1/5th Scale Off-Road: Rocky Roads Ahead?
1/5th scale off-road looks to be one of the up-and-coming things in R/C right now. HPI has been on the scene for a while with their 5b and 5sc platforms, and Losi will be getting their 5ive on the shelves soon. I have also seen a few concepts and knock-off type vehicles out there as well.
I love 5th scale. The sheer massiveness of them makes me grin ear-to-ear. If you are into realism, I don’t think it gets much more real than watching a 5sc go around a track. It drifts corners and jumps just like it’s full-size brethren. They run on gas, are very durable and pricing is a bit expensive but comparable to a race-ready 8th scale car.
The local 1/5th-scale racing scene in Southern California is still in its infancy but is definitely growing. It is a lot of the basher crowd that has decided to try their hands in racing. Since there aren’t many large-scale cars out there yet, not many people have a big advantage when it comes to chassis and engines. It makes racing on a level playing field much more possible.
I’ve been racing a lot of 1/8th scale nitro the last couple years and have seen a few people get hit. It makes me cringe every time. Luckily there haven’t been much more than some bruises and a few stitches needed. It got me thinking about 5th scale. These things aren’t as nimble and fast as an 1/8th scale buggy, but they are weighing up close to 30lbs! I can only imagine the carnage that is possible. Most tracks take safety into consideration when they are designing layouts and marshal spots, as they should. I definitely think this will be taken to a new level with 1/5th scale racing.
I have a couple questions for you guys:
Do you think safety is going to play a big factor or hinder the future of 1/5th scale racing?
I’m sure we all have had R/C cars banned from certain parks by us due to fire and or safety concerns. Do you think 1/5th scale will make it even harder to drive in these areas if they aren’t closed already?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
The post 1/5th Scale Off-Road: Rocky Roads Ahead? appeared first on RC Car Action.