Should VKB change the design and material in grips?

[Fri13]

Lately I have been reading a lot of different opinions about VKB grips material choice being "too hard", "too cheap" and design being "too hollow" or "too thin plastic".
And the button designs with "click" sounds etc has not been forgotten either.

What does people thing, should VKB switch to thicker designs to dampen sounds, make "sturdier feel" or material to "soft plastic" or something else?

In my humble opinion, I do have few points that I have given to VKB, one of them is to have the flip-trigger have a cables heat shrink set on it to dampen it sound.
But otherway I specifically prefer the light joystick as I do not find it pleasant to move a heavy joystick. I as well prefer plastic over metal, as last thing I want is a cold feeling on my hand instead just neutral skin warm grip.

What comes to weight and such, my joystick is screwed on the flight chair, so to move the joystick anywhere else than around its axis, I would need to lift my own weight with the chair to "feel" it is light grip. Otherwise I have that over 30 cm joystick in my hand that is otherwise not moving anywhere than around axis. And as I prefer flying with just fingertips (mainly helicopters), I don't find it proplematic as even with default springs the grip with extension works amazingly well, having slight centering force further from the center if I would need to move stick too far.

I can use fingernail to tap the grip and make obvious observation that it is hollow, but so what? Important thing IMHO is that grip doesn't
- squeeze or flex when used
- gather any grease from hand
- doesn't get scratched
- broke if something impacts at it (or it to something)

Could there be added some damping grease or rubber in buttons to make them more "mushy"? Sure.
Could the hats be made to have larger... hats? Sure.
Could the palm-rests be bigger and support multiple angles/heights? Sure.
But then coming back to MCG PRO and I find it excellent as it is. Where changing something would likely mean I would dislike it.

I would vote NO for the changes to grip material and design.

[rtrski]

I don't mind what they have now. That said, things can ALWAYS get better. But at what cost?

The hollow/clicky button sounds, yeah I guess I can see (hear) that complaint. But dampening that might come at the cost of tactile certainty that it was pressed, or resistance to get it to press. Think of all the "preference" associated with keyboard switches (tactile, no-tactile, linear, "clicky", silent, actuation distances, yadda yadda....) No way they're going to please everyone all the time. Given the integration of many of them, not sure you could fit something like an o-ring to act as a compression resistance and bit of "bottom out" dampener. Hollow trigger forms or whatnot can be perhaps weighted a bit, hats not so much.

As far as the grip material I think it's great, I don't think it feels "thin" (certainly have never felt mine "flex" or "compress") but exterior texture perhaps could be 'nicer' in some cases. I'd much rather have the 3D shapes to allow 3D printing a mandrell and attempting to have leather forms made, or get something in a wood or composite multi-axis machined. Like custom gunstocks. That might require the main mold to be thinner so they could send it out with a 'default' pad, and definitely costs them money for a very (very!) small number of buyers who would actually take advantage of it I think.

Overall I think they're in the right place. Maybe we'll see some other custom grip options with limited editions but at much higher cost....preferrably after they round out their more mass-market portfolio. Fancy is for vanity, but mainstream (there is a 'mainstream' set of choices to even a high-quality niche market) pays the bills.

[vwillo56]

IMO vertical distance from bottom of the trigger to the “pinky” button could be increased. I have a larger hand and it’s a tight fit. Somewhat unnatural motion to reach “pinky”

[TrueWeevie]

I voted to change the material but I don't really mean it. I don't really care that much.

I mean, I did really like the plastic used in the original Virpil T-50 grips; it felt a little more matte and more grippy. But I love my MCG Pro (sorry western military design companies; Sukhoi design bureau really aced it with the SU27 grip design) and if I never got another grip I'd be happy.

[Drano]

I'm an early adopter and absolutely love my Gunfighter/MCG-Pro combo. It's easily the best stick I've ever had and recommend it to everyone that asks. I don't have a problem with the plastic or layout of the stick at all. I have a "regular" sized hand and have no problems reaching any of the buttons. Those that are a stretch I tend to assign to things I don't want to accidentally activate. Problem solved.

If I could change just one thing on the grip itself, it'd be how the base connector barrel is fixed to the grip. IMO only two points of contact isn't enough. Four would make for a more stable connection to the grip. The current design has a tendency to work itself loose and becomes evident in the roll axis as you go thru center. The grip will start shifting on the barrel because it's screws have worked loose. You feel it. Repairing it involves taking the grip apart to retighten the screws holding the barrel to the one half of the grip. Not a major deal but it's something I've had to do a few times a year. There are only one pair of screws at the top end of the barrel. Another pair at the bottom would largely eliminate the flexion caused by moving the stick in the roll axis. This is especially bad for those with heavy spring force on the stick. Lot of leverage working on that connection.

On that note if I could change one MORE thing. The pressed/molded-in threaded anchors on the grip appear to be brass or what passes for brass these days. Brass is a really soft metal and will tend to wear out quickly if you're constantly taking those screws apart or if that barrel is wiggling around on the loose screws like with the barrel issue above. I'd rather see stainless or some other harder material.

[rtrski]

Boy was this quiz prophetic (VKB MCG Ultimate announcement....)

So are you a ringer??? ;-D