Big Squid RC – Upgrading from a Toy Grade to Hobby Grade Monster Truck
Hello everyone and Happy Thursday! This week, we are heading to the mailbag.
My son loves a cheap Grave Digger r/c truck that he got years ago but wants a truck that he can drive around outside. What’s a decent outdoor RC monster truck that doesn’t break the bank? Is Tyco still around?
– Brett P
So first off, this question wasn’t e-mailed to me. It was sent to me via Facebook messenger from a non-hobbyist friend of mine who was looking for advice on how to upgrade from toy grade to hobby grade, and his young son is ready to make the jump.
This is a very common question, so I told him I’d just answer him here!
Lucky for you and your son Brett, there are several fantastic options for ya’ll to make the jump into the world of hobby grade monsters. All the ones I’m about to mention have everything you need inside the box and are truly Ready to Run (RTR), and that includes chargers and batteries.
The most cost effective way to get into the hobby is with an ARRMA 1/10 GORGON 4X2 MEGA 550 Brushed Monster Truck RTR with Battery & Charger. Priced at $179, it’s a heck of a deal. You’ll get everything you need in the box and the truck has plenty of scoot for a newbie to learn on. Replacement parts are cheap and it’s mechanically very simple to work on.
You mentioned your son enjoys his current Grave Digger, so the obvious rec is to get him a Digger that’s a lot more fun to drive- the 1/18 Mini LMT 4X4 Brushed Monster Truck RTR, Grave Digger. Coming in at $269, it’s a bit more expensive but you are getting a lot for it. The Losi Mini LMT is a killer platform and it’s small and tough enough to take some bumps as he learns to drive. It’s a pretty authentic monster truck experience to boot, as the platform features solid front and rear axles like a full size monster, and is 4WD. Plenty of parts are available for it as well so it can grow with him.
A solid third option would be a Traxxas TRX-4MT 1/18 RTR Monster Truck. The TRX-4MT has a much lower top speed than the other two, but because of that and it’s ultra light-weightness, it’s also harder to break. The speed also helps suit it for indoor play. It comes in at $199.
My last recommendation is a Traxxas BIGFOOT #1 1/10 2WD RTR Monster Truck. The truck has a beautiful classic BIGFOOT body, and the Stampede platform that it’s built on has been around forever and parts are super easy/cheap to get for it. It’s priced at $239 with included battery/charger.
Hopefully that helps and let me know what he goes with! Welcome to the wonderful world of hobby grade r/c monster trucks!
Until next time, keep it on all 4’s!
