REVIEW – A few months ago I had the pleasure of reviewing a 1:16 RC truck from DEERC that has continued to be a blast to tear around the yard and street with. This time around, I’ve got a slightly larger and slightly different style 1:14 “Fast Shark RC Car” in for testing, so I’ll take it for a literal spin!
What is it?
The DEERC 1:14 Fast Shark RC Car is a remote control car. It can achieve speeds of up to 25 mph on asphalt, and also has beefy tires and a decent suspension for taking it offroad. The 1:14 scale means this car is over 12 inches long, it’s noticeably larger than the smaller 1:16 model I reviewed last time.
What’s in the box?
- DEERC 1:14 Fast Shark RC Car
- Two batteries
- USB battery charger
- 4x extra clips
- Tools (tire removal tool and Phillips screwdriver)
- Remote control
- Manual
Hardware specs
Click to view
- Motor: 390 motor
- ESC: 120 amp, IPX4 water resistant
- Top speed: 25 mph (40 kmh)
- Battery (x2): 7.4V 2000 mAh – up to 20 minutes runtime each for a total of 40
- Drive: 4WD
- Metal drivetrain and shocks
- PVC tires
- 2.4 Ghz interference-resistant remote control
- Throttle and steering trim on remote control
- LED color control on remote control
Design and features
The first thing you notice when you open up the DEERC 1:14 Fast Shark RC Car is the large tires. These are made of PVC, and feel soft and rubbery. They’re not inflated with air, but cleverly keep their shape with a non-pressurized air cushion inside, and if hit hard and deformed will spring back into shape quickly. Combined with the metal shock absorbers, I was able to go over some pretty bumpy terrain at fairly high speeds while retaining control. Usually.
Both front and back are protected by bumpers, while the large tires and rollover cage protect the sides and top in case of bumps and crashes. I had some pretty decent high speed rollovers with no apparent damage at all while testing.
The view from the top (above) shows the general shape of the car.
Four clips hold the thin plastic body shell on top of the chassis, and are easily removed. Four extras as included in the box as well in case you lose any.
With the top removed (be careful of the wire connecting the roof lights to the chassis when removing it), you can see the suspension and metal driveshafts. Also note how many parts are held on by screws, which should be great for repairability or modifying the car if desired.
In the picture above, the battery is on the left, held in place by a bracket. The ESC is on the right along with the on/off button and many wires. My only real design complaint is the location of this on/off button. While it does keep it protected from accidental triggering, you have to reach up into the middle of the car if the top is installed, or remove the top in order to turn it on or off. I would have liked a slightly more accessible switch, hopefully on future models they can do this.
The remote works great, and has all the functionality you’d want: steering trim, throttle control, a trigger throttle with forward and reverse (analog), a foam-covered steering wheel, and even body/roof light color changing buttons. All of this is powered by a couple of AA batteries (not included).
Speaking of batteries, the ones included with the DEERC 1:14 Fast Shark RC Car are larger and nicer than the ones I tested on the previous model. They have power indicator LED lights, and two separate and different connections, one for connecting to in the RC car, and the other for charging.
Performance
We had a blast playing around with the DEERC 1:14 Fast Shark RC Car in our back yard, and during walks with our toddler and/or dog. The toddler especially is enthralled with this LED-lit speed demon that does donuts in his back yard, while the dog is terrified and angered by it. On paved roads, I can follow cars and match their speed (limit 25 in our neighborhood), so the top speed seems accurate.
The throttle trim works great to limit your top speed (good for starting out or letting other people try the car), and if the car is drifting right or left you can correct it with the steering trim.
The LED lights are amazing for driving the car at night. After just a session or two of driving I am able to easily navigate and turn by instinct, even in the dark.
What I like
- Bright LED lights visible from all angles – great for night driving
- Good top speed and acceleration – can drift on both pavement and dirt
- Seems like a solid build, several minor wrecks and rollovers haven’t affected handling or performance at all.
What I’d change
- On/off button is hard to reach with the top installed
Final thoughts
I had a blast reviewing the DEERC 1:14 Fast Shark RC Car, and it now lives in our garage to accompany us on our nightly walks or to run laps around the back yard while we’re hanging out. The price seems good compared to other options on the market, and I like that this model does great on both on- and 0ff-road terrain. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go do some wheelies and donuts.
Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Amazon (Save 5% off with code: 5TGT1213)
Source: The sample of this product was provided by DEERC.
