Reviews

Sorry for the long review, but I thought it would be worthwhile for someone who is in the same position I was about a fortnight ago.

Bottom line - this stick is awesome and you should seriously consider purchasing one.

Now for the long story:
I have been using HOTAS for over 25 years starting with the TM F-16 FLCS and WCS Mk.II. Over the years I have tried many other joysticks, but none of them ever matched the FLCS/WCS combination. I eventually converted the FLCS/WCS to USB and that worked perfectly until last year. Since then I have tried the TM T16000M and the Logitech X56 - neither of these came close to the FLCS/WCS setup in terms of build quality and functionality.

So, I thought I'd try the Gladiator NXT Premium.

I had a few questions before I committed to buy the stick. The answers were provided on the same day and were very helpful. This customer service and information I got ultimately led to me buying the stick (Thanks Luke :-) ).

First of all, this stick is in a class of its own. It's not just an end user product - but also a product for serious simmers who like bespoke setups. The spare parts allow you to personalise the stick how you want it - so, having no need for it, I immediately converted the mini-stick to another 5 way hat switch. With the guidance on VKB YouTube page, the whole process was simple and took less than 30 minutes. The VKB YouTube page also has many other helpful videos on it.

Things I like:
Postage time - The stick was dispatched on the same day I ordered it (Friday) and arrived Wednesday of the next week.
The number and positioning of buttons - There's more buttons than you can poke a stick at. I love how all of the HAT switches have a centre push button. I especially love that the pickle button is beneath and to the left of all the HATs - right where your thumb is.
The size of the stick - I don't have small hands/fingers, but on the FLCS/X56/Warthog I found it a stretch to reach the pickle button and coolie hat. The Gladiator does not have this issue - all the buttons and HATs are easily accessible, in very convenient locations and seemingly specifically designed to the dexterity of the human hand. This is with the standard hand rest attached.
Connectivity - The Gladiator is plug-and-play and doesn't require specific software. This is great for me as I use it with AutoHotkey to play old games.
The feel at the central position of the stick - It's very positive and has no signs of the springy bounce that you get when releasing other sticks back to the centre position. It eases back to the centre like a real aircraft control stick. This feature is quite possibly the best of all.

Things I don't like:
The action of the HAT switches is a little more clunky than the FLCS, but their convenient positioning more than makes up for it.

As an Air Force pilot and instructor, I use a HOTAS every day. The Gladiator NXT is the best gaming stick I've used - ever.

Looking forward to the release of the Throttle.

T-Rudder Mk.IV

Love them you guys are epic

Picked the kosmosima left hadn stick with base, the delviery was quick and fast, the product looks and feels great, was able to use it right out of the box on splane 11 sling-2 plane. Additonally bought the 20cm extension it is one perfect setup been looking for. Now to get the right hand stick for the heli setup.

This is the best quality flight stick I have ever used coming from the pc market, leagues ahead of the saitek and thrust master which I have also used. Build is so solid and the motion so smooth, great button feel and position. Started with the right hand premium now replacing my left hand t.16000m without a second thought.

Delivery was amazing also, received within 2 days.

Recently returned to flight sims and therefore purchased the Gladiator NXT. The ordering and delivery were very painless and quick. The product itself is excellent. Well made and good quality. Setting it up is easy on msfs. It has already bought me loads of joy. Thankyou VKB. I will look into ordering more products from you in the future.

Coming from the Warthog, the preinstalled springs (I'm guessing #20A) are way too light - they give about 1/4 of the resistance of the unmodified Warthog which means that in a dogfight the stick offers virtually no noticeable feedback on how hard you're pulling. Takes a while to figure out the right springs that offer a discernible feel.

My particular base also has a slight problem with re-centering from a deflection to the left, but from all the other directions it re-centers itself every single time. I really love how sensitive the base is around the centre which is great for formation flying and AAR.

Although I'm not liking the plastic feel of the grip itself I love all the extra buttons/axes the grip has over the Warthog. Kinda wish the MCG Ultimate grip is sold separately on the AU store.

I am based in New Zealand and I have the Gladiator NXT Premium in LH
I have owned this stick for 3 months and use it daily. Prior to buying this product I did very extensive research into what was on the market at the time.
My findings were that basically (generalizing) a lot of what was on the market at the time (even the high quality products such as the Thrustmaster Warthog) would have things go wrong with them after a while or that things would loosen or break and not function as well or "floppyness" would begin to appear in the sticks movement.
Its because of this that I randomly came across the US version of VKB and was glad to see that they had a Australian equivalent website that shipped to NZ.
The stick, even after 3 months of daily use with MSFS 2020 still feels like it did when I purchased it. There is no unusual movement in the stick at all and no dead-zone either! The gimbal still feels and responds as smooth as ever and actually makes flying, landing and hovering in difficult aircraft, like helicopters a breeze!
In terms of buttons, there is more than enough on the premium version, I even have unassigned buttons. They still respond and feel great and the throttle.... this is soooo smoooth!!! The Smoothest throttle EVER!!! The twist in the stick is totally fine as well with no issues whatsoever.

If anyone I know make any comments to me about looking into the joystick market, VKB is always mentioned above anything else!
For the price (which is excellent) I feel as though VKB has definitely delivered what it says on the tin!.... A PREMIUM product made to last!!

Keep up the great work team and thanks again for such an excellent stick. I can't speak more highly of it! Its an absolute joy & a pleasure to use.

Absolutely worth the price. There is no competition in Australia which you can get for this price point. I swapped out the analog stick with the provided hat switch for flying the A10c in DCS, easy to do and tools were provided. Now hopefully when the throttle is eventually released we will have some better options in Australia!

Recently purchased my third VKB stick. It was an NXT Premium that now sits alongside an NXT Standard. The old Gladiator Mk II it replaced was still going strong but I wanted the extra hats.
Hands down the best value money sticks I could find. Perfect for Star Citizen, Elite Dangerous, Star Wars Squadrons and Everspace 2.
Solid construction, they feel great in the hand and VKB have excellent customer service.
If you need someone to ermmm....test a Side Extension Module....you just need to ask. ;)
Seriously though - great piece of kit.

I recently bought a Gladiator NXT and pedals. I am loving both and think that they are very well priced.
The gladiator is well built and feels great moving through the axis. The grip initially feels hard but this is quickly forgotten. The pedals are giving me much more control through turns as I am able to be more accurate with inputs than I was using twist on my old stick.
Can't wait for the throttle to come out.

I've been looking at obtaining a HOTAS for a while now but none of the cheaper consumer options really seemed like something I wanted to spend money on. I purchased this stick through a friends recommendation and I absolutely love it. I've paired it with the VIRPIL CM3 Throttle so I can learn the A-10C II in DCS and it feels really good. Immediately after taking the stick out of the box I immediately notice how comfortable it was in my hand. The wrist rest that comes with it work well for my smaller than average hand size but with the option to remove or add a larger rest I would say this would be good for nearly everyone's hand size. I decided to switch out the A1 MiniStick for the 4way hat that comes with. By default the MiniStick acts as an axis or when pushed in an 8way. As I didnt need either I switched it out. The tutorial to do so on the VKB youtube was extremely helpful and anyone looking to switch out either the side hat or ministick should be able to following the video.

I would highly recommend this stick to anyone who is looking to get into the more premium stick market.

Purchased this for DCS and all I can say is wow! It is so smooth and precise, can’t wait for their throttle to come out. Finally great ongoing support from Luke who went out of his way helping me with some issues around my monitor not going to sleep.

I have had the VKB NXT premium edition for a little less than a week now and to say I am blown away would be the understatement of the year. It is an absolutely amazing bit of kit. From the tension on the stick to the quality and finish to the speed of delivery (literally less than 24 hrs from order to delivery), it is amazing. I cannot recommend these guys highly enough to anybody who needs a premium stick. Oh and lets not get started on price. I think it would please even the most fastidious gamer. Thank you VKB and I hope to purchase your throttle quadrant as soon as you release it (hopefully soon). I have found my new go-to for anything flight controller related. Cheers

The Gladiator NXT Premium is the best joystick in it's price range.
Solidly constructed of tough ABS plastic, the buttons have a nice firm
tactile feel to them.
Centring is excellent with a not too aggressive return to centre and no wobble.
The gimbal whilst plastic, is made of tough stuff and the axes are smooth and
accurate.
With the Premium you have adjustment options such as spring tension and
swappable hat and buttons which you don't get in other joysticks in this price point.
Setup and calibration was dead easy and was up and running in no time.
I highly recommend this product.

Great sticks for flight sims. Highly recommended.

Honestly worth every cent. Well priced, great quality. Balanced well from a base weight perspective, the height is well suited to desk use. Overall 5/7 perfect score.

Fantastic!
That word sums up both VKB Australia's service and the product they sent.
Believe the hype on this stick, that many simmers can't be wrong.

Could not be happier with this purchase - I play Elite dangerous and have paired the stick with a throttle. Its easy to set up and feels like a very good quality product - delivery was fast - defiantly an upgrade on the previous stick I had (X52 pro)

Full metal construction with quality and attention to detail in manufacturing. Small footprint for convenient storage under the desk (can be stored vertically if you unplug the cable). I consider it a good value product for enthusiast flight simmers who want a durable solution that is a step beyond the mainstream plastic models, but not yet into the hard-core hobbyist price range. However, be aware that it does not have toe brakes - but that's not an issue that bothers me. I experienced fast shipping with tracking provided within a week from order. I decided to add these rudders to my setup as I already own a Gladiator NXT - I was very impressed by the overall quality and function of that product as well. I'm looking forward to rounding out my setup with the upcoming TECS when it's finally announced and released.

In the absence of a left handed version of the MCG Pro, this is a very worthy substitute. I was on the fence about HOSAS for a while, but this stick just feels amazing in games like Star Citizen. And with the dry clutch and removing the springs from the Y axis, allows it to work perfectly as a standard throttle for flight Sims like DCS.

Gladiator NXT Premium

Mount is very strong, engineering is great and no problem during assembly. Fits perfect with my MCG 3. Hope vkb can design some vertical mount in the future to save some space.
Oh and the team shipped my order like 20min after my purchase and I received my stuff 3 days later. I don't know how they managed to do that but it was very a satisfying shopping experience.

Works great with the 10cm extension and provide precision control for both plane and helicopters in DCS. Youtube videos are intuitive. You don't have to use the software if you are lazy like me, I just added some more springs, adjust the damp and plug it in. Everything works perfectly.

Don't fork out/settle for other brands, this one is the best. Plug and play. Heaps of buttons, ergonomically phenomenal, and cost effective.