Let’s face it – it’s never easy to please the dedicated RC community. While the general public will easily accept pretty much any RC vehicle that comes out today, the more experienced enthusiasts will examine each and every feature carefully before buying their dreamlike product. The good news is that these people are actually doing all of us a great favour. The fact that they want their RC vehicles to be nothing but outstanding is exactly what pushes the manufacturers to keep raising the bar when it comes to overall performance and quality.

There are many average companies in this market, but one name easily stands out – Traxxas. No matter what these guys do, they always seem to come up with top-notch solutions. X-Maxx 8S is no exception.

“The original X-Maxx truck was a true beast, and it was a perfect RC truck for both experienced individuals and newcomers alike. Now with the 8s version available, the level of epicness is through the roof.”

The truth is that the original X-Maxx had very few downsides that could ruin our overall experience. However,  X-Maxx 8S managed to resolve even the tiniest issues of its older brother. On top of that, 8S has a lot of technical upgrades that make it faster, stronger, and more powerful when compared to the previous model.

Traxxas X-Maxx 8S is one hell of an RC truck. It is huge, insanely powerful, and very easy to operate. A perfect mix, you could say! But, is it a good choice for you personally? In the lines below, you will see all of its core features firsthand, and you will know exactly what kind of experience you can expect from this gorgeous monster. But this truck may not be for you…

First things first, let’s talk about the build

The first and the most important thing that you have to consider before buying any RC vehicle is the build itself. If the build is not good, don’t waste your money and look for another model. Luckily for us, Traxxas X-Maxx 8S comes with a build that is beyond outstanding. It feels very sturdy and durable, but as a precaution, you should ensure that the wheels are properly tightened before taking this baby out for a ride.

If you are planning to use this RC truck off-road or in the areas that are filled with grass, you will certainly have a blast. X-Maxx 8S is a true monster when it comes to off-road conditions, and it can flow through any grass just as effectively.

However, when it comes to pavements and on-road conditions, the build doesn’t hold up that well. But, don’t panic – it’s not really a major issue. It’s true that you can see an obvious lack of grip in these circumstances, but that fact alone is not a deal-breaker. If you compare the builds of other RC trucks, you will hardly find a build that holds up ideally in all conditions. As long as the vehicle is in good condition, you have nothing to worry about.

Overall, Traxxas did a very good job here. They managed to improve the already amazing build of 8S’ predecessor tenfold. It’s an impressive achievement and a true testament to their quality and dedication.

Now let’s take a look at the key features

The Electronics

There are two important components to note here – 1200XL Big Block motor and the Velineon VXL-8S ESC. 1200 XL is a speed-tuned motor that consumes a lot of power, but it also gives your RC truck the ever-needing sense of versatility. The motor also comes equipped with special twin fans that are designed to make it as cool as possible, which means that you will never have to worry about overheating issues and performance drops during a typical ride. Furthermore, VXL-8S is a high-quality electronic speed control that uses advanced circuit design to allow the motor to operate as smoothly and as efficiently as possible. It doesn’t really get better than this if you are looking for a true brushless design.

The TSM

As all of you already know, a good and reliable stability management system is a crucial element of each and every RC vehicle out there. In this case, we can proudly say that Traxxas X-Maxx 8S has the best stability management system for transmitters that we’ve ever seen so far! It even has its own name – Traxxas Stability Management (TSM). The TSM will automatically adjust the power even at really high speeds. Furthermore, it will also give you complete control over the vehicle whenever you are about to take a nasty turn, which minimizes the chances of crashing quite a bit. Did you ever strive for an absolute sense of freedom while driving your RC vehicle? Well, the TSM ensures that your imagination becomes a reality much faster than you realize.

Along with the TSM, you will also get a special knob that you can use to tweak the system according to your own preferences. You can count that as a special feature geared towards devoted RC enthusiasts, but anyone can benefit from the fact that they can customize the TSM and fine-tune it the way they want to. So, that’s another huge plus for Traxxas and their beloved truck.

The Cush Drive System

What is the secret behind such an impressive raw power of this truck? Yes, you guessed it correctly – it’s the Cush Drive System. The Cush Drive System is the most groundbreaking concept that X-Maxx 8S is able to provide.

Thanks to its high-quality drive shafts and full-steel train gears, this system ensures that the transfer of power is constant at all times. Equally, as the drive shafts have quite a huge diameter, you won’t see any twisting nor breaking whatsoever. All that extra power will not cause any harm and, at the same time, the wheelie bar will prevent the front end from flipping over after prolonged usage. Now, that’s a real intelligent design!

The transmission system

If you thought that Traxxas has nothing else in store to amaze us, you’re wrong! If the Cush Drive System was an example of “intelligent design,” the TQI Transmission System is an upgrade to that design.

Similar to TSM, TQI is yet another concept that you can use to take full control of your monster truck. With the capacity of 50 yards and the processing power of 2.4 GHz, this feature will ensure that your truck is fully operational regardless of other circumstances.

The GTX shocks

All RC vehicle fans know that every monster truck is primarily made for rugged and uneven terrains. If a particular truck is not able to properly absorb even the hardest impacts, that should automatically be a red flag for you as a buyer. So, how does Traxxas X-Maxx 8S hold up in that regard? It holds up pretty good!

This truck is equipped with exceptional GTX shocks that are made out of pure aluminum. Thanks to their pure robustness, they can effectively absorb even the tiniest impacts that can occur during a typical ride. Moreover, they are filled with oil that acts as an additional safeguard against virtually any impact that you can imagine.

The self-righting feature

Most monster trucks on the market are not able to roll back onto their wheels. In fact, you will rarely find one that has such a feature. But, guess what? Traxxas X-Maxx 8S can not only roll back onto its wheels but also do that with just a single press of a button! Yep, it’s that easy – all you need to is push the button, and voila! 8S will be back on its wheels before you even notice.

What about the overall experience? How does it feel driving the Traxxas X-Maxx 8S?

Now that you’ve seen an overview of all the key features, let’s talk about the overall experience. If you’re not enjoying your RC truck, there’s no point in buying it. So, even though it’s very important to understand the key concepts of a particular product, it’s even more important to ensure that our experience with it is a positive one. Let’s see what kind of enjoyment you can expect from X-Maxx 8S.

​The handling

The most important aspect that you need to consider if you want to determine whether the experience is enjoyable or not is the handling itself. If you can’t handle your truck properly, you will definitely have a hard time with it.

Speaking of X-Maxx 8S, we can safely say that it’s easy to handle. It takes virtually no effort whatsoever to “tame” this beast, so regardless of whether you’re a newbie or an experienced enthusiast, you will get the grasp of it fairly quickly. On top of that, the TSM will ensure that the truck turns as smoothly as possible while also removing every traction roll along the way.

Undoubtedly, the handling deserves a 10/10 mark.

​The impact resistance

As it was mentioned before, the impact resistance is exactly what makes the GTX shock absorbers shine in their full glory. As the resistance itself is very high, you should see no damage being done to any internal parts of your truck. No matter how many nasty hills and uneven terrains you drive through, these absorbers will ensure that the impact is minimized at all times.

The wheelie bar is another feature worth mentioning. This feature ensures that your truck doesn’t flip over whenever you try to accelerate. At the same time, the wheelie bar also absorbs a good chunk of impact, and it makes the landing feel like a breeze.

As you can see, the impact resistance is truly amazing, and it makes the overall experience even more positive.

​The suspension

Unlike many other RC trucks, the suspension feels absolutely great with this one. It ensures that your vehicle performs flawlessly even on very rough terrains.

No damage is being done to the internal circuitry whenever you are driving in off-road conditions. As the truck itself is gigantic, and as the tires are huge, the suspension system is pretty much flawless.

The performance

How does Traxxas X-Maxx 8S perform in real life? The performance is a crucial part of our overall experience, so naturally, it needs a separate subsection.

With this monster truck, you can expect to blast through pretty much any obstacle on the road. Thanks to its marvelous design and a very robust build, you can expect your truck to speed forward without being halted by rocks or other debris that you may encounter along the way. Moreover, as it was noted  before, it performs really well in tall grass too.

The performance is only affected on pavements and in on-road conditions. But, once again, it’s not really a major concern.

Overall, the performance is very satisfying, and X-Maxx 8S has set a really high bar for its successors.

​The ​Performance

How does Traxxas X-Maxx 8S perform in real life? The performance is a crucial part of our overall experience, so naturally, it needs a separate subsection.

With this monster truck, you can expect to blast through pretty much any obstacle on the road. Thanks to its marvelous design and a very robust build, you can expect your truck to speed forward without being halted by rocks or other debris that you may encounter along the way. Moreover, as it was noted  before, it performs really well in tall grass too.

The performance is only affected on pavements and in on-road conditions. But, once again, it’s not really a major concern.

Overall, the performance is very satisfying, and X-Maxx 8S has set a really high bar for its successors.

​Ease of use

The review is not complete if we don’t consider whether X-Maxx 8S is easy to use or not. The good news is that you can easily use this truck regardless of your previous experience with RC vehicles. You just need to insert the battery and bingo – your truck is now ready for some intense off-road action!

You can easily make the truck self right onto its wheels while launching off epic jumps. At the same time, you will always feel confident and in full control over your monster truck regardless of speed or terrain.

The bottom line is that, no matter how experienced you are, you can have an absolutely amazing experience with this killer RC truck.

To sum it up

You’ve reached the very end of our review! We hope that you managed to find enough information about the “beast” that is Traxxas X-Maxx 8S. As you can see, it’s not a perfect product, and it really shouldn’t be. But, it’s certainly one of the best RC trucks that you can get right now. Traxxas managed to improve the already impressive X-Maxx, and the end result is astonishing.

One thing is certain – If Traxxas keeps up with this kind of quality, the competition will struggle a lot to reach their standards (let alone beat them). You should certainly give this truck a try. You will not regret it!

Also be sure to check out our full RC Rock Crawler Truck Guide for up to date pricing and comparisons.

POSITIVE
  • This monster truck is very easy to use by both experienced individuals and newcomers alike.
  • You can use the truck on pretty much any track or terrain.
  • The functionality is beyond amazing, especially if you consider how big the X-Maxx 8S really is.
  • Top speed can reach 50 mph (and above), which is outstanding.
  • The truck is equipped with TSM, TQI and the self-righting feature, which makes jumping and stunting a breeze

 

NEGATIVE
  • The truck is priced higher than many RC trucks but once you try one you will quickly realize its true value.
  • You will need to buy the batteries as well as the charger on your own.