Cockpit sim ££?
- Thread starter Dragsham
- Start date
You want a GT style racing cockpit that has HOTAS attachments:
www.gtomega.co.uk
That’s the one I got.
Sim Racing Cockpits | Premium and Affordable Racing Rigs | GT Omega
Market-leading sim racing cockpits to fit any budget. Shop for great deals on fully adjustable gaming cockpits at GT Omega.
www.gtomega.co.uk
That’s the one I got.
Hopefully posting Discord links is allowed, but one of the best places for Simpit related stuff is here: https://discord.gg/szqaJE7
If I have a recommendation, I would build your own from aluminium extrusions (its not as hard as you think) and get a 3D printer and Fusion 360 - the world is your oyster then
If I have a recommendation, I would build your own from aluminium extrusions (its not as hard as you think) and get a 3D printer and Fusion 360 - the world is your oyster then
I have researched this a bit myself, and came to the same conclusion, all the kits are made for racing.
And I'm not paying £700 for a racing rig that I would have to spend another £200 on extra bits that I would have to modify personally to fit my kit, unless you got warthog equipment, your out of luck.
Also, anything that resembles a racing chair is absolutely horrible for flight, I tested myself with a racing seat in a pit and I could stay in it for more than five minutes before my shoulders where killing me.
The last thing you want with any flight setup is a seat with a cupping back, your not experiencing any g-forces either so racing seats are as uncomfortable as they stupid looking.
Flight kits are not a focus for these racing pits, period.
They are expensive, not good enough, add on's they supply simply supply because people ask for them.
They get away with it becuase 99% of their customers never use them really.
My best suggestion is like mentioned, build your own out of extrusions or just bang some wood together, and use a non racing car seat, preferably out of a truck or at least an SUV, those things are comfortable as hell.
And I'm not paying £700 for a racing rig that I would have to spend another £200 on extra bits that I would have to modify personally to fit my kit, unless you got warthog equipment, your out of luck.
Also, anything that resembles a racing chair is absolutely horrible for flight, I tested myself with a racing seat in a pit and I could stay in it for more than five minutes before my shoulders where killing me.
The last thing you want with any flight setup is a seat with a cupping back, your not experiencing any g-forces either so racing seats are as uncomfortable as they stupid looking.
Flight kits are not a focus for these racing pits, period.
They are expensive, not good enough, add on's they supply simply supply because people ask for them.
They get away with it becuase 99% of their customers never use them really.
My best suggestion is like mentioned, build your own out of extrusions or just bang some wood together, and use a non racing car seat, preferably out of a truck or at least an SUV, those things are comfortable as hell.
I use an Obutto R3volution with HOTAS and pedals, VR and SubPac for elite. Works great, very sturdy and very comfortable for long periods.
www.obutto.com
Gaming Cockpits - The Best Racing Simulator Cockpits Available | Obutto
You want to be comfortable while gaming. Obutto gaming cockpits provide an enhanced ergonomic seating position in relation to your mouse, keyboard and moinitors. Check it out.
www.obutto.com
Point 1. Supply your own well cushioned car seat. They all have standard car seat fitting rails.
Point 2. Complete rubbish actually. On mine, I can mount a side stick or have it center. All well made and sturdy.
My setup with an Obutto r3volution with additional flight stick and throttle mounts (CH Products Throttle, Fighterstick and Pro pedals). Also have the option of centre stick setup. Side table swings round with seat fully back to use as a standard desk if need be. This is one VERY sturdy frame made of 2mm thick 1 inch tubing... Definitely have no regrets and would recommend 100%. These do come up quite often on Ebay, so you may get one a bit cheaper (The older Ozone version is pretty decent too.)
I just ordered a Volair Sim cockpit. After looking at many posts and recommendations I was about to give up because most chairs I would have to buy a lot of extras to make my setup work. Volair includes more than you get with other chairs for the base model. It's still not cheap, but I'm tired of breaking immersion with my 'mickey mouse' setup. I play in VR with a dual joystick and throttle. I did add on a side mount for my throttle, but I wouldn't expect a flight chair to have three side mounts in the base model anyway. Once it arrives I can post an update if there's interest.
Whilst I remember and a very cheap alternative I used for many years as a flight and racing pit is the Akers Barnes cockpit - I think you can get the whole thing from one or two sheets of plywood/mdf and it flat packs if you want it out of the way.
Funny story: I once did a virtual squadron display using 7 of these pits at an exhibition for minimal cash and we had so many people wanting to watch we had complaints from Microsoft that people couldn't get to their "professional" display stand for Combat Flight Sim 3 which had been released the same weekend ;-)
Ooops sidetrack - here's a link (scroll to the bottom of the article): http://www.62ndfightingfalcons.com/62-abc-cockpit.html
Funny story: I once did a virtual squadron display using 7 of these pits at an exhibition for minimal cash and we had so many people wanting to watch we had complaints from Microsoft that people couldn't get to their "professional" display stand for Combat Flight Sim 3 which had been released the same weekend ;-)
Ooops sidetrack - here's a link (scroll to the bottom of the article): http://www.62ndfightingfalcons.com/62-abc-cockpit.html
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I agree, these ready made kits are expensive. Some may need further modification, depending on your controller set up.
But the rest needs some clarification.
Firstly, seats are subjective. What fits me like a glove may be hideously uncomfortable for you. The more expensive rigs have plenty of adjustment though, so it's a bit like office chairs. Try before you buy if you can, but honestly, they're not as bad as you make out. I sometimes doze off in mine, which ought to give you an idea about how uncomfortable I'm feeling!
On a point of order about 'g forces'- mine is a Paignian GT Ultimate, which is designed to take their 3 dimensional motion platform. It's a bit out of my price range! But they include a multi point harness for a reason. Here's a vid of it going through it's paces:
I take issue with the comment about users never really using them- my rig is used daily, with the rather handy shelf (an optional extra) being a great place to stick my employer's Surface Pro while I work from home as a great (fairly recent) bonus feature. I 'fly' two or three nights a week, for three or four hours at a time. The sim pit has seen severaI different controller set ups, I've worn out and repaired my X-52 HOTAS throttle and I'm on to my fourth joystick (nothing wrong with the others, I just saved enough to treat myself to a Gunfighter).
It cost a blooming fortune, I'd be seeing myself right off if I didn't use it as much as possible. I suspect many or even most other users are the same.
Your DIY suggestion is a good one, but it rather depends on having some solid building skills, a selection of tools, plenty of room for assembly and having the time to design, build, test and adjust the unique result of a long term project. The pre designed simpits can be assembled in a weekend with the tools provided in the kit. For some people- like me- it's a very easy decision to take. The expense is definitely worth it. I've enjoyed my time with the GT enormously and don't hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a flight sim rig.
Yep, I'd be very interested in that. It was on my short list, along with the Obutto rigs. I'd love to know how you're getting on with it.
Are you in the UK, Dragsham? Did you get around to buying a simpit?
I bought a Pagnian simpit five years ago. It was expensive, but it's holding up pretty well. Apart from the covers starting to look a bit tatty it's almost as good as new. Even the seat foam remains firm, in it's original shape, in spite of my best efforts to put a dent in it with my Hugeass!
I'm not sure if they still make my 'pit, the GT Ultimate (it seems to be out of stock at the moment, I'm not sure if that's permanent), but their latest offerings, the F-GT and the GT Track, go for £399 and £699 respectively. (They also offer cheaper set ups, but I'm not sure how or even if you could them into flight sims). The combat flight pack that allows you to fit flight controls is another £119. You may want a monitor stand(s) from them, if so, they offer a variety of options. Or you can fly VR, or use a regular, commercially available monitor stand, there are plenty out there.
I can wholeheartedly recommend the GT Ultimate, if it ever comes back in stock. I quite fancy the look of the GT Track, it's definitely what I'd be saving toward if I didn't already own a 'pit. The F-GT is much cheaper and looks like it's up to the job- who needs a fancy seat anyway?
Good luck and don't forget to let us know if you do take the plunge!
Linky: https://pagnian.co.uk/
I bought a Pagnian simpit five years ago. It was expensive, but it's holding up pretty well. Apart from the covers starting to look a bit tatty it's almost as good as new. Even the seat foam remains firm, in it's original shape, in spite of my best efforts to put a dent in it with my Hugeass!
I'm not sure if they still make my 'pit, the GT Ultimate (it seems to be out of stock at the moment, I'm not sure if that's permanent), but their latest offerings, the F-GT and the GT Track, go for £399 and £699 respectively. (They also offer cheaper set ups, but I'm not sure how or even if you could them into flight sims). The combat flight pack that allows you to fit flight controls is another £119. You may want a monitor stand(s) from them, if so, they offer a variety of options. Or you can fly VR, or use a regular, commercially available monitor stand, there are plenty out there.
I can wholeheartedly recommend the GT Ultimate, if it ever comes back in stock. I quite fancy the look of the GT Track, it's definitely what I'd be saving toward if I didn't already own a 'pit. The F-GT is much cheaper and looks like it's up to the job- who needs a fancy seat anyway?
Good luck and don't forget to let us know if you do take the plunge!
Linky: https://pagnian.co.uk/
Well, most of those "racing" seats aren't.
They are office chairs branded racing with some extra bits added to.
And I'm not interested in terrible office chair #7.
At best you can get something modeled after a 'sport' seat which, also not necessarily desirable.
A real racing seat is cupping and pushes your shoulders to the point where you get in one, your arms go straight forwards.
It is uncomfortable to let go of the wheel.
In a racecar with a lot of lateral G, that is good.
For anything else, utterly horrible.
The seat you should want is something out of a comfortable sedan, suv or even better transporter/van.
And you can get those for a song at a scrapper.
Might want to clean it first, and also why I'm going with a passenger side seat, not the million miles driver seat.
They are office chairs branded racing with some extra bits added to.
And I'm not interested in terrible office chair #7.
At best you can get something modeled after a 'sport' seat which, also not necessarily desirable.
A real racing seat is cupping and pushes your shoulders to the point where you get in one, your arms go straight forwards.
It is uncomfortable to let go of the wheel.
In a racecar with a lot of lateral G, that is good.
For anything else, utterly horrible.
The seat you should want is something out of a comfortable sedan, suv or even better transporter/van.
And you can get those for a song at a scrapper.
Might want to clean it first, and also why I'm going with a passenger side seat, not the million miles driver seat.
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