Discount Drifter - Redcat RDS Competition Spec Drift Car Overview [Video]

It's time to check out another area of the R/C hobby…drifting! Since the release of the Traxxas 4-Tec Drift, and even a little bit before that, I've been intrigued by the radio-controlled drift scene. As luck would have it, Redcat launched a fantastic sale that includes both their RDS Competition Spec Drift RTR and the RDS Builders Kit.

I can never say no to a great deal, so I scooped up the ready-to-run version of the RDS and am trying my hand at R/C sliding. It's a challenge, and I've got a lot to learn, but it's also fun.

If you're interested in R/C drifting or the Redcat RDS, here's an overview of the Competition Spec Drift RTR along with a little beginner drifting.

Warning: The drifting action is from a total newbie.

After taking some time to digest my first, "true" drifting experience, I'm left with a few takeaways and questions:

What surface type is ideal for drifting? My initial run was on my concrete driveway which has a gradual slope. I immediately found the car getting harder to control the further down the driveway it went, picking up speed through the decline. Overall, driveway cement is an "ok" surface, but I also felt that the separations in the slabs were upsetting the car.

I had better luck and found my car control improving when I turned the RDS loose in my garage, which has a sealed floor. This greatly reduced my overall speed and let me control the car through steering and throttle. Since I haven't been to a purpose-built drift track, this surface experience seemed to be the closest thing to it.

Do tires make a difference? While they performed as well as I could have hoped, are different tires preferred for different surfaces? Is there a "cement" tire vs a "carpet" tire vs a "vinyl" or "epoxy" tire?

How do I know when the gyro is working and when it needs to be dialed in? I've never driven an R/C car with a gyro before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, or how much that component would play a part in my driving. Over time, I should be able to figure out what's working, but it's also an area that I'm going to research as well.

All in all, it was a fun first attempt at a form of driving that I haven't done much of, save for slinging a 4x4 rally car or short course truck sideways a time or two. I'm up to the challenge of getting better and look forward to sharing the results along the way.

If you're curious about R/C drifting and have been looking at the RDS, you can now get one at a great price during the Redcat September Super Sale.

Redcat's September Super Sale:

• Redcat RDS Competition Spec Drift Car (RTR) - $227.50
• Redcat RDS Builders Kit - $112.50
• Redcat Gen9 Scout 800A - $224.50
• Redcat Wendigo Rock Racer (RTR) - $226.50
• Redcat TC8 Marksman - $249.50