Duratrax 1/10 Baja Bug

[The Brand]

Before buying any hobby grade RC it's important to know about the brand. Duratrax has always been a big name in RC. The Evader series put the Duratrax name on the map and every variation of that series has been great. They have a huge aftermarket following and online following. Because of this, ou can buy a Duratrax vehicle knowing that you have all of the parts support you'll ever need!

[Included in the box]

First off I have to mention that this thing was made to be taken out of the box. What does that mean? It's super easy to get out! I'm always in a good mood when I dont feel like the company put thier product in a fortress instead of a box. Included is the truck, a radio set and a ton of reading material. It is important to note that a battery and charger is NOT included.

[Radio]

This is a Futaba 2.4ghz radio set. What does that mean? It means no super long antenna! Also, this style of radio has a much greater range over 27 AM radios. It has several options for adjusting the comfort and controls over the car. Simply put, it's a great radio set, one you could use on any RC you have.

[The Baja Bug]

Just looking at the Baja Bug hits you with a bit of nostalgia. Duratrax went above and beyond putting together this liscenced replica of an original VW bug. There is even a motor and cage on the back. None of this effects performance, but it adds to the overall value and look of the RC.

Taking that body off, you'll see a familiar chassis. The baja bug is based onthe same evader chassis that Duratrax has used for years now, but they keep making little changes. The A-arms are shorter, the ride height went up and the battery compartment can fit more modern LiPo packs.

The suspension is not very exciting out of the box. It feels like the springs on the shocks are too strong, which makes the truck a bit bouncey in travel. One thing I like is that every single part of the suspension is adjustable!

The electronics are water-proof,but really are not that special. I believe the motor is a 19 turn brushed motor. All that measn is you can expect about 20-21mph out fo teh box.

The tires are kind of weird. Duratrax made custom wheels and tires for this truck so you wont be able to find many replacements out there. Although the stock tires will last you a long time, they just dont have a very goos tread pattern to them.

I did my testing with a 1200mah 7.2 pack (Its the standard with RTR kits) and drove on my usual three terrains; Dirt Track, Street and Heavy Off-Road. Let's see how it did!

**********TEST TIME****************

[Dirt Track]

On a well groomed dirt track the baja bug did great! While not a race-winner, the car drives with a ton of personality. I had so much fun just watching it go around the track. The suspension is indeed weakend by those bad springs, but somehow it adds to tha ride. Watching the Bug body cruise around looked great!

[Street]

Since this is not really a street car, I didnt spend much time here. Smooth surfaces provided a smoother driving experience. Those tires hooked up better here then on the dirt track due to the wide tread pattern. I did notice that it takes hard turns well, so the center of gravity is not nearly as high as I though it would be.

[Off-Road]

I took this out in the grass and mud just to see what it could do! In both cases I was a bit dissapointed. The stock suspension does not allow the truck to soak up any of the terrain, so it just bounces and then rolls over. While I had a lot less fun driving here, I do want to note that there is hope for this as an off road basher. With a little suspension work, some new springs and shock oil, I really think this bug can take a lot mre punishment