Radio Shack ZipZaps - Zipping and Zapping with the hottest toy for Christmas!
Written: Nov 19 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Compact, peppy little car, recharges quickly
Cons: Hard to find, performance can be spotty at times
The Bottom Line: ZipZaps are fast, fun, compact and portable. This remote control toy would make an excellent gift for any child from age 8 to 108!!
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| BearySweet's Full Review: Zip Zaps Micro RC Blue 1995 Honda Civic Coupe |
My husband recently came home with a smug smile on his face and said, “You will NEVER guess what I bought today!” Hmmmmm……a new car? A house? A Villa in the Swiss Alps?? What could possible make him this excited over a purchase? I give up and out of his pocket he pulls a small car with a wire sticking out the back window and a box with and antennae. “Uhhhhhhh, okaaaaaay.” Seeing my lack of enthusiasm, my husband quickly explained that it was a ZipZap from Radio Shack and it was gearing up to be the hottest toy for boys this Christmas; possibly bigger than Cabbage Patch Dolls! Joe was thrilled that he had been able to purchase one. He said the guy at Radio Shack even held it under the counter while he rang it up stating that it would cause a riot if anyone in the store saw it. Since this purchase, Joe has been the envy of the ‘boys’ at work and a hero in his son’s eyes! So do you want to know a little more about the toy your child must have this Christmas?
ZipZaps come with 2 separate parts, the car itself and the controller/charger. The charger is lightweight and compact, measuring in at 3.75 inches wide, 2.75 inches tall and just one inch deep. I think this is the perfect size because it fits nicely in your hands but is not so small that you fumble with the controls. The front of the controller has 2 controlling buttons; the left is for forward and backward movement and the right is for turning right or left. The buttons toggle vertically and horizontally respectively and are easy to control with your thumbs. Between the control buttons is the on/off switch and the charge indicator light. At the bottom of the front of the controller/charger there is a sticker indicating the frequency for this charger. This is important and I will explain later.
The top of the charger has a clear plastic flip top protector. When flipped back you will see the extendable antennae on the right hand side and in the middle, the charger for the car. The charger is a small raised area that has an array of metal and plastic prongs for the car to click on to. When you first attach the car, the charge indicator light will turn red, when the light turns green your car is fully charged and ready to go. You release the car by pressing the release button on the front of the controller/charger and gently pulling up on the car. The charging prongs don’t stick up too far from the charger, but they are pretty thin and caution should be used when putting the car on or taking it off the charger. The plastic cover protects these prongs when the toy is not in use.
The back of the controller/charger is where you will find the battery compartment. You don’t need any tools to get into the battery compartment. ZipZaps require 2 AAA batteries, which are not included with your original purchase. Our car has received quite a bit of play in the week we have had it and we are still on the original set of batteries. On the side of the charger on the left there is a small screwdriver that can be used to change accessories on the car. It slides into the charger and sits flush, I wouldn’t have even noticed it if Joe hadn’t pointed it out to me.
The car consists of the body frame and the base. There are many different body styles and colors available; Joe got the blue 1995 Honda Civic. The cars are 1/64 scale, which looks to be a bit shorter, but chunkier than traditional matchbox cars. The detail on the body is excellent complete with head and taillights, door handles, mirrors, spoiler and moon roof visible. The windows are tinted and see through, but since there is no molded interior to the car, all you see is the circuit board and other inner workings. The car frame had 2 slits, one in the front and one in the back that fit over corresponding tabs on the car’s base. This keeps the body securely attached and allows you to easily change frames. To change the body frame, you simply pull forward at the bottom front of the car until you can lift the frame off the car base. Line up the back tab with the back slit on the new frame and click into place. The frame is made of lightweight, rigid plastic and could easily be cracked and broken if you stepped on it while it was not on the car base.
The base of the car holds the circuit board, antennae, motor, etc; everything needed to make the car work. There are many parts on the car base that are removable. These parts are very small making this a definite choking hazard for small children.
Joe’s ZipZaps kit came unassembled, but within 10 minutes he had it together and running. I have to admit, I was impressed with the car’s speed and accuracy. That little ZipZaps car was zooming around our dining room table taking corners with ease! It takes less than a minute to fully charge the car and that charge will let you run for about 8 minutes. I was really impressed with this and was glad that I didn’t have to wait long when the car ran out of juice. Within a minute we were up and zooming around again!
For the most part, the car responds immediately to your controls, however it seems to take the turns in reverse a little more slowly than when going forward. Joe mastered the controls almost immediately. It took me quite a bit longer, but I am painfully uncoordinated when it comes to remote control toys. I still really enjoy driving it around the table and trying not to bump into obstacles.
The frequency of the set Joe bought is 49MHz. Kits are also sold with a frequency of 27MHz. If you want to race the ZipZaps with a friend the two of you must have sets with different frequencies or you will run interference with one another.
My 2 and a half year old son is just crazy about this toy. Due to his age we don’t let him hold the car, as he is still quite rough with toys. We also don’t let him handle it because of the choking hazard of the small parts. But Jake is thrilled just to sit at the table and watch the car zip around. Joe occasionally lets Jake sit in his lap and maneuver the car. Although he can’t make it do much, Jake enjoys holding the controls. We had to take Jake to the doctor this week; he hates doctors and was inconsolable after his initial examination. The crying was making his cough worse then Joe remembered the ZipZaps car in his pocket. He pulled it out and Jake’s tears dried immediately! Jake calmed right down and laughed as Joe made the little car zoom around the room. It even broke the ice when the doctor came in because Jake wanted to tell her all about the car.
Joe loves the portability of his ZipZaps set. He carries it around in his computer bag or pocket and has instant entertainment. He was glad to have it the other day while waiting to have the oil changed in his truck. I like to sit down and play with it when I’m feeling stressed or frazzled and need a minute to be silly and have some fun.
Of course, what is a toy without accessories?? My head started to spin when I started looking into all the different accessories available for ZipZaps. The ZipZaps starter kit that Joe purchased included a 16,000 rpm motor, and the car base with all the standard features. The chassis Joe has is based on a 1995 Honda Civic and is one of the cars featured in “The Fast and The Furious”. You can purchase additional Chassis kits for your ZipZaps including a “The Fast and the Furious” kit and an American Classics Kit. Joe purchased the American Classics kit and received a yellow Mustang Cobra and a purple PT Cruiser. The kit also included additional hubcaps. He also purchased the Performance Kit, which includes 2 motors (10,000 and 21,500rpm), 3 suspension torsion bars, 3 transfer gears with 3 ratios, 3 rear axel/gear sets with 3 ratios and an extra motor clip with screw. Everything he has purchased so far is interchangeable on the car except for the gear sets, which of course must be used with other gear piece that matches. With all these new parts, Joe can mix and match his accessories and maximize the car’s performance.
Our only complaint with the car so far is that it seems to have a few dead spots when we are playing with it at home. By dead spots, I mean the car will lose the signal from the remote even when it is in close proximity. The car will stop, hesitate, or stop turning and go straight. It is not a huge problem, but it is annoying. It only seems to happen at home; Joe seems to think it is our wireless modem causing interference.
Although my 2-1/2 year old has had experience with the ZipZaps it was limited and only with parental help. This toy was not purchased for Jake but for the grown-up child in the house, my husband. LOL!!! Please keep in mind this toy is intended for children ages 8 and up and contains many small parts that pose a choking hazard for young children.
Joe is really happy with this purchase and I have to admit, I like this toy as well. I don’t know if the demand for this toy will be as high as they say it will be or if the people at Radio Shack are trying to increase sales by pitching it as the ‘toy to have’ this Christmas. But, it is currently selling on Ebay for $40; Joe bought it at Radio Shack for $19.99. In any case, it is an excellent toy and a perfect gift for the young or old ‘children’ in your life!
For more information about options or to take a look at the body styles available, check out www.zipzaps.com.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 19.99
Type of Toy: Car, Truck or Raceway
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Epinions.com ID:
BearySweet
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Member: Michelle
Location: The Buckeye State
Reviews written: 85
Trusted by: 68 members
About Me:
Taking a break...life is a bit crazy right now.
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