Your favourite small scale models?

[Barrister]

Having just purchased the kraton my brother is so impressed with it that he wants to buy something similar. However he would be looking something in a smaller scale. His son is only 5 so would be looking something a little less brutal!! The guy in the model shop had been trying to talk him into traxxas and axial. I told him to wait as the guys on here would know a lot more, And provide him models which would be suitable for him.

I look forward to hearing from anyone could help.

 

[Porschetech🇬🇪]

Arrma has some sun $200 models which might be might be right up his alley.

 

[GMballistic]

Totally get the idea of getting something more suitable for a younger child but I'd impress on your brother that he shouldn't necessarily get something too small scale. It just ends up getting old really quick when the slightest jump or crash and something breaks or just the smallest bit of grass and the buggy/truck etc gets tangled up.

I can't really recommend any specific especially not knowing his budget but imho it is always wise to plan a little for the future so buying a model with some potential for it to grow with his son would be great. E.g. Being able to upgrade the motor, ESC, battery capacity etc etc.

 

[Brandon]

Go with the new typhoon mega. No Lipo battery and use the throttle limiter. Should last him years.

 

[Barrister]

Go with the new typhoon mega. No Lipo battery and use the throttle limiter. Should last him years.

That's a great idea! Thanks

 

[arrmadillo]

I say stick with 1/10 scale, it's not too small and something a kid will not get tired of.

I don't like them small rigs like the mini erevo. Too small, harder to work on, and limited places to run them. All this equals to a boring little rig IMO.

I don't know what to recommend, too many factors like budget, etc.

Back then I bought my kids Rustlers and Stampedes, brushed and brushless models. Traxxas still make them and Arrma has many entry models also.

Granite is a nice model but the blx is probably too wild for a 5 year old.

 

[Jimbobjr]

My favorite small car is the WLToys a959b. Cheap, fast and fun. All you need is a parking lot.

 

[arrma_tigger]

If we're considering all mfr's, I'd consider a brushed Slash. I've had so many people drive that and a brushless and they are pretty much indestructible (especially the brushed). In 10 years, I have replaced maybe $10.00 of parts .. and that was on the brushless. A huge benefit, almost all stores have parts readily available.

 

[Outcastblxnut]

Mini slash is cool

 

[arrma_tigger]

As others previously stated, I would try and stay in the 1/10 class. I wouldn't go 'mini'.

 

[Warby]

My favorite small car is the WLToys a959b. Cheap, fast and fun. All you need is a parking lot.

And parts are very cheap and available online.

 

[Jerry-rigged]

For a 5 year old, get something that gets them excited. My kids like the smaller 1/16 cars more than my bigger 1/10. Yeah, they can run thru grass as good, and they break easy, and they are hard to work on... dang, where was I goth with this?... lol

For a 5 year old, maybe even start them on a small crawler, just to get them used to the controls. Something like the 1/24 or 1/12 ECX crawlers would be good for a very young kid. Slow, easy to control, go anywhere, hard to break, and the kid will learn steering and throttle.

My favorite small car is the WLToys a959b. Cheap, fast and fun. All you need is a parking lot.

For a 5 year old, maybe the A (380 motor) version. The B (540 motor) is silly fast and hard to control.

 

[PaPa Thorn]

I was looking at a Losi mini 8ight just to piss around with but they stopped making the buggy. They still make the truggy and mt, but I wanted the buggy. Besides, if they're done with the buggy the other two will probably follow.

If we're considering all mfr's, I'd consider a brushed Slash. I've had so many people drive that and a brushless and they are pretty much indestructible (especially the brushed). In 10 years, I have replaced maybe $10.00 of parts .. and that was on the brushless. A huge benefit, almost all stores have parts readily available.

How often have you ran it during those 10 years? You must have babied it or ran it in a padded room, my buddy's kid blasts parts off of her's. Bearings cost more than 10 bucks.

 

[Rigcheck]

Hi, I'd go with 959B cheap and easy to get spares. Not that I've broke anything on it just a wheel bearing. Here's mine with some metal upgrades

 

[arrma_tigger]

How often have you ran it during those 10 years? You must have babied it or ran it in a padded room, my buddy's kid blasts parts off of her's. Bearings cost more than 10 bucks.

I have ran it ALOT - and hard. I wasn't jumping it off of rooftops though. I was hoping the UDR would be as 'tough' as the Slash was - but the UDR broke in the first 3 days.

 

[arrma_tigger]

Ran the slash yesterday and today. Many flips, many cartwheels, a few smacks - lots of driving.

Currently on pit road waiting for more fuel (batteries).

 

[biggman100]

Having just purchased the kraton my brother is so impressed with it that he wants to buy something similar. However he would be looking something in a smaller scale. His son is only 5 so would be looking something a little less brutal!! The guy in the model shop had been trying to talk him into traxxas and axial. I told him to wait as the guys on here would know a lot more, And provide him models which would be suitable for him.

I look forward to hearing from anyone could help.

I know a lot on here will probably disagree, but, there are also the Redcat/Exceed vehicles. They are cheap, easy to fix, decent parts support through Redcat/Exceed/HSP, as well as upgrades, can be had through a lot of of places. The only downside is not a lot of shops carry the cars or parts in stock, so your best bet are places like Amazon and Ebay, but, for a young kid that may lose interest quickly, you cant beat some of the prices. For example, if you catch them at the right time, you can get Exceed 4WD 1/10th buggies, mainly through NitroRCX.com, for $120 or less, which isnt bad for a 4WD RTR starter vehicle. They are my goto vehicle for younger kids just starting out, that way, they lose interest, you arent out a lot, and, if they get more into it, they make all kinds of upgrades for them, including full aluminum hop-ups and chassis plates. Another upside, at least to me, is that the cars come in a multitude of colors, unlike the typical car that only comes in one or two colors (since some kids can be very picky about what colors they like, and, bodies are cheap, so changing to a different colored body when they don't like that color anymore wont break the bank, like some of the more expensive vehicles). The Exceed Sunfire comes in at least 6 different colors, and is basically the same as the Redcat Tornado. Both companies also make 1/24, 1/18, 1/10, and 1/8 vehicles. The Exceed stuff can also be had brushed and brushless in more variety, whereas the Redcat stuff comes in brushless only in select models. Another upside, at least with the Sunfire/Tornado is that if they decide they suddenly want a monster truck, you can turn it into the Volcano, or a stadium truck or any other style vehicle they sell, just by changing a few parts. More than 20 of the Redcat/Exceed vehicles all use the same chassis and running gear. I bought a Redcat Volcano monster truck, and turned it into a buggy for my nephew when he got bored with the MT, with all aluminum parts, for around $60 total for the necessary parts and buggy body.

Having just purchased the kraton my brother is so impressed with it that he wants to buy something similar. However he would be looking something in a smaller scale. His son is only 5 so would be looking something a little less brutal!! The guy in the model shop had been trying to talk him into traxxas and axial. I told him to wait as the guys on here would know a lot more, And provide him models which would be suitable for him.

I look forward to hearing from anyone could help.

Another one to possibly consider, although he might be still a little too small for, is the DHK Hobby's stuff, like the Wolf buggy variants. There is the Wolf, Wolf2, and Wolf BL, and the Raz-r variants. The Wolf variants are all buggies, and the Raz-R variants are truggies. I have a Wolf 2/Raz-r 2, that i have beat on pretty hard, and haven't broke it yet. This is another one that can easily, even more easily than the Exceed/Redcat stuff, be swapped from a buggy to a truggy and back, just by switching the tires and the body. The body mount/shock towers on them are set up so that you can use either body without changing anything but the body.

 

[Brandon]

Great information. Thanks for posting

 

[slick2500]

I know a lot on here will probably disagree, but, there are also the Redcat/Exceed vehicles. They are cheap, easy to fix, decent parts support through Redcat/Exceed/HSP, as well as upgrades, can be had through a lot of of places. The only downside is not a lot of shops carry the cars or parts in stock, so your best bet are places like Amazon and Ebay, but, for a young kid that may lose interest quickly, you cant beat some of the prices. For example, if you catch them at the right time, you can get Exceed 4WD 1/10th buggies, mainly through NitroRCX.com, for $120 or less, which isnt bad for a 4WD RTR starter vehicle. They are my goto vehicle for younger kids just starting out, that way, they lose interest, you arent out a lot, and, if they get more into it, they make all kinds of upgrades for them, including full aluminum hop-ups and chassis plates. Another upside, at least to me, is that the cars come in a multitude of colors, unlike the typical car that only comes in one or two colors (since some kids can be very picky about what colors they like, and, bodies are cheap, so changing to a different colored body when they don't like that color anymore wont break the bank, like some of the more expensive vehicles). The Exceed Sunfire comes in at least 6 different colors, and is basically the same as the Redcat Tornado. Both companies also make 1/24, 1/18, 1/10, and 1/8 vehicles. The Exceed stuff can also be had brushed and brushless in more variety, whereas the Redcat stuff comes in brushless only in select models. Another upside, at least with the Sunfire/Tornado is that if they decide they suddenly want a monster truck, you can turn it into the Volcano, or a stadium truck or any other style vehicle they sell, just by changing a few parts. More than 20 of the Redcat/Exceed vehicles all use the same chassis and running gear. I bought a Redcat Volcano monster truck, and turned it into a buggy for my nephew when he got bored with the MT, with all aluminum parts, for around $60 total for the necessary parts and buggy body.

Another one to possibly consider, although he might be still a little too small for, is the DHK Hobby's stuff, like the Wolf buggy variants. There is the Wolf, Wolf2, and Wolf BL, and the Raz-r variants. The Wolf variants are all buggies, and the Raz-R variants are truggies. I have a Wolf 2/Raz-r 2, that i have beat on pretty hard, and haven't broke it yet. This is another one that can easily, even more easily than the Exceed/Redcat stuff, be swapped from a buggy to a truggy and back, just by switching the tires and the body. The body mount/shock towers on them are set up so that you can use either body without changing anything but the body.

My friend wanted to get her son something cheap that he could play with around the yard and I had her get him the brushed Exceed Infinitive, $120 for a 1/10 4wd monster truck that comes with everything except the 4aa batteries for the remote is a steal in my book, especially for someone starting out in the hobby. And if they end up not liking the hobby you are only out $120. Oh and keep them brushed lol.

 

[biggman100]

My friend wanted to get her son something cheap that he could play with around the yard and I had her get him the brushed Exceed Infinitive, $120 for a 1/10 4wd monster truck that comes with everything except the 4aa batteries for the remote is a steal in my book, especially for someone starting out in the hobby. And if they end up not liking the hobby you are only out $120.

What i liked most about them was how many different companies made parts for them. Using the Exceed Infinitive as an example, the Infinitive is the exact same truck as the Redcat Volcano and the HSP Brontosaurus, which means parts are available pretty much through any online supplier, and, some of the Redcat stuff is even available in some LHS's now. Amazon has a ton of HSP and Hobby Park parts for them as well for cheap. The Exceed Sunfire is the Same as the Redcat Tornado and HSP 94107, and Exceed has some pretty neat off road trucks, like the racing terrain and rallye monster, which are basically SCT trucks in different configurations, so possibilities for building and modifying are near endless. My nephew has an Exceed racing terrain/Redcat volcano hybrid that looks weird, but is a blast in snow, and all together, the entire deal was less than $180. don't get me wrong, i love my Arrma stuff, but, for something that you can go out and beat on and modify almost endlessly, and have a different vehicle, all from the same chassis, really appeals to me. The only downside i have seen is none of them can take 3S power without destroying them.