One of Novak’s most popular brushed ESCs, the Rooster, is now available in a Crawler edition. Because crawler vehicles require such precise movement control at low speeds, it only makes sense to use equipment specifically designed for this purpose. Novak is one of the few, if not the only R/C manufacturer, who offers a speed control specifically designed for crawlers. So if crawling is what you like to do, you’ll want to take a good look at Novak’s Rooster Crawler-Edition.

Besides a different case label, the Rooster Crawler looks the same as the Rooster 12T. Same small footprint, same heat sink assembly, and same 14-gauge power wires on PCB-direct solder tabs for easy soldering. Inside the orange case, however, is where crawler-specific software transforms the Rooster into a Crawler. The special software enables crawler applications to scale, navigate, and conquer the most challenging terrain.

The Rooster Crawler is equipped with an improved 6 volt/ 5 amp BEC that’s perfect for super high-torque servos in crawling conditions. Its Zero Reverse Delay allows instant power delivery in both forward and reverse when needed. High-power Drag Brakes provide monster holding power that’s especially useful when embarking on a downhill descent. And yes, the Rooster Crawler edition includes the newest must-have feature: built-in Li-Po cut-off protection. This feature monitors the vehicle’s Lithium Polymer battery pack’s voltage, and prevents the batteries from going below the critical safety voltage level. The driver is cued via throttle blips when the voltage drops to a certain level. After 20 blips it then shuts off, however, full control of the steering servo is left intact. The Li-Po cut-off protection feature can be enabled or disabled via the ESC’s two throttle profiles.

Other Rooster Crawler features include a water-resistant case, a user-replaceable input harness, and auxiliary fan connectors. Of course, all the standard features for which Novak is known are also included: One-Touch Set-Up™, Radio-Priority Circuitry™, Polar Drive Circuitry™, and Thermal Overload Protection.

The Rooster Crawler is compatible with single and dual brushed motor crawler applications such as a single Mabuchi 27-turn motor or dual 35 to 55-turn lathe motors.