Off-road RC cars 2022
It’s 2022, and the RC cars market has never been so alive. There are numerous new brands entering the market, trying to snatch their share of the cake by lowering the price tags and creating a highly competitive playing field out there. Off-road trucks, though, seem to be leading the RC revolution with proper flooding of outstanding models.
If you’re a lover of the fast-growing off-road RC trucks’ world, then you’re in for a proper treat because, today, we’re going through the best ones available on Amazon in 2022! Yep – Amazon is still the number one place for buying off-road RC trucks. Heck, Amazon is still the number one place for buying all things RC!
After going through the five best Off-Road RC trucks currently available on Amazon, we’ll go through some of the key characteristics that make them the best options. There’s a whole lot of stuff to go through so let’s dive right on in!
Table: Best Off Road RC Cars
We did our best to keep things simple here. There are no subcategories and that sort of stuff – just plain old off-road trucks in all of their RC goodness. So, without further adue, let’s check them out!
| Image | Name | Top speed | Size | Battery | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 5. LL Truck | 30mph | 1/10 | 22min | See best offer |
 | 4. Traxxas Stampede | 30mph | 1/10 | 25min | See best offer |
 | 3. Arrma Granite | 50mph | 1/10 | 15min | See best offer |
 | 2. Redcat Shredder | 40mph | 1/6 | 25min | See best offer |
 | 1. Arrma Kraton | 60mph | 1/8 | 30min | See best offer |
5. Laegendary Legend
Let’s start off with a cheap, off-brand 1/10 scale RC truck featuring a solid all-around package. Meet Laegendary Legend, a beginner-friendly off-road beast that aims to bring the RC trucks/cars hobby closer to people who’ve never had any prior experience with them.
AIO Package
The best thing about this little bugger is the fact that it’s an all in one package. What does this mean, you may ask. Well, it means that you’re not just getting the RC model but everything else required to start playing around with it. That includes the decided transmitter, two LiPo 1600mAh 2S batteries, and all necessary chargers and cables. So, if you’re just starting out or you’re buying a present for someone you know is interested in off-road RC trucks, Laegendary Legend seems like a no-brainer!
Solid All-Around Performance
Obviously, for roughly $150, you aren’t getting much in terms of performance. Especially in the speed department because, primarily, this thing is meant for chaotic off-road use. Still, this little bugger performs quite well, capable of going up to 30 mph (in ideal conditions) thanks to two brushed motors and four-wheel drive. Obviously, brushed motors aren’t the ideal solution here, but they are good enough, with the only downside being their much lower life span when compared to their brushless counterparts.
4. Traxxas Stampede
If you’re looking to buy an off-road RC truck that’s both stylish and powerful, then you’re looking at the real deal here. As the title implies, I’m referring to Traxxas Stampede. Even though Traxxas has several other, more powerful off-road trucks, this one deserves a spot on this list of the best off road RC beasts because it’s pretty cheap yet possesses great hardware and electronics underneath the gorgeous canopy.
Sleeping Beauty
Not only is this feller gorgeous, but it’s also pretty powerful too, with the only real downside being the fact it doesn’t have four-wheel drive. On the bright side, Traxxas Stampede comes with a waterproof XL-5 ESC paired with the legendary Titan 12-turn 550 motors featuring a torque-control slipper clutch. It rests on 2.8-inch tires, but you can go bigger if you’re afraid of it being too top-heavy.
Additional Information
Just like all other models (except Laegendary Legend) featured on our list of the best off road RC cars, Traxxas Stampede does not come with a transmitter. You have to use your own! The same goes for the batteries too. The best option is to go with something like 2S LiPo with roughly 3000 to 4000mAh capacity. Going much above that will be too much of a burden for your Stampede, and will end up doing more harm than good in the long run.
3. ARRMA Granite
There are numerous versions of ARRMA Granite available on Amazon, but today, we’re focusing on the 1/10 model with four-wheel-drive and 3S BLX Brushless ESC. The best part – it’s not expensive! This version of ARRMA Granite goes for around $300, although it’s frequently on sale so you can save a few extra bucks on your purchase.
Brutal Performance
As I just mentioned in the intro, Granite boasts with a 3S BLX brushless electronic speed controller. However, I didn’t mention it’s100A ESC that’s in charge of powering a mighty 3200Kv brushless motor. This combination makes for incredible acceleration and top speed, assuming you’re using powerful 3S batteries. I’ve seen folk run 4S on this baby, but I wouldn’t do that if I were you, as you could burn the ESC.
Marvelous Design
The last thing I’d like to talk about here is Granite’s design. And no, I’m not talking about the two different canopies you can order (orange/black and red/blue), but the overall look of the model. It’s stylish, looks and feels premium quality, and most importantly, it’s sturdy enough to endure quite a few crashes… and all that for roughly $300, a great deal if I’ve ever seen one!
2. Redcat Racing Shredder
Often dubbed as the “poor man’s XMAXX”, Redcat Racing Shredder offers a fine balance between more expensive, premium models, and dirt cheap, good for nothing knockoffs. It’s a potent 1/6 scale monster truck with gorgeous decals nad a giant spoiler in the back. It’s sturdy, durable, a bit on the lower and of the spectrum, but very capable both off-road and on-road.
Poor Man’s XMAXX
With its 3mm, 6061 aluminum chassis, aluminum oil-filled shocks, sturdy gear differentials, adjustable height, and tunable suspension, there aren’t many things that XMAXX can do that Shredder can’t. Of course, the overall performance is well below Traxxas’ work of art, but it’s still impressive, especially considering the price tag. Shredder boasts with a 1300Kv brushless motor powered by an 80amp ESC, delivering high torque and impressive top speed.
Reasonable Price Tag
Last but not least, I have to mention the price tag of this bugger because it’s outright awesome! For a model whose main contenders are priced around $500, a $3600 price tag means a world of good. Not only is it highly aggressive but it already helped push Shredder into a mid-tier king. Of course, people who are looking for the fastest RC cars will look elsewhere… but since you’re here, you’re obviously looking for off-road RC trucks, and Redcat Racing Shredder is one of the best possible choices!
1. ARRMA Kraton – Best off road rc car
In my opinion, the best off road RC truck you can buy right now is the ARRMA Kraton. And I’m not even referring to the 8S version that goes for around $900. Nope! Even though that’s the ultimate off-road machine currently available, the price tag is way too high for average users. For them, the smaller 1/8 6S ARRMA Kraton is the obvious way to go.
Impressive Power
ARRMA Kraton is a real beast, operating on 6S LiPo batteries and featuring a mighty BLX185 ESC. Not only is it waterproof but it can also help achieve up to 60mph top speed, which is crazy for suc ha versatile off-road RC truck. On top of all that, ARRMA Kraton also possesses a 2050Kv brushless motor (BLX4074) and oil-filled shocks from anodized aluminum. Obviously, we’re looking at a device with a metal gear servo and plenty of spare parts and customization options available for DIY enthusiasts.
Ultimate Balance
As stated earlier – ARMA Kraton’s big brother, the 8S version, probably is the best of what the off-road RC truck scene has to offer at the moment. However, the sheer price tag is way too high and is an automatic turnoff for most people. The 6S version, on the other hand, possesses the much-needed balance, making it the ultimate middle-of-the-pack king!
Keep in mind though – the 8S Kraton can go toe to toe with the almighty Traxxas XMAXX. The price tags are pretty similar so you can choose which style you prefer. They’re both equally awesome and bring forth the ultimate off-road RC experience with enough speed to work with on concrete too.
What makes the best off road RC Cars?
There are several things to consider when buying the best off road RC trucks and they are as follows:
Which Power Source to Opt For?
At the moment, you can choose one of the following three power sources: battery-powered (LiPo or NiMh), nitro-powered, and the good old unleaded petrol fuel with 2-stroke oil. Electric cars make up more than 90% of all RC cars currently available on the market. Roughly 50% spread goes to both brushed and brushless motors. While petrol and nitro-powered RC cars do have their advantages (and disadvantages), I warmly recommend going electric if you’re interested in the best off-road truck performance possible.
2WD or 4WD for Off-road Use?
This one is a no-brainer – if you’re only interested in demanding, off-road terrain, you should buy a 4WD beast! Yes, they are more power-hungry which makes them run shorter, but they possess faster acceleration and handle rough terrains much better than their 2WD counterparts. Obviously, if you’re more interested in racing, 2WD is the way to go. Longer run times, less stuff to break, and higher top speeds are just some of the advantages you’ll be getting…
Different Chassis Styles
On top of everything mentioned thus far, there’s one more thing you need to take into consideration when buying off-road RC cars. As the heading implies, I am referring to different chassis styles. Don’t underestimate them, as they seriously affect the overall satisfaction levels!
Monster Trucks
I’m sure you all know what monster trucks bring to the table in terms of characteristics. For starters, they have massive wheels and even bigger ground clearance allowing them to get over rough off-road terrain without breaking a sweat. They’re pretty fast too, although they’re known for tipping over during aggressive steering on high traction terrains like sidewalks and roads.
Buggies
Buggies are much lower to the ground than conventional monster trucks. While this, combined with tight, aggressive bodies, makes them much better for road use, they still retain off-road capabilities thanks to other elements of their portfolio. Buggies favor road use but still do well on off-road terrain with big wheels and a whole lot of power. They can’t climb rocks, though. If you want something that can, your best bet is to buy a powerful rock crawler RC truck!
Rock Crawlers
Rock crawlers seem to be the most popular kind these days. They’re selling like crazy and manufacturers like Traxxas are doing wonders with the base chassis. Just take a look at something like the TRAXXAS TRX-4 platform and you’ll know what I’m referring to here. They are incredibly sturdy, can run for extended periods, and are insanely fun to control. However, they are very slow, so if you want to do stuff other than climbing rocks, you should probably look elsewhere!
There are several less popular variations of off-road RC trucks, but these are the ones you should keep tabs on. There’s no one size fits all kind of answer here – you pick everything according to your preferences and hope for awesome results. If they aren’t awesome, go back to the garage and try to mix and mash different parts until you’re finally satisfied…
Wrapping Things Up
What is there left to be said about the best off road RC trucks that haven’t been said already? They’re a thrill to play with, capable of handling massive jumps and doing all sorts of crazy things on various surfaces. They’re not the speediest of models, but they definitely make up for it with aggressive looks and great torque. More expensive models are quite speedy too, but let’s face it, you’re not buying these suckers for speed.
All in all, if you’re looking for the best of what the off-road RC cars market has to offer, it doesn’t get any better than the above-featured models!