The Most Influential Brands In RC?

[Jason Sams]

Who are they? Please list who you think are the most influential brands in RC. They innovate, have the best products, are the most durable, best customer service. You pick the criteria and list your favorites.

[Big-Bus7]

TRAXXAS because look at the slash, then look at the corr style rc's, or the summit, then look at the rc worldd in a couple of years with copy's over the transmission stuff. traxxas is the brand that gets all the newbs started in rc because they don't race as much as too durable easy to maintain cars.

[rezenclowd3]

Xray/ Hudy. They CREATED the precision tool market for RC racing.

[zakerid]

TAMIYA! hands down.

[Ihaveaxrayt2r]

#1 XRay/hudy
#2 traxxas
#3 hpi
#4 tamyia

[jwaj2002]

15 - 20 years ago I would have said losi, but now, probably traxxas, their tech support is the best I've ever dealt with, though Axial's is pretty good too

[sebtown]

My favorites are Traxxas and Team Associated. I haven't really owned that many vehicles from other companies though.

[Kuldeep]

Traxxas because of there HUGE market, and there amazing customer support.

[fmrc]

You have to say Trinity for all they have done though out the years (I know many think of them as the evil empire) the inovations in motors and parts have been hands down top notch

[zueslilbuddy]

Castle Creations for sure (Pure Power hands down)
Traxxas (Thanks for durable trucks for the newbs)
HPI (for some great designs but not you're plastics :P)
Hitec (thanks for making some great servos)
Team Associated (You innovated adjust-ability back in the day)
Losi (for making some great racers, but stop remaking the same truck/car and re-labeling it)
Axial (you're innovative and doing great keep it up)
Tamiya (thank you for getting it all started, and please lower the price on the highlift it is the only shelf queen I would ever own :P)

[Jason Sams]

Thanks guys for your answers. Great input!

[K_B]

Traxxas by far. Their current marketing strategy is reaching more people than anybody else. And I see other companies trying the same strategy (like AE).

If you go into ANY hobby shop, you'll find Traxxas stuff. Not quite so with the other brands, but Losi, Associated, Tamiya are a close second I would think.

[jwaj2002]

Traxxas, HPI, Tamiya, Losi, and RPM

and duratrax because if you bust your vehicle in the first year, they'll replace the parts free

[rccardude04]

Associated (RC10)
Traxxas (T-Maxx, Slash)
Novak (first real mainstream brushless for cars)
Nomadio and Spektrum (2.4GHz)
HPI (bringing 1/5 to the masses... almost)

-Eric

[4wdmt]

TAMIYA! hands down.
I second...simple awesome kits and top notch instruction manual.

[bigboots1302]

gonna have to say associated. they revolutionized the hobby with the rc10 platform long ago and they are still leading the world of rc as far as racing and innovations go.

[st_dragn_wagen]

most influential brands in RC....? i have 2 thoughts on this one

losi. they have always been right on the cutting edge of new design and technology, even if it goes against the norm

and as much as i don't want to admit it, traxxas. but only because they are more into marketing than RC. they make damn sure they are the first thing you see as a noob and they do what they can to keep it that way. when you are all people see, hear and know, you have a lot of sway

[Sorcerer001]

Tamiya for getting the ball rolling. Associated for refining the cars for racing. Losi for providing Associated with the competition necessary to spur further development of the breed. And now Traxxas - innovative, revolutionary and evolutionary - they've not only managed to release unique products, they've managed to rope in more new hobbyists than all the other manufacturer's combined - and even managed to convince plenty of veteran racers to buy RTR's.

[Paintbug]

As someone that works in the hobby, I would have to go with Traxxas for the customer support and service. When it comes to the major brands, they are hands down the best.

Traxxas has probably the best built, and most durable kits on the market as well. It is rare to have a problem with one of their products. HPI is real close as well for their quality. It seems that a lot of the larger brands are more worried about getting the products out the door, and leaving the dealers to put up with the complaining customers. Granted there are issues where sometimes it is just the customer not knowing what they are doing, but it is not good have a guy speed $300-$400 on a new kit, and the ESC not power up when he plugs up the battery. I think it is time for some of the other brands to step up the quality to where it once was.

For the old school stuff, I do recall the old Kyosho Ultima as one of the first "race" buggies that really seem to change the racing scene back in the mid to late 80's. When Mr Joel Johnson was plastered on the box :)

[MikeMelzer]

I think most have hit the biggies:

Tamiya - building the hobby at the start (much less influential now)
Associated - RC-10, and industry leading design
Losi - competition for Associated
Novak - various electronics major player early on
Traxxas - market share/availability
Axial - Pushing a completely new concept
Airtronics - various electronics

If I had to narrow the list down, it's Tamiya/Associated for early influence, and Traxxas/Associated for current trends.

[tadium54]

just to echo it - castle and novak, both for their innovations and tech support. same with traxxas

[surfer]

1)Tamiya - They kicked it off

2) AE - They set the standard

3) Traxxas - They brought the numbers

[rcman1164]

Tamiya for making great kits and not going to rtr only. I love to build all my stuff.

[ss13t]

Besides the companies that started things a long time ago I think it's easy to see Traxxas as the #1 influential brand in RC today. They started the whole RTR thing. Then sped them up with the 20t stinger motors, made the first RTR that could break 50MPH with the nitro 4 tec and as far as I know the VXL's were the first mainstream brushless cars too. Now they're including wall chargers and batteries with all their stuff. Of course the T-maxx and Slash also started new classed in which virtually all the other manufactuers jumped into aswell. Personally I like building kits, but there's no denying the (massive) influence Traxxas has had with their RTR's. Even Tamiya has now jumped on the RTR bandwagon. Weather you like to admit it or not, Traxxas paves the path for others to follow.

I would also give HPI a lot of credit for starting the 1/18 craze with the micro RS4. They also made monster trucks "bigger" with the Savage that was closer to 1/8 than 1/10. I see the Baja line as being quite influential aswell, although still a little out of reach for most rcers.

[Jason Sams]

Thanks for posting. Yes, Traxxas has had a major influence on this industry as has Losi, Team Associated, Pro-Line and several others. Who will lead the way this Christmas as new products get released?

[tadium54]

I would guess proline, simply due to sheer volume of products released.

[ss13t]

Being an aftermarket company, I don't think proline has an influence, but rather is influenced by other companies. Proline makes stuff for cars that are hot, not the other way around.

[Cope57]

Opinions vary, and so will the results.

[Jason Sams]

I gotta give some props to Kyosho. They have created just about everything in RC....cars, helis, boats, planes, minis, micros.

I believe their Mini Ultima of the 80s was the first mini off-roader. I had one and it was actually the first RC car I ever built.

The Burns really helped 1/8-scale off-road.

Kyosho also had an off-road truck years ago that had an awesome short course scale look. I forget the name of the truck, but it looked pretty cool.

Kyosho has definitely designed some pretty cool things over the years.

[ducati777]

Kyosho also had an off-road truck years ago that had an awesome short course scale look. I forget the name of the truck, but it looked pretty cool.

8th scale, buggy based? Can't remember the name either. I remember thinking that design would never work, we need longer A arms for the performance.

[Jason Sams]

It was a 1/10-scale truck, but way before it's time. I'll have to ask a buddy who is a total Kyosho buff. He'll know what I'm talking about.

[FoxRob]

For me Associated I still have my original RC10 and RC12L that I bought in the 80"s it was my second rc car there cars work really well in almost every condition I also have a B3, T3, a pair of TC3's and a dual sport.

Novak there ESC's and receivers are very durable I also have the original ESC I bought for my RC10 way back when.

Futaba great radios still have my original Magnum JR's as well as the newer style and my 3PJ it's old but works great.

Tamiya for there attention to every last detail with a RC kit it is almost like assembling a static model with there details.

HPI is another brought affordable nitro and comp level kits to the masses.

Traxxas for there EZ start RTR vehciles.

My first car was a Kyosho Optima that for a first car took alot of abuse.