Favorite Electric RC Maker/Manufacture?

[BigKid]

Hey guys I am new to the hobby and forum. I currently have a Traxxas Stampede (my sons) and Slash 4x4 (mine). Both currently under repair. I went Traxxas cause it was what was popular in the closest hobby shop near me. And I was a bit impatient and wanted to get into the hobby, so I bought what was available.

I am thinking of purchasing a 3rd car and would like to maybe try a new manufacture. Who do you like and a brief reason why would be nice? Thanks in advance!

 

[Sledgehog]

Can't go wrong with Arrma.

https://www.arrma-rc.com/

I also started with traxxas cuz i didn't know any better. Sold both my stampede and rustler vxls and have had way less of a headache in the hobby since then.
Now own an Arrma Talion, Associated reflex 14t and Enduro, and I race a TLR 2wd buggy. Been super happy with all 4. Will never buy another traxxas product again.

Arrma has vehicles of all ranges, WAY better quality than traxxas in every way, and lots of aftermarket options. Horizon also gives excellent customer support (unlike the headache I also went through with traxxas when I needed it, and it was frequently) . Only thing is the new Spektrum radios they include on the new vehicles are kind of trash so you'll prob have to replace it. but you can easily get one of the tactic 300 systems they used to come with on ebay for around $30 for radio and receiver. They are great. There have also been people on the Arrma forums claiming Horizon has sent them a Tactic radio free to replace the Spektrum when they complained and requested one as well.

Not being a fanboy here but speaking from experience of owning both.

 

[jim84]

Hey guys I am new to the hobby and forum. I currently have a Traxxas Stampede (my sons) and Slash 4x4 (mine). Both currently under repair. I went Traxxas cause it was what was popular in the closest hobby shop near me. And I was a bit impatient and wanted to get into the hobby, so I bought what was available.

I am thinking of purchasing a 3rd car and would like to maybe try a new manufacture. Who do you like and a brief reason why would be nice? Thanks in advance!

aarma

 

[Lazy Bushman]

arrma

 

[olds97_lss]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but arrma is pretty good.

I have HPI (savage x and flux hp), traxxas (ERBEv2, stampede 4x4 vxl, converted jato, 2 nitro revos) and an arrma outcast. The outcast really showed me what I can do with an RC as far as hang time is concerned. Now I push all of them to their limits! My 2.0 brushless revo was a v1, but I converted it recently to a v2 so I could run 6S in it. It's crazy fun to run it again. It was my first "electric" truck a couple years ago.

There's a related to RCTalk forum for arrma as well. Tons of info and help there:
https://www.arrmaforum.com/

If you wanted something even nicer, you could look at Tekno. They cost a lot more, but start with very good parts. You have to buy the electronics separately. I don't know a ton about them, other than they are very good and more expensive.

Another related forum for those:
https://www.teknoforums.com/

 

[Sledgehog]

You can never go wrong with tekno, but they are high end and meant for racing more than bashing and like all race-type kits, will be very expensive by the time you get everything required.

https://www.teknorc.com/


Also there's some excellent offerings from Proline but the same as tekno, they are higher end kits and are extremely barebones in the box and can be pricey. But the Fusion SC 4x4 is a great kit as well as their monster truck kits.

https://www.prolineracing.com/

 

[BigKid]

Thanks everyone. I started looking into Arrma. Probably between the Kraton and Talion. My hobby shop has Talion on sale so might just get that. If someone has any suggestions on why one of these is better then the other I am all ears.

Thank you for the Tekno and Proline recommendations. I think I am still at the point where I need RTR. But hopefully my son stays interested enough to where we start building cars. He is only 8, while I can keep him interested for a bit when making repairs he is not ready for the time needed to select parts and build a car.

 

[olds97_lss]

The talion is a capable basher, but it does sit a bit lower than the kraton, so if you run in grass a lot, it may drag a bit more.

 

[RustyUs]

Thanks everyone. I started looking into Arrma. Probably between the Kraton and Talion. My hobby shop has Talion on sale so might just get that. If someone has any suggestions on why one of these is better then the other I am all ears.

Thank you for the Tekno and Proline recommendations. I think I am still at the point where I need RTR. But hopefully my son stays interested enough to where we start building cars. He is only 8, while I can keep him interested for a bit when making repairs he is not ready for the time needed to select parts and build a car.

I was gonna suggest a kit before you posted the above statement. I am all about "the build". There is this feeling you get when you get have a boxful of plastic, and metal parts set in front of you...next thing you know, you've got a working model.

Today's racing breed kits, I think, offer a better value of parts and durability. Machined parts are a thing of beauty, and strength vs. the stamped stuff on lower priced RCs. High grip tracks of today; coupled with LiPo/brushless power, you need something that will hold up to abuse. Off-road RCs...it's all about the shocks. What goes into making an ultra smooth quality shock will show up in a kit's price tag. Have a look at purchasing just the shocks of a “racing” kit. They will be roughly 25% the cost of a kit.

Ultimately, choosing a kit to build will let you be in charge of what electronics goes into your platform. This is where the price tag can fluctuate. But, again, you're in charge of what brand/specs makes you happy.

 

[BigKid]

The talion is a capable basher, but it does sit a bit lower than the kraton, so if you run in grass a lot, it may drag a bit more.

Never thought about the grass! You are correct. I would say a decent amount of time is playing with them around the yard and neighbors. I think it might make more sense just to spend the money on the kraton. Thank you.

 

[olds97_lss]

I know it's somewhat apples and oranges, but I find my stampede and ejato work a lot harder than my MT's. Partly due to the 2s/3s system and partly due to how low they sit. In a skate park, they are great. But at the grass bmx, even when mowed short, the stampede really labors, my run time is cut considerably shorter and the motor/esc run a lot warmer. For my outcast, savage and v2 brushless revo, they don't have such a hard time.

When I bashed with my buddy that had the v2 talion, I know he was waiting for his to cool off a lot more often than I was with my outcast. At the time, I thought it was because he was running 6S and I was running 4S, but now that I'm running 6S with similar gearing/wheels/tires to what he had, I run pack after pack without much issue at the grass bmx track. I think he did gear 1, maybe 2 teeth higher than I run currently, so that could have been a big part of it. Unfortunately, he moved and I haven't run with him at the bmx to see how our two trucks really compare (outcast vs talion). I do know his talion landed a lot less hard than my outcast, which never made a lot of sense to either of us. lol!

 

[Sledgehog]

My v3 talion has no problems in grass

 

[olds97_lss]

My v3 talion has no problems in grass

I can use a crescent wrench as a hammer too. Doesn't mean it's the best tool in the box.

Honestly though, could have been his gearing as I believe he ran 15T pinion whereas I run a 13T. His did thermal a lot though.

 

[BigKid]

I would have this figured out real quick if I was not married. I would buy both

 

[Sledgehog]

I can use a crescent wrench as a hammer too. Doesn't mean it's the best tool in the box.

By your outlook, the crescent wrench has a lot more all-around uses than a hammer in the long run which is why I would suggest a Talion over a Kraton. Kraton is pretty much a dedicated basher. Talion can bash, race legally out of the box, and also easier to convert to street or for speedruns for example.

 

[olds97_lss]

As I mentioned, he was running the same wheels/tires I was, trencher 3.8's.

In the end, I'd prefer the kraton or outcast for running in grass and bashing as they sit higher and have more shock travel with taller towers/longer shocks.

I'd like it if they had even more travel for what I do as the outcast still sits a bit low for running at the grass bmx unless they just mowed. It drags a lot like my revo's do. My savage seems to roll a bit more easily along in that.

 

[biggman100]

Hey guys I am new to the hobby and forum. I currently have a Traxxas Stampede (my sons) and Slash 4x4 (mine). Both currently under repair. I went Traxxas cause it was what was popular in the closest hobby shop near me. And I was a bit impatient and wanted to get into the hobby, so I bought what was available.

I am thinking of purchasing a 3rd car and would like to maybe try a new manufacture. Who do you like and a brief reason why would be nice? Thanks in advance!

You dont mention if you are looking for 2WD, 4WD, buggy, monster truck, truggy, short course truck, or, if you are racing or bashing, so, i will give you my full list, using each type, with the vehicles then listed in order from best to worst.

Short Course racing 2WD (TBH, i dont do much SCT racing though)
Team Losi Racing 22SCT, Team Associated 10SC series, JConcepts HF2 (i have seen this one a couple times at a local track, but have no personal experience with it)

Short Course racing 4WD
Team Losi TEN-SCTE 3.0 (not much else in this class i would use, but, the Losi Tenacity and DHK Hunter, i have seen set up to race with)

Short Course Truck-2WD basher,
ECX Torment, Losi 22S. Each of these are very capable bashers.. The ECX can only be picked up in Horizon Hobby affiliate stores though, and, as far as i know, isnt available to be shipped.

4WD short course basher,
Arrma Senton, Losi Tenacity, ECX Torment, DHK Hobby Hunter (which comes in brushed and BL versions) Redcat Caldera, Redcat Blackout, Exceed RC Infinitive (parts are a bit harder to get for the Redcat and Exceed stuff, but, the Blackout and Caldera are fairly capable for bashing)

4WD Monster truck basher
Arrma Granite, DHK Hobby Maximus (1/8), Dhk Hobby Crosse (1/10), Redcat Blackout XTE.

2WD Buggy/truggy basher
Arrma Raider (if it is still available), ECX circuit, ECX Amp DB, Losi 22S ST (more of a stadium truck than a buggy or truggy)

4WD buggy/truggy
Arrma Typhon, Arrma Kraton, DHK Hobby Wolf 2, DHK Hobby Raz-R 2.

As you can tell, if it is available for that class of vehicle, Arrma is always my first choice, but, when its a group they don't make a vehicle for, like the SCT racing trucks, i listed what i have seen at my local tracks. One thing i didnt list in any category is Traxxas, because, personally, i don't think they are any good for anything. If you look at some of Big Squid RC's reviews of them, they typically end up heavily broken or destroyed, and, being that Big Squid's reviews are typical of what i use my vehicles for, and being that i have met the guy's from there, i put a lot of stock in their reviews, and typically use them as a guideline when i am looking at vehicles.

 

[BigKid]

You dont mention if you are looking for 2WD, 4WD, buggy, monster truck, truggy, short course truck, or, if you are racing or bashing, so, i will give you my full list, using each type, with the vehicles then listed in order from best to worst.

Short Course racing 2WD (TBH, i dont do much SCT racing though)
Team Losi Racing 22SCT, Team Associated 10SC series, JConcepts HF2 (i have seen this one a couple times at a local track, but have no personal experience with it)

Short Course racing 4WD
Team Losi TEN-SCTE 3.0 (not much else in this class i would use, but, the Losi Tenacity and DHK Hunter, i have seen set up to race with)

Short Course Truck-2WD basher,
ECX Torment, Losi 22S. Each of these are very capable bashers.. The ECX can only be picked up in Horizon Hobby affiliate stores though, and, as far as i know, isnt available to be shipped.

4WD short course basher,
Arrma Senton, Losi Tenacity, ECX Torment, DHK Hobby Hunter (which comes in brushed and BL versions) Redcat Caldera, Redcat Blackout, Exceed RC Infinitive (parts are a bit harder to get for the Redcat and Exceed stuff, but, the Blackout and Caldera are fairly capable for bashing)

4WD Monster truck basher
Arrma Granite, DHK Hobby Maximus (1/8), Dhk Hobby Crosse (1/10), Redcat Blackout XTE.

2WD Buggy/truggy basher
Arrma Raider (if it is still available), ECX circuit, ECX Amp DB, Losi 22S ST (more of a stadium truck than a buggy or truggy)

4WD buggy/truggy
Arrma Typhon, Arrma Kraton, DHK Hobby Wolf 2, DHK Hobby Raz-R 2.

As you can tell, if it is available for that class of vehicle, Arrma is always my first choice, but, when its a group they don't make a vehicle for, like the SCT racing trucks, i listed what i have seen at my local tracks. One thing i didnt list in any category is Traxxas, because, personally, i don't think they are any good for anything. If you look at some of Big Squid RC's reviews of them, they typically end up heavily broken or destroyed, and, being that Big Squid's reviews are typical of what i use my vehicles for, and being that i have met the guy's from there, i put a lot of stock in their reviews, and typically use them as a guideline when i am looking at vehicles.

Thank you for taking the time to make this list. Much appreciated

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Arrma Kraton 6s

1. Amazing parts availability on eBay and Amazon at dirt cheap prices.
2. Wont break constantly like plastic RCs (cough cough Traxxas)
3. Will run circles around just about any RC car. Will do a legit 65mph on 6s with the optional speed gear. (stock electronics using GRP tires and a spool I hit 96mph)
4. Runs great in grass, dirt, concrete, and stunts well (flips etc).

 

[Bruces]

I like Arrma 1/8 typhon 2s buggy