Traxxas X-Maxx 8S.

The Gavler Review.

Traxxas X-Maxx 8S Review: The Biggest, Baddest Basher You Can Buy Ready-to-Run

The Traxxas X-Maxx 8S ranks number 1 on Gavler's Best RC Cars list with a 9.8, and it earns that spot the most straightforward way possible: by being the biggest, hardest-hitting basher Traxxas has ever put into a ready-to-run box. This is a roughly 20-pound monster truck on 8.4-inch belted tires, built to survive big air and harder landings than almost anything else in the category. The trade-off is equally direct — this is a dedicated off-road machine that needs real space to stretch its legs, and it is not the truck for anyone who wants pavement precision or a tight backyard runner.

What it is

The X-Maxx 8S is powered by the waterproof Velineon 1200XL brushless motor and VXL-8s electronic speed control, running on 8S LiPo for more than 30 volts of raw power. Traxxas rates the truck past 50 mph, though real-world testing tells a more grounded story: Big Squid RC's stock-gearing runs clocked it at roughly 42 mph, with the headroom to go faster on taller gearing. What separates the X-Maxx from smaller bashers isn't just that number — it's the way its mass and long-travel aluminum shocks let it absorb hits that would break a lighter truck outright.

In use

Durability is the real story here, and it's the thing Big Squid RC's testers came back to again and again. "We drove it hard and rarely broke any parts — it's more durable than the original X-Maxx, and honestly too much fun to stop jumping and wheelieing," they wrote after extended hands-on testing. On the numbers side, the same testers measured the truck at "about 42 mph, with roughly 23 minutes of runtime on 6700mAh packs" — a generous runtime for a truck pulling this much current. RC Visions summed up the trade-off that defines the whole experience: "It's a genuine 20-pound beast that needs open space to enjoy; the scale that makes it unstoppable off-road also makes it a handful in tight quarters."

That's the honest shape of the X-Maxx 8S: not a truck that rewards finesse, but one that rewards commitment to big, open terrain and hard driving.

Strengths

The self-righting function, fully waterproof electronics, and zero-body-clip modular design make the X-Maxx unusually easy to live with for a truck this large — you can flip it, dunk it, and get it running again in minutes rather than dreading the next trip to the workbench. The 8.4-inch belted tires on a wide 4WD platform give it traction most bashers simply can't match on loose dirt, grass, and sand, and the roughly 20-plus-minute runtime on 8S packs means more driving and less charging between sessions.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

The X-Maxx's size cuts both ways. The same mass and scale that let it shrug off hard landings also make it clumsy in confined spaces — this is not a truck for a small backyard or a parking lot. It's also a serious financial commitment at the top of Traxxas's basher lineup, and running it well means budgeting for 8S batteries and a charger capable of feeding them. If you want an all-rounder that handles pavement and tight quarters as comfortably as open dirt, this isn't it — but nothing sold ready-to-run matches its pure destructive capability on the terrain it's built for.

How it compares

The clearest cross-shop sits directly below it on the same list: the Arrma Kraton 6S V5 BLX at rank 2, which trades some of the X-Maxx's raw scale for a lighter, faster 1/8-scale platform that tops 60-plus mph and costs meaningfully less. Choose the Kraton if you want speed and a more mature aftermarket-parts ecosystem in a more manageable size; choose the X-Maxx 8S if sheer mass, durability, and off-road destruction are the whole point. Drivers chasing scale realism over raw bashing should also look at the Traxxas Unlimited Desert Racer at rank 3, a 1/7-scale desert racer built around suspension dynamics rather than brute size.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.8 — the category's biggest, toughest basher, and Gavler's top-ranked RC car for exactly that reason. Buy the X-Maxx 8S if you have the open space to let it run and want the most destructive, ready-to-run off-road experience money can buy. Skip it if you need pavement capability or drive in tight quarters — the scale that makes it unstoppable off-road is the same thing that works against it everywhere else.

Common Questions

Is the Traxxas X-Maxx 8S worth it in 2026?

Yes, if you have the open space to run it and want the most destructive, hardest-hitting ready-to-run basher on the market. It ranks number 1 on Gavler's Best RC Cars list with a 9.8. Big Squid RC's testers rarely broke a part driving it hard, and the roughly 20-pound chassis absorbs landings that would shatter lighter trucks. It's not the right pick if you need precise, low-speed control in a tight yard or on pavement.

How fast is the Traxxas X-Maxx 8S?

Traxxas rates it past 50 mph, and Big Squid RC's own stock-gearing testing clocked it at roughly 42 mph on 8S LiPo, with runtime around 20-plus minutes on 6700mAh packs. Swapping to taller gearing can push it closer to the rated top end, at some cost to acceleration and motor temperature.

Traxxas X-Maxx 8S vs Arrma Kraton 6S V5 — which should I buy?

Buy the X-Maxx 8S if raw size, mass, and destructive off-road capability matter most to you — its 20-pound, 8.4-inch-tire platform is built for open dirt, grass, and sand. Buy the Kraton 6S V5 if you want a lighter, faster, more affordable truck with a more proven aftermarket ecosystem and don't need the X-Maxx's sheer scale.

Does the Traxxas X-Maxx 8S need a lot of space to drive?

Yes. Its size and weight are exactly what make it so capable off-road, but that same mass works against precise, low-speed maneuvering in a small yard or on pavement. Reviewers consistently note it needs real open space — a field, a large dirt lot, or a beach — to be enjoyed properly.