XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Custom
The desert Gundam trades its scimitars for a space-combat refit, and the kit is a genuinely relaxing weekend build.
MechaGrade Score
Gundam Sandrock Custom · 1/144 · 2021
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This is one of the easiest kits I have put together in a long time, and it still comes out looking sharp on the shelf.
Bandai built it on the same forgiving HG Wing-series frame that made the base Sandrock a favorite, so the fun-to-frustration ratio is heavily tilted toward fun. It will not blow anyone away with engineering tricks, but as a faithful, poseable rendition of the space-upgraded Sandrock it delivers exactly what it promises.
Best for: Gundam Wing fans and returning builders who want a low-stress, high-payoff kit with real posing range
What it is
The Sandrock Custom is the space-combat upgrade Quatre gets after the desert-suit Sandrock, and this HGAC captures that shift with a reworked backpack, extra vernier thrusters tucked into the shoulder and rear skirt armor, and the same twin Heat Shotels the original was known for, now joined by a beam machine gun and manipulator hands for grip work. Building it felt like a palate cleanser between fussier kits. Almost nothing is small or brittle, the parts key together cleanly, and by the time the shotels went into its hands I already wanted to start posing it rather than moving on to the next runner.
The catch
It leans on stickers rather than molded color for some of the finer trim, so if you want the cleanest look you are either living with sticker seams or breaking out paint. One recurring complaint from builders is a thick nub on the back of the ankle armor that takes a careful hand to clean up without leaving a visible scar. Because this version was originally a Bandai Hobby Online Shop exclusive before its wider re-release, pricing runs a notch above a typical HG for what is still a fairly modest part count, so value-per-dollar is good but not exceptional.
Who it's for
If you grew up on Gundam Wing or just want a Gundam that can hold a genuine sword-fighting pose without fighting you back, this is an easy recommendation, including for newer builders since nothing here demands advanced technique. Skip it if you specifically want the Endless Waltz movie look with the anti-beam cloak, since that is a separate later release, or if sticker-reliant trim is a dealbreaker for you. Everyone else gets a quick, satisfying build and a display piece that earns its spot on the shelf.
The build story
What the build is actually like, and the engineering worth knowing about.
Construction moves fast. Parts are sized comfortably for adult hands, gate placement stays mostly out of visible surfaces, and cleanup is light aside from that one troublesome ankle nub builders keep flagging. I never felt like I was fighting brittle plastic or hunting for a part that vanished across the room.
The frame borrows from the well-liked HG Wing-series engineering, so the payoff is in how it moves rather than in hidden inner-frame complexity. Double-jointed knees and elbows plus a ball-jointed neck let it hit dynamic anime poses, the twin Heat Shotels store on the shield or backpack when not in hand, and the beam machine gun and manipulator hands round out a loadout that covers most scenes from the show.
Lore & trivia
- 01The Sandrock Custom is Quatre Raberba Winner's space-combat upgrade of his original desert-suit Gundam Sandrock, refit with added verniers for orbital mobility.
- 02Mechanical designer Katoki Hajime redesigned the suit's armament and silhouette for its screen appearances, keeping the signature twin Heat Shotels as its core weapon.
- 03This HGAC release started life as a Bandai Hobby Online Shop exclusive in 2021 before becoming a wider regular-release item for western markets.
What other builders say
This write-up is grounded in real reviews and builder discussion, not just one opinion. A few worth reading:
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