Conspit sent this product to me for review.
Conspit has entered the shifter market with the CHS, a dual-mode shifter that combines a 7-gear H-pattern with reverse lockout and a sequential mode in a single full-metal body. It retails for $369, which is still a lot of money, but far less than the top-end competition. I spent a month with it across iRacing, Assetto Corsa, and Dirt Rally 2.0 to find out whether the shift feel lives up to the spec sheet.
The CHS is built entirely from metal, and it feels like it. The whole unit is dense and solid, with a compact footprint of 150 x 95 mm that takes up less space on a rig than many competing shifters. A transparent side panel exposes the internal mechanism, which is a welcome touch for anyone who likes to see how their hardware actually works.
The defining feature is the dual-mode design. Rather than bolting a sequential mode onto an H-pattern mechanism, Conspit gave each mode its own mechanical path, and you can feel the difference. A selector on top of the unit switches between H-pattern and sequential, and the change is effectively instant.
The H-pattern side gives you 7 forward gears plus reverse with a lockout lever on the shaft. Shift resistance is adjustable from 3 kg to 10 kg, and there is a separate damping adjustment as well. Both are tuned with an Allen key, so dialing in your preferred feel takes a few minutes at the bench rather than a quick twist of a knob. The knobs themselves are interchangeable, and a shaft extension is included in the box.
Less essential but worth mentioning: the CHS has 9 LEDs with SimHub compatibility, so it can display rev lights or your current gear. It is a curious inclusion on a shifter, where you are unlikely to be looking, but it works as advertised and does no harm.
Connection is USB, and the shifter is PC only.
At low resistance settings, the H-pattern mode feels convincingly like a real sports car shifter. I do not say this lightly: it feels better than the shifter in my Lotus Elise.
The action is mechanical yet smooth and predictable. Gears slot in cleanly, the fixed travel feels natural, and miss-shifts were uncommon in my testing. When they happened, it was driver error.
Crank the resistance up and the character changes completely. At the highest settings it becomes genuinely difficult to slot gears, which will appeal to almost no one. The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle, where you get a firm, analog, race-car feel without fighting the shifter.
Sequential mode needs the resistance turned up. At low settings it feels vague and flimsy, which is disappointing until you adjust it. Once you do, the shifts are quick, direct, and satisfying, with a deliberate mechanical action that feels intentional rather than mushy.
This is where the CHS separates itself from most dual-mode shifters. Many competitors offer a good H-pattern mode paired with a sequential mode that feels like an afterthought. The CHS is one of the few units that does both genuinely well, provided you take the time to set the resistance correctly.
It is not flawless, though. There is a noticeable amount of side-to-side play in sequential mode, and the upshift has more travel than the downshift. The damping adjustment, for its part, made no discernible difference in my testing.
The CHS ships with only a rally-style shift knob, which feels out of place in H-pattern driving. You can swap it, but a replacement is a separate purchase.
Mounting is the bigger issue. The included brackets use a hole pattern that does not match the standard mounting points on most cockpits. On my rig I could only align two mounting points, which is not confidence-inspiring on a shifter you are going to be yanking on. Conspit has told me they are working on improved mounting, so this may be resolved in later production runs, but buyers should be aware of it now.
Finally, the noise. The CHS is loud, and it gets louder as you increase the resistance. The mechanical clack is part of the appeal in some ways, but if you share walls with anyone, this is a genuine consideration.
Among the dual-mode shifters I have tested, the CHS ranks above the Moza HGP, Simagic’s shifter, the Fanatec shifter, and the Thrustmaster TH8A. The common thread is that the CHS is the rare unit in this class that does not treat sequential mode as an afterthought. The BDH shifter remains a step above it, and is still my pick if budget is not a concern.
Dual-mode H-pattern (7+R with reverse lockout) and sequential shifter. Full-metal construction, 150 x 95 mm footprint. Separate mechanical paths for each mode. Adjustable shift resistance from 3 kg to 10 kg plus tunable damping. Hall-effect sensors. Interchangeable knobs with a rally-style knob included. Transparent side panel. Shaft extension included. 9 LEDs with SimHub compatibility. USB connection, PC only. Retails for $369.
The Conspit CHS is a genuinely impressive first shifter from Conspit. The build quality is excellent, the dual-mode design works as promised, and the shift feel in both modes is among the best you will find at this price.
The compromises are real: it is loud, the mounting needs improvement, and the included knob will not suit everyone. But if you want one shifter that handles both H-pattern and sequential driving without compromise, the CHS is the one I would recommend. It is available at Conspit’s store for $369, and you can use the code OCRACING for 5% off.
Sim racing hardware reviewer and creator. Every review on this site is hands-on tested across direct-drive wheelbases, pedals, cockpits, motion systems and accessories before a word is published.
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