I bought this stick so that I could get into flight sims, and it is perfect. The buttons are tactile and responsive, and the ball bearings make the axis super smooth. Customer service is outstanding too

I have been really impressed with the VKB Gladiator EVO Space Combat Edition Premium. The quality, precision and overall feel of the joystick are fantastic. You can tell a lot of thought has gone into the design, and it is genuinely a pleasure to use. The customisation options are excellent too.

But what has impressed me just as much, if not more, is the customer support. I had a small issue that needed sorting out, and the VKB team were absolutely brilliant to deal with. Friendly, responsive and genuinely interested in getting things right. It is not often these days you come across aftersales service this good, and I think that deserves recognition.

It is one thing to make a great product, but backing it up with exceptional support makes all the difference.

In fact, I have been so impressed with the whole experience that I am now looking at expanding my setup with a VKB throttle and rudder pedals. I think that says a lot about the confidence I have in both their products and the people behind them.

Fantastic product, I upgraded from the x52 pro HOTAS. The ability to set your own curves in the software, remap buttons to keyboard keys etc and change springs and/or completely remove them is all I needed. Quality item for the price.

Purchased the T-Rudder pedals about 2 weeks ago after spending a few weeks reading up on all the competition and feel like I definitely made the right call. I predominately fly helicopters in games so the downward style pedals make long gaming sessions a non issue. I use them in my standard desk setup, they are solid enough that they stay in place on my non-carpeted floor, but light enough that they can be moved easily when not in use. Ample supplied cable length makes it easy to position whatever your set up!

They are very customisable to find the sweet spot that works - pedal height and spacing, reversible internal cam to remove/lessen the centering detent and the overall build quality is fantastic.

The software is a bit daunting at first but there are plenty of guides out there and after a few minutes using it you quickly get a feel for it. Setting up curves and dead zones has really improved my gameplay. The only way i could see these improving is by having a damper kit available. Have recommended these to my friends as they are a fantastic bit of kit!

Very good, really good quality for the price, however i find the base a little finicy around the edges(e.g. lifting up and slamming back down) obviously this is a mount and it is intended to be mounted, however i have found that (with stock springs aswell)

Fantastic product. Straight foward assembly and easy to follow set up videos. I bought this stick to see if I would get into the flight sim hobby. I originally looked into various cheaper options as an entry point, but found other reviews were very clear that "you get what you pay for".
It's only a matter of time before I order more vkb products to add to this stick. 10/10 would buy again.

This is thick and sturdy with no noticeable flex. It made my wooden joystick stand building far more pleasant, not having to perfectly line up screws for the base, and allowed for easier access to springs etc.

Adds so much extra throw to the vkb gunfighter. Sturdy, no wobble, allows even stronger default off acid position to left is needed. This is excellent for use as part of a center stick. Bear in mind you'll need to sit further back from your desk or lower or mod your table. I do not advise using this as a side stick, especially on higher spring strength, as pulling back out to the right will be like rowing. Side sticks usually have less throw. I had a lot of fun learning how to do wood working as I chased building my first joystick stands - my chair and desk doesn't support most existing mounts, so I had some misadventures learning to build my own. Reconnected with my dad over wood working in the process, which was an added bonus. Thank you

Excellent speed of service, response time, packaging, delivery time frames, quality of product. Thank you for your time and assistance, Luke

I've had my beloved old Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 for some 29 years. It still works and has a good feel, but to fix a couple of buttons on the base would risk breaking plastic pins etc. I lacked enough buttons and mouse and keyboard rifle aim was beating out my joystick for precision and latency, and games long ago ceased supported force feedback like they used to. There was no supporting software, I had to emulate a stick to adjust curves, etc. And support had vanished shortly after I bought it. If I was going to buy anything to replace my ms sw ffb2, I wanted something that felt like an upgrade.

The T16000 thrustmaster was definitively a downgrade, with an awful axis that would wear down over time. The gladiator, while an excellent product, had too strong a center detent, and I still preferred my older plastic grip. I appreciated the local Aussie customer support from Luke on these some years ago, which is why I considered coming back to vkb and not the competition. If I was going to make the change, I wanted something that would hold up for the next 29 years. I wanted all metal, something I could take apart and fix myself.

The gunfighter and MCGU is the first joystick that feels like an upgrade. My precision and response time is far better. You must take photos before taking it apart, as the order of washers etc matters to help keep it moving smoothly and not have parts bump into rmeach other. I fiddled with it for the first few weeks, learning what spring strength I thought I would like vs what I actually needed once in game. I love that it came with multiple cams so I could so drastically change how it felt. I love that it came with multiple POV hats and ministicks so I could find what best fit around my hands. The vkb config software was daunting at first, but oh so powerful

I learnt a lot about ergonomics - the grip sits higher than I was used to, which meant my shoulder was poorly positioned. Even with the adjustable palm rest on highest settings, the grip and base felt like it was designed for larger hands (mine are under 7 inches index to wrist, and I'm not tall).

I had a few minutes of buyers remorse before I started trying out every coffee table in the house, looking to figure out what exact height I needed the stick to be at for comfort. In my case, I clearly needed my base to sit lower than my desk - but my desk is glass and trading for wood that could support clamps is not a viable option when you've got little blind old birds that like to rest on your tabletop! I needed to make my own joystick stand, somehow, to work out if the problem was me or the stick. But I'm not a hardware kind of guy. I didn't know how to cut square, or even how to cut wood with a handsaw full stop, what a countersunk screw was or how to countersink, just... None of it.

So I went to Bunnings anyway, and they were kind and patient and showed me I didn't need to be afraid of cutting ply and sent me off with some free offcuts, cheap posts, plywood and screws. I spent an afternoon making a thing. The stand showed me that the issue wasn't the stick but how I positioned it. And then I made a second thing. By the fifth version of my joystick stand within the same fortnight, I had reconnected with my dad who was finally interested in something in my life, and had far spent more time wood working than actually playing with my new joystick. It was already money well spent and not at all how I had expected. I had worked out that the MCGU wasn't too small, but actually your hand isn't meant to be glued into just one position on the stick at all times. I learnt that big buttons on the top don't need to be your most hit buttons - those should instead be near your default grip. I learnt that center stick is awesome to accomplish a build for and feels most ergonomic but gets in the way of keyboard access and requires being further pushed away from the table and monitor. A poorly positioned side stick and wide back chair will lead to struggles pulling back out to the right. The best position for me was out near my knee.

The discord is a spectacular place for advice and feedback and all the other things I learnt, I highly recommend the company and wisdom available.

I have been playing with the stick as well. I tried going back to the old ms sw ffb2, and now that feels like the downgrade with the clunky grinding of the ffb base as I move through the axis. But with the Space-S cams and 20*2 springs, the gunfighter is ideal for me, whether I'm emulating a controller for battlefield or learning how to fly in msfs.

Thanks, Luke & VKB.

My dealings with the store have been great. 3 items purchased, very fast delivery, always updating on delivery process too.
The team don’t just send and ignore, have good after sale support and make me feel noticed which is why I will continue to support VKB Australia.

Very comfortable and a great layout.
Just great to use
I recommend for space sims

Easy to setup and use feels very smooth and it’s at a great price I’m very happy

First time purchasing anything from VKB and overall it was a great experience.

Ordered both the Gladiator EVO Omni Throttle and Space Combat Edition Premium. Everything arrived well packaged and in good condition, and I was really happy with how quickly the order arrived. (The Next Day)

The website was easy enough to use and there was plenty of information available about the different options.

Both sticks have been great so far and I'd definitely consider buying from VKB again in the future.

This is my first proper flight stick and honestly I'm really impressed with it. I've been using it alongside the Omni Throttle for helicopters and space combat games.

The stick feels solid, the movement is smooth and precise and there's a heap of buttons, hats and controls to customise. The Premium version was definitely worth getting for the extra controls.

There's a bit of a learning curve if you're coming from a controller or keyboard and mouse, and getting all the bindings set up can be a pain depending on the game, but that's not really a fault of the stick itself.

I've been having a blast learning to fly with it and I'm looking forward to eventually using it in Star Citizen as well. Definitely happy with my purchase.