In today’s era, the RC hobby has grown from something that only kids could enjoy to a platform where adults will be able to do races, flying competitions, and heavy customizations for different kinds and models of RC vehicles and aircraft. Because of how complex the RC hobby is today, many would even say that the hobby is now more catered towards adults instead of children, although there are still many brands that are focused on bringing the best RC cars, boats, and planes for kids and beginners.
However, in this article, we will talk about some of the best RC brands that prioritize providing high-quality RC vehicles and parts for adults. The RC brands we will be mentioning are either old brands that have truly stood the test of time or brands that are relatively new to the market but have quickly become some of the most popular RC brands in the world. So, without further delays, here are details about the top RC brands for adults.
Kyosho
The most popular Japanese brand for RC cars is Kyosho, a legendary company that has been around since 1973. Kyosho was founded by Tadashi Yokouchi in the Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, and according to Yokouchi, the business began when he finished making his very first plastic model kit. After the 1970s, Kyosho slowly became popular in Japan, and the company was even able to rival other popular brands like Bandai and Tamiya.
In the 1980s, Kyosho started producing high-performance model cars that were specifically made for adults, and from then on, they became more known as a brand designed for serious RC hobbyists. Although Kyosho produces its own designs for RC vehicles, most of its popular products are miniaturized versions of famous cars from various car brands like Audi and Ferrari.
Tamiya
Another Japanese brand that has an RC cars line is Tamiya, which is arguably the oldest company on this list as Tamiya was founded in 1946. Interestingly, Tamiya was also founded in the Shizuoka Prefecture, much like Kyosho. Tamiya is a manufacturer of many different plastic toys, although they are more known for their plastic model kits and radio-controlled cars.
Because of how old Tamiya is as a company, it is already a staple in the RC industry, although its popularity has decreased due to the fact that the world of the RC hobby has become much bigger with the creation of numerous RC brands that are more focused on RC cars compared to Tamiya, who designs and sells other products too. However, Tamiya still produces some of the best RC cars in the market, like the Tamiya Lancia Delta Integrale.
Axial
As opposed to Tamiya and Kyosho, Axial is a relatively new brand that has surprisingly risen to the rankings as one of the most popular RC brands quickly. Axial specializes in producing high-quality RC vehicles that are more suitable for adults that want to have more customization options for their models or creations.
But, Axial is also known for the Ready to Run or RTR RC cars that are already fully built in the factory, so you can already control and play with the RC cars right out of the box. Although most adults in the RC hobby world want to have plenty of customization for their RC cars, there are still some that just want to have an RC car that doesn’t need to be customized in order to have great handling and speed. If you are looking for RTR RC cars, then Axial will mostly have everything you need.
ARRMA
If you are looking for edgy and cool-looking RC vehicles, then you should check out the products that ARRMA designs, produces, and sells to their customers. ARRMA, much like Axial, is a very young RC brand, as it was only founded in 2005, which is quite young considering that Tamiya is now more than 70 years old. ARRMA currently operates in Los Angeles, California, but they don’t only offer their products in the United States, as they have also become a worldwide brand.
ARRMA RC vehicles are very customizable, which means that you can change various parts of their vehicles to make them even better. However, their RTR or Ready to Run kits are already great out of the box, so customizing them is really unnecessary unless you are more comfortable with your own customized specifications for RC cars.
Traxxas
Besides ARRMA, another RC brand that produces cool RC vehicles is Traxxas. If you are already experienced in the RC hobby, then you are probably familiar with Traxxas, as you will see hundreds of Traxxas vehicles in tracks or race courses that you have been to. Traxxas is an RC company that was founded in 1985, and despite being an old brand compared to ARRMA, it wasn’t actually a popular brand during its first years of operations.
Traxxas became popular when they introduced numerous models in their lineup, including the ones that have the 1/10 scale and the 1/16 scale. In addition to different types of RC cars like monster trucks, buggies, and all-road cars, Traxxas also has a line of RC boats that are quite fast and would even show up in numerous lists of the fastest RC boats.
HPI Racing
The last brand on the list is HPI Racing, a household name in the RC industry. HPI Racing is most notable for its RC cars and scale models that are available for different skill levels, so beginners and veterans alike will find the perfect RC car for them in the brand’s product catalog.
HPI Racing was founded by Hirotsugu Kakoi in 1978, who started the business by selling scale model cars that were hand-assembled in his garage. From there, HPI quickly rose as one of the top RC and scale model brands in Japan. In recent years, HPI Racing has been known for producing some of the fastest RC vehicles that are readily available for hobbyists around the world.
The top RC brands that we mentioned above would remain the most popular brands in the world of RC for many years, even if hundreds of other brands pop up in the future. These top RC brands for adults would serve as an inspiration for many other brands, as they have shown people how to gain success in a once small industry, and that is through providing the best and most reliable products for customers.