Traxxas vs Redcat: A Comprehensive Guide to RC Crawling

Introduction 

Traxxas and Redcats have both been in the RC industry for a long time. They offer different aspects while having different prices. So, it’s a little hard choosing between them. 

With that said, which is better for you between Traxxas vs Redcat?  

If you’re a beginner and trying to take RC as a hobby, Redcat is perfect. They are very beginner-friendly and cheap. However, Traxxas offers the best performance, speed, and durability. They are also way pricier than Redcats. Lastly, Traxxas has a lot of upgradable features and they are also quite pricey. 

Anyway, this is only a summary of this debate. If you want to know more in detail, read along. 

Let’s not waste any more time and hop right in – 

Traxxas vs Redcat: Fundamental Differences

Before we head on to a thorough comparison, we should know the basic differences. For example, it’s very hard to compare Traxxas Slash and Stampede, without knowing the differences. 

For this reason, we have made a small table for you – 

By now you should have an idea on this debate. Have you decided which one is better? 

Traxxas vs Redcat: Detailed Comparison

Now, we know these aren’t enough to conclude on this matter. That’s why we’ve discussed them thoroughly. 

Appearance 

When buying RC cars or crawlers, appearances matter to a lot of people. Because if your car doesn’t look good, you feel less encouraged to drive.  

Traxxas offers decent body kits for their stock vehicles. They surely look good. However, their upgradable body kits are much stronger and durable. It also costs a lot of money to buy them. 

On the contrary, Redcat offers very decent looking cars for an affordable price. They are quite durable and strong enough to withstand extreme bumps. However, it’s not close to what Traxxas offers. 

Handling 

It feels super annoying when your car doesn’t steer as you want it to. Also, if you forcefully try to steer a car with bad handling, it’ll flip. That’s why many people prefer good handling over other aspects. 

While both of their handlings are on par, Traxxas can easily outperform Redcat if upgraded. Most Traxxas cars are made for extreme off-road racing or bashing. 

So naturally, they have better suspensions which result in better handling. 

However, Redcat’s cars have pretty decent handling, to begin with. Enough to enjoy bashing or just taking it out on a ride. It may not perform like a Traxxas, but it surely will not disappoint you! 

Also, you can drastically improve your handling by installing a good steering servo in your RC car. 

Speed 

Going super fast with an RC car surely feels nice. But the price can be a huge factor in this category. 

Luckily, Traxxas does offer decent speed on their stock versions. They can reach up to 40-50mph on stock versions. 

However if you upgrade them, some of their cars can reach up to 80-100mph. 

On the other side, 25-35mph is probably the maximum you’re going to get from Redcat. Keep in mind that speed isn’t everything in RC. Also, you’re getting Redcats for a much cheaper price. 

Durability

Durability is one of the biggest aspects of a product. When you buy something as a hobby and it breaks apart, it totally hurts. That’s why we prioritize this over other categories. Be sure to check durability while comparing yeti and axial bomber. 

The thing is, Traxxas is known for having very durable body parts. Their cars are focused on off-road racing and bashing. 

But there is a downside to it. 

One thing you should know, it’s durability gets better with upgraded body and suspension kits. Simply put, you have to pay a lot to make your car strong. 

Since Traxxas cars are driven through off-roads, better glues can prevent its tires from detaching. 

Also, here are some of our top picked tires for this – 

Choose any one of the options from here for better performance.

That said, Redcat can’t offer the durability of that caliber. Still, the durability of its stock products is just enough to keep you going. It’s more than decent, so you don’t have to worry about it. 

Maintenance and Upgrading

Your RC crawler is going to travel through a lot of extreme roads. So, proper maintenance keeps your crawler’s lifespan longer. Other than that, you should keep your RC vehicle clean as well.

However, upgrading is something else entirely. It ranges from cheap to really high prices. 

Normally, in maintenance, Traxxas has a very low cost. They barely get broken or stop operating. They are easy to wash as well. But upgrading their body parts can be a real challenge. If money isn’t a problem, of course. 

On the other side, maintaining a Redcat is also affordable. They are also as easy to maintain as Traxxas. However, upgrading a Redcat is much cheaper than Traxxas. 

You’re much more likely to be able to upgrade a Redcat than a Traxxas. 

Final Verdict 

Finally, have you decided which one you’re going to pick? 

Even after all these, you could be confused. But don’t worry! We can solve your confusion away. 

It all comes down to this. You need to fix your mindset and take steps accordingly.

If you’re looking for casual racing, Redcat is more than enough for your needs. It’s a very capable off-road 4WD car. 

However, if you have enough money to spend, then buy a Traxxas. Because you have to upgrade it later as well which involves even more money. 

FAQs

Question: Is Traxxas waterproof? 

Answer: It is when well-maintained. However, with usage, metals become rusty. You can use cleaning agents to keep it rustproof. 

Question: Is a redcat RC any good? 

Answer: A Redcat RC can give you everything at a budget price. They might be cheap but they are worth every dollar. 

Question: What are Traxxas bodies made of?

Answer: Polycarbonate plastic. They are also called Lexan. It’s a group of thermoplastic polymers. 

Conclusion

And that’s all! We hope that you’re all cleared on Traxxas vs Redcat. Now you can get whichever suits you the most.  

So, which one are you going to get? Share your thoughts in the comment section!