The Yard – My Predictions for the Interest in 2026
Greetings all, pleased Friday and pleased new yr!
It’s that point once more — my annual look forward at what I suppose the RC interest has in retailer for the approaching yr. And, as custom dictates, we’ll circle again on this checklist on the finish of 2026 to see how I did… for higher or worse.
Trying again, 2025 felt very very like a transition yr for the interest. Not in a foul means, however in a cautious, recalibrating one. Corporations spent a lot of the yr navigating tariffs, lingering manufacturing challenges, and the lengthy tail of popping out of the COVID-era boom-and-correction cycle.
That’s why 2026 feels totally different.
If 2025 was about steadying the ship, 2026 needs to be about seeing outcomes. With a lot of the business lastly out of response mode, the approaching yr feels primed for bolder selections, clearer product course, and perhaps even slightly risk-taking once more.
With that in thoughts, listed here are a number of predictions for what I feel we’ll see in 2026.
Prediction #1: Vanquish Continues to Cement Their Standing because the Premium Scale Customary
For 2026, I feel Vanquish Merchandise continues to cement itself as the title in premium scale crawling — in a lot the identical means Axial as soon as was again when it was nonetheless an unbiased model. When lovers begin speaking about “the great things,” Vanquish more and more feels just like the default reply.
What units Vanquish aside isn’t simply construct high quality (which is superb), however consistency. Their autos, elements, and equipment all really feel like they’re minimize from the identical material. There’s a transparent design philosophy at work — performance-first, scale-aware, and unapologetically enthusiast-focused. There’s additionally a little bit of eccentricity to a few of their releases, and that’s a part of the appeal. Vanquish very clearly marches to the beat of its personal drummer.
On a private degree, my H10 Optic is my favourite crawler in my fleet, and it’s probably the most thoughtfully engineered RC autos I’ve owned in current reminiscence. Spending time with the VS4-10 solely bolstered that impression and made me much more of a believer in what Vanquish is doing.
Because the crawler phase continues to mature, I feel we’ll see extra hobbyists treating Vanquish because the aspirational benchmark — the model you graduate to when you’ve determined crawling is your nook of the interest. That’s a robust place to be in, and proper now, Vanquish owns it.
Prediction #2: A True Retro, Stable-Axle, Leaf-Spring Monster Truck Lastly Arrives
Sure, I do know. This prediction has turn into a operating joke at this level — together with with myself. Yearly I say that is the yr, and yearly I’m fallacious. However I’m placing it on the board once more, as a result of this time… I’m truly feeling assured.
The interest has been flirting with retro for years now — re-releases, throwback liveries, period-correct particulars — however we’re nonetheless lacking one large piece: a very scale, solid-axle, leaf-spring monster truck that feels prefer it rolled straight out of the Nineteen Eighties. Not a contemporary platform in a fancy dress. Not a stadium truck with large tires. The actual deal.
I’ve received slightly inside information this time round, and whereas I received’t say greater than that, let’s simply say this prediction isn’t coming from pure wishful considering anymore. If it occurs, it’ll hit a nerve with longtime hobbyists and newcomers alike. And if I’m fallacious once more? Effectively… I’ll simply preserve predicting it till I’m proper.
Prediction #3: Traxxas Drops a Really New 1/8 or Smaller Platform
Traxxas has been excellent at evolving present platforms — refining, increasing, and iterating in ways in which preserve merchandise feeling contemporary. And to be clear, they did make a serious swing final yr with the large-scale Funco sand rail, which was very a lot an announcement piece and a reminder that Traxxas isn’t afraid to go large when it sees a chance.
For 2026 although, I feel we see one thing totally different: a authentic, clean-sheet Traxxas platform at 1/8 scale or smaller.
Not a stretched model of one thing acquainted. Not a evenly reworked drivetrain. A ground-up design that makes it apparent Traxxas is focusing on a selected hole out there — and doing so with intent. Traditionally, when Traxxas commits to an all-new platform, it tends to reset expectations throughout the business, for higher or worse.
What that platform is? That’s the arduous half. However Traxxas doesn’t transfer except they see actual quantity potential, and in the event that they’ve recognized an underserved phase within the mid-to-smaller scale area, they’ll go after it aggressively. If a brand new Traxxas platform lands in 2026, it received’t be refined — and it’ll virtually actually pressure opponents to react.
Prediction #4 – 1/18 and Smaller Scale Crawlers Cease Feeling “Secondary”
For 2026, I feel 1/18-scale (and smaller) crawlers formally cease feeling like a secondary phase of the interest.
Now, to be truthful, they’re most likely already there for lots of people. I’ll be the primary to confess that I’ve by no means been a hardcore small-scale man. Traditionally, they’ve felt a bit too small to essentially do a lot — restricted path presence, novelty-level obstacles, and infrequently compromised efficiency that leaned extra towards desk toy than critical crawler.
That notion is altering quick.
The Redcat Ascent 18, HPI Enterprise 18, and Axial SCX30 all characterize one thing essentially totally different than what we used to get at this dimension. These aren’t watered-down platforms or low cost facet tasks. They’re genuinely well-engineered crawlers that prioritize efficiency, geometry, and drivability first — simply scaled down. And crucially, they do it at a worth level that feels intentional, not disposable.
These performance-focused releases helped construct on what the Traxxas TRX-4M initially did for the phase: legitimizing small-scale crawling as one thing greater than a novelty. The TRX-4M confirmed there was an actual urge for food for succesful, well-supported autos at this dimension, and what we’ve seen since is the interest taking that concept and pushing it additional towards true enthusiast-level efficiency.
The premium is now beginning to be be positioned on how these small rigs carry out, not simply the truth that they exist. Higher suspensions. Considerate chassis layouts. Actual tuning potential. They really feel like correct hobby-grade autos, not novelty companions to a 1/10 construct.
As indoor crawling, restricted area, and budget-conscious builds proceed to issue into how individuals interact with the interest, small-scale crawling makes increasingly sense. And when the efficiency hole shrinks this a lot, dimension turns into much less of a compromise and extra of a alternative.
So whereas I should still attain for a 1/10 most days, 2026 feels just like the yr the place smaller-scale crawlers cease being the “additionally ran” phase and totally earn their place on the fundamental desk. Not as a result of they’re cute. Not as a result of they’re low cost. However as a result of they’re lastly good.
Prediction #5 – RTR Costs Lastly Hit a Wall
For my remaining 2026 prediction, I feel we lastly see RTR pricing degree out.
I don’t suppose costs are coming again right down to the place they have been 5 or ten years in the past — that ship has sailed. However after a number of years of near-constant will increase, 2026 feels just like the yr the place issues stabilize. The fast inflation pushed by tariffs, transport chaos, provide chain whiplash, and post-COVID manufacturing realities has largely labored its means by means of the system.
Producers have already made the painful changes. MSRP hikes have landed. Platforms have been refreshed. Margins have been reset. At this level, there’s far much less room — and much much less urge for food — for continued aggressive worth jumps.
Simply as necessary, we’ve seen what occurs when pricing overshoots. Customers hesitate. Stock sits. Reductions begin exhibiting up sooner and deeper than manufacturers would really like. The market has quietly pushed again, and I feel producers are listening.
What I anticipate in 2026 isn’t cheaper RTRs, however smarter ones. Extra value-focused spec selections. Fewer half-hearted upgrades that solely exist to justify a better price ticket. And extra acutely aware selections about the place efficiency actually issues versus the place prices might be stored in examine.
In brief, I feel the period of “shock” worth hikes slows means down. Costs discover their footing, and competitors shifts again towards options, efficiency, and help relatively than simply who can soak up the subsequent value enhance.
If that occurs, it’ll be a win for everybody — producers, retailers, and particularly the hobbyists deciding whether or not that subsequent field is value bringing residence.
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As all the time, these predictions are half educated guess, half intestine feeling. This time subsequent yr, we’ll circle again and see what number of of those landed… and what number of I confidently missed. Both means, that’s half the enjoyable. 2026 appears like a yr the place the mud lastly settles and the outcomes begin exhibiting, and I’m genuinely excited to see the place the interest goes subsequent.
And as we head into one other yr of overlaying all of it, BigSquidRC stays what it’s all the time been: an unbiased voice for RC information, evaluations, and opinion, now greater than 15 years operating. If you happen to’re a model / membership / group seeking to attain an engaged, long-time RC viewers in 2026, we’re open to new promoting companions — be happy to achieve out to brian@bigsquidrc.com. It helps us preserve the lights on over right here!
Now let’s see how these predictions age. I’ll be again on the finish of 2026 to maintain myself trustworthy.
Till then, preserve it on all 4’s.
