What is the toughest joystick out there?

[dBeav]

Anyone know if there is a joystick available with a metal shaft?

I have 5 VKB Gladiators installed in an exhibit at an air museum and 2 of them have now had the shaft snap. For the first one I inserted an aluminum rod inside the stick shaft but that's going to be a pain if I end up having to do that for all 5.

[Drano]

The Gunfighter has a all metal gimbal. I'm a few years into mine. It's really robust. The interchangeable grips are all plastic. I can't imagine putting enough force on that to break it. Don't remember ever seeing a posting anywhere of that happening with that model base either. Doesn't surprise me. That base is literally a murder weapon.

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[dBeav]

I was looking at that one. My concern is whether the shaft is any tougher. The pic shows where 2 sticks so far have broken.

[Drano]

Can't see your pic. I know the Gladiator is the more affordable model VKB makes. The gimbal and internals are plastic which makes it that way. The Gunfighter base internals OTOH are all metal. Metal gimbal, cams and bearings. The shaft that protrudes from the top of the gimbal where the grip attaches is metal. There's no chance of breaking any of that. I have a 200mm extension on mine with a fairly decent spring load too. I think even if you had a particularly ham fisted person they'd have to give it a mighty yank to maybe snap something on the grip but never the base. All of the grips other than the MCG-Pro Ultimate are plastic, ABS I think. The Ultimate is metal too but much more expensive than the regular MCG-Pro. It adds interchangeable hats.

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[The Fugitive]

[Drano]

I can see Fugi's. Yep. Plastic. El snapperooney!

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[Mayhem]

Virpil bases (Warbrd, CM2) are all metal and everything up to the grip is metal. however I think all their grips are Tough Plastic/Polymer. Fortunately You can drop on a Thrustmaster Cougar/Warthog Grip into it and the software supports it natively no adapters needed. I think the same holds true for the Thrustmaster Hornet Grip.

The Constellation Alpha is the best and toughest stick Virpil has if you like having a stick on a stick, I have the Cm2 Grip (not to be confused with the CM2 Base or Throttle) on a warbrd base and the weakest part of the CM2 grip is the flip down trigger, I have already replaced mine once. The brake lever is also plastic but it is unlikely (Not impossible) that it can break as well. I may actually switch to the Alpha in the future for which the 2 parts in question are metal not cheap flimsy plastic like the CM2.

That being wrote Virpil is expensive and once you go down that path forever will it dominate your destiny .... at least from a what a little green guy panhandling in San Fransisco told me.

I think Winwing sticks also have a full metal base and shaft up to the grip and I think they can support Thrustmaster grips with an adapter.

The WinWing Orion is near the same price point as the MSRP (non scalping price) of the Warthog and it's a Warthog killer .... except for the grip it's really hard to beet thrustmaster's grip but Thrustmaster's bases are crap and the Orion beats it in almost every way.

The Higher end VKB gunfighter bases are all metal and I think the Ultimate has an All metal Stick .... again your going to pay a premium.

In your situation your best off paying a lot for the mid range Hotas (Winwing orion, Tm Warthog) to high end grips and bases (Winwing Taurus/Libra, VKB Gunfighter Ultimate, Virpil Warbrd + Alpha or Warthog Grip) or just keep replacing the really cheap ones.

The VKB Gladiator is only $150 The Orion hotas is around $500 Virpil and VKB set ups are going to run you about $500 to $600 for the Base and Stick .... That's a lot of Gladiators.

You could go cheaper and get a bunch of Logitech 3d pros but you may be replacing them every couple of days at a public display exposed to punishment midgets.

[dBeav]

"Punishment midgets"! HA, love that. Actually the last one was done in by a grown arse man.
Thanks for the info. VERY helpful. We'll probably just keep on keepin on with the Gladiators but who knows, somebody may loosen up some purse strings.

Thanks again!

[Drano]

I don't know for sure but they might send you the parts to repair that or at least let you send it to them for repair. Shipping would be steep of course but a lot cheaper than buying new sticks. You should ask on the VKB forums, show them these pics, and see what they say.

[zack1234]

CH sticks look as interesting as old women’s shoes but had mine for 10 years.

[Drano]

Zack lives!

[LNG15]

CH sticks look as interesting as old women’s shoes but had mine for 10 years.

Since you are comparing joysticks to old women's shoes you must be a collector of them. 

I have to get a new Logitech soon anyways due to having a short in it when attempting to shoot when in a right rudder scissor/angle.

[Mayhem]

Is still have my old pre-APEM Ch products gear ... well my son has them now. I've had them since around 2002ish.

Old CH was good however back around 2009ish a global conglomerate called APEM group purchased CH products from the family in San Diego that owned them. APEM wanted CH for their industrial controller products and never gave a care about simmers. The products are now made in china and assembled in Mexico.

The only problems with my Old CH gear is the 8 way hat on my Fighterstick occasionally fails to fire after 18 yearws and one of the toe brake pedals in the Pro pedals breaks after every couple of years of use (Easily replaces just use the correct wire, Network wire bad .. speaker wire not so bad, electrical wire better).

I picked up an CH - APEM fighter stick and pedals cheap on amazon in 2019 but when I went to buy an extra throttle I got 3 defective ones in a row and finally gave up as my old one still works fine. If you buy CH gear your best best is to buy them from amazon for the easy return just avoid the scalpers.


APEM has made no improvements to their consumer/simmer products lines. It's still 8 bit potentiometers, they no longer make replacement parts, and they no longer support their software (Good luck getting it work on windows 10, I've done it but it's a PITA), heck! they basically don't support their consumer products at all .... at most you will get warranty swap if the products fails during the warranty period .... good luck getting a response from support, It took them a few days over 3 weeks to respond to my inquiry about getting a replacement harness for my pedals for which they told me they no longer make or sell replacement parts. Even the old CH hanger forum is gone.

Most manufactures are using 15-16 bit Magnetic sensors like Thrustmaster Hall sensors. Thrustmaster even upgraded their warthog line from 12 bit sensors to 14 bit sensors about 7 years ago when the msrp jumped from $299usd to $399usd.

IN the end however CH is all plastic and if you are breaking VKB Gladiators, CH is not going to last any longer. However, I would like to point out that the Gladiator is a twisty stick and CH is not, I'm wondering if it's the twist axis that is causing people to break them - You may want to toss in some cheap rudder pedals and lock out the twist axis to see if this improves the breakage rate.

Gman is probably the best person to ask about joysticks .... they guy collects them.

[zack1234]

I collect underwear from washing lines
Its a hobby

[Spikes]

I was looking at that one. My concern is whether the shaft is any tougher. The pic shows where 2 sticks so far have broken.

Don't move your controls so rapidly