Reviews

Back in the day when I started racing, the transmitters were pretty simple. There were no digital readouts or hidden antennas and if someone was on your channel, you had to run back to the pits to change the frequency crystals in your car and radio. Dials were limited to EPAs and Dual Rates and, if you had the big bucks and could afford it, you had an awesome black antenna. Not only were the transmitters much simpler, but the drivers were much thinner too (from all the running around)!

The power supply is that component that rarely gets much attention yet is the essential device to power our multi-chemistry battery chargers, lights and other pit gadgets. With that being said, LRP did not take that same viewpoint when they designed the new Competition 20A Power Supply. LRP made sure to create a high-quality power supply that was not only powerful, but also compact, lightweight and equipped with some clever features.

As RC fanatics, when someone mentions monster trucks we have a pre-set notion of what that is in our hobby. We think of 1/8-scale (or larger) trucks that include big tires, big suspension, big horsepower—just big everything. With the release of the Maximus, I think DHK might be in the same mindset as us! The Maximus, which coincidentally is Latin for “greatest” or “largest”, is a big ol’ beast that not only includes our monster truck wish list, but also does it at an extremely affordable price. Bring on the MT playground!

DHK looks to bring electric 1/8-scale to the masses with the new RTR Optimus buggy. A complete package with a 3S 3200mAh LiPo battery pack, high-powered brushless motor and speed control combo, 2.4GHz radio system and AC balance charger leaves little left to purchase for first time RC’ers. And, all for less than the cost of many 1/8 rollers! Newbies to LiPos fear not, DHK does and excellent job of educating new drivers through the easy to understand manual.

The world of electric 1/8-scale off-roaders has changed drastically over the past couple of years. They’ve evolved from large, clunky conversion kits to streamlined, dedicated e-racing machines. Some have become easier to build, others easier to drive and yet others easier to maintain. Team Durango has successfully combined all three of those features into the astounding DEX8, a buggy that is not only mild-mannered on the track; it also comes partially built from the factory. TD has referred to this as the ‘Fast and Easy Build – Hit the Track Quickly’, and it actually cut my build time by half. Now it’s time to review its features and discuss its mannerisms on the track.

Using an engine heater is quickly becoming the norm on the nitro racing scenes. By preheating your engine before start-up and runs, you allow the engine to start easier with less wear and tear on the engine. It also allows …

Road Ruler! Word: Carissa Smyka Photos: Walter Sidas Serpent has been in the RC industry for well over 25 years. Serpent started out designing nitro cars, mastered the design, won a lot of races and then branched out into other …

Though the name LaTrax may, to some, sound a bit French, LaTrax is in fact an American company that is powered by another very well-known US-based company, Traxxas. The selected name for their new LaTrax 1/18-scale Teton monster truck thus pays homage to the diversity of adventure that one can experience when behind the wheel in the great outdoors (and has nothing to do with the definitions of any French words).

The Buggy That Will Make You Look Twice! Words: Carissa Smyka Photos: Walter Sidas Racers all over the world are enjoying some of the best times in RC now that history has come full swing and there is a surge …

It was probably less than a minute after the 8IGHT 3.0 Nitro Buggy was released that electric power junkies were wondering if and when an E-3.0 would hit the shelves. Some wondered if it would be a conversion again or would Team Losi Racing go the route of their popular and newly-released TEN SCTE 2.0 with an all-electric specific kit. TLR is apparently done with conversions because the 8IGHT-E 3.0 is here and it’s all electric and ready for all the racing you can throw at it.

Do Work Driver Words: Ty Giebel Photos: Ty Giebel Since 2007, Axial has been a staple of the crawling community and events around the world. But over the last couple of years, radio control rock crawling’s focus has shifted away …

Outerwears has been fighting debris and contaminants on vehicles big and small for years. They have helped us in the RC market keep our machines in better running condition with their Outerwears prefilter for motors, air filters, Shockwears for shocks and …

The radio control hobby started off as an evolution of static modeling and Tamiya has been the leader in radio control modeling since the beginning. Over the years, they never lost sight of the true modeling aspect and many of their kits offer you the full experience of building, painting and driving a near replica of a full-scale machine.

The All-In-One-Hauler The act of gear transportation has become quite an art form. It takes months, if not years, of slowly organizing your equipment to fit your most needed parts into your boxes, the boxes into the bags and the …

Imagine yourself strapped into a custom built rock buggy. You are surrounded by a steel cage that you welded together yourself in your garage. Five hundred horses are rumbling under the hood. You are entering a creek bed, and as you approach the first rock, you peg the throttle.