You don’t buy an X-Maxx because you need one. You buy it because you’ve watched six videos, measured the boot and decided that technically the garage still has floor space. This is what passes for financial planning in RC.
SPEED / PACE
50+ mph
Traxxas claim: two 4S LiPos and optional speed gear.
RC TYPE
Large RC Basher
Choose the vehicle for the way you drive.
WHY IT STANDS OUT
779 mm
Almost 80 cm of RC monster truck
Hero image: Traxxas. Manufacturer product photography; colours and supplied equipment can vary.
Then someone asks what it cost. “The truck or everything?” you reply, immediately making the situation worse. The Traxxas X-Maxx 8S Belted is a big, gloriously unnecessary-looking monster truck, and being honest about the everything part is how you work out whether owning it will be as enjoyable as wanting it.
A tape measure joins the tool kit
This guide covers model 77096-4. Start with the actual dimensions, because “big” is a word your imagination can quietly reinterpret until a delivery driver proves otherwise.
The current Traxxas specification lists a 779 mm length, 540 mm width and 8.66 kg weight. It uses shaft-driven four-wheel drive, a 1275Kv Velineon 1200XL motor and a VXL-8s controller. The 50+ mph claim requires two 4S LiPo batteries and an optional speed gear. Batteries and charging equipment are separate purchases in the vehicle-only package.
Traxxas uses its X-Truck size description. We’re keeping that rather than inventing a scale comparison. Length and width will tell you more about whether it fits in the chosen corner. “I’ll find somewhere” is not a measurement, although it remains one of the most popular measurements in the hobby.
The return walk is part of the specification
Before ordering, picture the whole outing. Where can you park? How far is the driving area? Can you comfortably carry the truck and equipment back if you need to? Mud doesn’t make anything easier to carry, and a finished battery won’t help with the last stretch.
There’s a practical reason to think about this beyond spoiling the shopping excitement. A model that is easy enough for you to take out gets used. A model that requires a full logistical summit tends to become an impressive object you promise to use next weekend.
Choose suitable open ground with clear sightlines and room to stop. Other people using the area are not obstacles to weave around. If the space gets busy, pause and reassess. A large RC truck is plenty entertaining without making strangers part of the demonstration.
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RC terms used in this guide: ready-to-run (RTR) means the model is assembled; check which equipment is supplied. An electronic speed controller (ESC) controls motor power. LiPo means lithium-polymer battery, and the S number describes cells in series. Kv is approximate unloaded motor revolutions per minute per volt, not vehicle speed.
Researched RC buying guide. RCnews has not tested this vehicle hands-on. Manufacturer specifications and published reviews were checked on 6 September 2026.
Hero image: Traxxas . Manufacturer product photography; colours and supplied equipment can vary.
SPEED / PACE
50+ mph
Traxxas claim: two 4S LiPos and optional speed gear.
RC TYPE
Large RC Basher
Choose the vehicle for the way you drive.
WHY IT STANDS OUT
779 mm
Almost 80 cm of RC monster truck
The Traxxas X-Maxx 8S Belted is a large RC monster truck, and the practical questions come first: where will you drive it, how will you carry it and where will it live? This guide covers model 77096-4. Include the required battery and charging equipment in your budget before comparing it with another vehicle. A tape measure is a surprisingly useful RC buying tool.
The X-Maxx is not a casual upgrade from a small garden truck. It asks you to think about storage, transport and where you will drive before thinking about colour. Get those answers right and its sheer presence becomes the attraction. Get them wrong and a very exciting purchase can spend a lot of time waiting for a suitable outing.
Browse all ten RC cars for 2026 →
Keep the history and the current specification separate. It’s useful to hear how owners describe the sheer size of an X-Maxx, but a speed from an early truck isn’t magically a current test result. The internet is very good at putting different generations next to each other and hoping nobody notices.
You don’t have to launch it into next week
Big trucks attract big stunts. That’s entertaining to watch, but you’re allowed to enjoy yours without treating every outing as a materials experiment. There’s a particular satisfaction in making something sizeable take a neat line and arrive at the next turn exactly where you wanted it.
Give the first session a simple route, broad corners and a generous stopping zone. Learn how the truck looks and responds as it comes towards you, crosses rough ground and turns away. The first battery can be useful without producing a clip worth uploading.
Then try five tidy laps or stopping at a marker. It gives the driving a point beyond increasing the drama. You may discover that placing the truck well is more addictive than accelerating it hard. The thumbs enjoy a promotion from on/off switches to actual controls.
Keep setup changes tied to the way you run it. Optional speed gearing isn’t an automatic first upgrade. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance and consider the load and surface rather than assuming the biggest printed number should describe every outing.
“Loads of upgrades” is not a service history
A used example can be worth investigating, but inspect it patiently. Ask what changed, why it changed and whether the original parts are included. Check which manual matches the vehicle. A very clean body doesn’t tell you much about the machinery underneath.
Treat included batteries and charging equipment as items to assess, not a pile of free value. Their condition and compatibility matter. A listing with a dramatic collection of extras can still be less useful to you than a straightforward, understood setup.
The same logic applies to your own future upgrades. Give each change a purpose. If nobody can explain why a particular component is fitted beyond “looks mint”, that’s a cosmetic preference, not a technical conclusion. Nothing wrong with enjoying the looks; just don’t ask the colour to do engineering.
The complete bill, without selective blindness
Put compatible batteries, an appropriate charger and basic tools alongside the vehicle price. Add whatever makes transport and storage workable for you. This is the number to compare with another option, rather than the wonderfully fictional figure produced by ignoring everything outside the box.
Look up common replacement parts too. You don’t need to order a spare truck in kit form, but ordinary maintenance should fit the budget. If the price of a replacement body would leave you frightened to drive it, think that through before buying.
That isn’t an argument against a big RC. It’s how you get to enjoy one properly. A purchase you can use, maintain and afford to keep running is a much happier thing than an expensive object surrounded by anxiety and unopened accessories.
Pack it away ready for another go
After running, inspect the truck, clear debris and investigate unfamiliar sounds. A few minutes now can prevent the next outing starting with a problem you already brought home. After a hard landing, check before another run rather than relying on optimism to hold everything together.
Keep parts organised when working. A photo before dismantling can save a lot of head-scratching, and the manual is allowed on the bench even if you’ve been doing RC for years. Nobody is handing out certificates for remembering every fastener unaided.
Our take: if you have suitable space, transport and a workable maintenance budget, the X-Maxx offers a big-truck proposition worth a proper look. If the reality would put you off taking it out, choose something easier to live with. The point is driving the thing. Owning the largest object in the garage is already a competition the freezer thinks it’s won.
RC terms used in this guide: ready-to-run (RTR) means the model is assembled; check which equipment is supplied. An electronic speed controller (ESC) controls motor power. LiPo means lithium-polymer battery, and the S number describes cells in series. Kv is approximate unloaded motor revolutions per minute per volt, not vehicle speed.
Guide basis: manufacturer specifications and attributed published reviews, checked on 6 September 2026. This is not a comparative hands-on RCnews test.
RC technical specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model | X-Maxx 8S Belted / 77096-4 |
| Size class | Traxxas X-Truck |
| Drive | Shaft-driven 4WD |
| Motor | Velineon 1200XL, 1275Kv brushless |
| ESC | Velineon VXL-8s |
| Length × width | 779 × 540 mm |
| Wheelbase | 480 mm |
| Listed weight | 8.66 kg |
| Power for headline speed | Two compatible 4S LiPo packs |
| To buy separately | Batteries, charger; optional speed gear for claim |
Source: official product specification. Check the exact model code, UK availability and retailer package before ordering. Prices are not fixed in this guide.
Fancy a closer look at the RC kit?
Big Squid RC: original 6S X-Maxx review (historical context only) ↗
Wheelspin: earlier 8S X-Maxx coverage ↗
Different RC jobs call for different cars. This selection includes established models available for 2026; it is not a ranking or a claim that they all launched this year. Older reviews are labelled by generation.
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