I got a pair of CH Pro Pedals at the local Frys for about $100, after the twist rudder on my Wingman Extreme Digital quit after 4 months. >
. About the only thing I liked about that stick was the shape of the handle. Very ergonomic.
The X sticks do cost a lot, yeah, but they're VERY high quality and I think of them as more of an investment. They'll last for *years*, and they won't lose precision or get dust in the potentiometers and start fluttering and twitching like cheaper sticks do. I picked up my X45 a few weeks later with birthday money. It was about $90, but it hadn't been out as long. And it was most definitely worth every penny.