VKB F-14 Grip Review

[@sa1n]

7:49 "It's made of the same thing legos are made of, so if you step on this in the middle of the night it's gonna hurt"

[@Name-ps9fx]

It’s not the plastic that hurts, it’s the sharp pointy corners on the Legos...this grip, like most things with...girth...has no sharp corners.

[@jacobsmith4453]

VZ_ 342 r/wooosh

[@jensfutterer9333]

Question is: what in hell is your 180$ F-14 grip laying around on the ground in the middle of the night!

[@jacobsmith4453]

Jens Futterer well......

[@Gunnl]

as far as i know .. legos are made of ABS plastics, not APC ..

[@SVgamer72]

“Girth”....the pause and eyebrows got a literal laugh out of me. Excellent video! (“half-circle” is an e-clip)

[@Sundowner111]

Since I've disassembled mine, one word on parts choice by VKB: they make very little compromises. The microswitches used for trigger, and pushbuttons, are best in the market, VKB chose switches of the longest electrical and mechanical life available. The two switches in the trigger itself: the first stage Omron switch is rated for 30 million operations; the second stage - ALPS switch is rated for 10 million operations, that's couple of orders of magnitude more than anyone else on the market. Those things are build to last! Too bad the trigger feel is very subpar though - the only real flaw of this grip. But! It can be modified.

[@dcsworldiran]

I felt much plastic. The trigger was so lightweight. When I flew dogfight I heard the plastic!

[@Sundowner111]

@@dcsworldiran Yes, the feel of the trigger is very bad, with either of those two rubber inserts, or without them, and this is an issue of every VKB grip so far. Good thing is, with the F-14, and the design VKB uses - it lends itself to being easily modified. You can simply remove the trigger switches PCB, and put a different one it its place - two configurations I will be testing are: 1. the original ALPS tact-switch moved lower, so it will be activated by the part of the trigger that is designed to rest on the optional rubber domes. This will give more feedback, and higher activation force of the second stage. 2. in the same lower position mounting the ALPS switch that is used for push-buttons - it's a very heavy switch, with long throw, and nice tactile snap, this will give even better feedback of the second stage, but at the cost of two orders of magnitude shorter lifespan, and shorter trigger movement.

[@kontoname]

@@dcsworldiran Do NOT confuse high grade resin grips with plastic... It's like saying leather is the same as wool. Get your material knowledge up to speed first. Secondly: the original grips in most jets are made from resin as well. Not sure why people are so eager for shitty metal grips - all those are is heavy and clunky. Resin grips are more realistic and have the better properties - especially weight. There is ZERO point in a metal grip. If you manage to actually break a resin grip you're either a hazard and should stay far away from civilization and computers or you do it on purpose.

[@JohnMaxGriffin]

@@kontoname Epoxy resins, polyester resins, and vinyl ester resins are still just different types of plastic. You could tell someone not to confuse the generally stronger thermoset plastics with the generally weaker thermoplastic elastomers, but to say what you said there about resins and plastics is like saying don't confuse iPhones with Apple products.

[@kontoname]

@@JohnMaxGriffin www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-resin-and-plastic/ But eventually it degraded too much into semantics. I guess it's just too hard to convey some of the results. For example the Virpil grips are really sub par quality. So are Thrustmasters metal cringe grips. I wish there was a middle ground and VKB often does provide decent grips - sadly none of the "replicas" we're being sold even remotely feel close to the real thing.

[@redmondson27]

That Lego comment.....God that hit home bro. I know how that goes. Thanks for the awesome review.

[@Scott11078]

Maybe it's been the decades of crappy flight sticks I've had to use but I love the 2 stage trigger on this. It's the first grip I've owned where I can clearly tell first stage from second.

[@RodrigoVerdugo]

Thank you for the video Jabbers!

[@chubbychugster]

I had that grip about a month and i love it. i did get used to the trigger though

[@dcsworldiran]

Mate, there is a very important thing you didn’t mention. The stick’s angel is not adjustable around vertical axis to provide the right hand position wenn you install the base between your legs, which for me was a dealbreaker. Had to send it back 😟 not even VKB has mentioned that on their website or any videos!

[@ghostrider1827]

WOW....thats a tad bit of info that has not been mentioned!! Need further confirmation. Can you provide photos??

[@Sundowner111]

Yes, the only sure way around that is using the extensions and modifying them by removing the grip mounting end cap, drilling another 5mm hole, for the mounting screw, so it can be reassembled with the endcap rotated, say 15 degrees. Other solution, that I would actually not recommend, is to remove the Z-axis assembly from the grip, and drill a new hole for the base locating pin. Or sheer the locating pin off the base connector. The Z-axis assembly is now made out of polymer (it was metal in MCG grip), so drilling in it is easy, but you have to make sure you are drilling in the right spot. The pogo-pins connectors VKB uses, give a lot of lee-way for rotation alignment, so there is no problem with those.

[@ghostrider1827]

@@Sundowner111 Interesting. Maybe I will send you mind to perform the mod. I dont have the steadiest of hands.How did you figure out these solutions??

[@dcsworldiran]

@@Sundowner111 Exactly, but I expected they build it the way they did MCG. So I stay with my MCG as I didn't want to drill a hole which probably voids my guarantee and also extension was no solution as you need to twist the extension which affects its movement profile due to the bend in the design.

[@Rightygamer]

I can confirm this. I've been using this grip for about a month now. Luckily I was planning on mounting the grip on the side, not in the center between my legs. Imo, I think they could have added an extra hole on the side for you to put a screw through the z-axis adapter. That way you can lock the z-axis like normal but can also have it angled about 15 degrees like you mentioned (at the cost of your twist/z-axis).

[@IRoNCLaW]

Hope you don’t mind. I shared your video out on my FB Channel, man. Great stuff brother. Thank you.

[@ilejovcevski79]

As always, a great review!

[@PassportBrosBusinessClass]

This is a nice grip if you specifically want to play with the F-14. I am planning to buy a new HOTAS and thus far, the only choices I can see are the X-56 Rhino, the Warthog and the Virpil Constellation R. I need a forward looking stick and I've noticed the F22 and F35's are similar to those 3. The Top gun style joystick is obsolete and the F-18 uses one more similar to Thrustmaster's Cougar and Virpil's Constellation.

[@CaseyBartley]

MCG Pro or the SCG grip are both very nice as well, and "forward" looking design. I use the MCG Pro as my daily driver, used to use the Virpil MT50cm

[@Sunesen]

It looks very nice. I'd probably miss all the buttons I have available on my Virpil MongoosT-50CM2 though, for all the other modules that I fly as well.

[@Atlessa]

I just found a VKB Gladiator MK2 (which is compatible with this grip according to their website) on ebay for 45€. I was THIS close to pulling the trigger but decided to do a little bit of research into the build quality of BKB (I do fly the F-14, so this grip is already in my basket but I didn't like the way their bases are priced...) Watched this video, switched tabs and pulled the trigger, then came back to write this comment. Thank you sir.

[@IRoNCLaW]

I haven’t read all the other comments on this post yet, and haven’t watched the entire video yet. I just want to say your videos are all excellent. Appreciate the high degree of professionalism and clarity you put into your reviews and tutorials. Ok, back to watching this video. 👍

[@S3NTRY]

Chunky beast. Hard to believe the width of that is from a scan of the real thing. So thick. Great review. Damn shame you're getting the cold shoulder from ED regarding SC. It's not like your viper take was inaccurate. But then, maybe that's the problem... They have the fear that their stuff isn't up to scratch, and you'll go and be all honest about it.

[@MongooseTacticool]

They (ED) need to hold themselves to the same standards as they hold 3rd party development.

[@LarryHamiltonGuitars]

Hey Jabbs, you can take the circuit board out, it slides out so you can easily install the membrane. I've only had mine for a few days but it makes the F-14 feel like butter.

[@startrekmike]

I feel like reviews of this particular grip should all include at least some talk about where it fits in the overall flight sim peripheral ecosystem. While it is a cool idea and a great extra for those who have around $200 to spend on whatever, it is very much a novelty. It does what it is supposed to do but for those who already have a Warthog, a VKB Modern, or a Virpil T-50, the F-14 grip will be a step back in terms of functionality and is really only going to bring a novelty factor to the table. This in itself isn't a bad thing but it should be made clear that this particular novelty is going to cost around $200 and will only really come into its own when you fly a very specific plane in a very specific sim. The real kicker is that when you look at the grip lineup on the VKB store, you will see that the Modern (a more versatile grip with a lot more functionality) is actually cheaper. The F-14 grip is very firmly a novelty item for those looking for that specific experience and are looking to pay a premium for less functionality. Again. It isn't a bad product. It just seems like it should be around the same price as VKB's WWII grip or even (at the most) their space sim grip. It doesn't really make sense that it is as expensive as it is when you compare it to their other products.

[@Sundowner111]

The price disparity is easily explained by the engineering of this grip, it is way ahead of both MCG and Kosmosima, it is better designed, both internally, and externally (because of chosen geometry it won't deform as much with time), the materials used are of better quality, and the used components are top-shelf (Omron and ALPS automotive switches). If VKB would make another grip of the same quality, representing something more modern: like grips from Eagle, Harrier/Tornado, Rafale, etc. Although their functionality would be closer or the same as MCG and Kosmosima... I don' see how they could be not priced actually higher than the F-14 grip (well ok, there would be no rubber inserts that are a pain to engineer properly). As for the novelty. Yes, this is a grip that is ill suited for any truly modern jet sim, it lacks greatly in functionality if used to control an F-16 or F/A-18. It is a bad choice as main grip for someone flying those 4th gen jets. But, it gives all the needed functionality and even more, for those who fly up to the century-series jets. So it is really good for anything from the WW2 period and up to and including the F-4 and F-15A (if we would ever get those). So it is a matter of personal preferences - if someone flys modern jets - it's a novelty item. If someone fly's machines older than mid 1970s - it can... or even dare I say: should be his daily driver.

[@LtDogoop]

1:55 too close for missles switching to guns!

[@mynameisaj8500]

Ice, fire or clear!

[@vikingcat794]

Did they ever address/fix the weapons selector switch push issue?

[@wilbuzllf5057]

Nice review, thanks for sharing :-) How do you find the VKB base compared to the Virpil bases? /Wilbuz

[@ghostrider1827]

Been waiting on this from you Jabs. I currently have the Virpil grip but I'm getting VKB's and the base as well. Over kill to have both?? no question...but the Tomcat will be my base sim which i'll be active playing so why not. Should be interesting to see which setup(Virpil or VKB) is best. Boy o boy am I dropping a ton of change !! Thanks for the vid!

[@----.__]

Wait till you get your PPL and buy a real aircraft, then you'll know what a haemorrhaging wallet feels like!

[@ghostrider1827]

@@----.__ LOL!!

[@----.__]

@@ghostrider1827 I'm starting to see the validity in the old saying; if it flies, floats or f*cks.... rent it. Hope you and your family are staying safe mate, peace from Oz.

[@Rahj2001]

@Oz@@----.__ same to you and your family as well champ. Godspeed

[@Sundowner111]

I have both, you will go with the VKB, and sell the Virpil grip. It's just that much better. The Virpil base is good for mounting Thrustmaster grips though ;)

[@DanielDrake]

when discussing pins, it is similar when discussing CPU for AMD and INTEL

[@prichardgs]

So-where do you get it? Can't find it anywhere?

[@Angus_Gibson]

Jabbers, what would you change about this stick to make it perfect for F-14 realism and great feeling? Is there a way to fix the weapon selector flaw?

[@Jabbers]

Just the trigger and fix the weapons selector depress in SW otherwise it's great

[@Sundowner111]

the SW depress function of the weapon selector can be incorporated, but at a cost. The way it is done is that there is a lever connected to the selector plunger, that is depressing on a stationary switch, which is located corresponding with the SP/PH position. This switch is wide enough to be depressed in SW position (although probably not reliably). What is stopping that lever from doing so is a small stop in the plastic backplate behind the selector PCB. You can cut it off, or make a new plate. The drawback of doing so is that you will over-rotate the selector switch when going from OFF to GUN - which is a normal occurrence on the Virpil grip. Because that stop also stops you from moving the selector plunger between GUN and SW, or SP/PH and SW, when depressed. Another possible problem is with reliability of depressing the switch in SW position. Since it was not designed to be used like that - you are engaging very edge of that switch, with the amount of play in the selector plunger, you will miss the switch occasionally. This could be mitigated by modifying the actuator lever, or switch position... it just adds to the complexity of the modification. So, it can be done, and can be done easily... but still, is it worth the time and its drawbacks ? If you're looking for more realism - maybe yes, but personally I've never used the SW step function since the release of Heatblur's F-14. The trigger is a bigger, and more pressing issue. And it also can be fixed, although it will involve replacing the trigger switch PCB for a different one.

[@FCV-fh3iu]

Can we use it with TM base ? Is there an adaptor ?

[@chrisjung5952]

Nice girth, very smooth in the hand. He’s talking about the F-14 stick right?

[@Jabbers]

Mayyyyyybe

[@paulf1389]

Looks like VKB is the way ahead if people want to buy controllers. It seems virpil and thrustmaster are out of stock at the moment.

[@dyren7437]

Virpil is pretty much always out of stock, if you want anything you will have to snipe the restock date and hope you can get one before they run out of stock.

[@horus_simgadgets]

This grip looks thicker than the original does to me. Is this in correct shape?

[@Jabbers]

It's laser scanned

[@NoFlightZone]

How is the depress on weapon selector on the Virpil? For sparrows and sidewinder I mean

[@dcsworldiran]

same

[@SVgamer72]

The Virpil depress is physically 1 button in all weapon positions. Your can get multiple distinct presses with a 3rd party tool like Joystick Gremlin’s “Tempo” function (short and long press for logical button 1 or 2 etc.)

[@Jabbers]

I have a review video about the virpil VFX grip

[@danmyers2759]

Lego is made of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) - is that what this is made of? It sounds like you said "APC plastic".

[@Jabbers]

Yes abs

[@danmyers2759]

Cheers.@@Jabbers

[@ColbyLee2004]

How does this compare to the Virpil VFX? Or is it the same?

[@Jabbers]

I have a review on that grip, I'll likely do a quick comparison video

[@TeKieler72]

A comparison would be great! Thanks for your awsome vids by the way. 👍🏻 I got the VFX from Virip, and I love it. Although I prefere a stiff button ... 😂

[@maquard3223]

First i was realy flashed... Theo ill move to the shop, take a look to the prices and fall in a rofel! So Good these sticks can‘t be in ill get the whole Hotas set for that! What can ist? Cure cancer!?

[@guillaumepare9651]

Anybody play MSFS2020 with that? I know it's not the best for that buy had a good deal on one I couldn't pass so I wonder if I'll use it for FS or keep the T16000 FCS. One thing I dislike is the hand rest is small and not adjustable. It's a replica so it's fine but I'll like to have the option to add hand rest of different height like the Gladiator.

[@theflyinggasmask]

does VKB not sell adapters?

[@Jabbers]

They use to sell them but I think it was to out a warthog stick on their base, either way they aren't interested in supporting the antiquated connector so I doubt you'd find one in the future

[@irishpat64]

Thank You for the Review,Keep Yourself and Your Family Safe #COVIDSUX

[@ZoeSummers1701A]

You neglected to mention that if you centre stick mount this you can't set a left rotation offset. The pin and hole are set for straight ahead only - you can't put a 15-20degree rotation offset on it for ergonomics. That is an instant fail from VKB and why I never bought it.

[@IRoNCLaW]

P.S-.- also..Would have loved to see a review by you on the SC.

[@Jabbers]

What's the SC?

[@IRoNCLaW]

Super Carrier.

[@Jabbers]

Sure once it's out ED didn't give me early access

[@IRoNCLaW]

Well that’s unfortunate Jabbers man. All the other content has their place in the community, but regarding quality of content and intelligent, honest, thorough video presentations, you’re leagues ahead of what’s out there. Just my thoughts. Look forward to watching your next video.

[@northman77]

It look good and everything but I need more buttons...

[@silentone11111111]

I have Virpil an vkb. Vkb just feels so much more quality.

[@FGCH03]

The second stage trigger is a big flaw on this stick, everything else is perfect.

[@indiwcvv]

Also pickle switch

[@The_Burrito]

"APC" plastic? Uh... don't you mean ABS?

[@Jabbers]

Yes yes I do

[@bmbpdk]

13:20 Said in a deep voice with heavy Russian accent "Stick and base, one is meaningless without the other" - USSR anthem plays. Thank you Family Guy :-D watch?v=v5t-zH0N3-M

[@bryanusmc88]

I wish we had more high end sticks with a z axis, its a more attractive buy to me with one

[@heavymettlegaming4385]

First