TESTING

ARTICULATION, WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION, AND CLIMB TESTING

I expected the BOM to show strong forward weight bias based on the way Gmade loads all the heavy stuff up front. I was right: The scales confirmed a full 60% of the truck’s weight was smooshing the front tires. The only 4X4 I’ve seen put more weight on the front axle is the Gmade GOM rock buggy (62%), and the trail rig that comes closest to the BOM’S bias (that I’ve measured) is the Vaterra Ascender (56%). As for axle articulation, the BOM can really twist, with an RTI score of 1728. Impressive, but maybe it’s too much— when sidehilling, all that articulation makes it easier to flop the truck onto its lid than I’d like. It sure can climb, though, and will charge up scary-steep inclines without breathing heavy—especially with the powerful Tekin brushless system I installed.

TRAIL HIKING

I’m used to running RTR trail trucks with brushed power, so I jumped back when I squeezed the trigger on the Tekin 4600Kv motor and the BOM blasted off with more 3-wheel motion than Ice Cube having a good day. Even with the low, single-speed gearing, the BOM looked like it was pushing 15mph or more, which is ballistic for trail speed. When the terrain is open enough to wind it out, the extra speed is a lot of fun—especially when there’s ramplike slopes to pop off of, which I did every chance I got.

EXTREME TERRAIN

After nearly two weeks of nonstop rain, my local test spot was even muddier and mushier than I expected. My sneakers packed up with sticky Texas clay quickly, but the BOM’S widely spaced tire lugs self-cleaned pretty well—especially if I cruised through a puddle to loosen the muck. The truck’s far-forward weight bias gave it impressive obstacle-climbing ability, aided by ample articulation that made the BOM even more sure-footed as long as steep sidehilling wasn’t on the menu. When the BOM did get hung up, it was more often because of the body than any issue with the chassis’ capability. Sometimes the wide, boxy front end (particularly the sharp, square edges of the fender flares) gets into the terrain before the tires can. Cutting a radiused edge into the flares and raising the body a hole or two will help.