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Short course is one of the biggest things to hit RC in a long time. It can be compared to other industry-changing events like LiPo batteries, brushless motors and 2.4GHz radio systems. We decided to gather up all of the current Ready-To-Run trucks and let them loose in the hands of some local racers to see how they stacked up against each other.
TEST DRIVERS
I have quite a few friends in the industry that, thankfully, enjoy helping me out with articles like this. I hit up a few of them and they met me down at SDRC Raceway for a day of testing. Each driver had a chance to drive each truck for at least one full battery pack. They could make any changes to the radio they wanted but had to keep the trucks in the stock configuration.
Jason Colgan
Hometown: Oceanside, California
Years Racing: 22
Favorite Racing Class: 1/10 Touring Car
Hobbies Besides RC: XBox (Tango Sucka!)
Favorite Food: Pizza
Orlando Sherman
Hometown: Oceanside, California
Years Racing: 13
Favorite Racing Class: Short Course
Hobbies Besides RC: Video Games
Favorite Food: Delicious Kinds
Steven Beck
Hometown: San Diego, California
Years Racing: 1
Favorite Racing Class: 4×4 Short Course
Hobbies Besides RC: Drag Racing
Favorite Food: Pizza
Patrick See
Hometown: San Diego, California
Years Racing: 17
Favorite Racing Class: 1/8 Electric
Hobbies Besides RC: None (Ed: Really?)
Favorite Food: Any
TRACK LOCATION
A new offroad track opened up about two hours away from me in San Diego, California. SDRC Raceway features a 6500 sq. ft. offroad track that is composed of 80-90% red clay. This means a ton of traction and lots of good racing.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT
Since the only truck to come with a battery pack was the Traxxas Slash, I needed to make sure the rest had equal packs for the test. MaxAmps was kind enough to donate a slew of their new 5450mAh 120C LiPo packs for the test. The Slash retained it’s 7-cell since that’s what it came with. To charge all of these trucks, I brought along my Hitec X4 Multi-Charger. This charger is awesome for times when you need to charge more than one pack at a time; and this was one of those. Plug in the leads, hook up the packs and press START. Wah-lah…up to four batteries charging at one time. The downside? No internal power supply. That’s ok because I happened to have my TrakPower DC Power Supply with me. This combo easily kept my packs charged and ready to go all day long.
Team Associated SC10RS
The newest release of the SC10 RTR is sure to turn some heads. 2.4GHz, brushless power and a choice of multiple racing liveries makes it a pretty desirable truck if you are into the short course scene. The A-Team has also included some high-level race tires to make it easier for the beginner to wheel this truck around a track! I would say the RS is two trucks in one kit; brushless system and grippy tires for the racer and water-resistance and 2.4GHz for the RTR guy. Let’s see what our test drivers had to say.
QUICK FACTS
PRICE: $311.99
MOTOR: Reedy 3300Kv Brushless
SPEED CONTROL: Water-Resistant XP SC700 Brushless
RADIO: XP3-SS 2.4GHz System
SERVO: XP S1903 Metal Geared
BATTERY: None
WATERPROOF: Water-Resistant
DRIVER NOTES
Fast Lap: 24.2
Appearance: 6.5
I thought it looked pretty cool but I wasn’t a fan of the black wheels and black paint. Made it a bit hard to see on the track at times.
Steering: 7
This truck has a lot of steering! It’s almost too twitchy. Was a bit hard to keep it going straight on the straightaway.
Acceleration: 7
I expected a bit more on the low end from this system but, once it got going, you could definitely feel the brushless power.
Braking: 6
The brakes felt a little weak compared the other trucks. Had to get used to braking early.
Jumping: 8
Loved the way the SC10RS jumped.
Suspension: 7
The suspension soaked up all the bumps like it should. Threaded bodies would be a nice addition.
Overall: 7
I would have rated this truck a little better had I been able to see it on the track. I also think that the lap times might have been a bit quicker, too. The steering wheel spring felt pretty weak which I think contributed to the wandering on the straights.
Fast Lap: 23.2
Appearance: 7
I liked the race-bred chassis design. Very nice. The body was cool too, even though the graphics seemed a bit bland.
Steering: 9
The steering on this truck was really good. I could put it anywhere I wanted to. Steering wandered a little but not too bad.
Acceleration: 10
WOW…giddy-up little pony!
Braking: 3
What brakes? I had to start braking really early to get it to slow down. Not so good with all this brushless power.
Jumping: 7
The SC10RS jumped with a good attitude in the air. More brakes would make for a more controlled attitude in the air.
Suspension: 7
The suspension felt a bit soft, but it soaked up all the bumps great. Traction rolled a few times in the sweeper if I pushed it too hard.
Overall: 9
This is a really good race-ready truck. The setup is aggressive and perfect for racing. Might be a bit too aggressive for beginners but it worked for me.
Fast Lap: 22.6
Appearance: 9
I liked the clean, simple body and graphics. Also loved that it came with a set of decent tires out of the box.
Steering: 9
The steering on the RS was excellent but a little twitchy. Steering wheel spring felt a little soft.
Acceleration: 8
The power from the brushless system was good. It wasn’t overkill but just enough. I was able to clear all of the jumps very easily.
Braking: 6
The brakes were not as strong as some of the other trucks but still pretty good.
Jumping: 10
The RS jumped nice and flat, even on some of the bigger jumps. In my opinion, the best of the group.
Suspension: 8
The suspension on the RS seemed a bit too soft. Seemed to take a little longer to transition left-to-right than the rest.
Overall: 8
This truck was fast but a little hard to drive. It was a little twitchy and at times hard to keep straight. But, when you could bust out a fast lap, it was a FAST lap!
Fast Lap: 23.1
Appearance: 6
I wasn’t a big fan of the plain-ol’ outside. The chassis layout, on the other hand, I would give a 9. Simple and easy to work with.
Steering: 4
The steering wandered all over the place. Transmitter spring felt really soft and I had to constantly adjust the wheel because of it.
Acceleration: 8
The power of the Reedy system was really good. Lots of punch and top speed made it one of the best ones to drive around the track.
Braking: 6
The brakes were ok. Not as good as the forward power.
Jumping: 8
The SC10RS jumped really good. It could clear almost any jump with ease thanks to the Reedy brushless system.
Suspension: 8
Suspension is above average. No bump was too big for this truck.
Overall: 9
In my opinion, the SC10RS requires the least amount of upgrades to be a complete, race worthy vehicle.
HPI Blitz
HPI came on strong in the Short Course segment with the addition of the Blitz. Killer looks, great features and officially licensed Maxxis Terpador tires set it off as the newcomer that was about to take over. Just recently, HPI introduced the Blitz with a full metal-geared gearbox, 2.4GHz radio system and full waterproof makeover. Let’s see how the boys faired with this ride!
QUICK FACTS
PRICE: $244.99
MOTOR: Firebolt 15T Motor
SPEED CONTROL: HPI SC-15WP Waterproof
RADIO: 2.4GHz TF-40 System
SERVO: SF-10W Waterproof Servo
BATTERY: None
WATERPROOF: Yes
DRIVER NOTES
Fast Lap: 24.5
Appearance: 8
I liked the look of the body, however the paint seems a bit over the top. Tires are awesome! Wheels are cool too. I like how HPI added a similar wheel to the transmitter.
Steering: 7
The steering was good on the Blitz but felt a little lazy on the switchbacks. A stronger, faster servo would really help the Blitz out in this area.
Acceleration: 6
There is certainly no lack of power with the Firebolt 15T motor. The tires are the limiting factor here. They’re a little hard and didn’t provide much traction. It was difficult to put the power down out of the corners.
Braking: 6
While the brakes were really good, you had to pulse them to get them to work. If you slammed the brakes and held it there for more than a second, it would immediately jam into reverse. I think a longer delay would help.
Jumping: 7
The Blitz was one of the best jumpers, if you could get the power to the ground.
Suspension: 7
The Blitz worked well in the rough parts of the track. It was one of the smoothest over the washboard section.
Overall: 8
I liked the Blitz a lot. A set of race tires will hook this truck up! Even though it was a bit much, it was nice to see a body that wasn’t red, white and black. Out of all the others, the HPI transmitter had the best feel to it.
Fast Lap: 23.4
Appearance: 10
The Blitz was by far the best looking truck. The overall look of the body style, paint scheme and big-tread tires really looked cool. Chassis layout was nice as was the extremely simple battery holddown.
Steering: 7
The Blitz had a slight push in the corners. It wasn’t bad, but it was enough that you could man-handle the truck around the tack.
Acceleration: 8
The tires really limit the Blitz’s forward acceleration. Get a good run up to the jump and it could clear anything on the track.
Braking: 8
Decent, controllable brakes.
Jumping: 8
Great attitude in the air. Required very little input for flat flights.
Suspension: 8
The Blitz seemed to be the most stable on the rough sections of the track.
Overall: 9
The Blitz is a great race truck. You can push it hard and drive it fast. Power was good, too. Get a set of race tires on this truck and win.
Fast Lap: 22.9
Appearance: 6
The body and graphics look really cool. I’m not a fan of the look of the plastic. It appears cheap compared to the other trucks.
Steering: 6.5
Decent steering that could be corrected with a faster servo. Pushed a little bit but this could be a result of the kit tires.
Acceleration: 7
The power in the Blitz was really good but didn’t seem linear. Acted like a boosted brushless motor. The brakes were also a bit weird with the very low reverse delay.
Braking: 6
The brakes worked well but also didn’t seem linear. It was all or nothing in the brake department.
Jumping: 9
The Blitz jumps great with a very level attitude. This helps on the landings, too. One of the best jumpers.
Suspension: 8
HPI hit the mark with the Blitz’s suspension. Soaks up bumps and is very predictable through the rough sections of the track.
Overall: 8
While this was my second favorite of the group, it was fun and very easy to drive. The electronics and tires were the weak points but the truck itself works great!
Fast Lap: 23.1
Appearance: 8
HPI did a good job on the look of the Blitz, both inside and out. Body graphics look cool and the realistic tires really caught my attention.
Steering: 6
The steering seemed slow and the Blitz pushed a bit in the corners. The hard compound tires could be the cause of that.
Acceleration: 5
The Blitz was very hard to drive with the non-linear speed control.
Braking: 3
The brakes were very unpredictable. As soon as you touched the brakes it seemed like it went immediately into reverse.
Jumping: 7
The Blitz jumped really well. It took some finesse to get to the jump but, once there, it flew nice and level.
Suspension: 7
Very predictable though the rough sections of the track.
Overall: 7
I was able to click off a pretty good lap, but it was not so easy. The truck handles really good but is held back by the tires and odd speed control settings.
Kyosho Ultima Short Course ReadySet
Kyosho’s entry to the Short Course scene cannot go unnoticed. Its good looks and racing background guarantee it will be right up there with the rest of the pack on race day. While it doesn’t have some of the highend bells and whistles that the other trucks possessed, it is the least expensive. This price point puts it comfortably in the ‘impulse buy’ category.
QUICK FACTS
PRICE: $169.99
MOTOR: G20 20T Motor
SPEED CONTROL: Perfex KA-15L ESC w/Reverse
RADIO: Perfex KT6 AM System
SERVO: KS101BK
BATTERY: None
WATERPROOF: No
DRIVER NOTES
Fast Lap: 24.1
Appearance: 8
The layout on the Kyosho is nice, but I’m not sure what’s up with the big, foam block in front of the battery. The battery won’t slide forward without modifying the strap.
Steering: 7
The steering is pretty good on the Kyosho, but is a bit slow. The front tires seem to wash out a bit on the faster sections of the track.
Acceleration: 7
Pretty peppy but flattens out once the motor starts getting hot.
Braking: 6
Same as the acceleration. Good brakes until the motor starts getting hot.
Jumping: 7
The Kyosho jumped with a bit of a nose-heavy attitude. This isn’t ideal but is much better than a nose-up flight.
Suspension: 6.5
The suspension seemed ok but we blew out the rear shocks. After repairing them if felt really good. Tires are holding it back.
Overall: 7
Great truck, but a 2.4GHz radio system is a must nowadays for an RTR. Battery holddown was incredibly difficult to lock into place using the MaxAmps battery. I’m assuming the MaxAmps packs are a standard size. We had to loosen up the screws holding the battery posts, install the battery, lock it into place and tighten down the posts.
Fast Lap: 25.9
Appearance: 8
I like the racing-style chassis layout on the Kyosho. Body is pretty cool and the graphics stand out. A short course truck without mud flaps?
Steering: 5
I had a hard time getting this truck to turn. It pushes a lot off power and required me to slam the brakes to get it around corners. I like to scrub speed by sliding into the corners; this was difficult for me to get used to.
Acceleration: 7
Not bad at all for a brushed motor, but faded quickly once it got hot.
Braking: 8
The brakes on the Ultima SC were really good for a brushed motor. A little fade when the motor heated up but not as bad as I expected. And I used them a lot!
Jumping: 8
Nice, predictable jumping characteristics. No problems here.
Suspension: 8
As expected, the suspension is really good. It soaks up the bumps like all the others. What puts it ahead of the other trucks, though, is the threaded shocks. Good job!
Overall: 7
The Kyosho Ultima SC drove pretty good but, because of the hard-compound tires, it was difficult to race this truck hard. You had to really push it to keep up and when you did it became a bit unpredictable. A new set of tires and this truck will be money.
Fast Lap: 22.9
Appearance: 7
I’m not a fan of the body design or the chrome wheels. Those are easily replaced items, though. The chassis layout is nice and narrow for less overhand but might be difficult to install larger electronics.
Steering: 9
Excellent steering and very predictable.
Acceleration: 6
Not really fair running brushed against brushless, but the G20 motor did an OK job of powering the truck around the track. Once it heated up it was hard to make the tabletop on the track. Other than that and the straightaway, it was comparable to the brushless.
Braking: 6
Brakes seemed a bit weak, but that could have been the hot motor.
Jumping: 5
The truck jumped pretty nose-heavy. We found that it had a blown rear shock so that could have been part of the problem.
Suspension: 8
This was one of the better trucks suspension-wise. It just seemed to have a little extra ‘something’ in the washboard section. Including the threaded shocks was a really good idea.
Overall: 8
The Ultima SC is a really good performer. It was a bit underpowered and had some shock issues but those are easy fixes. The 27MHz radio is odd, but I’m really impressed with the performance from a truck that comes in under $200.
Fast Lap: 22.5
Appearance: 7
I liked the look of this truck, inside and out. The narrow chassis allows extra side clearance that really helps on bumpy tracks.
Steering: 8
Truck had good steering. A little pushy but very controllable.
Acceleration: 7
Good power for a brushed motor but slows a bit late in the run.
Braking: 7
Good brakes.
Jumping: 8
The Kyosho jumps well but with a bit of a front heavy attitude. This actually made it really easy to downside a lot of the jumps. More power would get it up and over the bigger jumps better.
Suspension: 8
This truck had a nice, planted feel. Better tires would help out as it gets a little washy at times, depending on your speed into the corners.
Overall: 7.5
While it works well on the track, it wasn’t my first choice. The battery strap was difficult to lock down and there were some shock issues. Aside from that, adding a fresh set of racing tires would probably do wonders for this truck.
Traxxas Slash VXL
In 2008, Traxxas rocked the RC world with the Slash. It immediately sparked the imagination of almost every manufacturer in the industry to come out with their own trucks and aftermarket parts. The Slash hasn’t really changed in the past three years…it’s only gotten better. Our test drivers were interested in seeing how it would stack up against the other SC offerings.
QUICK FACTS
PRICE: $329.99
MOTOR: Velineon 3500 Brushless Motor
SPEED CONTROL: VXL-3S Waterproof ESC
RADIO: TQ 2.4GHz System
SERVO: 2075 Digital Waterproof Servo
BATTERY: 7-Cell Power Cell NiMh Battery Pack
WATERPROOF: Yes
DRIVER NOTES
Fast Lap: 24.5
Appearance: 8
While the Slash has a nice look on the outside, it’s definitely odd on the inside. The servo seems high up as does the whole truck’s center of gravity. The massive ground clearance is good for bashing.
Steering: 6
I didn’t like the servo location, but the Slash did have really good steering. Heavy bumps caused the servo saver to kick in resulting in inconsistent steering through the rough sections.
Acceleration: 7
Big power was fun to drive. It was a little too easy to overpower the rear tires though.
Braking: 5
Decent brakes but I found myself pumping them most of the time to slow down. This caused the Slash to jump into reverse mode often.
Jumping: 4
Didn’t like the way the Slash jumped. As soon as it left the ground it was nose up and on its own.
Suspension: 4
The progressive springs worked good on most of the track except the washboard section. Seemed unpredictable.
Overall: 5
This wasn’t the truck for me. The radio didn’t have a good feel for me either. I did like the use of the sliders over the dogbones, though. Seems like it would cure a lot of durability issues other trucks might have.
Fast Lap: 23.0
Appearance: 5
Traxxas did a great job of representing the real truck with The Slash. Out of all of the trucks, it seemed very toy-like compared to the rest. Top heavy and the lack of mud-flaps didn’t help either. Like the wheels a lot.
Steering: 7
The steering seemed to have two different extremes; an off-power push and an on-power oversteer. That was very hard to get used to.
Acceleration: 10
Awesome brushless power! One of the best around the track! Giddy-up!
Braking: 5
Brakes were strong but at the speeds the Slash was pulling it was a little scary trying to slow it down.
Jumping: 4.5
Not the best jumping truck. The Slash had a nose-up attitude, especially over the big tabletop. No amount of brakes could correct it.
Suspension: 5
The suspension seemed very soft with lots of body roll. On our high-bite track that’s not the best setup, but on a track with less grip it’s probably perfect.
Overall: 7
I wouldn’t rate this truck the best on the track, but I would give it a definite two thumbs up for fun. I would definitely own one to play with.
Fast Lap: 24.7
Appearance: 8
In my opinion, the Slash has always been a better basher than racer. Its high CG lets it climb over a lot more obstacles in the wilderness than on the track. Good looking tire and wheel combo.
Steering: 8
I was surprised at how well the Slash turned. Initial push entering the corner but then it just carves right through.
Acceleration: 6
Tons of straight line speed but was tricky to clear jumps. Had to be very gentle approaching the jumps to not break the tires loose.
Braking: 9
Excellent brakes. Easily the best of the bunch.
Jumping: 5
I really struggled over the jumps. On take-off, the Slash wants to immediately start doing a backflip. You have to really be on your game to jump this truck correctly.
Suspension: 6
The progressive spring setup is different than what I’ve driven in the past. It seemed a little twitchy through the washboard section. Slowing down a bit seemed to smooth it out.
Overall: 6
I liked the Slash but don’t think it’s geared towards racing. Awesome powerplant really makes this truck fun to drive.
Fast Lap: 24.5
Appearance: 9
Love the exterior look of the Slash. The interior is unusual compared to the rest of the trucks in the test. It does look easy to maintain, though.
Steering: 7
The Slash has a bit of a push going into the corners. You can use the Velineon’s power to drift out of the corners. Fun.
Acceleration: 9
Fastest truck out of the box. Tires could use a softer compound for the ultimate acceleration.
Braking: 8
Great brakes.
Jumping: 5
Inconsistent jumping. I had a hard time figuring out how to consistently jump this truck.
Suspension: 6
Not bad but seems a bit soft. Lots of body roll.
Overall: 5
Fastest truck as far as speed, but not the best around the track. Could probably be tuned for better handling to take advantage of all that power.
Losi XXX-SCT RTR
Losi threw a big stick into the Short Course fray with the XXX-SCT. To make it an even meaner dog, they bolted on a set of soft all-terrain tires that are geared more towards racing that scale realism. Add a powerful 12T brushed motor and great looking body and you have a winner on your hands. None of the drivers had driven a Losi SC before so they were pretty excited to give it a go.
QUICK FACTS
PRICE: $249.99
MOTOR: 12T 550-Sized Brushed Motor
SPEED CONTROL: 12T LiPo Compatible ESC
RADIO: Spektrum 2.4GHz DSM System
SERVO: Losi Digital Steering Servo
BATTERY: None
WATERPROOF: No
DRIVER NOTES
Fast Lap: 24.4
Appearance: 9
Great looks, nice styling and a cool looking wheel. Love the wire routing on the chassis.
Steering: 7
The Losi had good steering but could use a stronger servo. At times it felt like the servo saver might be too soft.
Acceleration: 6
The XXX-SCT would accelerate quickly but didn’t have a lot of top speed. Slowest of the bunch.
Braking: 7
Good brakes thanks to the soft racing tires.
Jumping: 8
Showed signs of being a real good jumper. The lack of power would cause the Losi to come up short on some of the bigger jumps.
Suspension: 8
The suspension seemed a bit stiff but it worked really well on our high-bite track.
Overall: 7.5
This truck was easily the best handling truck. It’s downfall is the lack of power. It was slow on the straight and over the jumps which made it hard to put in any fast laps.
Fast Lap: 23.4
Appearance: 9
The Losi’s graphic package, body design and chassis layout were great. Small things like the wire-routing channel and interchangeable beadlocks added to the cool factor.
Steering: 8
The XXX-SCT had a good, balanced feel to it. Could use a little more steering for that ‘just in case’ scenario.
Acceleration: 6
Not the fastest by any means. Needs more power to be really competitive.
Braking: 8
Just enough to be great.
Jumping: 9.5
Excellent attitude in the air. Very predictable and easy to control.
Suspension: 9
This truck felt like a true racer on the track. It was hard to believe it was an RTR.
Overall: 10
This is not a Ready-To-Run truck; it’s a Ready-To-Race truck. Get a bit more power into it and it’s all over.
Fast Lap: 23.5
Appearance: 10
I loved the beadlocks and the complete body design! Overall coolest look. Even the chassis seemed very well laid out.
Steering: 9
Excellent steering but could really use a faster servo.
Acceleration: 5
Definitely the slowest truck of the group. Strap in more power and this truck would rock!
Braking: 5
In the beginning the brakes were fine but faded quickly as the motor heated up.
Jumping: 10
This truck jumped the best of them all. Very smooth and very predictable.
Suspension: 10
The suspension was perfect for our track. Right out of the box? Really?
Overall: 10
By far my favorite of all the trucks. It worked beautifully but was severely under-powered.
Fast Lap: 22.9
Appearance: 10
Best graphics, best body, best wheel/tire combo, best tires.
Steering: 7
The Losi had a bit of a push for me. I expected a bit more with the grippy front tires so I’d have to say it might just need a faster/stronger servo.
Acceleration: 5
Wow. The downfall of this truck. More power please.
Braking: 6
The brakes felt good but faded a bit when the motor heated up.
Jumping: 8
Jumps great, lands great. This truck was easy to control in the air.
Suspension: 9
The suspension worked great on our track. The washboard section seemed to upset most of the other trucks but not the Losi.
Overall: 8.5
The truck lacked punch and top speed. It was the easiest to drive which makes it perfect for beginners. And that’s perfect since it’s an RTR.
FINAL WORD
The big question is; can we claim a winner? After reading the comments, it’s pretty clear that each test driver will tell you that each truck handles differently in the hands of someone else. All of the trucks have their pros and cons so it’s really up to you, the consumer, to do a little extra research on each truck’s features and what price you are willing to pay.
LINKS
SDRC Raceway, www.sdrcraceway.com
MaxAmps, www.maxamps.com
Hitec, www.hitecrcd.com
TrakPower, www.trakpower.com
HPI, www.hpiracing.com
Kyosho, www.kyoshoamerica.com
Losi, www.losi.com
Team Associated, www.rc10.com
Traxxas, www.traxxas.com
