ASK Cubby – More Weekly Questions, My Weakly Answers

“Rugged

Cubby,

I saw on Facebook where you were durability testing the new Spektrum DX5 Rugged. Just how rugged is it and when can I get my hands on one?

Corey F.”

Cubby- Hey there Corey, thanks for writing in, send me your home mailing address and I’ll get a sticker pack out for ya.

Oh ya, We’ve Been Having A Blast testing the new Spektrum DX5 Rugged. It has, by far, received the worst beating that we’ve ever put on a transmitter. And yet, it still lives.

I won’t go much deeper into it since our review has not gone live, but it is indeed a beast when it comes to durability. We have a number of cool “torture tests” they we still want to do for a video, but give us a few weeks to get that shot.

When can you get your hands on one? The last I heard was Very, Very early in Q1, like within just a few weeks. If you want to ensure that you get one off the first shipment, I would absolutely get one on pre-order ASAP down at your LHS or your favorite rc retailer. Also, if there is a better shipping date that I can come up with, I will edit the post and insert it here to keep all you guys up on the latest.

“Thumb Lever Wheel

The new DX5 Rugged has a thumb lever that you can use for steering? How does it work? Why do I need it? I don’t get it??????

Barney P.”

Cubby- Ya know Barn, I have gotten a lot of emails about the Spektrum DX5 Rugged. It seems like it is the first transmitter in a Very long time that brings something new to the plate, plus it was designed for people that read BigSquidRC on the daily. Our readers don’t want to spend a ton of cash, but they have enough for nice things. But more importantly, our readers are outside bashing in the rain. They are ankle deep in mud out on the trail. They are climbing over boulders and squirming through overgrown brush. Our readers are simply much, MUCH, harder on a radio than the racing crowd, hence the real need for a radio like the DX5 Rugged.

One of the most unique features on the Rugged is its steering lever for one handed steering. Why do you need it? Imagine you are out on a Hard trail, one absolutely littered with trees, branches, stumps, etc. Lets say it is hard enough just to walk that trail, let alone drive a crawler. The one handed steering lever allows you to have on hand free to help with climbing, helping a buddy get over a tough obstacle, carrying a camera/GoPro, etc. As a media type, I am quite used to driving one-handed during photo shoots, as a wanna be crawler guy, the thumb steering allows me an extra hand to get over tough areas on the trail, to knock brush out of the way, etc.

How does it work? The Spektrum crew did a good job with the lever. It feels right in the ballpark, albeit a bit far out from the main chassis for smaller hands. The lever mounts right to the wheel in a proper manner and works flawlessly out on the trail. You’ll be able to get one in your own hands soon enough Barney, holding one in person will show you that it was a great idea!

Have a radical question? Need a radical answer? Have a rant burning deep in your chest that you just have to expose to the world? Email me- thecubreportrc at gmail dot com.