The Backyard – Small Scale, Big Progress

Greetings all and Happy Friday! Welcome to The Backyard!

I was browsing my local hobby shop recently when I came across a large display of miniature RC construction equipment from a company called Pure Performance. And when I say miniature, I mean *miniature*. We’re talking 1/64 scale(ish)!

What really caught my attention wasn’t just how small these things were, but what they could do. These weren’t simply little toys that could drive forward and backward. We’re talking about actual functional RC construction equipment, with working booms, buckets, and other features. I didn’t get to see them running, but just looking at the display and what these machines offered was enough to make me stop and take notice.

It got me thinking about how far micro RC has come over the years.

Micro crawlers have exploded in popularity, and small-scale racing vehicles have developed quite a following as well. Neither of those things is particularly surprising anymore. There are entire product lines dedicated to tiny crawlers, and plenty of enthusiasts who have built elaborate indoor courses to enjoy them.

But now we’re seeing micro RC branch out into all sorts of other areas. Fully functional construction equipment? Miniature tanks? It’s pretty wild how much capability manufacturers can pack into something so small these days.

And it made me think back to a little craze from more than twenty years ago.

Anybody remember ZipZaps?

For those who weren’t around for it, ZipZaps were a line of tiny RC cars sold by RadioShack in the early 2000s. And let me tell you, those things were a BIG deal for a while!

I got completely caught up in the craze myself. The novelty of having a functional RC car that small was a huge part of the appeal, but it wasn’t just about driving them around. You could swap out bodies, motors, gears, and other components to customize your little ride. Naturally, I spent plenty of time tinkering with mine and racing them around the house.

There was a genuine mini-mania surrounding those things. People were collecting them like crazy, certain models could be difficult to find, and it wasn’t unusual to walk into a RadioShack looking for something specific only to discover that the shelves had already been picked over.

They were also a hot gift item around the holidays, which probably didn’t help matters if you were trying to track down a particular model!

One of my favorites was the Bigfoot monster truck ZipZap. I collected those, and believe it or not, I still have one in my collection today. Here’s a pic of it. It’s a fun little reminder of just how excited we all were about miniature RC back then.

And while we’re reminiscing, RIP RadioShack! I sure do miss being able to wander into one of those stores and see what kind of electronic goodies were on the shelves.

Looking back, ZipZaps were ahead of their time. Sure, the technology was pretty basic compared to what we have today, but the concept of having a tiny, customizable RC vehicle that you could enjoy indoors was a winner. They helped demonstrate that there was an audience for RC vehicles that didn’t require a driveway, parking lot, or racetrack to enjoy.

Fast-forward to today, and the technology has advanced to a point where manufacturers aren’t just making smaller versions of traditional RC cars and trucks. They’re creating entirely different types of vehicles that can perform surprisingly complex tasks at scales that would’ve seemed ridiculous back then.

I think that’s one of the more interesting developments in the hobby. We spend plenty of time talking about advancements in brushless motors, battery technology, and radio systems, but the continued miniaturization of RC deserves some attention, too.

And with the holidays approaching, it’s worth pointing out that small-scale RC vehicles make terrific gifts. They’re generally easier to store, many can be enjoyed indoors regardless of the weather, and there’s something immediately appealing about opening a box and having a little RC machine to mess around with on the kitchen table.

It’s the same basic appeal that made ZipZaps such a sensation all those years ago, only now the possibilities are considerably greater.

After more than thirty years in this hobby, I still get a kick out of walking into a hobby shop and discovering something that makes me stop and say, “Man, that’s cool.”

Twenty-some years ago, it was a tiny Bigfoot monster truck at RadioShack. Today, it’s a miniature excavator at the LHS.

I wonder what we’ll be playing with twenty years from now?

Alright, that’s it for me this week. Until next time, keep it on all 4’s!