How to Choose the Right Radio Controlled Vehicle
By Michael James, About.com Guide to Radio Controlled Vehicles
When buying RCs you have a choice of toy-grade or hobby-grade vehicles. Make your purchases at retail stores, hobby shops, or shop online for pre-assembled RCs or DIY kits. Choose the RC that fits your level of expertise. Discover the latest trends in RCs.
Before You Buy an RC
Before you jump into the world of radio controlled vehicles it helps immensely to have in mind what you're looking for and what most interests you. Before you buy, consider factors such as cost, level of expertise, and time available for learning and maintenance to make sure you don't get in over your head.
- How to Choose Radio Controlled Toys
- Choosing RC Toys for 1-5 Year Olds
- Choosing RC Toys for 6-12 Year Olds
- Choosing RC Toys as Gifts for Dad
- Going from RC Toys to Hobby-Grade Vehicles
Cars and Trucks
If RC cars are your passion, pull into our spot and check out the reviews, tutorials, tips, and beginner advice for RC cars and RC trucks of every vintage and style.
- 1:8 Scale Nitro Monster Trucks
- 1:10 Scale Nitro Monster Trucks
- 1:10 Scale Nitro Stadium Trucks
- HPI Baja 5B - 1:5 Scale 2WD Gas Buggy
- HPI E10 Electric On-Road Car
- HPI Savage (X 4.6 RTR, X 4.6 with Reverse RTR, SS Super Sport Kit, 3.5 RTR)
- HPI Wheelie King 4x4
- Sportswerks Chaos Nitro Buggy
- Team Losi Electric Micro-T
- Team Losi Mini-T Electric Truck
- Thunder Tiger Ducati 999R Testastretta RC Motorcycle
- Traxxas 4-Tec Nitro On-Road Car
- Traxxas E-Revo VXL Brushless Off-Road Truck
- Traxxas Rustler XL-5 Electric Stadium Truck
- XMODS Cars and Trucks
Planes and Helicopters
Indoors or outdoors, find an airplane, helicopter, or even out-of-this-world spacecraft that you don't need a pilot's license to fly.
- Indoor RC Helicopters
- Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle Set
- Air Hogs Twin Thunder Micro Tandem RC Heli
- Flytech Dragonfly
- Fly Wheels XPV
- Indoor RC Airplanes for Experienced Pilots
- Mini / Micro Indoor RC Airplanes
- HobbyZone Aerobird 3 RC Airplane
- Radio Controlled Blimps
- RC Flight Simulators
- RC Flying Saucers and UFOs
Boats and Subs
Make serious waves or set sail across uncharted waters as the skipper of your own RC watercraft or dive, dive, dive into radio controlled subs. Buy off-the-shelf boats and subs or build your own.
Toys and Gadgets
There are simple, colorful RC toys for toddlers and more complex and educational RC toys and gadgets for teens and adults.
- Kids Can Build Their Own RCs
- RC Bulldozers, Dump Trucks, Cranes
- RC Toy Cars and Trucks
- RC Water Toys
- RC Robot Toys
- RC Flying Toys
- Scary RC Animals and Insects
- Remote Control Dinosaurs
- RCs With Cameras
- Radio Controlled Blimps and Airships
- Fly Wheels XPV
- Flytech Dragonfly
- RC Toy Manufacturers
Radio Control Kits
Instead of buying an RC that's ready to use right out of the box, buy a kit and enjoy the fun of building your own RC but with a jump start. Kits offer varying degrees of difficulty from the simplest kits that snap together with a few parts to those with hundreds of pieces and screws that might even require some electronics work.
- RC Kits for Pre-Teens and Preschoolers
- RC Kits for Teens
- HPI Baja 5B SS 1:5 Scale 2WD Gas Buggy Kit Version
- Revell VEXplorer RC Robotics System
- Tamiya Tractor Truck Big Rig Kits
- Tamiya Grasshopper 1:10 Scale Off-Road Racer Kit
Parts & Supplies
From maintenance to upgrading you need accessories for your RC. Shop for new tires, a better motor, brighter lights, new battery packs, and a new paint (or decal) job for your RC ride. For some kinds of repairs you can use the screwdrivers and wrenches you might already own. But RC vehicles sometimes require specialized tools and equipment for troubleshooting and maintenance.
