The 7 Best Rudder Pedals
Special Honors
MFG Crosswind Milan Flight Gear began as a hobby in 2011 when the company's owner found current offerings to be lacking in quality. Since then, the founder has increased his knowledge and continues to improve on the design, functionality, and durability of his products. This intrepid entrepreneur has a background in aviation and grew up with a family immersed in planes and piloting. These products are very limited, but worth it if you can get a hold of one. mfg-sim.com
Editor's Notes
September 04, 2020:
Recent advances in hardware technology and simulation software have made flight simulators more popular than ever. Some titles are so popular, in fact, that their releases make everyone want to purchase one. You might find it difficult to obtain these in-demand items sometimes, especially immediately after new software releases. Rest assured that even though the current demand for them may make them difficult to obtain at present, that just means that the genre is growing and not going away any time soon. With the recent gain in popularity, there has never been a better time to get into flight sims. This list will almost certainly be expanding in the near future.
Any of these choices offer the same basic functionality, which is to mimic the control of your virtual plane's ailerons and elevators. When deciding which one is right for you, consider the kind of games you are interested in and like to play. Some of them, like the CH Products 300-111 or the Logitech G Pro are very versatile and work well with any flight sims. Others like the Saitek Pro Flight or Redbird Alloy RD1 are more geared for specific types of planes. Also make sure not to be confused by the very close naming scheme of Thrustmaster's two offerings on the list, the Thrustmaster TFRP, and the Thrustmaster TPR.
It's an understatement to say that peripheral controls like these add to the immersion. Using rudder pedals along with a joystick or other flight simulation controls completely changes your level of involvement with the game. The action of moving your feet and legs while having both hands on separate controls is a completely different sensation than using both hands on a game controller. It's a more complete experience and one that requires individual customization of the accessories. While the items all feature adjustability, most of them are difficult to find in most retail stores, which makes them impossible to physically test. We've tried to break down what makes each model stand apart to help you decide which choice is right for you.