Real-World Tyre Comparison: Team Corally Gripper vs. ARRMA dBoots Copperhead 2
Hey everyone, I wanted to drop some highly accurate, real-world data into the build thread regarding tyre choices for 1/8 scale monster trucks and stunt rigs.
There is a lot of conflicting information online about tyre weights and handling characteristics, so I took a brand new
Team Corally Gripper and a standard
ARRMA dBoots Copperhead 2 and put them on a commercial-grade scale.
I also did some side-by-side physical testing to see how their design profiles alter the driving dynamics of rigs like the XTR and the EXB.
Here is the definitive breakdown:
The Weights (Commercial Scale Verified)
- Team Corally Gripper (1/8 Scale): 310 g (Note: My personal running wheel weighs 315 g, which includes exactly 5 g of wheel weights used to precisely balance it).
- dBoots Copperhead 2 (1/8 Scale): 349 g (Unbalanced).
The Verdict: The Copperhead 2 is exactly
39 g heavier per wheel than the stock Gripper. Across a full set of four, that adds up to an extra
156 g of rotating, unsprung mass that your drivetrain has to spin up and slow down.
Profile, Construction, & Footprint
The Copperhead 2: Noticeably wider overall out of the box, but it features a rounder crown and a much firmer carcass/sidewall. The foam inside is also considerably stiffer.
The Corally Gripper: Features a flatter, squarer tread profile. The tire carcass is softer, and the foam is highly compliant and forgiving.
Mid-Air Dynamics & The "Pizza Cutter" Effect
If you wonder why a rig running Grippers (like the XTR) generally has vastly superior mid-air control and backflips much more readily than a heavier EXB on Copperheads, it isn't just the overall weight of the rig—it's physics.
Because the Grippers are softer and more compliant, they readily expand into narrow "pizza cutters" the moment the throttle is blipped mid-air. This expansion forces the tire's mass further away from the central hex hub, drastically increasing its rotational inertia. This creates a massive gyroscopic burst of rotational force that pitches the nose of the truck up violently.
Conversely, the Copperhead 2 features a stiffer, more structured carcass that resists ballooning. Because its diameter stays static mid-air, you lose that aggressive pitch control, meaning backflips require more effort/air time.
Surface-Specific Performance
Based on their distinct designs, each tyre excels in completely different running environments:
Short/Thick Grass: Advantage Gripper. The softer, squarer footprint flat-packs itself into the grass, grabbing maximum traction. The compliant foam completely absorbs hidden bumps and dips, giving the rig a beautifully plush, planted ride.
Soft, Loamy Dirt: Advantage Copperhead 2. In deep, loose terrain where the tyres sink, the rounder profile acts like a wedge. As the tire submerges, its total contact patch vastly increases, and the firm carcass prevents it from collapsing under heavy loads, allowing the deep side lugs to paddle the truck forward.
Hard-Bonded Surfaces / Tarmac: Advantage Copperhead 2. On high-traction asphalt, soft tyres suffer from sidewall roll (where the tyre fold
s under itself during sharp cornering). The firmer carcass and sidewall of the Copperhead 2 resist this lateral distortion, keeping the tread flat and offering much more precise, predictable handling.
but if I where to I think I might sleep bit easier knowing it was custom one done specifically for me. But would like to think you would get a chunk change back from £200 getting it done in uk 
so in the end I gave up
