When it comes to flying FPV drones, one of the most debated topics is how to hold the sticks on your radio: pinching, hybrid pinching, or thumbing. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each style, who they’re best suited for, and whether you should consider switching your grip to improve your flying. Let’s break it all down and help you decide what works best for your flying style.
If you have your own unique way of holding the sticks that we haven’t discussed here, let us know in the comments!
Table of Contents
Thumbing
If you’re coming from a gaming background, thumbing might feel like second nature. Just like using a joystick on a console controller, thumbing relies solely on your thumbs to manipulate the sticks on your transmitter. By resting your thumbs on top of the sticks, you hold the radio body securely with the rest of your fingers.
Advantages of Thumbing
- Simplicity: Easy to pick up, especially for those familiar with gaming controllers.
- Quick Movements: Ideal for fast, reactive flying styles like freestyle or casual cruising.
- Comfort: Requires minimal effort, making it suitable for long sessions.
- Switch Access: Easier to reach switches and buttons with your index fingers on some radios.
- Increased Stick Travel: Allows for greater stick movement range without restrictions from your index finger.
- Better for Smaller Radios: More practical and comfortable for compact transmitters.
Disadvantages of Thumbing
- Reduced Precision: Compared to pinching, thumbing can feel less precise, especially for small adjustments.
- Shaky Fingers: Thumbing can make shaky fingers worse, especially in high-pressure situations or cold weather.
- Grip Loss: Your thumb could slip, particularly during intense flying.
- Thumb Marks: Flying intensively could leave stick-end marks on your thumbs!
Pinching
Pinching involves gripping the side of the stick with both your thumb and index finger, offering greater control and finer adjustments. This style is often considered more advanced, providing superior precision for technical maneuvers.
Advantages of Pinching
- Enhanced Precision: Two fingers provide more control and smoothness over stick movements, especially for small adjustments.
- Stability: Helps to stabilize stick movement if you have “shaky fingers” from either nervousness or cold weather, also Reduces the chance of accidental slips compared to thumbing.
Disadvantages of Pinching
- Learning Curve: If you’re used to thumbing, switching to pinching can take time and effort.
- Wrist Strain: It’s harder to hold the radio in a pinch grip for extended periods can lead to discomfort or wrist pain, especially with smaller radios.
- Restricted Stick Travel: Achieving full stick throw can feel more challenging, potentially limiting your range of motion.
- Slower Response: May result in slightly slower reactions compared to thumbing.
- Radio Size Dependency: Compact radios can feel awkward to pinch, often requiring a neck strap for additional support.
Hybrid Pinching
Hybrid pinching is a mix between thumbing and pinching, where you place your thumb on top of the stick and lightly guide it with your index finger. This method offers a balance between comfort and precision.
This grip style brings the best of both worlds. It’s particularly suited for thumbers seeking improved control or for those wanting to reduce the impact of shaky fingers, enhancing smoothness and stability during flights.
Advantages of Hybrid Pinching
- Balanced Precision: Provides more control than thumbing but less strain than pinching.
- Ease of Transition: Easier for thumb pilots to adapt to compared to full pinching.
- Comfortable Grip: Reduces wrist strain while maintaining decent stability.
Disadvantages of Hybrid Pinching
- Limited Benefits: Doesn’t achieve the full precision of pinching or the simplicity of thumbing.
Which Grip Style is Right for You?
Choosing the right grip depends on your background, flying goals, and personal preference. Here are some factors to consider:
Comfort
- If comfort is your priority, thumbing is the easiest and least stressful option.
- Hybrid pinching provides a middle ground for those seeking better control without sacrificing comfort.
- Pinching may feel awkward initially but can become second nature with practice.
Precision Needs
- For casual flying, the precision differences between styles may not matter much.
- Racing or technical flying demands higher precision, making pinching or hybrid pinching the better choice.
Transmitter Size
- Smaller radios, like the Radiomaster Pocket, can be harder to pinch comfortably.
- Larger transmitters with extended stick ends are more suited for pinching.
Practical Tips for Experimenting with Your Grip
- Try All Styles: Spend a few sessions flying with each grip to see what feels most natural and effective.
- Change Stick Ends: Experiment with spiked or textured stick ends for better grip and tactile feedback.
- Adjust Transmitter Setup: Customize your transmitter’s gimbal tension and stick length to suit your grip.
- Start in a Simulator: Practice new grip styles in an FPV simulator to avoid costly crashes while learning.
Final Thoughts: Does Grip Style Really Matter?
Ultimately, the “best” grip style depends on your transmitter and personal preference. While pinching offers unmatched precision, thumbing is sufficient for most freestyle or casual pilots. Hybrid pinching provides an excellent compromise, delivering better control without the fatigue associated with full pinching.
Remember, your transmitter’s shape and size, the length of the sticks, can also influence what grip feels most comfortable. Focus on what allows you to fly confidently and enjoy your flights—after all, your quad doesn’t care how you hold the sticks!
Edit History
- Jan 2020 – guide created.
- Jan 2025 – updated.
17 comments
I’m pretty new in FPV and even though I have almost zero gaming experience with a controller (PC gamer), thumbing just feels very natural. I tried pinching and hybrid in the sim, but at least on my small radio (Pocket) it felt very cumbersome. I also had much more difficulty doing fast and big stick moves (bad for freestyle).
A lot of people seem to think that pinching is superior, but I’m not so sure about that. Most of the disadvantages of thumbing can be effectively mitigated. Grip issues? Thumb marks? Change the stick ends. Reduced precision? Just lower your center stick rates and you can have all the precision you will ever need. Only shaky fingers can be hard to deal with using thumbing.
Good summary. You could add in that pinching makes it harder to grip the transmitter. Many users of trays prefer the pinch technique. And finally something I noticed when a student of mine was taking a long time to master the sticks with fine control of movement in one plane without upsetting the position of the stick in the other plane. I noticed that his thumb was hypermobile (double jointed), so that in griping the transmitter, the thumb also partly gripped the tx, leaving only the last two bones to manipulate the stick. As such travel dexterity towards the midline was significantly reduced compared to outwards movement. The solution was to transition him to thumb and index finger pinching along with a transmitter tray. Once he was familiar with this the learning improved allowing him to gain his wings in a short time later after struggling for several years.
Oscar, great article as usual, thanks!
Also totally timely, as I’m a thumber trying to switch to hybrid pinching, just like you did. Main roadblock is holding the controller (mine is a Jumper T14), even with the neck harness, not having the index fingers to help hold it by its sides is stressful.. and also makes flipping switches more difficult.
Should I buy a smaller controller? Switch stick ends? Adjust spring tension? Try a “tray” like a commenter here has mentioned (what is that, BTW)?
A little lost here, TIA for any hints.
Oscar, yours is one of the best resources for fpv ever. I really appreciate your thorough reviews and detailed descriptions. I just learned I’m a hybrid pincher. Thanks!
Lol. I dont know the specific name for this but I am naturally hybrid pincher since start my fpv journey.
Well, since I started out on a cell phone simulator, I used the “on screen” stick controls. Did that for almost a month till I finally got a controller, then started using a PC sim with the controller. Found using my thumbs exclusively on the on screen controls was a natural transition to using thumbs on a controller.
Even though I’m flying now, I still grab the phone when I’m sitting around or taking a crap. In every way, I’m literally practicing and flying with thumbs.
I started using my thumbs too, but ultimately after trying all the different ways I found hybrid pinching is the best method for me :)
that’s amazing haha, may I ask what sim you are using on your phone? I feel that would be great to train when I don’t have a PC with me.
I used to fly for 30 plus years as a thumber, but in two separate accidents I tore the ligaments of my right thumb and also cut into the thumb muscles on my left palm. So now both my thumbs are useless for flying and Pinching/Hybrid Pinching is the only way to fly. Took a long time to retrain as my index fingers must give 99% of the control and the thumbs is just along for the ride.
Well I came from gaming world and thumber all the time. Started flying 20 years ago planes and helis. Now inton Gov and using pincher in throttle and yaw, thumb for pitches and roll. Seems to work best because have short fingers and it hard to hold controller. I’ve been trying pinching with both hands until accidentally hit disarm and 3″ whoop fell out of the sky. So pretty set on this style?
I started as a pincher but now trying thumbing I find it much much easier. Probably because I have big hands and can get full sticks very easily. Breaking the mould I guess..
Exactly, my experience is the opposite, from thumbing to pinching. It’s good to hear others experience sometimes, but at the end of the day you have to try it yourself and find out what works for you.
Just change. You’ll have to redevelop your muscle memory, but at least you’ll have the basics down pat already.
I started thumbing cuz I’ve never heard of how to hold a radio for pinching.. then retrained myself to pinch and hybrid pinch.. didn’t take that long and I can’t imagine going back to thumbing.. that said, some of the best pilots in the world are thumbers..
I believe it’s worth the effort to rewire your brain for pinch.. cuz then you can fly hybrid without any rewiring and hybrid is kinda like enhanced thumbing.. basically once you rewire your brain for pinch you’ll be able to fly all three styles of holding the sticks equally well..
kinda like if you learn to drive stick you can still drive an automatic equally well without much relearning..
I’ve just returned to the hobby a year ago. I am a thumb pilot but would like more control. I’ve spoken with experienced pilots who are also “thumbers”. They tell me they tried to switch to pinching but found it difficult. Since I am still a novice, I’d like to try to pinch for more control and less shaking when I am nervous (which I am 90% of the time). The experienced pilot’s statement planted a seed that I’ll never be able to switch. So my question is, in your experience, about how many flights do you think it will take to get use to the pinching? I am still “green” at flying. I can take off, land and do simple maneuvers. RF-9 is on order as well.
for me it took about a month :) But once I learnt pinching I felt like my control was more solid :)
Practice in simulators too it can speed things up a lot.
I’ve converted to pinching during the weekend after having >150 hours in SIM and IRL. pinching is another world of precision. never going back.