JConcepts Ruptures - 1.9" Performance Scaling Tire
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It’s the tail end of January 2021, and while the rest of the country is dealing with unusually nasty weather conditions, here in the southwest, cool temperatures and sunny skies are framing out what has been a relaxing and joyful holiday season.
With holiday time off from work, we have been out on the trail almost daily, trying to squeeze in a few more rock crawling sessions before the new year’s festivities and subsequent grind of post-holiday work returns. During that time we were tying up the last bit of testing for topic tire of this review; the JConcepts Ruptures 1.9” Performance Scaling tire. |
JConcepts 1.9" Rupture Tire.
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While the testing had started early on in August 2021, we have been so impressed with their performance that we continued to test and test, pushing these tires to their limits on a variety of rock surfaces.
Before we get into the details of how they performed, let’s take a quick look at their features as well as foam setups.
Before we get into the details of how they performed, let’s take a quick look at their features as well as foam setups.
Author’s Note
There is a lot of text to come, and it's likely to have much more detail than you were probably looking for. I maintain that it’s still good reading material before you go to bed, but if you're just looking for the final verdict, scroll to the bottom and find the section: Punch Line.
For the rest of you suffering from insomnia, let’s continue on.
There is a lot of text to come, and it's likely to have much more detail than you were probably looking for. I maintain that it’s still good reading material before you go to bed, but if you're just looking for the final verdict, scroll to the bottom and find the section: Punch Line.
For the rest of you suffering from insomnia, let’s continue on.
The Ruptures are a beastly 1.9" tire.
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Tire Details
At 125mm ( 4.92” ) in height, the Rupture is a big tire for the 1.9” scale-nerd world and specifically designed for the performance-minded crawler rather than adhering to a “scale” look. As some of you may already know, there is 2.2 version of the tire favored by many U4 Rock Racers, but in my opinion this tire design is best suited for low-speed rock crawling. Taking a closer look at the tires, the first thing you will notice are the vast open regions on the tire’s surface which are completely devoid of any lug or tread pattern whatsoever. It almost looks as if only half the tread was molded into the tire carcass; but this is not the case. The unusual spacing between the lug “islands” is a key detail which enhances their performance by allowing the tire to grab hold of the rock’s surface and fold around and protrusions, locking in tight. |
Unlike many tires which rely almost entirely on friction to grip the rock’s surface, the Ruptures’ tread pattern functions more like a mechanical lock.
But there is also a balance to be addressed here. If a tires lugs are too tall and chunky, they can fold back against a soft tire carcass and slip off the rock. We saw this with the Duratrax Deep Woods 2.2 tires. Those big, chunky lugs had surprisingly poor grip on technical rock. On the other hand, if the lugs are too small and tightly packed, they won’t have enough open area to grab hold of the rock and conform to the shape. The Ruptures look to have just the right balance of lug height and spacing.
But there is also a balance to be addressed here. If a tires lugs are too tall and chunky, they can fold back against a soft tire carcass and slip off the rock. We saw this with the Duratrax Deep Woods 2.2 tires. Those big, chunky lugs had surprisingly poor grip on technical rock. On the other hand, if the lugs are too small and tightly packed, they won’t have enough open area to grab hold of the rock and conform to the shape. The Ruptures look to have just the right balance of lug height and spacing.
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Moving to the side of the tire, the lug pattern on the sidewall is a series of Y-shaped lugs and diamonds, almost resembling a French fleur-de-lis pattern.
A subtle traction ring wraps around the middle of the sidewall, lightly adored with small diamonds. The larger sidewall lugs are positioned prominently around the upper edges of the tire, with deep scalloped bases that blend into the sidewall just above the traction ring. This is indeed a beautifully designed tire. As found with many off-road tires, the tread pattern is non-directional with each half of the tire being a reversed mirror image of the other. That detail along with the identical raised company lettering, part number, and name molded on each side of the tire makes mounting quite simple. JConcepts stayed with their tried and true super-soft green rubber compound for the Ruptures. This rubber has proven to be one of the very best tire compounds on the market. When they say "super soft," they mean it. |
Losi "The Worm" Night Crawler on Kong Trail
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For our focus on rock crawling, the only prep needed was to punch three 3mm holes in each tire to help the air move freely out from the tire as it compresses against the rocks.
We didn’t spray the Ruptures with any chemicals to soften the rubber, and there was no trimming or adjustment to the lug pattern.
We didn’t spray the Ruptures with any chemicals to soften the rubber, and there was no trimming or adjustment to the lug pattern.
The Worm working its way up Devil's Haircut at Badrock Ridge.
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Foams & Wheels
If you have been following our tire reviews for any length of time, you’ll know it’s become standard practice for us to replace just about every OEM foam with a two-stage foam to improve performance. This review will be no different except that we didn’t bother to run the OEM single-stage foams which accompanied the Ruptures. That said, I did approach the foam selection a bit differently. Rather than ordering one set of foams at a time ( and paying $10 for shipping ), I opted to order three sets of the Lil’ Nova’s in different sizes to test. These foams are sold in sizes: 4.25”, 4.50”, and 4.75” with the inner closed-cell foams varying in size. The outer soft foams are all the same between the different sizes. This allows you to get the right fit to your tire size as well as tuning for your truck’s weight. |
Through some of my testing and research of foam setups, I have seen firsthand that using different foams densities in the front versus the rear does help performance. I picked up this idea from Crawler Innovations, so credit for this trick goes to them. For any crawler, foam densities are dependent on the truck’s weight, and for this test I’m running soft outer foams in the front and medium outer foams in the rear. With this setup, the rear tires have a bit more support when crawling up steep rocks or sections of trail.
The inner foam diameter which felt best in the Vanquish VS 410 Pro test truck is the 4.50”. I also did not use the extra outer tuning ring.
During this project we used a number of different aluminum beadlock wheels. Some of this was in part due to the repeated changing of tires and foams to test for fit and performance on the trail. We also wanted to keep a few testing trucks ready to go at all times.
The wheel weights remained consistent for most of the testing, with the exception of testing lighter plastic wheels on the Worm, only to find out we needed to add more weigh to the wheel to offset the COG shift. It was pretty much a wash on performance, and plastic wheels are a pain to work with if you’re changing the foams frequently.
The inner foam diameter which felt best in the Vanquish VS 410 Pro test truck is the 4.50”. I also did not use the extra outer tuning ring.
During this project we used a number of different aluminum beadlock wheels. Some of this was in part due to the repeated changing of tires and foams to test for fit and performance on the trail. We also wanted to keep a few testing trucks ready to go at all times.
The wheel weights remained consistent for most of the testing, with the exception of testing lighter plastic wheels on the Worm, only to find out we needed to add more weigh to the wheel to offset the COG shift. It was pretty much a wash on performance, and plastic wheels are a pain to work with if you’re changing the foams frequently.
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First Day Out – Vanquish VS 410 Pro
Starting on a nice late summer day, we rolled out into Badrock Ridge’s lower sections with the Vanquish VS 410 Pro. With a few batteries in my pocket, I headed to a small rock outcropping that I had yet to crawl. Getting started on the trail, the VS 410 moving along with relative ease. The soft, sticky green tire compound of the Ruptures conformed to the rock’s surface, and the 21% overdrive was able to dig into the rocks as angles steepened. As I worked my way around, I found an interesting climb in a large crease of rock which was just emerging from the shadows. It required a bit of twisting and turning to get up into the feature, and in the process I covered the surface of the tires in the fine dirt and sand at the base of the rock. Curious to see if this would result in slipping on the climb, I watched close as the VS 410 carefully crawled its way to the top. |
The Vanquish VS 410 Pro rolled up this like it was level ground.
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Easy climb for the VS 410 and Ruptures.
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Luckily the rock’s surface had plenty of larger defects and fractures for the Ruptures’ lugs to hook into, and in a minute or so the VS 410 was at the top. I repeated this path a few times, and it really offered no serious challenge to the truck. Even with the tire evenly coated in fine dirt and sand, the truck had no problems crawling.
The rest of the afternoon was more of the same with the VS 410 working to the top of many rock piles, event spanning a few tricky gaps along the way. If there is one thing that stands out right away with the Ruptures is that they slip very little. |
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I found that the Brood Slither brushed motor's ability to literally creep at an incredibly slow speed allowed me to carefully navigate ledges and voids without upsetting the balance of the truck.
With the Ruptures’ large lugs and sticky rubber, the tires would settle into the rock and keep the truck firmly planted to the surface. |
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Back in Boise
Back at the home office for work, the VS 410 Pro traveled along with me for a few afternoon crawls at Lucky Peak State Park. The lava rock at the lake surrounding Lucky Peak is rugged, steep, and quite fun to crawl due to its aggressive surface and crumbling hillsides. Arriving at the lake around 4pm, there was ample time to get the Ruptures out on the trail for our first run. Ten minutes into the crawl, I was impressed. The coarse lava rock made it easy for the Ruptures’ tread pattern to grab tight and pull the truck up and over some nasty and challenging rocks. The lava rock’s surface is much more textured than our local sandstone, and the excellent performance from the Ruptures was on full display. |
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I worked my way through a chunky section on the trail and found nearly vertical but short block of lava rock at the back of a tight pocket.
Much to my surprise, the VS 410 Pro settled down and went straight up the rock, hooking the front tires over the top. You can see in the video the front tires squatting down and wrapping around the wheel from the overdrive gears and monster torque from the Brood motor. Once the Ruptures grabbed hold, it was a clean “up and over.” This small feature was repeated a number of times with success on every attempt. |
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For the remainder of the trip, I visited Lucky Peak a few more times to challenge myself on a few of the steeper and daunting rocks, and the VS 410 performed very well. Even the loose crumbling hillsides were no problem for the VS 410 to scale.
At one point I was able to take a poor-quality video of the VS 410 crawling up one of the loose and crumbling hillsides at Lucky Peak. The camera angle doesn’t do the steepness justice, but near the top you can see the truck carry the front passenger tire due to steep incline and a bit of torque twist for just a moment before the suspension settles back down. |
While the VS 410 climbs the hillside in the video, you can see small pebbles peeling off and tumbling to the bottom below. All of this was taking place and the VS 410 slipped very little; the Ruptures were handling this difficult surface superbly. The foams are allowing excellent flexing of the Ruptures’ soft tire carcass all while supporting the wheel and sidewall.
If you’re not already looking these tires up on your phone to purchase, I’m surprised. That is a miserable surface to crawl and the VS 410 made it look easy.
Crawling the lava rock at Luck Peak is always good fun and nice change from the smooth sandstone in my local area.
If you’re not already looking these tires up on your phone to purchase, I’m surprised. That is a miserable surface to crawl and the VS 410 made it look easy.
Crawling the lava rock at Luck Peak is always good fun and nice change from the smooth sandstone in my local area.
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Return to Badrock Ridge
During the remaining time testing this set of Ruptures, we spent many hours working known lines and assessing just how much better the VS 410 Pro was doing with these tires. There was really no question as to if these were a great tire on the truck, without question they are, but it also allowed us to tweak and tune the truck to improve overall performance. Being able to do that because a set of tires were performing so well was an unexpected benefit. |
Hanging out with the locals at Badrock Ridge. This guy has rock crawling down to a science.
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Just about the perfect foam and tire combo on display.
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During one of the trail runs, we encountered a steep and slick piece of sandstone with a large crack running up and to the right, but not all the way to the top.
When the crack faded into the rock’s surface, the truck’s front tires would have to try and find traction somehow on the slick sandstone which unfortunately was slopping down and to the right. A number of drivers attempted this line, but no one could get past that last upper section. The rock was just too slick and everyone repeatedly slid off to the right side. The rear tires would hold but the front tires could not. |
Giving it a go with the VS 410 and the video camera running, I hugged the crack tight and jammed the driver’s side tires into the rock’s surface. This is where the side lugs of the Ruptures come into play. The wide tread pattern makes them act like small fingers searching for something to seize.
The passenger rear was able to dig in and push the truck up the hill, but like other drivers, I began to slide down to the right side. Halfway up the hill, the driver’s rear tire hooked the inner side cleats into the crack and stopped the truck from sliding further. Luckily I ended up with the nose of the truck pointed up the rock. The downside was that I still had to deal with the most difficult part of the climb.
Continuing up the rock, the front tires were still sliding to the right, but at a slow and controlled rate while the VS 410 gained elevation. With the continual progress up the rock, the top section which starts to round over was within reach and the front tires were able to catch hold of a few thin cracks right at the crest. Once I could see the front tires catch, I ramped up the throttle and in a flash the truck was up and over.
I was rather pleased to have cleared that difficult line, and the Ruptures were really showcasing what the VS 410 could do.
The passenger rear was able to dig in and push the truck up the hill, but like other drivers, I began to slide down to the right side. Halfway up the hill, the driver’s rear tire hooked the inner side cleats into the crack and stopped the truck from sliding further. Luckily I ended up with the nose of the truck pointed up the rock. The downside was that I still had to deal with the most difficult part of the climb.
Continuing up the rock, the front tires were still sliding to the right, but at a slow and controlled rate while the VS 410 gained elevation. With the continual progress up the rock, the top section which starts to round over was within reach and the front tires were able to catch hold of a few thin cracks right at the crest. Once I could see the front tires catch, I ramped up the throttle and in a flash the truck was up and over.
I was rather pleased to have cleared that difficult line, and the Ruptures were really showcasing what the VS 410 could do.
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Later on during the testing, I installed a set of Dravtech shocks from Dlux Fab and did a bit more suspension tuning on the truck, then headed to a very difficult transition on one of the more popular trails at Badrock to see if the change would further increase the VS 410’s performance.
Locally known as Abruzzi’s Notch, named after Prince Luigi Amedeo, this small technical climb is an unusually difficult path to take to reach the upper section of a sandstone slab. While there are other much easier ways to reach the top, crawling is never about taking the easy path and this small notch in the rock will challenge even the best 1/10 crawlers. In reality, most trucks cannot make this climb. |
Perfect weather on the trail that day.
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Not too shabby for a steel-framed trail truck.
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The most problematic feature of Abruzzi’s Notch is it being slightly narrower than the track width of a 1/10 crawler.
You either need to try and crawl up it at a tilted angle or hang a rear tire out into the void in hopes that the other three tires hang on, all while the back corner of your truck sweeps out over an overhang with a five-foot drop to the rock below. Adding to the fun is that the line is mostly composed of lumpy, eroded rock which seems to hook axles and links on every attempt. |
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Initially I had tried to hug the far-left edge of the transition, hoping squeak my way up and around, but the line is just too narrow and I ended up poised to fall off side.
After thinking it over for a moment, I decided to jam the truck deep into the right side of the rock wall and force the side lugs of the tire to lift the entire right side of the truck up, making the stance narrow enough to crawl up the line. |
Abruzzi’s Notch
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As I slowly crept up to the right side, with the Ruptures side cleats grinding into the rock wall, the Vanquish lifted straight up and stared to tilt drunkenly to the left side, looking as if it was going to take a serious tumble.
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Sitting pretty at the top of Abruzzi's Notch
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Much to my surprise, the suspension settled down and the driver’s rear tire was able to grip on a sharp and narrow rock spine and support most of the truck’s weight.
Utilizing the brushed motor for its fine low-speed control, the truck crawled up the transition while tilting hard over to the left, then flopped down the front tires on the level rock above. But this wasn’t the end of troubles; I still had to pull the Vanquish hard to the right and somehow drag the axle housing up and over the jagged rocks. |
Staying with the forward momentum from the climb, I cranked the steering and dug in the cleats hard, twisting and contorting the tries around the jagged rock features. Impressively the tires were able to grab hold and drag the rear axle housing up and over the rocks. The sound was horrendous, but the turn was completed. Of course I had to repeat Abruzzi’s Notch a few times while running the GoPro camera.
Days like this became the norm, with the Vanquish / Ruptures combination knocking out difficult lines all through our trail system.
Days like this became the norm, with the Vanquish / Ruptures combination knocking out difficult lines all through our trail system.
The Worm back on top.
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The Worm
By this point of the testing, I was so impressed with the performance of the Ruptures on the VS 410 Pro that I ordered up a second set to try out on the Losi Worm. While this Worm started life out as a standard Losi Night Crawler rolling chassis straight off of eBay, much has been changed to in order to substantially improve crawling performance on the trail. It’s an interesting crawler which uses a worm gear setup in the axles rather than a standard ring and pinion ( hence the name Night Crawler ). |
With a driving weight of 1900 grams, the Worm is capable of scaling some incredibly steep and technical lines; but that’s about all it’s good for. It’s not a fun truck to drive along the trail; the slow and bumpy ride along with a lack of sliders and low ride-height causes it catch on branches and smaller rocks.
After testing out a number of inner foam sizes, I settled on using the 4.5” inner closed cell foams with soft outer foams in the front and medium outer foams in the rear. The 4.25” inner foams also performed well, but they feel just a hair undersized and loose in the tire when I crawl on steep sidehills.
After testing out a number of inner foam sizes, I settled on using the 4.5” inner closed cell foams with soft outer foams in the front and medium outer foams in the rear. The 4.25” inner foams also performed well, but they feel just a hair undersized and loose in the tire when I crawl on steep sidehills.
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Pushing The Limits – Kong Trail
Hidden deep in the back section of Badrock Ridge is a cluster of short, steep, and highly technical trails. One of the more challenging trails is Kong. Situated as a short loop running around a tall block of sandstone, it really doesn’t look possible at first. The goal is to make one full loop, without having your truck crash to the bottom of the rock below, or land on your face as you try to scale the last bit with the truck a few feet above your head and out of arms reach. Unless you're quick like a cat, when the truck falls, you’ll end up wearing it like a hat. Starting at the bottom notch of Kong Trail, the Worm carefully began the approach up the south face, following a jagged scar rippling across the face. |
The Worms at the top of Kong trail.
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100% focus on Kona trail.
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Halfway up, things begin to get tricky. There are two possible lines to follow for the summit. The inner line keeps you on the trail, but you end up dealing with a number of undercuts and jagged outcroppings all while being forced to hang the outside tires off the edge of the trail’s path.
That line continues to pinch tight near the top and becomes quite narrow. At this point you either have to run the driver’s side tires up on the wall or hang the passenger tires off the edge. It’s a good idea to have your catcher’s mitt on for this because you’re gonna be catching your truck during the first few attempts. The other line has you veer off the trail and over the outside edge, then hang a sweeping left turn to wrap the truck up and around while trying to maintain traction. This sidehill is very steep, pushing past 60 degrees in some spots. For all intents and purposes, it’s a non-starter for the majority of crawlers. |
Approaching the halfway point, the two options presented both seemed pretty terrible, but I felt the Worm's sidehill performance had been superb and the Ruptures have been nothing short of stunning in their grip on the rock.
Driving off the side to the right, I though for sure the truck would topple over, but surprisingly it held. Creeping at a tediously slow pace, I inched along the wall’s face as I search for the right spot to start the leftward sweep. There was a short-undercut channel that I needed to work my way past, then I could start the turn and get the Worm running up the rock. It was taking everything from the suspension and tire setup to prevent the truck from tipping over.
Driving off the side to the right, I though for sure the truck would topple over, but surprisingly it held. Creeping at a tediously slow pace, I inched along the wall’s face as I search for the right spot to start the leftward sweep. There was a short-undercut channel that I needed to work my way past, then I could start the turn and get the Worm running up the rock. It was taking everything from the suspension and tire setup to prevent the truck from tipping over.
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Working along with the slow hum of the outrunner motor in the background, I made it past the undercut and pulled hard left. The gritty loose surface of the rock worked almost like a dig, allowing the rear to slip down and slide under the front of the truck.
Downside is that you really don’t have complete control of this like a Dig, so I was just hoping that it would grab hold. A bit more steering and twisting, and the Worm was pointed in the right direction and ready to complete the final ascent. The truck was just a mere two feet from the top. Winding up the motor carefully, the Worm started to climb the last bit of vertical wall with the Rupture’s cleats popping and grinding along the way. The moderate 19% overdrive helped to keep the front pulling as well as it could, but the steep incline had the truck tilted so far back that only the tips of the lugs were just touching the rock’s surface. Finally after a few more moments, the truck crept up the crest of the rock and pulled itself to the top. I was very pleased with this performance and boosted my already strong confidence in the Worm to another level. |
50/50 chance of the Worm falling back and landing on the photographer's face.
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The VS 410 Pro at the top of Ahab.
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Ahab
Besides the variety of challenging trails at Badrock Ridge, there are a few stand-alone rocks which feature short and impressively difficult ascents. One of the most famous is Ahab. Much like the fictional character in Moby Dick, this brooding chunk of sandstone features an old, heavily weathered and eroded southern face which looks all but impossible to climb. The blackened, fractured surface of desert varnish speaks to the countless millennia that rock has been resting in the arid Mojave Desert. |
Kyle and I had stumbled across this rock some months ago and it proved to be as much as the Worm could handle at the time, and downright impossible for the VS 410’s. Since that time, the VS 410 has been undergoing tuning and adjusting, and with the new Ruptures they seemed to have reached a new level of performance. It was time to try Ahab once again.
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Starting at the base of Ahab one cool fall morning with the GoPro filming, I decided to give it a test with the VS 410 and see if it was possible.
The Rupture tires had been outperforming my expectations on somewhat of a regular basis, so I felt that Ahab might be within reach. With the custom front bumper, the Vanquish has an excellent approach angle and easily crawled up onto the rock face and nestled the rear tires at the bottom. I figured that part was going to be simple, but I had no idea if I could it get off the ground. |
The best lines had already been figured out with the Worm, so now it was just down to the truck’s ability with the Rupture tires.
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Initially the tires were just spinning, then suddenly a lug caught and the Vanquish started to climb. I stayed on the throttle and fished the front tires around looking for traction, slowly working my way to the top.
The weathered rock had plenty of features to grab, but the incline was incredibly steep. This was all mechanical traction from the Rupture’s lugs grabbing hold where they could. In the video you can hear them popping and clawing at the rock’s surface. A little slipping here and there, but the VS 410 continued to lean into the rock. The new front Drav Tech shocks seems to be keeping the front of the truck more planted on this steep incline as it worked it's way to the top. I was quite shocked that the truck made it, so I spent the next hour there making six more ascents to the top just to make sure the first ascent wasn’t a fluke. |
Getting to the top is only 50% of the game. Going down Ahab is sketchy at best.
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Worm at Korhale
Heading back to the Valley of Korhale, I was confident with the Worm and its ability to knock off difficult climbs, and there was one troublesome line that had remained unconquered by any of the rigs. I felt with the Ruptures, the Worm would be able to make it to the top. Starting at the base of the east wall, I eased the Worm up at an angle in order to get three tires on the rock and settle into the smooth surface. There is a small crease running upwards to the left on the rock face, and there is just enough of an edge for a tire to catch on. |
The Worm easily crawled up this first section, turning left to follow the crease up, but unfortunately that crease fades back into the rock, leaving you with a steep, smooth, and off-camber hump to clear before you reach the top.
If you push further to the left, there are other cracks and small shelves in the rock, but the angle is steeper and the slope fades into an off-camber curve that you won’t be able to recover from once the truck starts sliding. It’s a doable line, but you have to stick the front driver’s tire to the rock to make it work.
If you push further to the left, there are other cracks and small shelves in the rock, but the angle is steeper and the slope fades into an off-camber curve that you won’t be able to recover from once the truck starts sliding. It’s a doable line, but you have to stick the front driver’s tire to the rock to make it work.
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On the first attempt, I stayed right and just relied on the low center of gravity with the work and traction from the tires, and as you can see in the video, it was still slippery and tough to make.
With the second attempt, I pushed a bit more to the left and tried to hook some of the cracks and tiny shelves near the top. Half way up that line, the sidehill and steep slope had my front right tire waving to the crowd, forcing me to stop and creep back a bit until the front-end settled down. |
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Continuing on, the Worm was still fighting the side hill with most the driver’s front tire doing the serious control work. If you watch close, you can see the Ruptures twist and conform to the rock, rather than sliding off to the side.
Once I started to feel the slope decrease near the top of the hill, I ramped up the throttle and listed to the little outrunner motor sing as the Worm crawled out to the top. Absolutely stellar performance on that difficult climb.
Once I started to feel the slope decrease near the top of the hill, I ramped up the throttle and listed to the little outrunner motor sing as the Worm crawled out to the top. Absolutely stellar performance on that difficult climb.
VS 410 headed to the next rock pile.
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Final Thoughts
I spent nearly four months with the JConcepts Ruptures mounted on the VS 410 Pro with upwards of 70 hours on the trail, and I’ve worn the tread down to nubs. When paired with a good set of two-stage foams, Ruptures absolutely shine on technical rock surfaces with steep, nasty climbs. Their ability to conform to the rock’s surface along with the sticky grip of the rubber compound is quite remarkable. As for the Worm, I logged an additional 30 hours on the Ruptures tires and during that time I knocked off over a dozen technical ascents which had been out of reach before. |
The traction was at such a level where I had to make further adjustments to the suspension and balance of the Worm to keep from flipping over backwards on steep ascents.
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With that much run time on the trail, I’m comfortable in saying that the Rupture tires are hands-down the best crawling tires we have tested to date.
As a side note, while I have not personally tested the Proline Racing Trencher crawler tires at this point, I watched two very skilled drivers with solid rigs and running Trenchers unable to scale some of the more treacherous lines at Badrock Ridge which both my Vanquish and Worm were able to handle. One afternoon I loaned them the wheels and tires from the Worm, and they immediately cleared those same ascents. Both of those drivers are now running Ruptures as their main tire. Just food for thought for the moment, but I will review the Trenchers soon and put them to the test. If crawling up steep, technical rock is on your to-do list, you should seriously consider picking up a set of the Ruptures when they are in stock. |
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After a dozen outings on the trail, the Ruptures were finally starting to show some wear.
In this image, you can see the squared edges of the islands wearing down into points, with some additional wear forming in between the tread pattern. This is all part of the tradeoff between longevity and performance. |
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Punch Line
Go out and buy a set immediately. Install your favorite two-stage foam and make a beeline with your crawler to the most challenging trail in your area. You won’t be disappointed. |
Evaluation Results
Technical Rock: 30/30
Large Slab ( Slick Rock ): 20/20
Tire Construction Quality and Appearance: 19/20
Rubber Compound: 20/20
Tread Life: 3/5
Versatility: 4/5
Total Score: 96/100
Technical Rock: 30/30
- So the Ruptures reach the high-water mark for technical rock crawling. This tire combines the soft Green Dot rubber compound with a tall, rounded tire design with these small “islands” for tire lugs, and they wrap perfectly around the rough and eroded terrain. If you’re not getting to the top with Ruptures, you’re not getting there unless you throw your truck up there.
Large Slab ( Slick Rock ): 20/20
- 10-Rock is one trail at Badrock Ridge which has defeated many different crawlers over the years, but we were finally able to knock it off with two of our crawlers from the fleet, and both ran Rupture tires for that effort. Nearly 30’ tall and slick as a can be for sandstone, this trail give no margin, and the Ruptures were able to make it happen. Until we find a pin tire which might hold a slight edge of the Ruptures, these are the slick rock tire for ultimately performance.
Tire Construction Quality and Appearance: 19/20
- Molding detail, excellent design for the tread pattern, flawless bead molding, and perfect carcass thickness. Robust and flexible, this level of quality is really the benchmark in the RC crawler tire industry. As for the looks, they are not as sexy as the Tusks, but they’re all about performance.
Rubber Compound: 20/20
- JConcepts green rubber compound is one of the very best we have tested. It’s sticky, pliable, and performs well under a wide range of temperatures.
Tread Life: 3/5
- These tires will get eaten up over time, and part of that is due to pushing them up steep, slick trails where there is a significant amount of sliding which takes place. The other reason is that they derive some traction from the smooth sections of tire between the lugs, and this wears out a bit faster than other tires. That’s the price you pay for performance.
Versatility: 4/5
- Ruptures can handle nearly any terrain you might throw at them, so in that sense, they are highly versatile. That said, there are better choices for general trailing with your truck.
Total Score: 96/100
Pros
Cons
Specs
Test Crawlers
- A superb crawling tire: the very best we have tested to date.
- Very good attention to detail and craftsmanship.
- Excellent price point.
- Premium soft, sticky rubber compound.
Cons
- They can be hard to find at times.
- When your friends find them, you'll be back on a level playing field.
Specs
- JConcepts Ruptures Scaling Tire
- Part Number: 3053-02
- Weight: 60 grams per tire.
- Rubber Material: Super Soft Green Compound
- Directional: No
- Size: 4.92” ( 125mm )
- Retail Price: $20.00 per pair.
Test Crawlers
- Vanquish VS 410 Pro
- Castle Copperhead 10 / Brood Racing Slither Brushed Motor
- Reefs 444 Servo
- 3s Lipo Battery
- Driving Weight: 2650 grams
- Losi Night Crawler
- Castle Copperhead 10 / Brood Riot 1600 kv Brushless Motor
- Reefs 422 Servo
- 4s Lipo Battery
- Driving Weight: 1900 grams