We positively encourage everyone to get out in the great outdoors and enjoy the splendor of America.
Whether you’re hiking the Appalachian Trail or touring some of our beautiful national parks in a camper van or bikepacking, an important consideration is your communication systems.
In some of the nation’s better beauty spots, you’re not going to get any cellphone coverage. That’s when a reliable set of walkie talkies are essential.
If you’re lost in the woods, injured or in case of any other emergency you need a pair of these life-savers.
The good news is that they are relatively inexpensive these days and there’s an excellent range of options to choose from.
So, check out our picks for the top walkie talkies and find the right brand for your next trip.
Best Walkie Talkies
Midland 50 Channel Waterproof GMRS Two-Way Radio
This excellent choice has 50 channels to choose from and constantly monitors all of those channels for any activity.
They offer a 36-mile range for communication – so you really can cover distance with them.
Best of all, they’re completely waterproof.
You can find the Midland 50 Channel Waterproof GMRS Two-Way Radio online.
Cobra ACT120B Chat Tag Curve Wearable Walkie Talkies
If your style just won’t let you carry a walkie talkie that looks like a walkie talkie, why not check out these Cobra walkie talkies?
They clip onto your jacket (or backpack) and offer a 12-mile range which ought to be enough for most short-day trips.
They can hold a ten-hour charge too.
You can find the Cobra ACT120B Chat Tag Curve Wearable Walkie Talkies online.
Pofung UV-82 VHF UHF FM Transceiver Dual Band Two Way Radio
This is a simple but durable walkie talkie from China.
It’s in a commercial level case and offers full push-to-talk functionality.
The user guide that it comes with is surprisingly helpful and you can get a lot out of this product once you’ve spent some time with it.
The downside? It’s not waterproof.
You can find the Pofung UV-82 VHF UHF FM Transceiver Dual Band Two Way Radio online.
BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio
One of the best value walkie talkie products that there is.
It’s not 100% waterproof but it is water-resistant.
You will need an FCC license to operate it as it’s meant for a more serious radio operator.
It comes with a full one-year warranty which is excellent.
You can find the BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio online.
Proster Rechargeable Walkie Talkies
These are light and easy to use walkie talkies but be aware – they are designed for short-range use only.
Ideal for your kids to wander about near the campsite but not for deep exploration – they cover 2 miles maximum.
As long as you’re OK with that – the communication quality is excellent with this model.
You can find the Proster Rechargeable Walkie Talkies online.
Motorola Talkabout T800 Two-Way Radios
Depending on where you use these, you can get up 35 miles of range and a 25-hour battery life (using AA batteries though not the inbuilt rechargeable battery).
You also get vibration alerts, hands-free and weather channels and alerts.
This is what we’d expect from Motorola and yes, it pairs with their TALKABOUT smartphone app too (on Google Play and iTunes).
You can find the Motorola Talkabout T800 Two-Way Radios online.
Retevis H-777 Two Way Radio Rechargeable
This is another pair of walkie talkies aimed at keeping kids in touch with their parents (they’re much cheaper than smartphones).
Don’t use them for long hikes in the woods but if you want a set for home, these are perfect.
You can find the Retevis H-777 Two Way Radio Rechargeable online.
Uniden MHS75 Waterproof Handheld 2-Way VHF Marine Radio
There’s no more waterproof a walkie talkie than these IPX8-rated models from Uniden.
If you want a walkie talkie that you can rely on in any situation and which can survive being fully submerged – this is it.
The LCD display is very good too and it even offers a power boost facility to enhance the range if needed.
You can find the Uniden MHS75 Waterproof Handheld 2-Way VHF Marine Radio online.
Last Word on Walkie Talkies
We hope you found a great set of walkie talkies for your camping experiences on our list of the eight best walkie talkies.
If you did, then can we recommend that you also check out ways to keep them charged when you’re on the trail?
We’ve found the best solar powered backpacks if you want to pick up a new pack and then you can charge them as you walk.
If your backpack still has years of life in it, don’t despair, check out our portable solar panels list, instead.
Getting power for your walkie talkies, anywhere, has never been so easy.
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