Welcome back intrepid readers! With any luck you are not buried under a mountain of snow right now as 24 US states brace for 2026’s first wintery blast. Temperatures here in the mountain state are currently in the single digits, making this the perfect time to spend some quality time at the bench working on new projects. In the coming weeks we’ll have a new kit reveal, a paint review and even a few new projects for the new year so stay tuned as we’re kicking of ’26 in a big way!
This week we have two new releases; one from Arrma and the second from Team Associated. For 2026 we’ll be keeping track of the number of RC10 re-releases and RC10 throwback kits that TA releases; last year saw more than we could keep track of by memory alone so this year we’ll keep a running tally as a fun, tongue-in-cheek inside joke. I’ll admit that I enjoy building TA kits; I feel like they do an extremely good job with their manuals and kit organization. Finally, we have an update to our issues with the shipping and handling of our latest order from Horizon/Pro-Line/Losi (the email came from Losi, the body is a Pro-Line and Horizon handles the “customer service”) that we reported on last week with the photos to show how bad things got… Let’s dive in and see what’s new for this, the third week of the new year!
ARRMA
Arrms is once again going big by going small. Their latest release, the 1/16 Mini Kraton 3s DSC RTR Brushless Speed Truck (the name is longer than the truck!), a truck designed to compete with the 1/10 powered minis armed with 1/16 sized components for a svelte fighting weight and added agility. The Spektrum SLT 2n1 40a ESC accepts 2-or-3s LiPO power and crams those amps down the throat of a 2848 size 3000kv brushless motor. An aluminum motor heat sink and 30mm fan keeps things cool when pushing the limits and an indexed motor plate makes gear mesh a simple, no fuss affair. Color coordinated aluminum wheel hexes, threaded shock bodies and bash bar add strength where it counts while a new clipless body retention system makes battery changes a breeze. A molded rear wing keeps the rear wheels planted while a wide front bumper protects the suspension and chassis from damage when stunts don’t go “as planned.”
Item #ARA2508T1 Arrma Kraton Mini 1/16 https://www.arrma-rc.com/en/product/1-16-mini-kraton-3s-dsc-4×4-rtr-brushless-speed-truck/ARA2508.html
TEAM ASSOCIATED
“New” this week from Team Associated is the RC10 4×4 Pickup Truck Kit. Those quotations around “new” aren’t a typo, this truck is a re-hash of the Element Enduro12, which in itself was a re-hash of the original Associated CR12 Tioga, neither of which were able to kick-start a new segment of the crawler niche. The truck is smaller and less capable than a 1/10 scale truck but larger and less “indoor friendly” than a 1/24 or 1/18 crawler, leaving it without a seat at the cool kids table. The truck itself looks nice; the scale body, rolling stock and bumpers lend a cool, retro vibe to an otherwise simple chassis and the included gold anodized aluminum and white nylon pieces scream classic RC10. A simple 3-gear transmission sends power to solid, straight axles both front and rear through telescoping plastic slider shafts and the entire drivetrain spins smoothly on metal-shielded ball bearings (this is a nice inclusion, seeing as most other lower-end Element and Team Associated kits have been fitted with bushings for a few years now in move seen largely as “shrinkflation”). Four-link suspension locates the axles while oil-filled scale-appearing shocks damp the ride; however these units appear to be over-sprung and under-damped judging by Associated’s own press video. A 400 size Reedybrushed motor gives the truck a bit more “oompf” while taller gearing aids in adding a bit of trail-conquering speed to the platform. This truck is not aimed at scale crawling enthusiasts but rather fans of vintage RC10’s (such as the RC10T that this truck emulates) who want a cool-looking, fun-having pickup truck that won’t break the bank. Thankfully this is a kit, meaning owners will gain an intimate knowledge of the truck’s inner workings and have the satisfaction of completing a TA build. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in check out the product page at https://60years.associatedelectrics.com/rc10-4×4-pickup-truck-kit/ for more details.
TEAM ASSOCIATED RC10 Throwback Kit Count: 1
PRO-LINE BODY UPDATE
Last week I touched on the fact that I had received my Pro-Line Silverado NASCAR body after a month of being on back order only to have it arrive completely destroyed. I contacted Horizon through their website’s chat service, which is unfortunately now the only form of contact that is available, in which I reported the issue and was given a claim number. The site claimed I would receive an email confirmation immediately and would be contacted by a customer service technician within no more than 48 hours. After receiving no confirmation email and waiting four days I contacted the site again and provided the claim number to check its progress. The claim was never filed the first time and after requesting an advisor I was able to chat with a gentleman named Alex who asked for my email to send me the request for photo verification to process the claim. Alex was very professional, prompt and, to be honest, kind; I greatly appreciate that level of courtesy in this day and age. I emailed the photos and within the same day the claim was processed and approved and a new body was ordered. I would have preferred to have done this by phone, given my visual issues and the small text box that Horizon uses on their site for chat, but overall I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with Alex. I am still extremely disappointed with Horizon’s Virtual Assistant service interface and its failure to do what it claims to do, as well as HH’s removal of human-based customer service by phone; there are still many of us hobbyists who prefer to speak to a human to express our issues (and sometimes to offer product improvement suggestions or just to compliment someone for being a genuinely nice person while helping us out… It’s not all Karens and Chads out here yelling at every agent like entitled toddlers. Bring back the excellent customer service that your brands were built on; trust me, it’s worth the investment!
Now, on to the photos. FedEx delivered this package to me and this is exactly how it came off the truck. I’ve had bodies damaged in shipping before; usually just a bend here or a creased decal sheet there but this one was by far the worst I’ve seen. There were no pillow packs or other packing material inside the box and, frankly, the box was sized for a short course sized shell, not the 1/12 of the NASCAR bodies, leaving a fair bit of space for things to move around. On to the photos:
Not only were the sides of the body curled under (an issue a heat gun may have been able to correct) but the cab was crushed flat on the driver’s side, leaving creases in the lexan that no amount of heat could fix. This package has been crushed by either a stack of other, heavier packages or felt the wrath of someones boot during transit. I don’t believe that any amount of packing material could have saved this one but a “Fragile” or “Handle With Care” label may have gotten someone to notice that the 2oz package the size of a small TV might be delicate. In the end Alex at Horizon took ownership of the problem and made it right and for that I am thankful.
Thank you again for dropping by to get your weekly RC fix from us; your loyal readership does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Until next time, be good to yourself, be good to others, be good to your RC.