Challenger 301 Review: A Reliable Rig for Racers of All Abilities

There are two main ways to go sim racing. Casual racers will normally bolt their wheel to the desk and sit in an office chair while hardcore racers build bulky, heavy rigs that can dominate an entire room.

Welcome to the Challenger 301 from RacGTing for those wanting a middle ground. It provides the hardcore sim racing experience of a fixed seat with your wheel and pedals at the perfect position but without the cost and size of a full racing rig like Max Verstappen’s.

RacGTing sent us a Challenger 301 to test out, so let’s see how it handles.

• Buy the Challenger 301 for yourself and save an extra 5% off the price

Ready to race

First up is the assembly process. Usually a daunting task, the RacGTing Challenger 301 is extremely easy to set up. The stand arrives pretty much fully assembled, with the only tasks being to bolt the seat upright to the base and attach the wheel and pedal mount plates.

These are all straightforward tasks, made easier if you have someone to help you but they are perfectly doable by yourself. Everything fits perfectly, with the wheel mount slotting nicely into the frame while the pedal mount clips onto the base.

The seat back pitch is fully adjustable via two bolts on either side, allowing players to race in the most comfortable position. The pedal plate also has two bolts to allow players to adjust the distance of the pedals to find that driving sweet spot.

The wheel plate is also pitch-adjustable on its mount to add further customization, with a small plate for a gear shifter which can be fitted on either side depending on preference.

All the bolts and tools required to attach wheelbases are included with the stand, however, not all wheelbases are the same. Our MOZA R12 wheelbase was a little tricky as the bolts provided were too long to tightly hold it. After acquiring a few nuts we were able to quickly solve that issue though!

There was a similar issue attaching MOZA SR-P pedals to the pedal mount, with the bolt slots not quite aligning correctly. The stand is designed to accommodate Fanatec, Logitech, and Thrustmaster products, so it’s not too surprising that our MOZA setup didn’t quite fit. However, the pedals were stable and able to stand up to hour after hour of racing.

Overall, the whole assembly took less than 30 minutes, with most of the time spent testing out the perfect position. So with the construction complete, how does the Challenger 301 handle out on the virtual track?

Comfortable Racing

The seat is incredibly comfortable to sit in, even for long periods, while the adjustable nature of the seat back, pedal plate, and wheel mount means sim racers of all shapes and sizes can find the right settings. The seat is equipped with a strap for racers to add a cushion for neck support, providing more comfort if needed.

Adjusting everything from the seat is seamless, meaning minor tweaks can be made between track sessions to ensure optimum performance when the lights go out. The only bolts hard to reach are the ones on the seat back itself, this is also the least likely adjustment needed to be made on the fly.

There is a little flex in the wheel plate during some of the more intense on-track moments. This is to be expected from a wheel stand that isn’t a fully rigid rig. As with every new racing product, after a while, you can adjust quite naturally and carry on with your racing. This flex was also only notable on the most extreme simulator titles and with a full 12Nm from the wheelbase. Once the force feedback was dialed down and a less intense game like F1 24 and Forza Motorsport loaded up the flexing disappeared.

Having the seat, wheel, and pedals in a single assembly meant we felt every bump in the track in a way you just don’t get from any other setup. This helps simulate the real thing, enhancing the racing experience far more than a simple desk setup.

Getting in and out of the stand does take a little practice, especially if you are in a confined area like our small office. Climbing in and out of the seat did prove tricky, especially with a heavy wheelbase and wheel hanging off the side of the assembly. This small negative is quickly overpowered by the amazing foldable storage design though. The stand tucks neatly away after use, with the unit able to be tucked under a desk or behind a door until it’s time to go racing again.

A valuable sim racing asset

At the time of writing, the RacGTing Racing Wheel Stand Challenger 301 is priced at £171/$219.99 via RacGTing’s website. This may seem like a hefty price to pay, but for sim racers looking to graduate from an office chair setup, it’s a worthy investment. Thankfully, Gfinity has a unique 5% discount code that applies itself at checkout using this link. This brings the price down to just £162.45/$208.99, making the stand a little more affordable than before.

The Challenger 301 itself, though, offers adaptability, comfort, and ease of storage. While monitor positioning can be a little tricky to get right if you are looking for something to put in the living room to play Gran Turismo 7 or F1 on the big TV the Challenger 301 is perfect.

Overall the RacGTing Racing Wheel Stand Challenger 301 is a valuable sim racing asset, providing the feel of real-world racing at a very competitive price point.

Review

RacGTing Racing Wheel Stand Challenger 301

The RacGTing Racing Wheel Stand Challenger 301 is a great choice for sim racers looking to improve or overhaul their sim racing setup. The ease of building, adjusting, and using the stand is unparalleled compared to other products currently on the market. A must-buy for sim racers of all levels.

RacGTing

challenger

8 out of 10

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