RCCA's take on RC Crawling

[Twiztid Metal]

I like traxxas, but yeah, there whole catalog in Magazines is Fing rediculous. If it wasnt for the slash, traxxas has nothing to offer as RACING RC's non of which would stand up to AE, LOSI, HPI on the track. Pretty much Traxxas is basher company and a Hobby Grade Walmart RC. they are in it for the money and so are the Magazines. The slash is being taken out at the tracks by AE, HPI & LOSI...

But i agree with Manning. Yeah its a Magazine. its going to be for Entertainment now days. With the boom of the internet Magazine are 2nd hand Information. Yeah some kid or adult might run accross the magazine and think HAY THATS COOL and then jump into the Hobby which then crates GROWTH. But more information and more detail is found on the internet.

MattH. I sure dont "HATE" your magazine or any other RC magazine out there. but If I dont see something in it that peaks my interest, then im not going to buy it, thats why i would NEVER subscribe to a magazine because 80% of the time, Yeah although cool and interesting. I could never afford to buy everything I liked in a magazine lol. Sure i have several copies of your magazine that i take to work and read at break and leave in teh brake room for others to take a look at.. But your biggest Critics are going to be us on the internet, Im sure you wont hear any of this on a SC site or 1/8 buggy / truggy site, because you feature alot of that aspect of the sport and it is the latest CRAZE. as for crawling, try something different insted of revewing a product, build a custom crawler, do a step by step, show people how to braze, how to build, Get your hand dirty!! Insted of poping open a box and pulling the trigger..There is a lot of bolt on aplications for crawlers like the AX10, but for Scalers is a builders proving ground, not much is offered, so people make their own. come up with their own ideas.

 

[MattH]

If I dont see something in it that peaks my interest, then im not going to buy it.

Makes sense to me.

I buy a lot of full-size off-road magazines. Like you, I flip through them and buy the ones with the content that piqued my interest. Some months I buy a half dozen magazines and some months I buy one.

 

[JeremyH]

We do our best to make the best magazine and best website possible.

I really dont think you do. Your best, hopefully, would involve obtaining factual information and attempting to write a somewhat unbiased article. It appears you did neither of those with this....

 

[Duuuuuuuude]

I really dont think you do. Your best, hopefully, would involve obtaining factual information and attempting to write a somewhat unbiased article. It appears you did neither of those with this....

Is this the same rc "car" magazine that was featuring boats?

 

[jason]

You guys sure are mean to Matt on his birthday.

Happy Birthday Matt!

 

[JeremyH]

I wasnt trying to be mean at all....

 

[Duuuuuuuude]

Neither was I, but I guess I can hold off for a while, let Matt celebrate his birthday in peace. :ror:

 

[MattH]

You guys sure are mean to Matt on his birthday.

Happy Birthday Matt!

Haha. Thank you, Jason.

As the kids say, it's all good in the hood.

I love feedback fron readers and non-readers. Some people might want to know that if their post starts with insults, I'm probably not going to read it, and if I do, I probably won't take it or them too seriously. And, if the post is so long it needs a table of contents, I probably won't read it.

 

[Duuuuuuuude]

And, if the post is so long it needs a table of contents, I probably won't read it.

Ha! Team3Six! :ror:

 

[MattH]

Is this the same rc "car" magazine that was featuring boats?

Yes, well, maybe. We have featured boats and even tried having a small boat section. But it might not be us because I believe every RC car magazine has had boats in them. The key word is "was." We tried it. We got about 50% positive feedback, not enough to keep going with it. I personally wasn't a fan. We will, however, still, on occasion, feature non-cars such as boats, helis, and I don't know, maybe something like tanks. Heck, in our Offbeat RC column, we have a story on RC blimps in an issue coming out next month.

 

[JeremyH]

Some people might want to know that if their post starts with insults, I'm probably not going to read it, and if I do, I probably won't take it or them too seriously.

No insults given here. I asked genuine questions. However, since you seem to avoid them at all cost, that pretty much answers my question.

BTW, to help you with your research, this past weekend, I attended a rather large national comp and can guarantee you that this hobby is not "dead"...."thumbsup"

 

[MattH]

I really dont think you do. Your best, hopefully, would involve obtaining factual information and attempting to write a somewhat unbiased article. It appears you did neither of those with this....

I've avoided commenting on the claim about lack of research/factual information/etc because, quite frankly, your opinion on the matter is set in stone--at least it appears to be. Here's the deal: I speak with dozens of industry people every week. I speak with the major distributors, online shops, pro drivers, manufacturers, engineers, hobby shop owners, etc. I am not just a super entrenched enthusiast; this is my job. You might disagree and that's fine, but I humbly believe that I have a pretty good handle on what is selling and moving this hobby and what is not. I bring up rock crawling with people in the industry often because I am a huge fan of the segment. I did not say rock crawling is dead, I disputed the claim. Let me repeat: I did not say rock crawling is dead, I disputed the claim. Based on my research which comes from the input of many true industry insiders, I do say that rock crawling is flat. What I mean by that I try to make completely clear in my blog post. Rock crawling is not enjoying the exponential growth it once did. My opinion of the cause or causes of this is just that--opinion.

 

[JeremyH]

I've avoided commenting on the claim about lack of research/factual information/etc because, quite frankly, your opinion on the matter is set in stone--at least it appears to be.

My opinion of your article is not set in stone. I asked for factual information and you have provided none. Most good journalists research their articles, go right to the source and can provide facts to back up their statements. I see that you provided none of those....simply your opinion. IMO, purely opinion based "news" articles are NOT journalism and should not be published as such. If you publish an "opinion", then you should state that IN THE ARTICLE so that your readers dont get confused and take it as fact.

My opinion of the cause or causes of this is just that--opinion.

I see that you have stated that this is your opinion on this website, but not in your article....why not??

 

[Duuuuuuuude]

Rock crawling is not enjoying the exponential growth it once did.

That can be said about any segment of the rc world. Everything hits a slump, or rolls back at some point.

Maybe some of these people are seeing it as a "death" because they aren't offering the right products?

I have yet to walk into more than one or two hobby shops that really understand crawlers, other than where they put the box with the rtr inside.

Really, the issue is that yes you did dispute the claim, but only by offering your opinion on why crawling isn't as popular as it once was, which is clearly not the case.

 

[Twiztid Metal]

I belive its the Febuary issue that looks good Matt, Has a bit of EVERYTHING in it, Even drag cars. Scalers. Very good varitiy, I will probly pick this issue up and read it! "thumbsup"

EDIT, Sorry its the March issue...

 

[MattH]

What happened to Higgins? I haven't seen him at a comp in years. Funny that this would be his latest article about crawlers, with a suggestion to split up the 2.2 class.

Many people have said that scale vehicles would bring crawlers full circle once the comp scene waned. I have always had this notion. The modelers will always be around, building bad ass rigs.

This thread blew up so fast, I missed some of the stuff at the beginning.

What happened to Higgins? I haven't seen him at a comp in years.

For a year I left Air Age Media and RC Car Action and worked with another publisher, InterMedia Outdoors, working on hunting and fishing titles. Extremely short version of the story is that didn't work out. I will be at the Axial Nationals this year and I'm looking forward to it.

Funny that this would be his latest article about crawlers, with a suggestion to split up the 2.2 class.

I'd actually suggest renamining the Sportsman class and making some rule changes.

Many people have said that scale vehicles would bring crawlers full circle once the comp scene waned. I have always had this notion. The modelers will always be around, building bad ass rigs.

And I agree. I think the 2.2 class is well, bad ass. That said, it needs to be slightly more scale. True scale builds are a whole new animal. Totally awesome and one of my favorite things in all of RC. I am amazed by what some people can do.

 

[team3six]

So, despite my inviting to a comp to prove you wrong as well as the proof of my comments in the above posts. Your opinion is correct. And us who are actively involved in crawling is wrong. I guess I better buy a traxxas short course and join the herd of rcca guru's.

Matt, im sorry. Sorry that you simply don't have the knowledge or experiance in crawling to support your theory. Maybe you should just stay out if Crawling and leave it to someone else.

I've avoided commenting on the claim about lack of research/factual information/etc because, quite frankly, your opinion on the matter is set in stone--at least it appears to be. Here's the deal: I speak with dozens of industry people every week. I speak with the major distributors, online shops, pro drivers, manufacturers, engineers, hobby shop owners, etc. I am not just a super entrenched enthusiast; this is my job. You might disagree and that's fine, but I humbly believe that I have a pretty good handle on what is selling and moving this hobby and what is not. I bring up rock crawling with people in the industry often because I am a huge fan of the segment. I did not say rock crawling is dead, I disputed the claim. Let me repeat: I did not say rock crawling is dead, I disputed the claim. Based on my research which comes from the input of many true industry insiders, I do say that rock crawling is flat. What I mean by that I try to make completely clear in my blog post. Rock crawling is not enjoying the exponential growth it once did. My opinion of the cause or causes of this is just that--opinion.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

I don't think Matt could really give facts even if he wanted to. Nothing short of giving the financials and sales figures would really be factual enough, and I don't think many companies would be happy if he did that.

I can support his opinion that crawling is relatively flat. People aren't spending cash on toys like they did three years ago, and with the current economy I don't blame them.

 

[MattH]

My opinion of your article is not set in stone. I asked for factual information and you have provided none. Most good journalists research their articles, go right to the source and can provide facts to back up their statements. I see that you provided none of those....simply your opinion. IMO, purely opinion based "news" articles are NOT journalism and should not be published as such. If you publish an "opinion", then you should state that IN THE ARTICLE so that your readers dont get confused and take it as fact.



I see that you have stated that this is your opinion on this website, but not in your article....why not??

Ok, two things here. The article in question is actually a blog post in what is clearly presented as my personal blog on www.rccaraction.com. If my explaination/rationale a few posts back isn't good enough for you nothing will be. There is only one publically traded company in all of RC--one. That means, there are very few hard numbers that are public info. I don't know what kind of facts you're looking for (that's rhetorical; no need to answer). Second, I simply stated the blog post was opinion on this forum because some people were having a hard time grasping that notion--that's all.

 

[MattH]

I don't think Matt could really give facts even if he wanted to. Nothing short of giving the financials and sales figures would really be factual enough, and I don't think many companies would be happy if he did that.

I can support his opinion that crawling is relatively flat. People aren't spending cash on toys like they did three years ago, and with the current economy I don't blame them.

Bingo!