In 2011, we featured our original review of the Gmade R1 rock crawler/racer. After a few months of extensive testing (in more than one country no less), driving on a variety of terrains and just generally putting this truly unique truck through its paces, here are the end results of the long-term testing of the…
The majority of 2WD short course trucks are based on existing platforms. When you don’t have a 1/10-scale 2WD buggy or stadium truck in your lineup, you get to–essentially by default–start with a clean sheet of paper when designing a short course truck. Clean sheet means you get to think outside the box. Welcome to…
When you spend your hard earned cash on hobby products you want get your money’s worth. The products you purchase must be dependable, reliable and of overall high quality. Duratrax is a name synonymous with value-priced hobby products and its new lineup of Onyx chargers is designed to be the perfect chargers for anyone from…
Some of you may not know that the AX10 Ridgecrest release for April 2012 (retailers in May 2012) marks the five year anniversary of Axial’s AX10 series. The original AX10 Scorpion hit the market in April of 2007. It was Axial’s first vehicle, brought crawling to the mainstream and quickly became the most influential crawler…
While it wasn’t their first product on hobby shop shelves, Axial’s first vehicle, the AX10 Scorpion, undeniably put the company on the RC map. Over the years, the AX10 evolved and changed with consumer demands. The latest version of the AX10, the Ridgecrest, shares so few parts with the original, it’s almost surprising that Axial…
Hey, Joe Racer, did you know there’s more to RC racing than short course? We love short course and recognize that it may be the best thing to happen to the hobby since servo tape, but newcomers don’t seem to realize–and even the “old timers” seem to have forgotten–that the hobby didn’t start four years…
There are so many LiPo battery choices out there, it’s simply overwhelming. Not only are there packs in numerous configurations and sizes, but it seems like every company has a pack with its logo on it. As soon as you start shopping for a LiPo you’ll realize that there are cheap packs and expensive packs….
Do you believe in love at first sight? Being what I’ll describe as more of the typical practical, realist type (AKA a guy), I never really gave the concept much thought. You’ve probably already guessed where I’m going with this, but at the clear risk of being woefully predictable, my thoughts on the subject did…
Rocker, Maddog, Growler. Those are some mean names. If you’re into full-size off-roading you may have heard of Pit Bull Tires and its unique lineup of off-road tires. And, if you lean more to the hardcore side of the off-road scene, you may even have a set. Pit Bull Tires is getting increasingly better known…
All of the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam trucks and drivers have passionate followers, but the top truck–the mightiest of the monsters–is none other than the legendary Grave Digger. Everyone loves Grave Digger, so there are likely going to be quite a few stoked fans out there when they learn that the fun doesn’t have…
With what I’ll readily acknowledge as a careful eye on the market and a strong connection with the crawling segment and community, Axial Racing has recently revamped and streamlined its popular SCX10 lineup of scale rock crawlers. Two versions are now available: the Honcho and the Dingo. The Dingo–reviewed here–is a do-it-yourself kit and Honcho…
As a full-size Jeep aficionado, I’m naturally a sucker for scale Jeeps. Tamiya’s hard-plastic Wrangler YJ is, arguably, the most detailed RC Jeep body available. This shell is offered on the CC-01 chassis that is as fun as they come, but with its independent front suspension and tub chassis, it’s not a scale match of…
Auxiliary lights are nothing new to the full-size or RC off-road scenes. What is still new is the use of LEDs for the light source. These super bright LED lights have many advantages over traditional lights such as longer life and less energy consumption. They also happen to look cool. As such, as soon as…
I’ve been modifying my Axial Wraith over the last few months and STRC has been supplying a large number of the products. The latest change I made was to add STRC’s aluminum shock bodies and shock caps. The CNC machined aluminum shock bodies are direct replacements for the stock plastic shock bodies and include knurled…
The Axial Wraith is currently one of the hottest trucks in RC. It’s popular because it blends go-fast fun with real rock crawling prowess. And, of course, its aggressive looks pull most people right in. There was some concern within Axial that the unique look and construction of the cage and panels could make the…