Reviews

Have you been thinking about ge ing an RC boat? Are you unsure about making a commitment to yet another aspect of the hobby? Stop thinking and take a look at the Power Venom from Udi R/C.

Horizon Hobby introduced their Vaterra line of vehicles nearly two years ago now with an emphasis on scale realism and officially licensed bodies. There has been a very close relationship between Chevrolet and Vaterra

Tower Hobbies is relatively new to the RC car market (but obviously not to RC in general). Backed by Hobbico, the Tower Hobbies Cutback is a brushless 4X4 short course RTR set to compete in one of the most popular market segments today.

Truggies have slowly transformed into the go-to machine for enthusiasts to bash because of their performance handling and powerful nature. Monster trucks still hold a place for many drivers too, who prefer their massive size and aggressive nature.

2WD buggies are and always have been the vehicle of choice in RTR trim. While Serpent hasn’t always been synonymous with either the term 2WD buggy or RTR, they recently started offering up a selection of both. After designing the winning platform of 1/8-scale Cobra vehicles, Serpent designer Billy Easton turned his attention to their smaller 2WD counterparts.

If you aren’t up to date with the drifting world, Vaughn Gittin Jr. is one of the most exciting and recognizable competitors in the sport, winning multiple awards and putting on some of the best performances out there. Vaughn Gittin Jr. team up with the Need for Speed crew to create the Mustang RTR-X, a super bad 1969 Mustang replica built for modern day smoke shows.

There are some people who expect their RC car to go anywhere and do anything and today’s RC cars put up with a lot of that style of abuse. But that abuse can take its toll on equipment and those …

As Lithium Polymer batteries have become the standard in RC and capacities and cell counts continually increase, so have the demands for more powerful chargers. High milliamp hours (mAh) batteries increase the charge duration. To combat this, more LiPo batteries now allow charge rates as high as 12C. Of course, you will be unable to take advantage of higher charge rates without high-powered equipment like the TrakPower VR-1 charger.

The world of Spektrum radios is one of constant evolution, sprinkled with a bit of revolution now and again. From the early days of the module systems that converted existing radios to 2.4 GHz, people have looked to Spektrum for the latest spread spectrum innovations to keep them glitch-free. The newest release is the DX4S, which introduces DSMR, an update to DSM (Digital Spectrum Modulation) and DSM2. With each iteration, DSM technology has become more reliable with less chance of interference.

Set yourself up with a quality set of RC-specific tools like the Pro-Series tools from HPI and you will find wrenching much more enjoyable. These eye-catching, high-quality tools are sold individually so you can just purchase the ones you know you will use. HPI offers everything from Allen drivers to box wrenches to blade and Phillips head screwdrivers, and even a body reamer. Each tool features a great-looking CNC machined aluminum handle that is polished for a shiny finish. The handles were quite comfortable to hold with the diameter sized just right to allow you to apply the proper amount of pressure to your hardware. Knurled grips at the tip ends of the handles are a nice feature that kept my fingers from slipping. The opposite end is fitted with a plastic cap that sits nicely in your palm. HPI laser etched each tool to make identification effortless and the tips are factory-ground and then hardened and black-coated for a long life and a high-end appearance.

The Vaterra name is one that you will be seeing a lot of in RC. Horizon Hobby recently launched this “adventure driven” brand of ultra-cool, ready-to-run (RTR), scale-looking vehicles, each purposefully designed to be driven in the type of terrain native to its full-scale inspirations. To this end, each is equipped with a proven Spektrum 2.4GHz radio system, a powerful Dynamite motor system, waterproof electronics and a handy Dynamite battery charger.

We all start somewhere when getting into RC and it can happen on different levels. Some get into RC from the toy level and then get into hobby grade vehicles and others start right on the hobby side. When Gearbest.com …

Traxxas has started two major fads in the radio control industry. The first was with monster trucks when they released the nitro powered TMaxx. The second began with the Slash and started the current short course craze that most everyone is obsessed with. Now, it looks like Traxxas is …

Drifting is one of those segments that rolls back and forth in popularity, but there are a number of groups out there that have never strayed away from their passion for driving sideways. With that underground following, the drift scene has evolved in many ways. No longer are people just converting sedans or adapting bodies, there are plenty of purpose-built kits and bodies that fit the part. Companies like Tamiya have addressed the needs of this segment with cars, bodies and accessories and now we’re seeing the evolution of some intense products. Tamiya’s latest high-end offering, the TA05 VDF II, is loaded with performance design that will give you the control you expect in a competition ready drifter. It’s time to look deep into this machine and see what makes it tick, and then we’ll see how it performs.

So many of us who became addicted to this hobby in the 80’s, did so because of a Tamiya vehicle. Mine was the Monster Beetle, but I know several others who got hooked on the Tamiya Wild One. The buggy was sold …