To clear the confusion - this is a vanilla comparison between two box-stock trucks, the way they come out of the box. There are no changes or modifications made to either truck. -Brett
Hi Brett what do i need to complete the build if i get the 1520 1650kv castle for my arrma infraction my battery's r the ec5 connectors do i need the ic5 to put on the esc
When i got my vorteks a month or so ago the receiver/transmitter was faulty so i picked up a spektrum SR315 receiver and bound it to my DX5 Pro and i was able to easily adjust the punch settings and such and it transformed this car. My Vorteks is now my go-to 1/10 scale car
The arrma has an extra 1.5lbs of weight that represents over a 25% heavier vehicle in the arrma. That might be whats contributing to the shorter run times.
You forgot to mention a very important feature the Arrma has and that is it's adjustable punch setting on the esc ! That will get rid of that motor ramp up you keep pointing out .
Another issue with the lack of wheelie action on the Arrma is the slipper clutch These are notorious for having a loose setting out of the box. I turned mine in a half turn and I can wheelie from a dead start on almost any surface. I do also run a set of Proline Badland tires, but the originals still had the same traction, just kept ripping the stock tires open.
I got back into the hobby after 10+ years out of it and bought a Rustler 4x4 VXL about a month after release and I love it. Part of the fun of the hobby for me is modifying the car and the parts support is great. That being said, if I were getting back into the hobby now, I'd probably get the Arrma. Much more bang for your buck.
You don't need to use Traxxas lipos and chargers... You just need to have a lipo with the Traxxas connector. I run povway battery's with a dean's to Traxxas ID converter thing
Yup povways are excellent two for the price of one traxxas or spektrum batteries, and in my opinion better quality i use them in all my rc and they perform flawlessly.
Even traxxas admits this. Back before traxxas started their whole id thing they had normal batteries with normal balance plugs and everything. All of those older batteries are fully compatible with the newer vehicles.
Loved the format of this video and that you loomed at weight and wheel specs. The only thing missing for me is a subjective test : Get an opinion from three or four drivers to tell us if they prefer to play with or race one or the other.
I’ve had the rustler vxl4x4 for 2yrs now. We also own a Arrma Talion and Kraton, losi mini, DHK Maximus and Traxxas Emaxx. The rustler is by far the toughest truck!!!! We have jumped the house with it, ran it in the creek, not to mention I taught my little ones to jump with the truck and I have broke the least parts out of any of our trucks
@@hampus3699 He's not wrong. RC speed calculation can be achieved by determining the output RPM to the driven pinion, dividing by the ratios of the gearing, and applying the final RPM at the hub to the diameter of the wheel. This means that ballooning, an increase of diameter in a tire caused by rotational inertia, increases the final speed of the vehicle quite durastically. Being wrong doesn't make you a moron, it's the confidence you portray while doing it. Get smarter.
@@MatMabee i know that he’s right. I don’t remember leaving this comment. I clearly didn’t know about it back then. I’m a bit suprised. Only a year ago. Whatever lmao! But yeah you are right Btw I also have a red rustler 4x4 like yours lol!
I was on your website last night. I was looking at these two trucks along with a few others. I went with the Team Associated Rival MT10. It has more adjustability, a center diff out of the box, anti sway bars and lower price. I've been racing Team Associated vehicles since the 90s and I was glad to see a quality basher at an awesome price from them.
As demonstrated in the video, the Vorteks electronics are already being pushed to their limits. Changing the punch setting will only make this worse, adding extra stress, inefficiency and heat. We do not recommend anyone change the punch setting as a solution for poor low-end torque. Be smart and just gear down on the pinion gear. -Brett
@@AMain_Hobbies is this with the 20 pinion or does this apply to the 18? If both are there some suggestions you have to counter this weakness from the Vorteks?
What a great comparison. Both really awesome trucks. My best friend has the rustler while I have the vorteks. I do prefer the vorteks mainly because of the way it drives and wheelies but the rustlers torque is better. No really wrong decision here. Thanks A Main.
The pinion gearing is not just finding one for the fastest top speed. If you want the vorteks to wheelie off the line, then lower the gear ratio and it will wheelie all day on any surface. You can also adjust the punch on the esc for harder takeoff.
Great video as always. So good that we have so much choice these days. I think the Arrma would be my choice. I know I say this every time but Brett is so good at these videos, it’s like he’s the voice of AMain!
Indeed. I also like that Traxxas shares do many parts between cars, making it all a bit easier and cheaper on spare parts. I don't know if arrma is the same, it should be IMO. I like both brands, but I can't afford to buy the arrma I want just to have two versions of a 6S, so I will have to wait for popping my arrma cherry😭😭😭😋
@@Medaasolasso Exactly i just bought a rustler 4x4 vxl for like 20% off and i will go and buy a lot of upgrade parts second hand with the money it left from the cheaper purchase.
so actually the tires ballooning on the rustler more makes it go faster as it makes them bigger, bigger tires higher top speed, but I can say I love both traxxas and arrma, traxxas is the best for me because tsm is incredible. If i ever get an arrma vehicle ill make sure to put a traxxas tsm receiver in it, but other than that cant go wrong with either both the kings of rc, and are lightyears ahead of pretty much everybody else.
as someone who has own a rustler 4x4 for over a year and put more money than im willing to admit (not insane, just generational upgrades) i will say the rustler 4x4 is great and has insane grip on a lot of surfaces with the talon tires. They baloon yes but if your looking for speed you'd be running different tires anyway. Also i got the brushed version and have changed center slipper with a diff (50t) and put a 6s system in it. Still have yet to break the plastic drive shafts.
Loving my Rustler 4x4 vxl! Put proline street fighter tires/wheels and proline racing shocks so only have about an inch clearance. No gps so don't know speed, but it seems pretty quick. Darn near impossible to roll now. Sadly it rarely wants to do wheelies now. Glad to know the arma also has weak drive shafts. I've broken so many on my rustler and maxx, steel and plastic. Probably says something about my driving...
K, I now own both kits. On 2s/clay track I will give the nod to the Vorteks. The tires give more grip and allows much more initial steering. The Vorteks is more plush on jumps and the extra weight helps with traction to a point. The Rustler is more seems a bit more sketchy to drive which is due to it's light weight and stock tires not hooking up well. The Rustler does have a huge advantage in greater runtime due to it's lighter weight. The Vorteks is HEAVY. In fact you will need a 7000mah pack to get decent runtime. The rustler uses overworked ultra shocks so there is a lot of chassis slap.
This is the exact review that I was looking for especially that it was so in-depth absolute 10 stars all the way with this review but there's one issue instead of making it easier for me to decide on which one to buy I am now even more confused and indecisive as to which one I want to get FML😅😅😅
and then it will start destroying spur gears, center drive shafts and rear diff gears left and right 😅 I have a Big rock V3 and i run it on 3s BUT at Punch level 1 and trottle power at 50% on the remote...just to be on the safe side and it's still great IMO.
Great video, I don't have either of these two cars and don't plan on getting one any time soon (a bit expensive for me and I'm not that into bashing, though I do like RCs a lot), but when Amain uploads, I click! I think that the Vortex's shell looks cooler, and I prefer the paint scheme. I also like the inclusion on the big, front mudguards/fenders in the car, I'm a person who keeps his RC spotless and does everything he can to reduce the cleaning time, so, I like that inclusion.
The vorteks is set up to keep the power down on all 4 wheels,more track driven. The rustler 4x4 tires got it over that curb test,smaller,less traction tires. Rustler is the better basher,Vorteks is very close in performance, both are extremely durable AND both are rockin the 💩. Get both,u won't be disappointed.
I'm a fan of Traxxas My first rc was a slash 4x4vxl then I got an xmaxx then a maxx but this Christmas I thought I'd give arrma a try I bought both my boys a vorteks and got myself a infraction Weather hasn't been the best for the infraction but I'm very impressed with the vorteks My oldest son drives my slash and my youngest drives the maxx and they love the vorteks It's s great little truck We call it the cheaper version of the maxx
I don't know if you know what I mean, but this is a project farm level review, keep up the good work. Would love to see more head to head on comparable products
Wanted to get the rustler for me aaaand my kids (they are learning how to nerd out) but I have been eyeballing that maxx for a while now. Should we just go ahead and get the maxx, we fully plan on breaking and fixing things
@@Hohmies86what did you end up going with? The Xmaxx seems like a lot of fun, not sure how old your kids are or if the truck would have been too much for them
I'm wondering if the high speed instability of the Traxxas has to do with the suspension toe in, toe out, camber etc design. My Slash squirrels at high speed too, even with different tires but my Arrma notorious doesn't. I found a good way to vent your tires is to cut off a broken piece of telescopic antenna, put it in a cordless drill chuck, spin it like a drill bit and punch a hole on each side of the tire. It made a nice clean hole.😊
it can actually be TSM if you haven't already try lowering it with the multi function knob on the controller, they are preset at around halfway but I have my slash at around a quarter of the way. Have a good day :)
@ 10:40 Box stock the Ruster was 44mph and the Arrma 55mph they are geared differently. I would expect the faster one to use 20% more mah, it's asking the battery for more mah and amps to go faster, otherwise they are pretty similar. The C rating doesn't determine how many mah they car uses, the mah asked for is determined by the cars setup. The C ratings of both 5000mah (55.5wh) batts are 60c (300amps) and 25c (125a) means if the car asks for 300a or 125a the battery can safely handle it. Gearing under 45mph on 3s probably only sees bursts of less than 125amps (data log it to check, bursts are around 105a on mine 43mph 3s) so both batts should work but if you want to gear up then C rating would be important.
@ 7:04 A higher C battery sometimes indicates less resistance and when asked to the battery can supply more punch (burst amps), you have demonstrated that the Arrma has less punch and the esc may be asking for less burst amps than the Rustler esc. A data logger would definately tell you what each car is asking the battery for and if a 60c is even a benefit in either car.
Love my vxl, super impressed with the arma especially at that price. I dont think those battery tests can be compared. ..... worth the try though. Great review
Really not sure what to think about this test. First, what an amazing and thorough review, great music, lots of information, and excellent presentation. I used to like Traxxas, that is until they decided to sue everyone and their mother hurting the industry. I love Aarma as they are though after coming back from a 4-5 year break (hard to get batteries shipped to my location), Aarma has changed their lineup, which is probably good, just don't understand their 3s buggy being 1/8th scale for the price. Honestly, I wouldn't know what one to buy. More than likely the Aarma, but we all know how easy parts are to get for the Traxxas and the aftermarket is insane. Maybe both? I do like the power of the Traxxas system, having one in a vehicle, I can say they are torque monsters, run cool, and are reliable.
I wish I had opted for the Rustler. I picked up a Vortex and I noticed on the first pack (2s)I noticed the shocks were too soft. On the second pack (first 3s pack) the plastic spur ⚙️ stripped. I ordered a metal spur gear for it so hopefully it's a bit more durable and I can enjoy it.
Another great video! Man that is a tough choice. I think for myself I would go with the Arma Vorteks. Being able to choose my batteries, along with better stability, and the vented tires is worth the tradeoff for the 14mm hex and the gearing, which it seems according to another commenter can be adjusted to get better low end power. Man I wish I had more disposable income haha!
It may help you to know that you can use an adapter to run any battery that fits in either of the cars. The traxxas does not HAVE to run ID batteries, in the same way that the Vorteks does not HAVE to run spektrum smart batteries. But still I would rather get the vorteks. Or actually one of the cheaper 3s cars.
@@VinnesRC Yep I have a rustler 4x4 vxl and I run powerhobby and turnigy lipos. However when I bought it there was no such thing and a vorteks and also they used to be $400 but the price went up to $430. I simply just cut the traxxas connector off and solder an xt90
Other off brand make companies make batteries with Traxxas connectors (old gen connectors not new gen with ID). You can get these batteries in a higher C rating which will provide quicker acceleration and potentially higher top speed.
Yeah, the wheelie bar was a big problem on the Rustler 4x4 for me. Ive destroyed multiple bodies just from the wheelie bar getting caught in the body and it chewing up the body. My solution was to buy the Hoss 4x4 wheelie bar/bumber. It works great and actually does its job as a wheelie bar instead of being useless and ruining good bodies.
Rustler is one of my all time favorites and the Vorteks is a lot of fun but it doesn't seem to me to be more than a low cg Granite with only a 1 point final gear ratio difference. Both called stadium trucks but the shell off the Vorteks next to a Granite looks like there wasn't a lot of R&D that went in to making it. It's not even close to the original design unlike the original Rustler to a VXL Rustler. Still fun as heck though.
@@Clavitz1 A monster. Even with a similar chassis design you're now 4wd with traction control and Bluetooth capabilities with over twice the speed and about 10 times the aftermarket parts! And since the Hoss came out you can flip in that motor with minor tweaking and it's a torque monster. Or buy the Hoss which is a high cg Rustler. They share parts. Can't go wrong with either!
@@redvikinghobbies ok. I own the Vorteks atm and I was thinking for a side/modding car of going with the 2wd or 4wd VLX Rustler. Though I would like an X Maxx...:D
kinde easy solution metal spur gear and ramp up the starter torque you can do that but with the spur gear it came with it's a one run on maxed up starting torque.... and the spur gear is done
Also on the Traxxas Rustler 4x4 VXL the drive shaft adapter is made out of plastic on fee runs on 3s it melted and replaced with the Aluminum one traxxas sells. Other then that my Rustler 4x4 vxl is tough. And has many tuneing options
You do not have to use Traxxas Lipos in the Rustler. You can use an adapter or solder on your own connector. I do it all the time I have Traxxas and Arrma and I only use Power Hobby Batteries. I do not mind the 14mm Hex because it is actually stronger than the 12mm of course.
yeah but those off size hex screws are a pain in the ass once i bought an off brand chinese drift car it works but since it's incompatible wit hbasically everything even the hex screws upgrading it is near impossible... or find spare tyres or rims...
Not sure why they said you MUST use a Traxxas id battery when you don’t? Just like the Arrma you can use any one you want as long as it has a matching connector. Both trucks have pros and cons and it’s really comes down to everything else like parts availability m,customer service and general preferences. 🤷♂️ Thx for the info, I just hopped up my ST with a brushless system and went from. 10 to 17 tooth pinion and damn she flys!
I use an Traxxas ID to Dean (T Connector) adaptor. So it is possible to use much cheaper LiPos and dont lose the Traxxas warranty. I use 3 Cell 3800mah LiPos. I got them cheap. Punch on the Rustler is ok and i have about 20 minutes runtime when i push it hard on the parking lot with 17T pinion.
Traxxas batteries are 50c burst which essentially makes them 50c. Outsourced rc did a video about this topic. He compared the traxxas batteries to his 35c venom batteries. The traxxas batteries outperformed the venoms. Also, traxxas batteries are very high quality. Instead of 25c, they are more comparable to 30c. When I bought my castle mamba x esc it said something like this: always use at least 30c batteries or high quality 25c batteries like traxxas id batteries.
Ive seen a couple of these comparisons where the batteries are not matched like the discharge rate of 25c and 60c on this one. Thats not really a fair comparison unless batteries dont matter
I’ve got both of these. I’m actually planning on making a video on this subject myself. Although mine are not built evenly. Max10 in my rustler, but my Vorteks is 4S .
One thing i don't like in rc cars. The spur gear becomes bald after few short full throttles. But in my rustler 4x4 after i bought the center differential, never had problems after 10 packs of 3s and 4s with the hobbywing max10 sct and 4000kv motor. Now i do wheelies, full long instant hard throttles and a lot of continuously bunny hops with 4s lipo and nothing has breake yet. Trust me the center differential for the rustler 4x4 is a real upgrade. I just installed it and drove it. Another problem is, that i need better tyres that can handle the 4s lipo power and the turns of the 4000kv hobbywing 3660 motor. When i am able to buy a set of belted tyres, i want to believe i will not have problems to the near future. So what belted tyres you suggest guys for the rustler 4x4 ? I will not drive with more than 4s lipo.
These Badlands are great tires and they're belted: www.amainhobbies.com/proline-badlands-mx28-belted-2.8-premounted-truck-tires-2-black-m2-pro10174-10/p1203856 Pro-Line has a few different belted tire options in that 2.8 size. If you use taller tires than the stock size, you may need to change the pinion gear to prevent overheating your electronics. Hope this has been helpful. -Brett
To clear the confusion - this is a vanilla comparison between two box-stock trucks, the way they come out of the box. There are no changes or modifications made to either truck.
-Brett
Hi Brett what do i need to complete the build if i get the 1520 1650kv castle for my arrma infraction my battery's r the ec5 connectors do i need the ic5 to put on the esc
@@samcourtrc6767 Just connectors I believe. Maybe a couple fans? Some shrink tubing?
-Brett
AMain Hobbies ok big mate thank u
AMain Hobbies Brett can yous put connectors on to the esc so my battery's can plug in to it
@amainhobbies have you reviewed the 2wd slash vxl?
I see no other videos on comparing these two trucks with similar results.. You did a very good job Brett.
I'm so glad, I've been looking at the Vorteks but haven't seen much of a comparison yet.
When i got my vorteks a month or so ago the receiver/transmitter was faulty so i picked up a spektrum SR315 receiver and bound it to my DX5 Pro and i was able to easily adjust the punch settings and such and it transformed this car. My Vorteks is now my go-to 1/10 scale car
Interesting music, felt like I was watching a KT video
Lol Kevin changed his music and Amain has used the old music
Kevin Talbot? That's exactly what I though!
Exactly. I just hope amain wont be using this a lot since im used to hearing it on kevs channel and it would be very weird and uncomfy
True
It's a cool song so we had to use it once.
-Brett
The arrma has an extra 1.5lbs of weight that represents over a 25% heavier vehicle in the arrma. That might be whats contributing to the shorter run times.
You forgot to mention a very important feature the Arrma has and that is it's adjustable punch setting on the esc ! That will get rid of that motor ramp up you keep pointing out .
Does it run smooth still?
@@Danielxperez14 yes
@@BashTillBroken i havent messe with mine yet, super fun as is
That was my first thought when it was mentioned. The punch level is literally the motor ramp up time on the esc.
How do you physically adjust this? Thanks
Another issue with the lack of wheelie action on the Arrma is the slipper clutch These are notorious for having a loose setting out of the box. I turned mine in a half turn and I can wheelie from a dead start on almost any surface. I do also run a set of Proline Badland tires, but the originals still had the same traction, just kept ripping the stock tires open.
I got back into the hobby after 10+ years out of it and bought a Rustler 4x4 VXL about a month after release and I love it. Part of the fun of the hobby for me is modifying the car and the parts support is great. That being said, if I were getting back into the hobby now, I'd probably get the Arrma. Much more bang for your buck.
I say why not both? Or at least via brands in general.
Unpopular opinion - doesn’t wheelie on take off > constant wheeling
EXACTLY!!!!!
You don't need to use Traxxas lipos and chargers... You just need to have a lipo with the Traxxas connector. I run povway battery's with a dean's to Traxxas ID converter thing
Agreed 👍 100%
Yup povways are excellent two for the price of one traxxas or spektrum batteries, and in my opinion better quality i use them in all my rc and they perform flawlessly.
Agreed, but due to liability Amain won't tell you this. I had this exact discussion with a hobby shop owner, and the issue is all around liability.
Or change the connector on the esc
Even traxxas admits this. Back before traxxas started their whole id thing they had normal batteries with normal balance plugs and everything. All of those older batteries are fully compatible with the newer vehicles.
Loved the format of this video and that you loomed at weight and wheel specs. The only thing missing for me is a subjective test : Get an opinion from three or four drivers to tell us if they prefer to play with or race one or the other.
I’ve had the rustler vxl4x4 for 2yrs now. We also own a Arrma Talion and Kraton, losi mini, DHK Maximus and Traxxas Emaxx. The rustler is by far the toughest truck!!!! We have jumped the house with it, ran it in the creek, not to mention I taught my little ones to jump with the truck and I have broke the least parts out of any of our trucks
Keep in mind that tire puffing gives bigger wheel diameter which is like bigger pinion gear and that results in higher speed!
bruh it’s not that easy
@@hampus3699 He's not wrong. RC speed calculation can be achieved by determining the output RPM to the driven pinion, dividing by the ratios of the gearing, and applying the final RPM at the hub to the diameter of the wheel.
This means that ballooning, an increase of diameter in a tire caused by rotational inertia, increases the final speed of the vehicle quite durastically.
Being wrong doesn't make you a moron, it's the confidence you portray while doing it. Get smarter.
@@MatMabee i know that he’s right. I don’t remember leaving this comment. I clearly didn’t know about it back then. I’m a bit suprised. Only a year ago. Whatever lmao! But yeah you are right
Btw I also have a red rustler 4x4 like yours lol!
Just ramp up the punch on the Vorteks and it will pop wheelies easier. And also no more cogging. Fixed it on my Outcast 4s.
They already said it was at its maximum punch
@@ivydome time frame in the video?
@@Frank-st7ku Yeah I didn't hear it either
Thought the Vorteks was stock out of the box? Even in punch 4 it will wheelie.
@@Frank-st7ku they said it in pinned comment. but changing the setting is not a good idea
I was on your website last night. I was looking at these two trucks along with a few others. I went with the Team Associated Rival MT10. It has more adjustability, a center diff out of the box, anti sway bars and lower price. I've been racing Team Associated vehicles since the 90s and I was glad to see a quality basher at an awesome price from them.
The rival mt10 has some problems with the front a-arms and the bulkheads
@@adtjtjdjsj @rc media My bulkheads have been fine. When the arms break you replace them with RPM ones. A million times better than stock.
Did you regret your decision?
On the Vorteks you can change the punch on the esc, and you’ll find a big difference! Great Video! ThankYou
As demonstrated in the video, the Vorteks electronics are already being pushed to their limits. Changing the punch setting will only make this worse, adding extra stress, inefficiency and heat. We do not recommend anyone change the punch setting as a solution for poor low-end torque. Be smart and just gear down on the pinion gear.
-Brett
@@AMain_Hobbies is this with the 20 pinion or does this apply to the 18?
If both are there some suggestions you have to counter this weakness from the Vorteks?
@@AMain_Hobbies not tru lol didnt want see arma win point blank
I own both bad comparison brett 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👀👀👀👀👀👀
Yes, when I turn the punch up slightly it accelerates instantly off the line and wheelies easily even on grass.
Best comparison I’ve seen. In touch with relevant comparison at the moment and super thorough. 👍
The most comprehensive comparison vid on these two trucks by far! 👍 great vid as always 😊
I personally feel the rustlers soft wheelie bar is better cause for general bashing it will absorb impacts on crashes and save the electronics.
What a great comparison. Both really awesome trucks. My best friend has the rustler while I have the vorteks. I do prefer the vorteks mainly because of the way it drives and wheelies but the rustlers torque is better. No really wrong decision here. Thanks A Main.
Excellent! Happy to hear it. You're right, both are great trucks and you can't go wrong with either one.
-Brett
The pinion gearing is not just finding one for the fastest top speed. If you want the vorteks to wheelie off the line, then lower the gear ratio and it will wheelie all day on any surface.
You can also adjust the punch on the esc for harder takeoff.
Great video as always. So good that we have so much choice these days. I think the Arrma would be my choice. I know I say this every time but Brett is so good at these videos, it’s like he’s the voice of AMain!
He's trying to sell the products so...
I own a traxxas rustler 4x4 vxl and the problem with the rear driveshafts is annoying af... Good to know that the vorteks has the same problem 😁
I put mip axels on mine and the hex’s are the only problem. They break but are cheap and easy to change out.
I changed the esc settings on my wifes granite blx, and it made a world of difference for her. She likes the instant get up and go.
Nice video mate, impartial, practical, and no nonsense. Appreciate it. Cheers
Both are great trucks. Arrma has more bang for your buck. The traxxas has a much bigger aftermarket.
Indeed. I also like that Traxxas shares do many parts between cars, making it all a bit easier and cheaper on spare parts. I don't know if arrma is the same, it should be IMO. I like both brands, but I can't afford to buy the arrma I want just to have two versions of a 6S, so I will have to wait for popping my arrma cherry😭😭😭😋
@@Medaasolasso Exactly i just bought a rustler 4x4 vxl for like 20% off and i will go and buy a lot of upgrade parts second hand with the money it left from the cheaper purchase.
Change the punch setting on the vortex, makes a huge difference in the torque of the start
You can adjust the throttle response on the vorteks. It makes a difference.
that was really the only thing that bothered me about this arma, where do you set that on the tx?
Yeah also makes difference is the spur gear lifetime life significantly....
Hi and honestly this channel is one of the best rc info channels! --- Thank you so much and keep on!
Thanks, will do!
so actually the tires ballooning on the rustler more makes it go faster as it makes them bigger, bigger tires higher top speed, but I can say I love both traxxas and arrma, traxxas is the best for me because tsm is incredible. If i ever get an arrma vehicle ill make sure to put a traxxas tsm receiver in it, but other than that cant go wrong with either both the kings of rc, and are lightyears ahead of pretty much everybody else.
My Vorteks plastic drive shafts haven’t broken yet, 3S Slash and Hoss broke them almost every run.
the voerteks weak part is the spur gear not the drive shaft that's a traxxas thing to do :D
as someone who has own a rustler 4x4 for over a year and put more money than im willing to admit (not insane, just generational upgrades) i will say the rustler 4x4 is great and has insane grip on a lot of surfaces with the talon tires. They baloon yes but if your looking for speed you'd be running different tires anyway. Also i got the brushed version and have changed center slipper with a diff (50t) and put a 6s system in it. Still have yet to break the plastic drive shafts.
So which one to get?
Loving my Rustler 4x4 vxl! Put proline street fighter tires/wheels and proline racing shocks so only have about an inch clearance. No gps so don't know speed, but it seems pretty quick. Darn near impossible to roll now. Sadly it rarely wants to do wheelies now. Glad to know the arma also has weak drive shafts. I've broken so many on my rustler and maxx, steel and plastic. Probably says something about my driving...
I love my rustler and the vorteks seems like a great alternative 👍
K, I now own both kits. On 2s/clay track I will give the nod to the Vorteks. The tires give more grip and allows much more initial steering. The Vorteks is more plush on jumps and the extra weight helps with traction to a point. The Rustler is more seems a bit more sketchy to drive which is due to it's light weight and stock tires not hooking up well. The Rustler does have a huge advantage in greater runtime due to it's lighter weight. The Vorteks is HEAVY. In fact you will need a 7000mah pack to get decent runtime. The rustler uses overworked ultra shocks so there is a lot of chassis slap.
The fact that car controls the power and not pop like crazy it's actually a great feature, not a minus.
So both are good I’ve had my rustler 4x4 Vxl for 1.5 years and I’m happy still.
Are you still happy?
This is the exact review that I was looking for especially that it was so in-depth absolute 10 stars all the way with this review but there's one issue instead of making it easier for me to decide on which one to buy I am now even more confused and indecisive as to which one I want to get FML😅😅😅
I can’t wait for u guys to release a drag slash unboxing and test run vid
Or better yet, a comparison with an arrma!
Dude, much respect for your unbiased opinions.
You can use any battery on the Rustler as long as you have a trx connection on it. I have a rustler and a maxx and I use highlander batteries in them.
Vorteks throttle delay dissapears if you put the value of the punch at 5. It also make better wheelies with this value.
and then it will start destroying spur gears, center drive shafts and rear diff gears left and right 😅
I have a Big rock V3 and i run it on 3s BUT at Punch level 1 and trottle power at 50% on the remote...just to be on the safe side and it's still great IMO.
Awesome comparison guys.
Both amazing RC trucks. I think that the Aarma has the edge though. Excellent price too 👍
Great video, I don't have either of these two cars and don't plan on getting one any time soon (a bit expensive for me and I'm not that into bashing, though I do like RCs a lot), but when Amain uploads, I click!
I think that the Vortex's shell looks cooler, and I prefer the paint scheme. I also like the inclusion on the big, front mudguards/fenders in the car, I'm a person who keeps his RC spotless and does everything he can to reduce the cleaning time, so, I like that inclusion.
Brilliant video as always, great job. Thanks for sharing. John
Wow this video really puts mine to shame. So thorough. They trucks def give me full wood. Both fun.
wow, very thoughtful, honest approach and opinions
The vorteks is set up to keep the power down on all 4 wheels,more track driven. The rustler 4x4 tires got it over that curb test,smaller,less traction tires. Rustler is the better basher,Vorteks is very close in performance, both are extremely durable AND both are rockin the 💩. Get both,u won't be disappointed.
I'm a fan of Traxxas My first rc was a slash 4x4vxl then I got an xmaxx then a maxx but this Christmas I thought I'd give arrma a try I bought both my boys a vorteks and got myself a infraction Weather hasn't been the best for the infraction but I'm very impressed with the vorteks My oldest son drives my slash and my youngest drives the maxx and they love the vorteks It's s great little truck We call it the cheaper version of the maxx
I don't know if you know what I mean, but this is a project farm level review, keep up the good work. Would love to see more head to head on comparable products
i have 4 Traxxas vehicles. today i just bought my 1st Arrma buggy (Typhon). i love the look of it, just need it to arrive
Nice Chad! Great buggy for bashing on the pavement, dirt or a proper track.
-Brett
Not to be picky but neither truck's battery connector type gives it an advantage. You can always get an adapter and run whatever battery you want.
" no body drives there rc at %100" me who drives my Traxxas maxx full throttle until it dies *laughs in esc thermal shutdown*
Wanted to get the rustler for me aaaand my kids (they are learning how to nerd out) but I have been eyeballing that maxx for a while now.
Should we just go ahead and get the maxx, we fully plan on breaking and fixing things
@@Hohmies86what did you end up going with? The Xmaxx seems like a lot of fun, not sure how old your kids are or if the truck would have been too much for them
@Hohmies86 the Maxx for sure alot more durable which means more wow moments for the kids as the truck flies over the house at 70mph and not break
I'm wondering if the high speed instability of the Traxxas has to do with the suspension toe in, toe out, camber etc design. My Slash squirrels at high speed too, even with different tires but my Arrma notorious doesn't. I found a good way to vent your tires is to cut off a broken piece of telescopic antenna, put it in a cordless drill chuck, spin it like a drill bit and punch a hole on each side of the tire. It made a nice clean hole.😊
it can actually be TSM if you haven't already try lowering it with the multi function knob on the controller, they are preset at around halfway but I have my slash at around a quarter of the way. Have a good day :)
Great video! I have bought lipos from several different companies that are compatible with the connectors.
That was a fun video to watch. I have the Rusty. Just bought the RPM wheelie bar mount and the Tekno M6 driveshafts for it yesterday.
Best videos on yt... Thank you , always the best!!! 🔥🔥🔥👊
@ 10:40 Box stock the Ruster was 44mph and the Arrma 55mph they are geared differently. I would expect the faster one to use 20% more mah, it's asking the battery for more mah and amps to go faster, otherwise they are pretty similar. The C rating doesn't determine how many mah they car uses, the mah asked for is determined by the cars setup. The C ratings of both 5000mah (55.5wh) batts are 60c (300amps) and 25c (125a) means if the car asks for 300a or 125a the battery can safely handle it. Gearing under 45mph on 3s probably only sees bursts of less than 125amps (data log it to check, bursts are around 105a on mine 43mph 3s) so both batts should work but if you want to gear up then C rating would be important.
@ 7:04 A higher C battery sometimes indicates less resistance and when asked to the battery can supply more punch (burst amps), you have demonstrated that the Arrma has less punch and the esc may be asking for less burst amps than the Rustler esc. A data logger would definately tell you what each car is asking the battery for and if a 60c is even a benefit in either car.
Great video! Thanks for the in depth comparison.
Mate this video is the culmination of testing head to head.. respect!
Great comparison of these two truggies, arrma all the way! 💪🏻💨🏁
These cars are both beasts! In my opinion, the Vorteks is the king, though the Rustler still packs a punch. Great video, guys! 😉👊👍
The 3s lineup from arrma is just better IMO. Mainly because it is cheaper. BUT the traxxas cars look pretty cool.
Love my vxl, super impressed with the arma especially at that price. I dont think those battery tests can be compared. ..... worth the try though. Great review
We need both! 😁
Hey guys i love watching your videos! If you see this comment could you do a TH-cam video on that arrma senton I am going to get one I’m pretty sure!
We need more RC Kiwis!
@@whistlinlipo 2-3vids every week! 😉
@@christiansrcs7789 Will be coming out again very soon! 😁
@@christiansrcs7789 senton 3s vs slash 3s?
Biggest difference is really the escs. The 1 for the vortexs is adjustable. Traxxas esc is more or less fixed.
Really not sure what to think about this test. First, what an amazing and thorough review, great music, lots of information, and excellent presentation. I used to like Traxxas, that is until they decided to sue everyone and their mother hurting the industry. I love Aarma as they are though after coming back from a 4-5 year break (hard to get batteries shipped to my location), Aarma has changed their lineup, which is probably good, just don't understand their 3s buggy being 1/8th scale for the price.
Honestly, I wouldn't know what one to buy. More than likely the Aarma, but we all know how easy parts are to get for the Traxxas and the aftermarket is insane. Maybe both? I do like the power of the Traxxas system, having one in a vehicle, I can say they are torque monsters, run cool, and are reliable.
I wish I had opted for the Rustler. I picked up a Vortex and I noticed on the first pack (2s)I noticed the shocks were too soft. On the second pack (first 3s pack) the plastic spur ⚙️ stripped. I ordered a metal spur gear for it so hopefully it's a bit more durable and I can enjoy it.
Yeah, first thing to go on my 3s arrmas was shocks and plastic gears, just like the suspension arms and connectors on my traxxas'.
Wow! Super in-depth. Great review!
For the vortex: put your punch al the way up. It will do wheelies with ez
You can adjust the vortex to make it have higher torque at the beginning
yep you can but the spur gear will suffer in return... like strip in a few runs if you completely ramp it up....
You can use any battery with a traxxas connector. I have several 100c batteries for my traxxas vehicles
🙌Thank you!
Another great video! Man that is a tough choice. I think for myself I would go with the Arma Vorteks. Being able to choose my batteries, along with better stability, and the vented tires is worth the tradeoff for the 14mm hex and the gearing, which it seems according to another commenter can be adjusted to get better low end power. Man I wish I had more disposable income haha!
Great choice. I have one myself
It may help you to know that you can use an adapter to run any battery that fits in either of the cars. The traxxas does not HAVE to run ID batteries, in the same way that the Vorteks does not HAVE to run spektrum smart batteries. But still I would rather get the vorteks. Or actually one of the cheaper 3s cars.
@@VinnesRC Yep I have a rustler 4x4 vxl and I run powerhobby and turnigy lipos. However when I bought it there was no such thing and a vorteks and also they used to be $400 but the price went up to $430. I simply just cut the traxxas connector off and solder an xt90
Other off brand make companies make batteries with Traxxas connectors (old gen connectors not new gen with ID). You can get these batteries in a higher C rating which will provide quicker acceleration and potentially higher top speed.
Sucks Traxxas doesn't get their butt's moving and just release a 100c series already
I know someone who drives 80% of the time with 100% throttle position. They can't figure out full throttle and solid objects means broken cars.
So you know my kids 😆
@@jonmayer my wife. 😆
Yeah, the wheelie bar was a big problem on the Rustler 4x4 for me. Ive destroyed multiple bodies just from the wheelie bar getting caught in the body and it chewing up the body. My solution was to buy the Hoss 4x4 wheelie bar/bumber. It works great and actually does its job as a wheelie bar instead of being useless and ruining good bodies.
Yeah that wheelie bar is shiet...
Rustler is one of my all time favorites and the Vorteks is a lot of fun but it doesn't seem to me to be more than a low cg Granite with only a 1 point final gear ratio difference. Both called stadium trucks but the shell off the Vorteks next to a Granite looks like there wasn't a lot of R&D that went in to making it. It's not even close to the original design unlike the original Rustler to a VXL Rustler. Still fun as heck though.
I feel like the Granite is a hybrid monster truck.
I owned the original brushed 2wd rustler when it came out. How is the VLX version in comparison?
@@Clavitz1 A monster. Even with a similar chassis design you're now 4wd with traction control and Bluetooth capabilities with over twice the speed and about 10 times the aftermarket parts! And since the Hoss came out you can flip in that motor with minor tweaking and it's a torque monster. Or buy the Hoss which is a high cg Rustler. They share parts. Can't go wrong with either!
@@redvikinghobbies ok. I own the Vorteks atm and I was thinking for a side/modding car of going with the 2wd or 4wd VLX Rustler.
Though I would like an X Maxx...:D
@@Clavitz1 Xmaxx. Def.
I drive my Rustler with the sledgehammer tyres. Amazing. It makes backflips easily
That's like another $80?!
The arma seems like the one that I want ….except for that throttle lag
kinde easy solution metal spur gear and ramp up the starter torque you can do that but with the spur gear it came with it's a one run on maxed up starting torque.... and the spur gear is done
Also on the Traxxas Rustler 4x4 VXL the drive shaft adapter is made out of plastic on fee runs on 3s it melted and replaced with the Aluminum one traxxas sells. Other then that my Rustler 4x4 vxl is tough. And has many tuneing options
Traxxas is just like Apple and Arrma, Losi, Associated, etc. are like Android.
Nice video!
Thank you for these awesome videos! (From India)
Super Comparison. Meybe next time You will compare some short course cars. greetings from Poland
All i need to know about the 2 cars
AMAZING REVIEW
Your videos are great I enjoy them
Arrma probably would've used a clamping system but traxxas probably would have claimed their entire lives over it
You do not have to use Traxxas Lipos in the Rustler. You can use an adapter or solder on your own connector. I do it all the time I have Traxxas and Arrma and I only use Power Hobby Batteries. I do not mind the 14mm Hex because it is actually stronger than the 12mm of course.
yeah but those off size hex screws are a pain in the ass once i bought an off brand chinese drift car it works but since it's incompatible wit hbasically everything even the hex screws upgrading it is near impossible... or find spare tyres or rims...
Great video. I'd be happy if someone gave me anyone of these trucks. But if it was up to my pockets to decide then it would be the Vorteks.
Not sure why they said you MUST use a Traxxas id battery when you don’t? Just like the Arrma you can use any one you want as long as it has a matching connector. Both trucks have pros and cons and it’s really comes down to everything else like parts availability m,customer service and general preferences. 🤷♂️ Thx for the info, I just hopped up my ST with a brushless system and went from. 10 to 17 tooth pinion and damn she flys!
I use an Traxxas ID to Dean (T Connector) adaptor. So it is possible to use much cheaper LiPos and dont lose the Traxxas warranty. I use 3 Cell 3800mah LiPos. I got them cheap. Punch on the Rustler is ok and i have about 20 minutes runtime when i push it hard on the parking lot with 17T pinion.
The vortex recommends a 50C battery, so of course it's using it more. Impressive the Traxxas seems to gets the same amount of power out of less.
Traxxas batteries are 50c burst which essentially makes them 50c. Outsourced rc did a video about this topic. He compared the traxxas batteries to his 35c venom batteries. The traxxas batteries outperformed the venoms. Also, traxxas batteries are very high quality. Instead of 25c, they are more comparable to 30c. When I bought my castle mamba x esc it said something like this: always use at least 30c batteries or high quality 25c batteries like traxxas id batteries.
Very cool video and comparison. Excellent work
Ive seen a couple of these comparisons where the batteries are not matched like the discharge rate of 25c and 60c on this one. Thats not really a fair comparison unless batteries dont matter
Love the videos! Please keep them coming!
Best rc reviews
I’ve got both of these. I’m actually planning on making a video on this subject myself. Although mine are not built evenly. Max10 in my rustler, but my Vorteks is 4S .
Great job, really useful comparison 👏
I can’t wait to get my hands on a Vorteks!!!!!!!
You can actually use normal Traxxas connectors on the Rustler.
I think he was just trying to make the Arrma appear better but arrma’s are junk in MIO
One thing i don't like in rc cars. The spur gear becomes bald after few short full throttles. But in my rustler 4x4 after i bought the center differential, never had problems after 10 packs of 3s and 4s with the hobbywing max10 sct and 4000kv motor. Now i do wheelies, full long instant hard throttles and a lot of continuously bunny hops with 4s lipo and nothing has breake yet. Trust me the center differential for the rustler 4x4 is a real upgrade. I just installed it and drove it. Another problem is, that i need better tyres that can handle the 4s lipo power and the turns of the 4000kv hobbywing 3660 motor. When i am able to buy a set of belted tyres, i want to believe i will not have problems to the near future. So what belted tyres you suggest guys for the rustler 4x4 ? I will not drive with more than 4s lipo.
These Badlands are great tires and they're belted: www.amainhobbies.com/proline-badlands-mx28-belted-2.8-premounted-truck-tires-2-black-m2-pro10174-10/p1203856
Pro-Line has a few different belted tire options in that 2.8 size.
If you use taller tires than the stock size, you may need to change the pinion gear to prevent overheating your electronics.
Hope this has been helpful.
-Brett
@@AMain_Hobbies thank you a lot for your help Brett.
Very good very good 👍🏽💯 comparison. I have the Rustler 4x4 vxl V1 and got it at 379. I may get the Vortek the before it goes up 2.
Whow. Super test! I am surprised :)