baur on forums, or send him a mail!

Edited December 20, 2017 by 4./JG52_Fenris_Wolf

[ST_Pirato]

Good choice on the BRD. I got a Flightstick from him,top notch quality and comunication.

[Warpig]

I love my T-Rudders. Very good and intuitive product.

[Archie]

I ordered Baur's BRD-F3, with both Me109 and SU-35 footrests. I will report on them when they have arrived. Slightly less money than crosswinds, due to a weak ruble, but full metal construction. And I can switch footrests to Russian style as well. Amazing!

Took him just 1 week to process order and send them, now they are in Moscow. They will arrive within the next week, most probably right after Xmas. Means 2 weeks in total, that's quicker then I expected.

 

They are easily available! Just PM Baur on forums, or send him a mail!

The Baurs look great, you've probably already seen this post:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=173100

 

I've just ordered a set of Crosswinds in graphite, now I am thinking about Baurs!

Edited December 26, 2017 by Archie