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My Review of the Traxxas Stampede

The Background and Essence of the Stampede
The 1990's were high growth years for the RC industry and Traxxas hit the market dead center with its ready to run (RTR) offerings.  In 1994 Traxxas introduced the Stampede the same year as the Rustler and the SRT.  From a parts perspective there is very little difference between the Stampede and Rustler with the exceptions of the chassis format, length and the more predictable racing style bell crank steering of the Rustler.  The big advantage here is that so may parts are exactly the same that a Rustler can be converted to a Stampede and vise versa for about $30 in parts. The height advantage of the Stampede is really a moot point, other than the Stampede runs taller/bigger wheels and the chassis is set up to provide higher clearance in the mid-section presumable for a raised 4X4 look.  In all honesty the Rustler running the same tires provides the same amount of minimum clearance as the Stampede, but drops the center of gravity down in the mid section for a more track/race oriented RC.  That said most people feel the Stampede is and was designed more ruggedly as a do it all backyard urban RC for the masses that can keep going when the terrain is rougher than a groomed track.   The Stampede was designed for the person like me who, doesn't care about track racing, and wants to have fun no matter what the terrain - grass, rough dirt, street, snow, anything. 

As such, it won't compete with the handling and low center of gravity of stadium trucks like the Rustler unless some pretty serious modifications are made, but then again stadium trucks won't even move on the rougher surfaces that the Stampede feels at home on.  In short, you don't need to wait for the weekly trip to the dirt track to have fun.  The Stampede is my first "real" RC in more than a couple decades and I can say it has been an absolute hoot.

Quality and Durability
Traxxas has been the leader in high performance ready-to-run (RTR) RC cars and trucks for some time.   Keeping mind the price of the Stampede, Traxxas has again done a great job on the Stampede of providing good quality components right from the start.  

Already one hell of a RC truck, and arguably the most durable and best ready-to-run electric sport truck right out of the box, the performance of the Stampede will drastically improve with some upgrades - (see useful links and projects & hop-ups). The Stinger 20 Turn motor is pretty good if proper break-in procedures are followed, the shocks have been said to be some of the best plastic shocks available, the chassis is solid, the geometry of everything works well, it comes with a whole bag of extra parts including an 84 and 87 tooth spur gears, a nice heavy pre-painted body, and three sets of great directions.  The tires are harder (less sticky) than what most people want, but will probably never ever wear out and will definately last through the initial set of upgrades.  One little gripe I have is the photo to the right.  The Traxxas literature shows the Stampede popping a wheelie...no chance of that in any sort of stock configuration unless the Traxxas is really geared down. I feel it is a little misleading for a lot of people (it's a big subject on the forums).  The Traxxas XL-1 ESC (electronic speed control) is a good smooth speed controller for faster/hotter/stronger 17 turn motors and will rival most ESCs under $50-$60 with a little low-cost tweaking.  Without even going to a faster motor, the Stampede is very fast and probably too fast for youngsters under 6-10 (but is can always be geared to slow it down).

The Stampede is one tough truck.  One of the things that makes the Stampede so much fun is it durability.  The Stampede continuously take obscene amounts of abuse without breaking.  I have flipped mine end over end and cart-wheeled it down stairs (sure - it was an accident) with no damage.  Of course the Stampede is not indestructible, and the great part is when something does break, Traxxas parts can usually be had easily and in-expensively at almost any local hobby store or directly through Traxxas at BuyTraxxas.com.

Recommendations
If you desire to be a professional track racer, go buy a Traxxas Rustler, if you want to just have fun, jumping, bashing, and in general running amuck in your neighborhood, the Stampede is your RC.  Buy the RPM Wide Bumper right away, this must have $5 upgrade will save you the pain, agony and cost of replacing front end components.  The RPM bumper will absorb incredible impacts and is warranted for life by RPM should you manage to break it. Another recommendation is to go ahead and buy the cheaper Mechanical Speed Control (MSC) model and a high end speed control with a low turn motor limit of at least 8-15 (a lower turn limit is better). Looking back the $20-$30 extra bucks I spent on the ESC model would have been better spent on even an intermediate higher end ESC such as Novac's XRC. The available Traxxas ESC is again good and get you up and running quick, but will be retired as soon as you want to upgrade past a 17 turn motor.  In addition that cheap MSC can and should be used when running in very wet and/or snowy environments.  Water is the enemy of the ESC, but the MSC can be safely sealed away in a waterproof container for snowy and wet RC'ing - (see waterproofing sections).

Whether you just like to terrorize the neighborhood or are a seasoned RC veteran, the Stampede is a durable, low maintenance RC truck that provides tons of fun in stock and modified forms all at a price that is hard to beat.

The Traxxas Electric Stampede Marketing Fluff
"In the past, performance wasn't a requirement for monster trucks. As long as the truck looked big and bad, no one cared if it was slow or heavy. That was then, now this, is Stampede, the first high-performance monster truck. It has the heart and thunder of a grizzly, with the speed and agility of a cheetah.

The chassis is pure monster, with its reinforced channel design, fiber-composite materials, and unsurpassed ground clearance. The suspension is pure race, with track-tuned geometry and the fully-adjustable oil-filled shocks of a competition-level race truck.

The Stampede is loaded with features, such as a new wide-ratio transmission with ball bearings; adjustable slipper clutch; high-torque, Stinger 20-turn motor; and a super-strong, planetary-gear differential, which uses metal gears to handle real-world abuse. Giant, soft-compound, monster-mudder tires provide great traction on dirt and rocks. The Stampede is available ready-to-run with either a precise rotary mechanical speed control (model 3610) or the powerful XL-1 electronic speed control (model 3606).

The Stampede includes a fully trimmed and finished five-color ProGraphix™ painted body. With the ProGraphix process, you will never see bleeding paint or over-sprays that need to be covered up with a page full of decals. Our unique ProGraphix™ painting process creates crisp, clean lines, smooth fades, and amazing professional graphics. Each model is available with four different color schemes to choose from. No painting or trimming is required, so you can start running faster than ever! You'll be even more satisfied knowing you got all this speed, style and handling for such an affordable price.

Ready-to-run models (3610 and 3606) include our powerful, pistol-grip TQ radio system, ProGraphix painted body and stylish chrome wheels."

The Traxxas Nitro Stampede Marketing Fluff
We call it the Pit Bull of R/C trucks. Pound for pound, Nitro Stampede is the meanest, toughest, most ferocious R/C monster truck ever created. Just fuel it and start it. Nitro Stampede feeds your hunger for brutal, rock-spitting, dirt-chewing horsepower.

It's no wonder that Nitro Stampede was once selected by R/C Car Action Magazine as "Truck of the Year." You will be equally impressed with the incredibly high ground clearance; extra-long suspension travel; huge monster tires; and smooth, adjustable oil-filled shocks. There's also a slipper clutch to control traction, a powerful new disk brake, and dual exhaust.

A simple push of a button on the EZ-Start control box, and earth-shaking TRX nitro power comes to life. The all-new 375 Magnum transmission has full ball bearings; larger, stronger gears; easily-adjusted gear ratios; and the legendary metal planetary differential.

Nitro Stampede is built super tough, giving you the confidence to tackle extreme terrain that others wouldn't dare touch. Only the best materials are used, such as T6 aluminum for the chassis, steel for critical gears, and special high-tech composites for the remaining parts.

It's made to handle the torture we know you'll put it through. The ready-to-run Nitro Stampede requires no assembly, so you can be behind the wheel of this awesome powerhouse almost as fast as you can take it out of the box.