RC Enthusiast Gift Guide for 2021

Choosing the right gift for your loved ones during the holiday season can be difficult. While it’s true that it’s the thought that counts, you still want to give them a gift they’ll enjoy, appreciate, and use often.

If your friend or family member loves all things radio-controlled and remote-controlled, then gifting them with an RC monster truck, a new upgrade, or a few RC car accessories is a great choice. Whether it’s for Christmas, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Valentine’s Day, RC Superstore has the best gift ideas for the RC enthusiasts in your life.

How to Choose the Perfect RC Gift for the Holidays

Fair warning: unlike funny socks, candles, coffee mugs, and other generic gifts, you need to do some more digging to select the right holiday gift for fans of the radio-controlled vehicle hobby. Whether it’s a Christmas present for a child in your family or a thoughtful, “just because” gift for an adult RC enthusiast, there are a few things to consider when buying a vehicle or accessory as a gift.

RC Holiday Gift Guide 2021: Things to Consider When Buying RC Gifts

RC vehicles come in a wide range of sizes, powers, and styles, so you need to learn a bit about your loved one’s habits and experience level. Do they just like doing stunts with their friends, or are they proficient racers?

Both racers and enthusiasts who just prefer to jump, crash, and bash may appreciate an upgrade to their suspension. However, one upgrade may be more affordable than another, and each driver has different needs.

Products for the hobby can vary in price, from less than $20 for certain parts to over $1,000 for high-end cars and trucks, so this may also be a good time to consider your holiday gift budget. Are these gifts intended for a kid who might treat them like toys no matter how much money you invest in them? Then you may want to find something with an optimal price for being abused.

RC Monster Truck or Boat: What Type of RC Vehicle Do They Use?

Cars aren’t the only type of remote-controlled vehicle, so you need to figure out what kind they’re into. To determine the type of RC vehicle that would be the best gift for your friend or family member, answer these questions:

• Do they like classic cars, nimble RC buggies, or powerful monster trucks?
• Or, do they prefer RC truggies, the rock crawlers that combine the best of trucks and buggies, and that can be driven on tough terrain?
• Perhaps they enjoy flying radio-controlled planes?
• Do they live near a body of water?
• Would they prefer to take remote-controlled boats out onto the water?
• Do you know if they like electric or nitro vehicles?

Finding out what type of cars and trucks they enjoy is a necessary first step in the RC gift buying process. Once you know what vehicle they have – or what they may want – in their garage, you know a lot, but there are a few more questions you should consider.

How Experienced are They with RC Cars?

Now that you know what general type of vehicle to get, you need to consider your loved one’s experience level. In this hobby, there are bashers, racers, people who like to drift, spin, and jump, and those who just like to pass a Saturday afternoon having a little fun with their kids.

• Does your loved one have a preference?
• Are they just learning to control their vehicle?
• Or, are they just now entering the market and shopping for their first one?

Ready-To-Run (RTR) RC cars are great for all experience levels.

Better still, they are particularly ideal for newcomers. RTR cars and trucks don’t take long to set up; they can be used as soon as they are taken out of the box and a charged battery is plugged in. Find one that has a top speed of around 35-45 MPH, boasts excellent control, and has durable suspension, and your loved one will be racing on a course in no time.

More experienced drivers likely have strong vehicle preferences.

Therefore, you might want to skip a new vehicle and look for upgrades. New suspension, tires, battery upgrades, body kits, and tools can help them to take their setup to the next level.

Are They a Sponsored Driver?

If your loved one prefers competition racing, you need to find out if they are sponsored or not. Some drivers are sponsored by specific RC brands, so they won’t be able to use products from other manufacturers to upgrade their vehicles.

RC Holiday Shopping Guide: RC Cars and Trucks

The most popular types of radio-controlled vehicles are RC cars and trucks, and we carry a great selection from top brands like Traxxas. Whether your loved ones like driving as a hobby or racing professionally, you’ll be able to find a great RC gift in our inventory.

Traxxas Slash RTR 1/10 2WD Short Course Racing RC Truck w/Quick Charger

This Traxxas Slash comes fully assembled and ready to race. It’s the perfect car for beginners and experts alike because it can easily be upgraded with Traxxas factory parts and accessories for a custom, powerful performance.

This truck is made for short course, off-road environments and it boasts oil-filled shocks to absorb jumps and rough terrains. It can reach speeds over 30MPH and can be raced in dirt, mud, water, and snow due to water-sealed electronics.

Traxxas 1/10 Ford GT AWD Supercar RTR w/TSM & TQi

This RC car is also RTR and features an officially licensed Ford GT body. This makes it perfect for racers who are also real car enthusiasts, or just fans of some truly hot wheels. It has intricate replica details, including tail lights, exhaust tips, and even brake discs with red calipers.

This high-performance RC car has three drive profiles: sport, race, and training mode. It’s easy to operate, and it’s exciting to drive because it can reach a top speed of over 30mph.

Traxxas T-Maxx 2.5 4WD Nitro RTR Monster Truck w/TQ 2.4GHz

For those who like gas engines, we recommend the Traxxas T-Maxx. This powerful RC monster truck has a high-performance engine and can exceed 40MPH in second gear.

It’s known for its ruggedness and durability, and the T-Maxx has received countless awards. Strong, durable, and fast, this is a great truck for experienced drivers or someone who is looking for their first nitro RC truck.

RC Gift Guide 2021: RC Boats are a Great Gift for Christmas

Whether you need an entry-level RC boat for a beginner or a high-performance brushless boat for an experienced driver, we have what you need. Our RC boats are great gifts and make it fun to explore nearby waters and race amongst the waves.

Traxxas Spartan VXL-6S Brushless 50+MPH RC Speed Boat COMBO w/6S & Dual Charger

Looking for a Christmas gift for an experienced RC boater? The Traxxas Spartan could be the perfect fit.

This ready-to-race boat goes big on speed and can reach a top speed of 50MPH. It features an innovative water cooling system, precision drive controls, a modern hull design, and much more. This powerful RC boat will have your loved one spending hours on end zooming around the closest body of water.

Traxxas Blast Electric RC Boat w/ID Battery & Quick Charger

For beginners, you can’t beat the Traxxas Blast. This entry-level RC boat is the perfect gift for those making their first foray into the world of remote control boats, and it comes from a quality brand you can trust. The Traxxas Blast is easy to use and features waterproof electronics for endless fun.

RC Airplanes are a Great Choice for the Holidays

Usually reserved for those who have already spent a lot of time in the remote control world, RC planes require more open space and skill to operate. Therefore, we don’t recommend them for beginners, but if your loved one already has a great collection going on, you’ll find these are the perfect gift to start their next adventure.

E-Flite F-18 80mm EDF Jet BNF Basic w/AS3X & SAFE Select

The E-Flite F-18 is a powerful replica modeled after the F/A-18 Hornet used by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. It’s perfect for experienced RC pilots and provides an exceptional flying experience while offering functional and aesthetic scale details.

It features LED lights, full-flying stabs, flaps, and nose gear doors. It also comes with the exclusive Spektrum AS3X and SAFE Select technologies to smooth out the effects of wind and turbulence.

RC Gift Buying Guide: RC Car, Truck, Boat, Plane Accessories

If you’re on a tighter budget or don’t want to risk selecting a vehicle your loved one won’t like, there are plenty of RC accessories you can gift. Every RC enthusiast can use extra tools, backup batteries, bench supplies, and an upgrade or two.

Battery Packs and Chargers

There are few things worse than having an RC car, truck, plane, or boat run out of power in the middle of driving it. We carry a wide selection of battery packs and chargers so your RC enthusiast can always have the power they need when they need it.

The Traxxas EZ-Peak Dual iD NiMH & LiPo Battery Charger 100W can charge two Traxxas batteries at once. It uses iD technology to automatically configure and optimize the charge settings, making it simple to use for adults and kids alike.

RC Tools and Equipment

Any RC hobby enthusiast needs the right tools to build, upgrade, and repair their vehicles. We have convenient tool sets, air filter oil, finishing resin, truck totes, and more great gifts that your loved one will use often.

If they could use a new tool kit for their RC vehicle, check out the Traxxas Tool Set w/ Pouch. This set comes with essential tools that every Traxxas owner needs, including hex drivers, screwdrivers, nut drivers, and a wrench.

Find the Best Holiday RC Gifts at RC Superstore

RC Superstore has been family-owned and operated since 2002. As RC enthusiasts ourselves, we have the experience and knowledge needed to provide the best selection of radio-controlled cars, trucks, planes, and more.

Browse our website to find the best RC gifts for the racer or pilot in your life. If you have any questions or need help selecting the right vehicles and accessories, don’t hesitate to contact us.