Space gear database
Every product, decoded — specs, honest ratings, pros and cons, and a plain-English verdict. 15 products covered.
Sticks
4
Gladiator NXT EVO 'Space Combat Edition'
The canonical affordable on-ramp into a 'real' magnetic-sensor stick, and the single most-recommended HOSAS building block for Star Citizen and Elite Dangerous. It pairs an all-metal-internals gimbal with contactless sensors and VKB's self-centering twist mechanism at a price that lets you buy two for a full twin-stick rig. The Space Combat Edition adds a space-friendly button cluster and is fully buildable as a left- or right-hand stick. The trade-off versus the Gunfighter tier is a non-adjustable cam/spring feel and a smaller, lighter footprint.
Ursa Minor Space Joystick
The stick that reframed the budget HOSAS conversation in 2024-2025 — a 'budget champion' that undercuts VKB and Virpil while adding features they don't have at the price. It uses non-contact magnetic resistance sensors on X/Y, a 32-bit ARM controller, and a built-in vibration motor in the stick head for haptic feedback that syncs to in-game events. The Space variant adds a twist axis and a space-friendly button layout; a Fighter variant exists without twist. Two make a genuine sub-$240 HOSAS pair.
T.16000M FCS (Stick Only)
The mass-retail gateway stick and the classic cheap HOSAS building block. It uses Thrustmaster's H.E.A.R.T Hall-effect magnetic sensors for 16-bit (16000x16000) precision that won't drift over time, and it's fully ambidextrous — three removable components reconfigure it for left or right hand, so two T.16000Ms make the standard budget twin-stick rig. You get 16 buttons with braille-style markings, an 8-way hat and four axes including twist. The trade-off is a plastic build and a lighter, simpler feel than the boutique sticks.
VelocityOne Flightstick
The rare licensed Xbox-compatible flight stick, explicitly marketed for air AND space combat — and the default answer for console pilots who can't use PC-only boutique gear. It packs an OLED data display, 27 programmable buttons, an ambidextrous-adjustable design, a built-in touchpad and an integrated mini-throttle, all over a single USB-A-to-C cable. Reviewers like the feature set and value but flag a very stiff, non-adjustable centering spring, small throttle levers and a light base that tips easily. It's better on PC, but it's the Xbox option that matters.
Bases
3
Gunfighter Mk.IV (Base Only)
VKB's premium full-metal gimbal base and the upgrade destination for serious pilots who outgrow the Gladiator's fixed feel. Released in 2023, the Mk.IV adds next-gen adjustable axis dampers, swappable cams and springs with pre-tighteners, and a no-stiction soft-start clutch for glass-smooth movement. Five interchangeable grips drop onto one common Rev.C connector, so a matched pair of Gunfighters makes a genuine endgame HOSAS. It is a base only — budget for a grip (MCG, SCG, etc.) on top.
VPC WarBRD-D Base
Virpil's compact, popular spring-cam base and the affordable way into the VPC ecosystem. The 'D' revision inherits the flagship MongoosT-50's independently adjustable axis clutch dampers, so you can run the stick fully free for raw inputs, semi-damped to steady your aim, or fully locked. It uses an aircraft-grade duralumin gimbal and a 14-bit native-resolution contactless sensor (0.02-degree detection), and every cam set now ships in the box. Swapping springs/cams means partial disassembly, which is the main usability gripe.
Orion 2 Joystick Base (MFSSB)
WinWing's mid-tier all-metal modular base, sold in two flavors: a conventional gimbal version and the MFSSB (Movable Force Sensor Stick Base) that blends a short physical throw with force-sensing for a near-static, pressure-driven feel. It accepts F-16EX/F-15-style grips and is configured in SimAppPro. The conventional gimbal takes Light/Medium/Heavy springs and NC/SC cams with adjustable damping. The chief complaint is that cams, springs and damping aren't all included out of the box, so dialing in your feel can mean buying extras.
Grips
2
MCG Pro (Modern Combat Grip) Add-On
VKB's flagship combat grip and the most common topping for a Gunfighter Mk.IV base. The MCG Pro packs six analog axes (two slew ministick, two trimmer ministick, a folding-trigger axis and a brake-lever axis on a contactless MaRS sensor) into a modular shell you can reconfigure hat-by-hat. A 25mm-adjustable palm rest and up to 15-degree grip rotation make it comfortable for long sessions. It is a grip only and requires a compatible VKB base (sold separately).
VPC Constellation ALPHA Grip
Virpil's go-to twin-stick grip and the premium HOSAS standard, available in dedicated left and right variants so you can build a true mirrored pair. It is dense with inputs — a dual-stage trigger, dual-position flip trigger, analog ministick, three 4-way hats, a 2-way hat, three momentary buttons, a contactless-sensor brake lever and a scroll encoder — plus a lockable contactless twist axis and programmable RGB. Build quality is exceptional, with a metal flip trigger and brake lever. It is a grip only; pair it with a Virpil base.
Throttles
2
VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle
Virpil's flagship modular metal throttle and widely cited as one of the best HOTAS throttles ever made. It offers dual independent, linkable throttle axes with two adjustable detents, adjustable friction, an analog slew ministick and a deep cluster of programmable controls. Aircraft-grade duralumin mechanics and VPC contactless proximity sensors give it a tank-like feel, and four detent profiles (Classic, Warthog, Aerobatics, CosmoSim) let it adapt from jets to spaceships. For pure HOSAS it's optional, but it's superb for HOTAS or hybrid rigs.
Gladiator NXT EVO Omni-Throttle
A clever HOSAS-native answer to the throttle question: it mounts a Gladiator EVO stick on an Omni-Throttle Adapter (OTA) so your off-hand becomes a multi-axis thrust/strafe controller instead of a single-axis lever. That maps perfectly to a spaceship's six-axis flight model, where lateral strafing matters as much as forward thrust. It shares the Gladiator's magnetic sensors, ALPS buttons and self-centering twist. It is essentially the left-hand half of a purpose-built VKB space rig.
Mounts
1
Hotass
3
Orion 2 HOTAS (F-16EX combo)
WinWing's full HOTAS bundle — an Orion 2 joystick base with an F-16EX metal grip plus the Orion 2 throttle — aimed at DCS/Falcon fighter pilots who also dip into space. The F-16EX grip is loaded with controls including an extra left-side module, and the metal-and-ABS construction has genuine heft and a quality matte finish. It's a strong fighter HOTAS, but for pure space combat a HOSAS is the more flexible choice; the included cams/springs also run soft, so heavier grips can feel slack until you upgrade them.
T.16000M FCS HOTAS (stick + TWCS throttle)
The budget HOTAS gateway: the ambidextrous Hall-effect T.16000M stick paired with the TWCS throttle, which slides linearly on rails like a real fighter throttle rather than rotating. Together they give 9 axes, 30 buttons and two 8-way hats — generous for the money. It's comfortable beyond its looks and accurate, with the headline caveat being a stiff throttle and a setup curve (you map inputs individually). For space, many still prefer twin T.16000M sticks, but this is a solid air-and-space starter HOTAS.
HOTAS Warthog
The prestige mainstream HOTAS — an all-metal 1:1 replica of the A-10C Thunderbolt II's stick and dual-throttle, with weighty construction and a vast array of programmable buttons and switches. It's a benchmark for build quality and longevity. The catch for space sims is that it's aircraft-shaped: there's no twist axis on the stick, so it can't natively reach all six degrees of freedom the way a HOSAS or a twisting stick can. It's a poorer fit for pure space than for DCS/atmospheric flight, but it's superb hardware.