Whats the best rc rock racer for actually climbing real rocks not just dirt trails??

Welcome back to the hobby! 15 years is huge gap - modern lipo batteries and brushless systems make old school stuff look like toys. Definitely go RTR for first rig back instead of jumping into kit building

Granite is brutal on drivetrain components. Make sure whatever you get has metal gears in diffs and strong axle housings. Plastic gears will explode first time you hit serious rock face

Tire compound matters way more than people think for real rock crawling. Soft sticky rubber grips granite way better than generic hard compounds that come on most RTR rigs

rock crawling vs bashing are totally different animals. What works great for speed runs fails miserably on technical terrain. Low gearing and torque beat speed every time for actual climbing

Been running the DANCHEE RidgeRock on local trails for past year and it handles granite outcrops surprisingly well for the price point. Definitely exceeded expectations compared to more expensive options I considered initially

Waterproof electronics are non-negotiable if you're hitting real trails. Creek crossings and wet rocks will kill non-sealed stuff instantly. Learned this expensive lesson twice

Aluminum upgrades are tempting but add weight in wrong places. Steel driveshafts and skid plates make sense but aluminum arms often perform worse than stock plastic on impacts

1/10 scale hits sweet spot for trail crawling. 1/8 gets too heavy and unwieldy in tight spots while 1/18 lacks torque for serious climbs

Brushless systems are overkill for crawling unless you want insane torque. Good brushed motor with proper gearing works better than overpowered brushless that's hard to control at low speeds

Parts availability killed my enthusiasm for certain brands. Exotic stuff looks cool until you need replacement parts and have to wait months for shipping from overseas

trail ethics matter - don't be that guy leaving tire marks on pristine rock faces or disturbing wildlife areas. respect access or we'll lose trail permissions

Finally upgraded to the redcat racing everest-10 1/10 scale after destroying cheaper rigs on technical sections. Worth every penny for serious rock work versus entry level crawlers that break constantly

Weight distribution and battery placement totally change handling characteristics. Low mounted battery improves stability but makes maintenance harder. Always tradeoffs in RC

Portal axles provide major advantage for ground clearance and approach angle optimization but add complexity and cost. Worth considering for serious technical crawling versus basic trail running applications