Remote-control cars and trucks offer attention to detail that provides plenty of fun at home or while on vehicle-based adventures

About 2 seconds. That’s how long it takes for the brushless Traxxas Slash 4×4 RC truck to reach 60 mph. That’s also how long it takes for a 40 year old man to turn back into a 15 year old boy once you hand him the controller for that truck. The off-road RC truck market is as big as the life-size market and the aftermarket support for those trucks is just as big.

When we set out to take a deeper look into the RC world, we were complete beginners. It doesn’t take long to get drawn in though as the choices are absolutely endless. Do you like desert race trucks? They have them. Rock crawlers? The market is flooded with them. They even have rock racers. A combination of rock crawler and desert racer, I guess. Anything you want from complete 4×4 vehicles that are ready to run or total build-it-yourself kits where you’ll be setting up your own gears and adjusting the pinion depth are available. Some trucks are meant to be bashed and jumped and believe me, they can take a beating. Others are slowly assembled like a model airplane and are more fragile and meant to be driven slowly. Whatever your flavor, you can get it.

We selected a variety of RC trucks from the major players in the market and set out to see what all the hype was about. We tested offerings from Axial, Traxxas, RC4WD and Tamiya. All of these companies offer a phenomenal selection of vehicles and picking the right one for you may be the biggest question mark as you get started. They are all good at something, but none of them are good at everything. Axial has scale Jeeps that look exactly like the real thing. Traxxas has trucks that come with selectable lockers and two speed transmissions that can be shifted right from the controller. RC4WD has lifelike vehicles that can be easily mistaken for the real thing. Tamiya has kits that allow you to customize and build every piece of the vehicle from the ground up. That’s just scratching the surface of what’s offered.

While none of the RC trucks we tested were inexpensive, they were all fun. Retail prices range anywhere from $299 to $899 for these vehicles. Considering how much fun you can have and how much of a beating they can take, that’s not a lot of coin. Having one around camp will sure pass the time quickly. So, which one is right for you? Maybe they all are?

If you’re a Land Cruiser or FJ Cruiser aficionado, the Tamiya is a great choice. Their CR-01 rock crawling chassis and kits are phenomenal, but they do require complete assembly. You’ll be setting up gears, filing the shock bodies with oil and adjusting the steering. It’s as lifelike as you can get and almost just as fun. The Tamiya also offers the most available choices in modifications. These upgrades are called “Hopups” from Tamiya and you can go as mild or wild as you’d like during your build. This really makes Tamiya the most unique out of the group. No two vehicles will be exactly the same as you hand-build each one.

If flat out speed, kicking up dust and hitting big jumps is more your style, the Traxxas Slash 4×4 with a brushless motor is the best choice from the group we tested. As a matter of fact, all the Traxxas models were much faster than anything else in the group. The Slash 4×4 can reach 60 mph and letting it loose on a dirt track or desert trail is what makes grown men smile like little kids. There’s something about kicking up dust and taking turns sideways that is inherently exciting for all of us. While not as fast as the Slash, the enormous 1/10 scale Summit is Traxxas’ flagship off-road vehicle. It’s so large that it requires 2 batteries to power its massive size, LED lights and 7” mud terrain tires. The Summit’s list of features are pretty impressive too. Not only is the truck 4WD, it’s equipped with a 2-speed transmission and selectable locking differentials that are controlled right from the remote. Because of its sheer size and power, it’s almost unstoppable. You can go from high gear, full throttle up to an obstacle, then pull down into low range, lock the differentials and crawl right over it without doing anything other than flipping a switch on the transmitter in your hand. There is even a 1/16 scale Summit VXL in Traxxas’ lineup. While it doesn’t come with lockers and a two-speed transmission, it may be even more fun than its big brother. It’s not really big enough to tackle large obstacles, but it is lightning fast and it handles like a sports car. It reminds me of a rabbit that goes from zero to flat out in almost no time at all. It can cut and turn on a dime and was maybe the most fun vehicle out of all that we tested.

From an ease-of-use perspective, Traxxas does a phenomenal job with their vehicles. It’s as easy as opening the box, connecting the battery and mashing the throttle. Traxxas also has the most advanced battery charging system on the market. Their EZ-Peak Plus charger can recognize the difference between a Lipo battery (Lithium Polymer) and a NiMH battery (Nickel Metal Hydride). Lipo is typically more efficient but also more expensive whereas NiMH has been around for quite awhile and works just fine. Anyways, the charger automatically configures and optimizes the charger settings depending on the type of battery and considering that a Lipo battery can cost nearly $100, this is a great way to safely charge your investment. It is completely proprietary though. The Traxxas charger (and batteries) will only work with other Traxxas products. For the complete beginner, this is the easiest way to get started in the remote control world. The only downside to the Traxxas off-road fleet is that there isn’t any vehicle that represents a full size, real-world, off-road or overlanding vehicle. This does leave something to be desired if you’re a Toyota, Jeep or Land Rover enthusiast.

If you’re looking for more realistic or scale off-road trucks, then the Axial lineup is far and away your best bet. Axial is more than just a product, they’ve built a brand and a lifestyle that goes beyond the remote control world. They host massive RC rock crawling competitions and are heavily involved with all things off-road, even in the full size market. Their vehicles carry logos from real world companies like Nitro, BFG and Rigid Lighting. They’re licensed through vehicle and aftermarket companies and everything about them is made to look and feel just like the real thing. The SCX-10 Trail Honcho is a 1/10 scale rock crawling truck complete with sliders and aluminum skid plates. The SCX-10 Jeeps are about as real looking as you can get. It’s obvious that they are a staple in the Axial lineup. The 2012 Rubicon Currie Axle and Rigid LED edition is true to form in every way. Driving this truck around the campfire with the LED lights lighting the way is outrageously fun. One of the most enjoyable things we did with the Axial trucks was host our own rock crawling competition. We built a small course at camp, designated the lines and the rules and then spent the next three hours hooting and hollering as our mini rock crawlers picked their way through the toughest obstacles and over the most dangerous rocks in camp. The fun that you can have with a few friends and a truck or two is off the charts. Axial also offers their version of a desert racer with the Yeti line. These rock racers have a solid rear axle and independent front suspension. They’re made for high speed running through the desert or on the trail. Axial also offers kit versions of most of their vehicles or complete ready-to-run versions that require nothing more than opening the box and installing a battery.

If you’re an overlanding aficionado, the Gelande D110 Land Rover Defender or BFGoodrich 150th Anniversary Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 from RC4WD is the right vehicle for you. Both feature a full-on overlanding setup with available aftermarket accessories that make them as realistic as something you might see at Overland Expo. You can add snorkels, bumpers, a working winch, mini fuel cans, a roof rack, and even mini MAXTRAX recovery gear. Our Gelande D110 Land Rover is impressively true-to-scale with a Warn 9.5 CTI winch and ARB front and rear differential covers. It’s a heavy-duty vehicle with cast metal axles, all-aluminum chassis, steel sliders, swing-away tire carrier, and beadlock wheels! It also has a working 4-link suspension in the rear and a 3-link in the front. This RC not only looks like the real thing but it acts exactly like the real one on the trail, as does the FJ40 whose quality and function is an absolute blast! Note the BFG 150th Anniversary Land Cruiser is a limited edition with limited quantities currently available.

So, which one is the best? There isn’t one, really. It all depends on what you want to do and how much you want to spend, which is very much like the real trucks we’re so passionate about. Again, none of these trucks did everything well. They all cover a specific niche in the market. The Traxxas are the fastest. The Tamiya is perfect for someone who enjoys tinkering and attention to detail. The RC4WD D110 and BFGoodrich 150th Anniversary Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 is for the overland crowd that enjoys finding the right accessories in an impeccable quality and attention to detail. Finally, the Axial line is for the true off-road enthusiast, especially the Jeep crowd.

We’ve only just scratched the surface of the RC world. There’s no doubt this is an incredibly addicting hobby that can be as simple or as intricate as you’d like to make it. Sound familiar?

Learn more about each of these RCs by visiting:

• www.traxxas.com
• www.axialracing.com/
• www.tamiyausa.com/
• www.rc4wd.com

 

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