Let's face it; there is a lot of downtime in off-roading and with Jeeps in general.
We all know true enthusiasts spend more time bench-racing or wrenching on their Jeeps than actually driving them. There are the unexpected trail repairs of others (it's never your Jeep that breaks right?) that slow your day down and of course there's hanging around camp bored with nothing to do. We have the solution. Now you can back up those superior-driving skill bragging rights by out-wheeling your buddy on the trail, in the garage, in the driveway, in the middle of camp, or even in the house. And these aren't those silly-slow toy RC cars you find at Big Box Mart, but they are ready to run right out of the box with little-to-no assembly required. Some of these cars can reach speeds of 30-plus mph and others can literally climb trees, making them perfect for chasing the neighbor's cat or crashing into your buddy's ankle.
Anyway, we packed up a hobby-store worth of RC cars and headed out to our secret test facility near San Diego, California, to have some experienced RC fanatics give us the scoop.
Plus, if the significant other is looking for the perfect holiday gift for you, be sure to leave this story out in the open with your favorite RTR (Ready-To-Run) RC vehicle circled in red and back it up with a nice note to Santa.
Bit About Batteries
Most of the RTR cars we tested require a 7.2-volt six-cell Ni-MH (Nickel-Metal) rechargeable battery pack and charger. Not all 7.2-volt battery packs are created equal though. A $20 1500mAh pack has about as much punch as a 2.5L engine in an 8,000-pound Jeep. Cheap batteries will provide poor performance and eventually lose their ability to hold a charge more quickly than the quality name-brand packs. And the surefire easy way to smoke your buddy with the same RC car as you is to upgrade your battery. At the very least look for a battery pack with a 3600mAh rating, and more if you can swing the additional cost. We prefer 4600mAh and higher packs. A quality 4600mAh pack will run $55-$65. You will get longer run times, more speed for your fast car, and more torque for your crawler from these packs. However, they are heavier than the budget packs so some prefer the cheapie batteries in their crawlers. Even more performance can be had from Li-Po (Lithium Polymer) battery packs. These typically run $100 or more and require a special charger that can accommodate them. On the plus side, the Li-Po batteries can be 1/2 the weight of a comparable Ni-MH pack and they can cycle many times more than a Ni-MH pack so they don't need to be replaced as often.
Some RTR RC cars come with a slow plug-in wall charger, but it's just that, slow to charge. For best Ni-MH battery life and performance look for a peak-sensing charger.
Also, most RTR cars come with a Molex-style plug. The design is old and causes a lot of resistance that can create heat. If you're running 3600mAh or better batteries, these plugs will often melt and fuse together during hard use. Upgrade to Deans Ultra Plugs or Traxxas High-Current Connectors to avoid electrical meltdown.
 Axial AX10 ScorpionThe Axial...  Axial AX10 ScorpionThe Axial AX10 Scorpion is a 4x4 rock racer right out of the box. But with the easy installation of the included front spool and lower pinion gear you can turn your Scorpion into a crawler too. Our testers loved the articulation, real beadlock wheels and the option of going fast or slow. The AX10 has plenty of wheel speed to bump up over difficult obstacles even with the low gear installed. Testers also noted that there is lots of aftermarket support should you decide to modify your Scorpion in the future. They were, however, a little disappointed with the tires. The carcass is kinda stiff and didn't readily wrap around obstacles. But drilling a small hole in each wheel or nipping a hole in each tire with a pair of dikes allows them to conform more freely to the terrain.Pros: Good value. Speed and crawling capability. Front spool and lower gearing included in spare parts kitCons: Stiff tires. Plastic suspension links. Spool and gearing not already installed |  Gyro Hobbies Traxxas SlashWe...  Gyro Hobbies Traxxas SlashWe started our RC binge by clicking to the Gyro Hobbies website to order a Traxxas Slash. If you are fortunate enough to live near the Gyro Hobbies Southern California storefront you have to check it out. Gyro Hobbies has everything from entry-level models all the way up to advanced 6-foot-long remote controlled jets and helicopters. The Traxxas Slash is a two-wheel-drive life-like CORR racing truck. Testers noted that the long wheelbase and wide stance make it extremely stable and perfect for jumping and high-speed bashing. This is the RC car for you if you if you want to inexpensively race your buddies on a small track or chase kids down the street on their bikes. It features water-resistant electronics and testers noted that it has an extremely durable drivetrain that will easily hold up to a much more powerful brushless electric motor upgrade. Much like the real CORR racers, you'll notice tire rub on the body. Not a big deal unless that kind of thing bothers you.Pros: Stable at speeds. Good for jumping. Plenty of overbuilt partsCons: Two-wheel-drive. Poor traction on loose soil. Tire rub |  Losi Desert TruckAll of the...  Losi Desert TruckAll of the testers liked the overall look of the two-wheel-drive Losi Desert Truck. They noted that the suspension was well-tuned for speed and handling and some said it handled bumps best of all the two-wheel-drives in the test. The Desert Truck jumps true and level. However, they were torn on the real working headlights and taillights. Some really liked them, and others saw them as just something else to go wrong. The lights meant additional wiring, some of which testers felt was poorly routed. The tires didn't work well on loose terrain but testers felt the Desert Truck had a good top speed for an RTR RC car.Pros: Body styling. Well-tuned suspension. Lights.Cons: Poor traction from tires and 2WD. Loose dangling wires. Lights. |
 HPI CrawlerHPI sent us an...  HPI CrawlerHPI sent us an early pre-production model of its new RTR 4x4 crawler that will be available by the time you read this. The production version will be painted a little different on the outside but inside it will have the same electronics, suspension, and drivetrain that our RC does. Testers loved the flexy suspension, spools front and rear, super-low gearing, and sticky tires on real double-beadlocks for technical crawling. They appreciated the easy battery access and noted that the battery location at the front of the vehicle made it a better climber. The HPI crawler was a little slow to turn and testers yearned for a stronger steering servo. They also found that when the vehicle was really bound up in an undercut, the transmission would click loudly like it was skipping teeth. But it continued to function properly regardless of the noise. Testers wanted to find a way to lower the body and trim the fenders for tire clearance.Pros: Great gearing. Excellent tires. Supple suspensionCons: Weak steering servo. Body too tall. Clicking noise in transmission |  Losi Mini-Rock CrawlerIf it...  Losi Mini-Rock CrawlerIf it were bigger the testers would have literally fought over who got to drive the 1/18-scale Losi Mini-Crawler 4x4. It had plenty of suspension travel and was very quick, agile and had a long run time. Overall it was fun to drive. Testers appreciated the high-end components like the Bogger-esque tires, metal suspension links, and fast steering servo. They also commented that it would be fun to drive around in the house or office. However, its diminutive size and lightweight offered very little traction on steep rocky inclines where 1/10 size crawlers had no problem. The Losi Mini-Crawler comes complete with a battery and charger so it truly is ready-to-run right from the box.Pros: Quick and maneuverable. Comes with batteries and charger. Good for small areas.Cons: Too small. A little pricy for the size. Takes a long time to charge. |  Losi High RollerEvery tester...  Losi High RollerEvery tester liked the traction provided by the aggressive tires on the Losi High Roller two-wheel-drive truck. Overall it was considered a fun-to-drive basher with good control on a track. Some thought it was a little top heavy and didn't jump well but the high-end adjustable coilover shocks helped to provide a forgiving suspension on most terrain. Some mild jumping lead to a bent rear axle but the truck continued to perform regardless of its wobbly axle and wheel. And that's the kind of durability that matters in the end.Pros: Good ground clearance. Great tires and traction. Forgiving suspension.Cons: Not a good jumper. Top heavy. Bent axle. |
 Losi SliderTesters commented...  Losi SliderTesters commented that the Losi Slider would look cool just sitting on a shelf. They liked the realistic styling from the grooved tires to the detailed headers and wing. But the body panels are a pain in the ass. It was nearly impossible to install or remove the battery pack. There are plenty of suspension settings for tuners, but it handles great on the street right out of the box. It's a fun drifter car. However, our test car would intermittently shut off until it cooled. Originally we thought it was because the electronic speed control was not getting enough airflow, but it turned out to be only a loose motor wire.Pros: Realistic styling. Fun for street or groomed dirt. Adjustable suspension.Cons: Difficult to remove body. Check for loose wires. Not good for bashing. |  Traxxas E-MaxxThe Traxxas...  Traxxas E-MaxxThe Traxxas E-Maxx 4x4 is the big-block V-8 monster truck of the RC world. It has unbelievable torque and soil-chucking power. The E-Maxx is the fastest and most powerful RC we tested. It's an awesome basher for pretty much any terrain. Plus it has water-resistant electronics. All testers admired the speed and cornering capability but hated the complexity and cost of the two-battery requirement. Two motors and two batteries also added to the overall weight making the E-Maxx land from big jumps like a ton of bricks. Uncontrolled airtime and high-speed wrecks can cause this heavy-weight to break suspension and chassis parts. Fortunately there is lots of aftermarket support for the E-Maxx. Testers noted that it's best suited in an open area with loose soil where you can open up the throttle (and a can of whoop-ass) to roost your buddy.Pros: Amazing traction. Raw dirt-flinging power. It's big and fast.Cons: Heavy. Requires two battery packs. Not a good jumper. |  Bit About The TestersName:...  Bit About The TestersName: GordonAge: 29Number of RC cars currently owned: 6RC experience (years): 5Favorite RC terrain: High-speed trackHottest supermodel/celebrity: FergiLast time you barfed: Can't rememberWhich RC car you would take home: One of the crawlers |
 Name: KellyAge: 28Number of...  Name: KellyAge: 28Number of RC cars currently owned: 10-plusRC experience (years): 16Favorite RC terrain: Well-groomed track, big jumps and bermsHottest supermodel/celebrity: Sarah Palin Last time you barfed: In a pool on my wedding, August 8th, 2008 Which RC car you would take home: HPI Crawler |  Name: RobAge: 36Number of...  Name: RobAge: 36Number of RC cars currently owned: 6RC experience (years): 25Favorite RC terrain: Jumps and general bashingHottest supermodel/celebrity: Too many!Last time you barfed: 6 months ago, bad Mexican foodWhich RC car you would take home: Axial AX10 Scorpion |  Name: TylerAge: 40Number of...  Name: TylerAge: 40Number of RC cars currently owned: Can't rememberRC experience (years): 4Favorite RC terrain: Crashing into RobHottest supermodel/celebrity: John CappaLast time you barfed: This morningWhich RC car you would take home: Losi High Roller |