Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio - Long Range Walkie Talkie FRS Handheld Radio 4 Day Battery Life Max Durability

I've been using the Rocky Talkie radios in a variety of outdoor applications for the past 10 months and feel confident in saying they are as close to perfect as you'll find if you're looking to stay in contact with your partner(s). I'd been using other walkie talkie style radios (FRS/non-licensed) for decades and was consistently disappointed in the range, build quality, and user interface they offered. (I eventually became a licensed HAM radio operator which allowed me to use different equipment to address some of these concerns but my license does me little good in communicating with my backcountry partners if they are not licensed HAMs as well.) Last year I came across an advertisement for Rocky Talkies and while they caught my attention I was a bit skeptical at first. I eventually placed an order after talking with a friend who owns a set. My review below shares my thoughts on two key areas in which I evaluate communication tools. I hope you find it helpful. First, is the radio practical? Will the overall effort involved (keeping the battery charged, remembering to pack them along, carrying them in such a way that they are easily accessible on the route/mountain, etc.) be worth it? My answer, absolutely. My experience has been these radios make the outdoor experience better when conditions limit typical voice communication. My standard application for these radios is multi-pitch rock and ice climbing on routes where communication with your partner is challenging due to the terrain, wind, and nearby climbers shouting to each other in attempts to be heard. The extendable lanyard/clip as well as the full-strength integrated carabiner make these radios incredibly suited to be carried outside your pack or on your harness. (I remember years ago keeping my radios in my pack because there was no convenient way to carry them on the route and I didn’t want to drop them.) Rocky Talkies have positively addressed these issues of practicality entirely in my opinion. Second, what’s the build quality? Will the radio withstand the harsh nature of outdoor sports and their environments? Will the signal power and antenna be effective? How’s the battery life? In my experience the build quality of these radios is incredible. The shatterproof display is greatly appreciated as is the rubberized armor that surrounds the device without adding unnecessary bulk. The display is easily read in bright sunlight as well as total darkness. The voice clarity is phenomenal and I love being able to easily turn off the annoying beeps that so many other handheld radios integrate into their transmissions. I have yet to push the range limits of the Rocky Talkies (25+ miles with a line of sight) but from my experience so far, I’m optimistic they will deliver if that situation arises. The 1550 mAh Li-ion battery holds a charge very well and being able to cycle to a lower transmission power helps conserve the battery when your partner is in closer proximity. Overall, I’m extremely satisfied with these radios and would recommend them to anyone looking to better communicate with your partners while out climbing, skiing, hiking, riding, biking, hunting, or paddling. Have fun out there! Read more

Best walkie talkies out there. My family has so many different types of walkie talkies for outdoor adventure from very expensive to waterproof. These have very clear sound and we look forward to testing the range and battery life soon on the ski hill. So far, they seem like a great option and very functional with the clip for easy backpack, fishing pack or life jacket attachment options. Read more

Easy set up. Great way to give my 9 year old some independence and remain in communication while he plays in the in the neighborhood. Read more

I was looking for a solution for medium range communication that would work for cycling on rural roadways and city streets. I bike with my partner and, sometimes, our pace differs, getting some distance between us to the point that we can no longer just call out to each other. I bought two of these Rocky Talkies, have taken them on several rides, and, WOW, what a convenience! Pros: - Dual clip design: Saved me once when it came unclipped from my jacket, but was still clipped to my pants (thus prevented it from bouncing down the road) - Solid build: the rubber housing definitely stands up to a bit of abuse - Secure features: You can use sub-channel encoding to keep your conversations private on the approved FCC radio bands - Many controls: Volume / Low vs. High power transmission / Lock Radio - Long battery life - Clear communication: Transmitting and receiving. Even picked up my voice well when not speaking directly into it. Cons: - Not great city performance: It works great out in the countryside but the radio waves don't seem to enjoy large buildings when you're trying to talk several city blocks over. However, I found switching over to High power does work more reliably in this environment. (I will also point out that I bought it knowing the city specs listed "up to mile"... It seems like half a mile on Low power is about what I was getting) - No indication it is powered on: A small nit-pick here but I have accidently left the radio sit on after a ride because Powered Off and Powered On / Sleeping looks exactly the same. Maybe if there were a small green led on the display / power button to indicate it is still in operation Basically, these were wonderful for communicating cars approaching, route changes up ahead, neat birds to look at when riding past a certain spot, or, most importantly, when your chain falls of the derailleur and you need call ahead to let your riding partner know. I could see these being useful for anyone who does outdoor sports / activities where some distance will be put between you and others and you may need to quickly and reliably relay information. Read more

Good battery life Good distance Read more

As advertised Read more

My husband says these are the best walkie-talkies he’s ever used. He’s already had three friends purchased them after seeing his. Read more