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AS WITH OTHER TECHNOLOGY-BASED HOBBIES, the RC car scene is continually energized by innovation, new products, and the trends they spur. New trends, in turn, spur more innovation and new products. As we usually do with each January issue (which is more like November because magazines are weird), let’s take a look at what my crystal ball says will shine brightest in 2019.
TRAIL TRUCKS, DUH This is the last time I will use this space to say trail trucking is hot, will get hotter, etc. They’re here to stay, and the category is going to stick around forever as an evergreen good-seller. They’re like touring cars, despite being nothing at all mechanically like touring cars. Once you have a solid 10-year stretch of nonstop success (like tourers did from 1996 to 2006), there’s no fad effect at work. Just like touring cars may go up and down in popularity (or splinter into new forms, like drifting) but will never go away, trail trucks are likewise here for good. And as of right now, the scene is still peaking. Cool. SMART STUFF
Sometimes, tech makes it to RC cars that is universally regarded as cool but goes curiously unadopted by most hobbyists. Telemetry and FPV, anyone? Other times, the benefits are so irresistible that there’s no not having the technology—consider 2.4GHZ radio gear, which is utterly ubiquitous now. It’s not even a feature anymore, every RTR has it. Not having 2.4GHZ would be like not having round wheels. Next in that vein, I think, is the “smart products” concept. Traxxas got it rolling with the id battery and charger system that recognizes battery type for safer and more convenient charging. Spektrum is upping the ante with Lipo batteries that self discharge to storage voltage and even keep track of charge cycles and other specs as they “talk” to their smart chargers. I don’t think it will be long before we’re getting texts from our RC stuff. “You up? Because my cell voltage is getting dangerously low over here.” We’ll see.
FAST & FURIOUS 4X4S
Hmm, this one’s a coin toss. For sure, the Traxxas Rustler 4X4 (tested this issue) will be a hit. Will it make 4WD stadium trucks into 2019’s hot new category? Hard to say. The Rusty’s going to be tough to top, but if people are clamoring for stadium trucks that spin all four tires, you can bet other manufacturers will step up. And unlike mega models like the Unlimited Desert Racer and X-maxx, which would require massive investment for another brand to put a competing model on the shelf, a 1/10 4WD truck is much easier to greenlight as new project—especially if Traxxas can’t sell Rustler 4X4s fast enough.
KEVIN SAYS “SOLID-AXLE MONSTER TRUCKS!”
Kevin Hetmanski, senior editor and huge fan of solid-axle monster trucks, maintains that the real-tech monster scene is poised to explode as RC’S Next Big Thing. I say that if it were going to happen, it would have with the Axial SMT10 series, and monster fans appear to be perfectly happy to keep scarfing up Traxxas Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) and similar low-cost models to get their fix of big-tire fun. Who cares if they’re 2WD and independentsuspension as long as they look good? I’ll leave that one for you to ponder.