Osworth

I am brand new to the RC world and I am looking for suggestions on what to purchase for my first vehicle. I am expecting to share this hobby with my now 3 and a half year old son and have him grow into it and learn as I do. I expect with what is available around me and his current interest in dirt and trucks that an off-road vehicle will be the best fit. I need it to be able to handle grass and dirt but would love to put together some rocks in my backyard.

I am looking to spend around $400, or ya know less, for the vehicle (I understand the battery/charger can make this a bit more) and have that get me by for awhile as we both test the waters. In my research it seems like crawlers would be the best fit but I am open to any suggestions. I wouldn't mind a RTR, kit, or some upgrades to a RTR as long as it stays around that price and also wouldn't have me breaking things before I start.

Feel free to be as detailed as you want about what I will need to start off with, as I am really not sure about anything yet. I appreciate the help.

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

It is pretty hard to find an RC car that works well on rocks as well as dirt/grass. You sound like you want a dirt/grass car, so some sort of monster truck would be well suited. I chose a brushed Stampede, as it is a slower car that would be best to learn on.

Truck; http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...FYQ2gQodFxQP2w
Battery; http://www.atomikrc.com/collections/...-with-uni-plug
Charger; http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s..._Charger_.html

RustyUs

Welcome to RCU.

I believe you are on the right track with something "crawler-ish" and a 3½ year old's abilities. Something along the lines of Axial's Wraith series would be one of my suggestions. HPI Wheely King... too much power? Probably. HPI Crawler King? So many to choose from. But, any of the 1/10 4wd brushed motor monster trucks, rock racers, or crawlers sold on Tower Hobbies/Horizon Hobby (generally speaking, better quality stuff sold there) could be a possibility. I say brushed motor, 'cause of the usual lower priced tag associated with a RTR RC package that includes brushed motor/ESC/NiMh battery, and the ability to swap in a $12.00 brushed 35 turn motor to calm things down even more.

And as usual, just read up on, and watch some video reviews of any particular model you plan to purchase.

RustyUs

I know the Traxxas ESCs have a "training mode" on them that cuts the power, to the motor, in half. I believe there are more manufacturers out there that have a power limiting feature on their speed controls, but I couldn't name one off the top of my head...too much info/specs to keep up with these days . But the "training mode" still might be a bit too much power for a younger RCer, and you might have to come up with some other way of limiting throttle control (physically, and/or electronically).

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Welcome Osworth! You didn't mention whether you have a hobby store nearby, or if you'll be buying everything online.
Hobby stores always carry Traxxas. And the after-market has huge support for their most popular models. So lots of upgrades available. Axial is The off-road brand these days, so they are also getting after market support. And, they offer kits. Like Rusty said, the Wraith might be a good choice, or you might also want to look at the Yeti. Very popular, so after market support is there, and, they offer it as a kit for $329 at Tower. The Yeti has a Hi/Lo transmission, so the low gear would be good for the young-un and driving on grass.

Osworth

I want to thank everyone for all of the information! I do have a hobby store very close to my house so I stopped by today with my son. We walked out with an Axial SCX10 Honcho, charger, and LiPo battery which we already switched to a deans connector that came with the charger. My local hobby stored indicated they have a strong inventory of Axial parts so it seemed like a good buy based on what everyone has said so far. The SCX10 line had some more realistic body styles which my son liked a lot more and I was told would be a similar quality to the Wraith.

My first impressions are that this is an awesome truck and is definitely nothing like any other RC I have ever tried (all cheap big box store stuff). The lawn has been no issue at all and we even put together a very quick set of hills and pits in some dirt that it laughed off. The remote is a million times easier for my son than the stick remotes crappy RC cars use and he is backing up and turning (mostly one way) better and better.

We did already lose the two front body clips before I got my son clear on how to properly pick it up after a flip. Thankfully those appear to be extremely cheap so I will be picking up a handful just in case.

RustyUs

That's awesome to hear and an awesome ride that you picked up. There's basically no end to the upgrade-able possibilities with the Honcho.

Seems to me you have a good handle on things .


One of the best ideas in RC...Dubro Body Klip Retainers. Every hobby shop should have them.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Great purchase! You two are going to have a lot of fun together. RC4WD has boatloads of scale accessories and stuff. Welcome to the addiction! 😉