Heusinkveld Ultimate+

Our rating : 9.5/10

If you’re an avid Sim-racing player, you’ve probably already heard of the Dutch brand Heusinkveld! It’s hard to miss their products, which are among the best on the market, especially their incredible pedalboards!

We had the pleasure to test one of their most famous models: the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ crankset.

In this article, we’ll tell you everything there is to know about this pedalboard and what we thought of it. We’ll tell you the features of this simracing pedalboard, its advantages and disadvantages, but we’ll also tell you what type of player we recommend it for and where you can get it.

Features of the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard

The Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ is a high-end 3-pedal pedal board that was designed for professional Sim-racing players.

It can be used in the most demanding environments and can simulate the pedal forces found in F1 and LMP vehicles.

We have listed its main characteristics:

• Designed with CAD and FEA, all structural parts are CNC precision laser cut stainless steel with a glass bead blasted finish.

• All three pedals have load cells: in the gas pedal and clutch they work as position sensors, while in the brake they measure the pressure on the pedal.

• Load cells, unlike rotary potentiometers, provide a true linear output relative to the pedal input. Their precision and durability are unmatched because they do not wear out over time.

• The 3 pedals of the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ crankset are equipped with an adjustable hydraulic damper. The brake and clutch have a 2-way damper to add resistance depending on how quickly the pedal is depressed or released. The brake pedal uses a damper to slow down the pedaling speed. The resistance of all the shock absorbers can be adjusted. The hydraulic system is highly reliable and does not require regular maintenance.

• The throttle is smooth, precise and adjustable.

• The brake is double stage and consists of an initial coil spring and progressive rubber springs. The firmness of the pedal is adjusted by selecting from 10 possible rubber heights. It has a maximum strength of 140 kg.

• The clutch has a spring return mechanism that allows you to greatly adjust the effort, stroke and feel. The maximum pedaling effort is 45 kg.

• The Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard comes with a USB controller and a USB cable. The controller has 3 RJ connectors with a load cell amplifier to which the pedals are connected. It has connectors for 12 buttons and 4 regular analog axes. This means that you can connect additional hardware such as gearboxes, controllers, etc.

• It is compatible with SmartControl, the new pedal configuration tool that allows full configuration and non-linear curves for each pedal. You can also exchange pedal profiles between Heusinkveld Ultimate+ owners.

• The Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard is compatible with PCs running Windows 10 or later. It is not compatible with Linux or with consoles such as Xbox or PlayStation.

• These pedals cannot be installed on a floor without additional support. A full-frame platform or cockpit is still required to use the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard, even if you use the optional Sim Pedals Ultimate baseplate.

For what type of person?

The Heusinkveld Sim Ultimate+ pedalboard was designed for professional Sim-racers. That’s why we recommend it for players who are very experienced but we don’t think it’s suitable for beginners.

As mentioned earlier, this pedalboard can be used in the most demanding environments and is capable of simulating pedal forces as experienced in F1 and LMP cars.

Its advantages

We are not hiding the fact that we were really impressed by the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ crankset and its many advantages. We present you the main ones here.

For us, One of the biggest advantages of the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard is the ability to adjust virtually every aspect of each pedal and its components on an individual basis. In fact, each of the three pedals has its own load cell for unmatched tacticality and each arm has an adjustable hydraulic pedal damper so you can adjust the resistance to suit your needs. The pedals can also be adjusted independently in a number of positive ways (among other things the pedal tilt as well as the pad height), to ensure that no fraction of a second is lost due to anything other than user error.

Like all products from this manufacturer, the Heusinkveld Utilmate+ pedalboard is of incredible build quality and this is evident from the first glance and the first pedal stroke. It’s a really sturdy model, made from high-end materials like stainless steel and comes with state-of-the-art engineering. In our opinion, there is nothing better than a crankset that combines both Load Cell and hydraulic shocks. Everything has been done by the brand to make the pedals of this model as durable as possible.

Then, of course, we were won over by the incredibly realistic feel of all the pedals on the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard. We were particularly taken with the superior braking feel and precision of the brake, but the throttle and clutch are also very impressive. With this model under your feet, it’s impossible to tell the difference with the pedals of a real race car, the sensation is breathtaking!

Finally, the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard has the advantage of being a model that, despite being intended for professionals, is really easy to install. This pedalboard is completely plug-and-play, and with its easy-to-learn SmartControl software, you can make all the adjustments you can think of to make your pedals work for you.

Its disadvantages

We didn’t find much to complain about with the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard, but it does have a few drawbacks that we’ll tell you about here.

Obviously, the biggest drawback of the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard is its price. Once you get into the high-end category and into the professional sim-racing equipment, the prices are inevitably higher and are not accessible to everyone. Even though this pedalboard model is of exceptional quality, it certainly comes at a price not everyone can afford.

In addition, the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard is a model that, in terms of use, is rather reserved for professional players. Beginning players may have the opportunity to play it in professional gaming rooms that are particularly well equipped. But again, it is a model that is not easy to grasp when you lack experience, it requires a lot of playing time.

Finally, like the other models of the brand, the Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedalboard is unfortunately only compatible with the PC. This means that you won’t be able to enjoy it if you usually only play on an Xbox or PlayStation console.

Where to get it and for how much?

The Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ is available for sale on the famous Digital Motorsport website.

Depending on the option you choose, the price of the pedal board is as follows:

• The set of three pedals is available for 1329 €.
• The set of two pedals (without clutch) is available for 1079 €.
• The clutch pedal alone is available for 250 €.
• The base plate (required) is available for 94 €.

Conclusion

At the high end of the market, the Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ is a fantastic option for simulation enthusiasts. These pedals are mounted on an aluminum frame for maximum rigidity and strength, giving you the true feeling of driving in a real race car.

This Heusinkveld pedalboard is suitable for high-end professional motorsport simulators and its robust, rigid, compact and durable design allows for immediate and accurate response.

He offers, in our opinion, the best simulated pedal feel you can get on the market today. If you’re looking for a truly high-end feel with your racing pedalboard, then the Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ are a surefire choice.