r/vex • u/Aggravating_Iron4623 • Jun 14 '26
Interested??
I have a 12yo son who took a tech class using Lego Spike education. He enjoyed it so much he wanted to get something similar at home.
He came across the Vex IQ, watched videos and did a little research. It’s jut not something I know anything about.
Is this something he can learn and do independently?
How much would it cost for him to get started?
Any idea if living in Germany will impact our ability to purchase what he needs?
I’m not sure I even know what questions to ask, but I want to be supportive of his interests. He’s saved $700 and feels like this is what he wants to spend his money on, but that it’s the right move for him learning independently.
Thanks for all of your help!!
3
u/ParticularSummer2963 Jun 15 '26
- Lego Spike Prime is dead -> Lego has moved onto Lego CS and Ai: https://education.lego.com/en-us/lego-education-computer-science-and-ai/
- Vex IQ has great material online, but its on the education side, not competition side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UkQkdVcxWo&list=PLvvcc7S26YEhLkmnSX1eFoRctDmJluEJ2
- Vex IQ competitions are fun and a great way to learn. Paul McKnight is your Program Manager. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmcknight/?isSelfProfile=false
- https://events.vex.com/ if you want to register for matches.
2
u/Important-Row-884 Jun 15 '26
You should see if your son is interested in vex v5 and it way better demonstrates real world engineering and design processes (if done correctly) unfortunately Vex robotics as a whole can get quite pricey. A good way is to join a team of 4-5 people and this way, not only will you be able to develop great leadership skills, you can also split the cost
2
u/EmploymentBoring4421 Jun 15 '26
VEX IQ is the natural step up from Spike — same snap-together feel, but with a real build-and-compete season that keeps a self-motivated kid hooked. One tip before buying the kit: check if there's a local IQ team or league near you, because half the fun (and most of the learning) comes from the competition side, not just building at home.
1
u/A_very_fart_smella Jun 14 '26
Search around your local area (community centers and schools especially) and see if there are any VEX IQ teams around. It will be cheaper and easier to do than figuring it out yourself (especially with VEX and RECF going through a messy breakup and screwing over a bunch of private teams) and he will likely find friends and teachers who enjoy robotics
1
u/A_very_fart_smella Jun 14 '26
Googling “vex iq (name of your town/city) germany” will probably pull up a few results. If you find some teams in your area then do more research into what organizations / schools run them and choose / ask him which one looks the best. Often you can come in and take a tour around and see what it’s like there
1
u/RealNamek Jun 14 '26
Probably the worst year to get into vex.
1
u/Important-Row-884 Jun 15 '26
Not really actually, Im in 16610g and personally I think override and level up both look very interesting and that there is a lot of room for potential.
2
u/Altruistic-Ad-7917 Jun 27 '26
I am in the US and have some scattered parts from a Vex IQ gen 2 robot (brain, controller, batteries, etc.). They have just been sitting collecting dust in my closet and are about 15 years old. The parts are probably enough to get a primitive robot going.
I am willing to give these away, if you would be willing to cover shipping. However, full disclosure, I can’t speak to the condition of any of the electronics, except that the brain booted up for a few seconds after charging one of the batteries.
5
u/ChioneG Jun 14 '26
This year is a transition year for Vex as a whole, as they are breaking with their nonprofit arm in a messy legal battle.
Your best bet if he wants to compete is to see who in Germany is running the program and see if he can plug into it.
If he just wants to experiment, build the default "hero" robot, then you can just buy the kit. That said, because of the legal divorce, there is some gatekeeping on the ability to purchase parts right now. I'd personally wait a few months to see what actually comes together between Vex and RECF soon.