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Deep in the darkest corner of our basement lies the Mausoleum of Broken Remote Control Cars (insert lightning strike and spooky music!!).
The Mausoleum of Broken Remote Control Cars is in fact a plastic storage tub filled with dead remote control cars and trucks we have purchased over the years at the big box stores: Grave Digger, several cool looking pick ups, a hot rob, a racing car and one light up thingy that used to spin and roll and make noise, now it just lies there quiet, lifeless, dead.
These used to be the “go to” toy for birthdays and holidays and at about $25 bucks, they fell into the “why not” category, it made my kids happy, gave them something to do, why not.
The problem is, we “why-notted” our selves into about $400 in broken unusable junk. What most people don’t know about the remote control cars, trucks and boats that you buy at a big box store, is they are in fact “toys.” Yup, doesn’t matter if you plunk down $25 or $100, they fall into the “toy category” and therefore are close to impossible to repair. One smack against a tree, hard landing off a ramp or tumble down the stairs and it’s all over for “Monster Mutt,” and back to the store for another toy.
As I was sharing my exasperation with the boys at Hobby Town in Northbrook (my new hang) they told me about the Dromida series of remote control cars, trucks and drones. Dromida is like the Ellis Island to RC, they are the gateway to a new life(too much?:)
There are several differences between a Dromida RC and a “toy:” price, ease, parts and toughness. Let’s work our way backwards.
Toughness- We got the Dromida SC4.18BL Speed Series 1/18th Scale RTR 4WD Brushless Short Course Truck. Or very cool looking truck that goes about 25 mph and takes an absolute beating! I have watched my son smack this thing into a tree at full speed, have it fly off a ramp at a skate park, roll head over heels and fly through a massive puddle and nothing, I mean nothing has happened to this bad boy. It keeps on moving, full speed, not a single problem.
Parts- Eventually “the boy” will break something on this truck, it’s like his life’s mission. That’s not all that of a big deal. Unlike the Big Box Toys, Dromida trucks and drones have interchangeable parts that you can get at pretty much any hobby store. Unlike a “real car” the parts are usually pretty inexpensive and easy to swap out. If you buy your RC car at a hobby store, they are usually pretty cool with helping you out- Gerry, Ken and Rob at Hobby Town in Northbrook (my new hang) are always on hand for advice and help.
Ease- Unlike the $600-$1000 RC cars, these are made to be “out of the box ready.” We opened ours, charged the batteries, read the instructions, turned her on and let her rip. “The boy” who was 6 when we got this, had his Dromida truck drifting, doing donuts and jumping the dog within 10 minutes of starting it up. This is a kid that still can’t remember to lift the toilet seat when he pees, but run a Dromida at full tilt, no problem!
Price- Compared to the “toys” Dromida RC trucks are more expensive, ranging between $50-$160. That being said they are much cheaper than some of the more advanced RC trucks that can be 10 times as much and since they have a much longer shelf life, it is an “investment in fun.”
As we head smack into the holiday gift giving season, check out the Dromida series of trucks and drones that can head smack into a wall and keep on going. It’s a gift that won’t end up in a box in the basement gathering dust.
Click here for more information on all of the Dromida stuff or head into Hobby Town in Northbrook (my new hang), they can hook you up.
NOTE– Hobby Town had nothing to do with the writing of this post, I just really like their service.
