The humble walkie talkie isn’t the most glorious piece of equipment in our backpack or on our tool belt. But it is an essential piece of gear we’ve relied on for decades, when communicating on the job site to finding friends at remote campsites in the woods miles aways from the trailhead. While rock climbing multi-pitch routes when we can’t see or hear our partners and while skiing and boarding on the slopes to coordinate meeting up, shooting pics and videos, two-way radios just make it easier to communicate. Not to mention, they’re devices we’re happy to have in case of any emergencies, to monitor weather channels in the backcountry.
Their use is ubiquitous in many other jobs as well, from security and event production to construction sites and restaurants. Modern walkies haven’t had as drastic of an evolution as cell phones and their transformation into smartphones over the past two decades, but they’re also a far cry from the two-channel, cheap plastic walkie talkies we used as kids in our giant imaginary forest adventures. Some have advanced features like bluetooth connections or NFC chips to pair with each other, smart devices, and accessories. But at their heart they are easy-to-use communication devices that thrive where cell phones can’t.
Read on for our advice on what to keep in mind when deciding which walkie talkie is right for you, followed by our reviews of the best.
The Best Walkie Talkies
- Best Overall: Midland X-Talker T71VP3 Two-Way Radio
- Best for Adventure: Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio
- Best App Connected: Motorola Talkabout T803 2-Way Radio
- Best for Construction Sites: DeWalt DXFRS800 Two-Way Radio
- Most Powerful: BaoFeng BF-F8HP Two-Way Radio
What to Consider
While a walkie talkie is a simple, handheld, portable two-way radio, not all are the same. Some are designed for use in buildings, while others are meant for outdoor use. Some make sense for adventures and sportspeople while others have functionality best suited to first responders. And, of course, some are designed for kids. When selecting the right two-way radios for your needs, there are plenty of aspects to take into account.
The basics are battery life, transmitting power or range, durability, weather/waterproofness, and remote capabilities. More advanced features include weather channels, VOX (voice-operated exchange, which is hands-free voice-activated transmission), access to NOAA weather channels, the ability to monitor multiple channels, privacy codes, headset ports, repeater channels, and NFC and Bluetooth connections.
Range and Channels
The majority of walkie talkies are Family Radio Service (FRS) units that have 2 watts or less of broadcasting power. These need no license. Devices that have more than 2 watts of broadcasting power, up to 50 watts, are called General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) units.
GMRS devices require a license with the FCC. However, as the folks at Rocky Talkie explain on their site, it’s pretty easy to get one online in the U.S. It costs $35 and is good for 10 years, covering everyone in your immediate family. The higher the wattage means the more transmitting power and range the walkie talkie has, which generally means it uses more power and has a larger antenna. You can see that difference pretty clearly between the Rocky Talkie 5-Watt Radio and the brand’s smaller 2-watt Mountain Radio.
Both types of units are able to broadcast on a range of channels, and each of those channels has wattage restrictions. Channels 1 through 7 can broadcast at up to 5 watts. Channels 8 through 14 can only broadcast at up to 0.5 watts. Channels 15 through 22 can broadcast at up to 50 watts, making them ideal for communications up to 30 miles apart in good conditions. Some walkie talkies can broadcast on other channels, but doing so is not recommended as they may be used by emergency and first responders and it’s illegal to broadcast on them. On the other hand, Midland’s radios have “additional channels” listed on some models. But in that case they’re existing channels with pre-set privacy codes.
Speaking of, when using walkie talkies with a group of people it’s always important to check that everyone is on the same channel, and if using a private channel to reduce interference from others, that everyone is on the same privacy code. We’d also recommend locking the devices to that channel—unless you need to be on multiple channels or scanning channels.
Batteries
Most two-way radios use replaceable batteries, usually AA or AAA, rechargeable batteries, or sometimes can use either. Units with rechargeable batteries are often more expensive, but usually have good longevity for trail and backcountry use. Some units recharge in a cradle but ideally also have a port for charging via a DC or USB cable, allowing you to power up from a backup battery as needed. We’ve left units on overnight before and still had power in the morning, and some will go into a low power mode when left on. The battery will last longer if you use the walkie less or use a lower wattage mode, but that will also reduce its transmitting and receiving range.
Durability and Waterproofness
Obviously, you want your devices to last a long time, and walkie talkies should endure for years and withstand knocks and drops. Hence most don’t have touch screens or even glass screens. Most should be able to withstand minor spills or rain, but if you know you’ll be using them primarily in the water, like on a fishing boat or white-water rafting and kayaking, you’ll want a walkie talkie that’s waterproof and carries IP67 rating or higher rating. If you’re using walkies in the backcountry or on a job site, you’ll want two-way radios that are ruggedized—like the DeWalt 2-Watt Heavy-Duty Walkie-Talkie or Rocky Talkies—and can withstand drops more than some others.
Remote Capabilities
Walkie talkies have a couple of different options when it comes to remote operation. Some will allow VOX or hands-free operation and are activated by your voice. Others have wired microphones and speakers that are handheld or worn on a lapel or shoulder strap. Yet others will have an earpiece and microphone. Some modern walkie talkies can actually pair with Bluetooth earpieces, also allowing for hands-free communications. This is great when wearing a motorcycle helmet or when a wire could get in the way of whatever you’re doing.
NOAA and Multiple Channel Monitoring/Capabilities
Some walkies have additional channel monitoring or communication capabilities, like operating on two frequencies at the same time. These are handy features but using them will drain the battery faster while they’re on.
Walkie talkies designed for outdoor use, for example, can monitor NOAA weather channels, giving you some insight into the weather and the conditions you may face while camping, driving off-road, hiking, or hunting that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to access.
Still others can communicate and monitor two channels at the same time. That could allow you to communicate to multiple teams at once. For instance, in a rescue situation, you could communicate with your friends on one channel and the local sheriff’s office or the search-and-rescue team on another without having to switch channels every time.
Special-Purpose Channels
While all the channels available on walkie talkies are open to all users, some are generally used by certain groups and or in certain areas. You can talk with local organizations to find out which channels they use and broadcast on.
To help people connect with like minds, some are encouraging what they call community channels. These help people in a local backcountry area communicate with each other. Rocky Talkie has a list of some active community channels for local areas. While using these channels is helpful for some situations, you also don’t want to communicate constantly on channels that are monitored by SAR or local sheriff’s offices because you could interrupt emergency operations.
How Much Do Walkie Talkies Cost?
There’s a wide range of price for walkie talkies, but there’s also a wide range of benefits and features that come with more expensive models. So, while you can get a serviceable pair for about $30-$35, they won’t have much range or additional features. For a top-tier single walkie talkie with multi-channel monitoring, high wattage and range, as well as water- and shock-proofing, you can expect to pay over $150 per unit.
How We Selected
We based these selections on our own experiences with a variety of walkie talkies over the years. We’ve used them for everything from communicating with buddies miles away on hut trips and backcountry camping trips. We’ve also used them while mountain biking, camping in the backcountry, and while pedicabbing in the city to allow for quick communication without having to text or call on a cellphone.
Beyond that, we considered the other purposes where people need walkie talkies, whether it’s working on a job site, in a large building like a convention center, box store, and other uses. With all this in mind we considered a swath of walkie talkies with different functions and prices, factoring in the ease of use, features, range, and cost.
We tested many two-way radios in the field. For those we weren’t able to get our hands on, we researched reviews from reliable resources, including OutdoorGearLab, CNN, Forbes, Field & Stream, and more. We also took into consideration customer reviews in making these choices.
