Understanding the Basics
We often get the question: "What is the best brand of track set to buy?" Well, the simple answer is, they are all good. Here at HotSlots132, we sell products from only the top companies in the industry. That way, we know that we can always get quality customer service, replacement parts, and can maintain a much higher percentage (our goal is always 100% but can't always get there...) of all the necessary accessories in stock for our customers.
Carrera, Scalextric Sport, SCX, and Ninco are all quality companies that have been around for a long time. No matter which of these brands you choose, the track they make is of adequate quality to enjoy your hobby for years to come.
To get started in the 1/32 slot car hobby, start out with a slot car track set, or maybe two. All race track sets from all manufacturers come with everything you need to get started in this great hobby: cars, track, controllers, and power supply, with one exception: the Ninco Master Track Sets do not come with cars. We do recommend you buy the most expensive set you can afford, simply because the bigger, more expensive sets are the best value. These track sets come with added accessories like lap counters, borders, guardrails. All these accessories are items you'll end up getting anyway, so it makes sense just to get them now. Check the "Read More" section for a complete list of accessories included in each of the track sets that we sell. If you plan a major expansion, (because of the value) we recommend you consider buying another set. That way you have 2 new cars, spare controllers, power supply as well as the extra track you need to expand your layout. With this in the back of your mind; let's check out the differences between these brands. This will help you decide which brand of track will be best for you.
Choosing The Best Track Brand
As we mentioned above, for the home 1/32 slot car hobbyist, any of the brands we sell will be just fine to purchase and build a life-long hobby. However, there are differences from brand to brand such as track width, slot depth, surface texture, ease of assembly, and type of plastic used in the manufacturing of the track. These variables may or may not make an important difference depending on your particular circumstances.
Just to give you a quick visual on these different types of track (see our comparison pictures and information below):
| Comparison Chart |
|
Scalextric Sport |
SCX |
Carrera |
Ninco |
| Track Width |
6 1/8" |
6 1/16" |
7 3/4" |
7 1/16" |
| Slot Separation |
3 1/8" |
3 1/8" |
3 7/8" |
3 17/32" |
| Slot Depth |
3/16” |
3/16” |
1/4" |
1/4" |
Carrera is the only track made out of a hard, smooth styrene plastic. This makes it brittle when compared to the soft plastic that the other manufacturers use. I chose Carrera for HotSlots132 Speedway because it was going to be set up and left in place. I don’t plan on taking it apart other than possibly changing the layout. It is set up on a permanent table and never gets mistreated by dogs or kids. I also like to run the Carrera Exclusiv slot cars which are 1/24 scale.
Carrera is the only track wide enough to accommodate this scale. Carrera track is more difficult to put together and take apart, requiring clips to hold it together firmly. The drawback is obvious, it's a pain in the butt to put together, but once together properly, it is the tightest fitting, smoothest track on the market. Carrera track is also less vulnerable to temperature extremes because styrene is less likely to warp in hot weather. Also, the rails have more nickel content in them making them less likely to corrode in humid conditions. But since Carrera is the widest track, it also takes up the most room, making it harder to use when you don't have a lot of space.
Carrera also has a good variety of banked turns, where Ninco does not. All in all, if you are a grown up and you have lots of space to devote to a track layout and you plan to set it up on a permanent table and leave it up, Carrera may be the best choice for you. Carrera track specifications: 7 3/4" wide, 3 7/8" lane spacing, 1/4" slot depth.
See all of our info about
Carrera track sets, track accessories, and slot cars.
NOTE:
Carrera is now offering their newest version of the Track Planning software as a free download. If you would like a copy, go to
Carrera Track Planner.
Ninco is a good alternative to Carrera if your criteria is track width, since it is the second widest track available. Ninco track is of the soft plastic nature so it is forgiving to mis-use. It isn't brittle like Carrera track, so if it gets stepped on or otherwise treated a little rough, by kids for example, it should survive okay. A word to the wise however, I recommend adults or older kids 12+ assemble track of any brand, it is just too easy for a little kid to treat the track rough, and with any sort of mis-use, you run the danger of loosening the connections causing conductivity problems.
Ninco race track is of the rough textured variety, which is designed to help give it more traction than the smooth tracks like Carrera or Scalextric Sport. Ninco also offers off road and snow track. Neither, Carrera or Scalextric offer this.
Philosophies differ though as some racers prefer to get their traction from tires; they think a track surface should be as smooth as possible. Others feel that a rough surface track like Ninco and SCX is more desirable, giving the tires a little extra grip. I have heard of people actually sanding Ninco track to make it somewhat smoother. (In real life, Ninco and SCX track would be like an oil and chip surface, Carrera and Scalextric Sport would be a smooth asphalt.)
With the release of the
Ninco Master Track, Ninco opened up the hobby to people who felt they did not have enough space for a slot car track. With 40 feet of track in a 4'x8' space, Ninco may well be the choice for you; as they are the only company now to offer this setup.
See all of our info about
Ninco track sets, track accessories, and slot cars.
NOTE:
Ninco now has a
DVD track planner.
Ninco track is flexible enough to allow you to ‘bank’ their regular curves with the help of banked track supports provided by the manufacturer.
Scalextric Sport track has been around for a few years now and has quickly become the favorite track for many people in the 1/32 hobby. Scalextric Sport track replaced Scalextric Classic track, which is essentially the same as SCX track. Sport has quickly gained favor with 1/32 home track builders worldwide because of it's smooth, tight-fitting racing surface. Again it is made of soft plastic, somewhat forgiving to abuse, making it excellent for children. For those who prefer a smooth, textured track surface but do not have the room for Carrera, Scalextric Sport is the answer. When HotSlots 1/32 Slot Car club decided to construct a mobile track for outdoor racing and on-location demonstrations, we chose Scalextric Sport track.
An interesting layout can be made with only a 4 foot wide table, and Scalextric Sport track goes together and breaks down relatively fast, so Scalextric Sport is great if you don't have the room for a permanent layout. Scalextric Sport also has banked track available in a variety of radius choices. If you are looking for a versatile, smooth surfaced, durable track, you can't go wrong with Scalextric Sport.
See all of our info about
Scalextric track sets, track accessories, and slot cars.
NOTE:
Scalextric now has a
DVD track planner.
as well as a
booklet
you can buy.
SCX is just like the old Scalextric Classic. In fact, we sell a lot of SCX to people who have Scalextric Classic track left over from their
childhood. It is a soft plastic, rough surface track that is very forgiving to abuse. It is very popular in Spain, where SCX is actually called Scalextric in that country. Back when 1/32 slots was just a hobby for me and not a business, I had a small SCX layout that I was perfectly happy with. But when I started this business, my track had to grow and I also had to accommodate Carrera 1/24th scale cars. If I had merely stayed a hobbyist and just kept a small layout in my basement for occasional use, I most likely would not have gone to the expense of switching brands. Besides, since my kids were small, SCX was a good choice. But as club racing and a larger layout became necessary, Carrera became a better choice for my needs. However, because SCX track is the narrowest, you can assemble the most track in smaller spaces with their system, so if space is a major consideration, consider SCX analog track.
See all of our info about
SCX track sets, track accessories, and slot cars.
NOTE: SCX has a
track planning feature in the multimedia section
on their website.
SCX offers a banked curve accessory and is also flexible enough to allow you to "bank" their regular curves with the help of banked track supports provided by the manufacturer. So you are not limited to Carrera or Scalextric Sport if you want to add some banking in your layout.
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