ASK Cubby, Version- Your Week In Questions, My Weakly Answers

“Help picking next RC

Cubby —

First let me say, I enjoy your Q&A articles and your website all together – It’s helped me dramatically as I step back into this hobby after a decade+ away.

I would like to pick your brain for suggestions on a second RC purchase (sort of).

Brief backstory: I purchased matching 1/16 E-Revo’s for my sons 6th b-day, so he and I could run them together and he could learn to control a real R/C car. It didn’t take him long to go from training mode to 2S backflips but the darned things keep breaking.. so I bought him a 4×4 Slash and will sell the two revo’s to help fund the next thing.

So part of me wants to get another SCT (we have a local oval track we could “race” on) so we both have similar cars…. part of me is thinking more of a monster truck but I still want to be able to compete on the track… Ideally like to keep it under $500 for an RTR (or total build cost of a kit).. also willing to grab something used. In the end I’m looking for something fun, bashable, but still track worthy — if that exits? durability helps too if a 6-year old will be driving it. Currently looking at the new Yeti Score truck, regular Yeti, Arrma Talion (too big/too fast?), Granite BLX, and the LCG Slash Platinum 4×4 — but I am open to anything.

What would you pick up if you were me?

Kind Regards,
Rob L.”

Cubby- Thanks for the letter Rob, hit me up with your snail mail for a sticker pack.

So… you simply want something that is a great basher, yet there is a class for it at your local track. First off, it is very sad that there just aren’t any monster truck classes at local tracks anymore. Seriously, that was the funnest class back in the day, sadly, most guys that race now days care little about actually having fun.

So here is what I would do… because you got your son a Traxxas Slash 4×4, as much as I hate recommending that someone buy a Traxxas product, I would pick up another one. I would do that for two reasons- 1. your son will probably appreciate the fact you both have the same thing (he can be just like Dad), and 2. (the most important reason) you can share parts. It is simply a whole lot easier to stock up on parts for one platform compared to two.

Btw… if you end up sticking in the hobby for any amount of time, more vehicles will be in your future. “Back in the Day” most people only had one or two cars, but now days it isn’t unusual for a “typical” hobbyist to have 5 to 10. Relatively speaking, prices on today’s cars are quite low and there are a whole lot more of them to pick from. So go out and have fun with your Slash 4x4s, but rest well knowing that many other types of cool cars are going to be in your future.

“Hpi New Releases

So I noticed something kind of off, maybe you guys, with the insight you have can help me out. I’m a huge fan of the wr8 flux, have been ever since it came out. Well, went to grab one off tower the other day, only to find out they’ve been discontinued?

I finally decided to ask a person over the phone, who was clueless. Then she gave me a number for Hpi/duratrax that was also a clueless person. So here’s basically my long winded question: what the hell is going on at Hpi? I waited forever and a day for the all black version of the Hpi firestorm flux to go from announced on the website, to actually available to buy. I’ve seen a version of the wr8 flux never released only announced, (the digital zebra version) and now this latest version is nowhere to be found?

I dunno how much you can help, but just putting a feeler out there.

Thanks, and stay awesome!

Matt F.”

Cubby- Yo to the yo yo Matty. Thanks for the email and shoot me your snail mail for a sticker pack.

Yes indeed, HPI has seen better days here in the states, but what few people they have left are working their butts off to turn things around. I have personally always been a huge fan of HPI products, with some of the most fun times I’ve ever had in rc coming via the Micro RS-4 and a Sprint 2.

Oh ya, about your question…

It certainly is nice being in the industry, where you can have all the right phone numbers to get legit answers, instead of the runaround. Here’s the scoopage on the Block WR8 cars…

The “Digital Zebra” edition of the WR8 was a small run due to timing and licensing, therefore it only hit shelves in Europe and never even made its way here to ‘Merica. Luckily the latest model, the one with the “Intergalatic” livery, will make it to the states and is expected to hit hobby shops before the end of the year.

There ya have it and there ya are.

Got a question? Have a rant you just have to get off your chest? Are you a member of the industry who just wants to talk shop? Shoot me an email, thecubreportrc at gmail dot com is my address. If your letter hits the big time you’ll get a free sticker pack, and even better, if I proclaim yours as “Letter of the Month” you’ll get a free BSRC t-shirt (even in your size!!!).

YOUR Cub Reporter