5 Best Survival Walkie Talkie in 2024 | LydiaScapes

Best Survival Walkie Talkie

Nobody ever wants to be in an emergency survival situation, but it happens. You can get lost in the woods at night, or trapped on a snowy mountain separated from your group. When you’re in a scary situation like that, you’ll need a simple way to communicate with others to get help as quickly as possible. In these scenarios, having a reliable emergency walkie talkie can be the difference between life and death. To help you complete your safety guide for your next adventure, here are some of the most useful survival walkie talkies we’ve reviewed for you to choose from.

Best Survival Walkie Talkie

What is the Best Survival Walkie Talkie?

Below you’ll find the list of the top 5 Best Survival Walkie Talkie. We compiled this list from survival walkie talkies we have used, asked others about, and researched further to give you the best possible roundup. With many years of experience with walkie talkies for survival you can be assured that this article will give you what you’re looking for.

We also wrote a buying guide and answered some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) at the end of this article.

1. GOCOM G9 IP67 Waterproof Two-Way Radios

GOCOM G9 IP67 Waterproof Two-Way Radios
Specs
Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 1.9 pounds (0.86 kg)
Size: 8 x 2.4 x 1.8 inches (20.4 x 6 x 4.5 cm)
Range: up to 25 miles
Battery Life: 24 hours
Power Source: 1200mAh Ni-MH batteries
Continuous Talktime: 13 hours

For outdoor adventurers, it’s hard to look past the GOCOM G9 IP67 Waterproof Two-Way Radios. The first reason is durable and dustproof housing that is ready for submersions. Next, it offers 22 channels, 121 privacy codes, excellent distance, and an SOS button for emergencies.

While it has a built-in NOAA weather scanning, it is quite tricky to receive a clear signal. On the other hand, you can find an LCD display here and a lot of accessories, including earpieces, cables, and belt clips.

Before going somewhere with it in complete darkness, our recommendation is to check the led flashlight. Some customers mentioned that it was too dim. On the other hand, the battery here lasts about 24 hours when fully charged.

Pros

  • IP67 waterproof and dustproof,
  • VOX-ready and low-battery warnings,
  • LCD display and SOS button,
  • Come with micro-USB cables, earpieces, belt clips, and charging stations

Cons

  • Hard to receive NOAA Weather signal,
  • The led flashlight is not bright

2. Cobra ACXT645 Walkie Talkies 2 Pack

Cobra ACXT645 Walkie Talkies 2 Pack
Specs
Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 0.32 pounds (0.14 kg)
Size: 6.7 x 2.5 x 1.7 inches (17.1 x 6.5 x 4.4 cm)
Range: 35 miles
Battery Life: 12 hours
Power Source: NiMH rechargeable or AA alkaline batteries
Continuous Talktime: 8 hours

For those who travel a lot, the Cobra ACXT645 Walkie Talkies 2 Pack can become an irreplaceable piece of gear thanks to its small dimensions and waterproof IPX4 design. With these radios, you’ll always be ready for any conditions because of 10 built-in NOAA weather channels.

Here, you’ll get 22 channels in total with 121 privacy codes, a voice-activated transmission function, and vibrating feedback that activates when someone is trying to reach out to you. It’s very simple to navigate through the menus with the intuitive screen, and you also get a flashlight for emergencies.

While these don’t hold the charge for long, you can either use included Ni-MH rechargeable batteries or go for regular alkaline ones. Lastly, the max distance here is a bit lower than advertised.

Pros

  • Compact and waterproof IPX4 housing,
  • LCD screen and flashlight,
  • NOAA weather channels, VOX, and vibrating feedback,
  • Come with a micro-USB cable and a two-unit charging station

Cons

  • Drain batteries fast,
  • The transmitting range is lower than advertised

3. Midland-EX37VP E+Ready Emergency Two-Way Radio Kit

Midland-EX37VP E+Ready Emergency Two-Way Radio Kit
Specs
Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 0.1 pounds (0.04 kg)
Size: 5.5 x 2 x 1.2 inches (14 x 5.1 x 3 cm)
Range: 26 miles
Battery Life: 8 hours
Power Source: 300mAh NiMH rechargeable or AAA alkaline batteries
Continuous Talktime: 6 hours

To take the most of your journey, consider the Midland-EX37VP E+Ready Emergency Two-Way Radio Kit. The two-way 22 FRS channel radios come neatly packed in a soft carrying case that also includes a bright LED flashlight and a whistle with a built-in compass and thermometer. Since each radio has a micro-USB port, you can recharge them on the go with the Y-type cable.

These slim walkie-talkies boast an intuitive screen that shows the current channel, RX/TX icons, and privacy code. With a press of a button, you can activate VOX or NOAA weather alerts. However, the latter function is too quiet.

Right after the purchase, it’s a great idea to get a new set of batteries, because these don’t hold the charge well.

Pros

  • Slim and lightweight,
  • LCD screen,
  • NOAA weather band, VOX, and scan,
  • Come with belt clips, carrying case, Y-type charging cable, LED flashlight, and whistle

Cons

  • The battery needs an upgrade,
  • Alerts are too quiet

4. Retevis RB26 GMRS Long-Range Handheld Radio

Retevis RB26 GMRS Long-Range Handheld Radio
Specs
Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 0.43 pounds (0.19 kg)
Size: 7.3 x 2.4 x 1.4 inches (18.5 x 6.1 x 3.6 cm)
Range: 2.5 miles
Battery Life: 20 hours
Power Source: 2000mAh Li-ion battery
Continuous Talktime: 8-12 hours

For those who don’t need bells and whistles in the walkie-talkies, check the Retevis RB26 GMRS Long-Range Handheld Radio which has a simplistic and dustproof design. The product arrives with 30 channels, including 8 GMRS ones, and has a bright LED flashlight and convenient back clip.

It is incredibly convenient to recharge as it arrives with both a charging base and USB-C cable. Depending on your needs, you can refill the battery while driving, hiking via a power bank, or at home.

You can activate the VOX function or attach an external microphone to it, which helps a lot while your hands are busy. For extra safety, the product also features an emergency alarm.

As for the drawbacks, scanning is not available out of the box and requires reprogramming. It can also get static or interference at a 1.5-mile range.

Pros

  • Dustproof design,
  • Two charging methods,
  • VOX and emergency alarm,
  • Back clip and LED flashlight

Cons

  • Gets static and interference at larger distances,
  • Scanning is not available out of the box

5. DEWALT DXFRS300 Heavy-Duty Walkie-Talkies

DEWALT DXFRS300 Heavy-Duty Walkie-Talkies
Specs
Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 0.66 pounds (0.3 kg)
Size: 6.2 x 2.4 x 2.1 inches (15.8 x 6 x 5.5 cm)
Range: 3 miles
Battery Life: 12+ hours
Power Source: 1000mAh Lithium-Polymer batteries
Continuous Talktime: 8 hours

Along with being compact and lightweight, the DEWALT DXFRS300 Heavy-Duty Walkie-Talkies have a brilliant battery life with more than 12 hours of frequent use. While it is not that powerful and loud at 1 watt, it is very efficient and helps to save energy. The walkie-talkies offer exceptional UHF/FM reception with reduced interference and noises thanks to the auto squelch function.

These are optimal for construction sites since their housing can survive 2-meter drops. Additionally, these have IP67 water-resistance rating.

The backlit LCD display makes it easy to check the remaining power and current channel. Just like with many other radios, the weakest point here is a belt clip.

Pros

  • Shock-resistant design and IP67 standard,
  • Backlit LCD display,
  • UHF/FM reception,
  • VOX, Key Lock, Auto Squelch, and Power Saver functions

Cons

  • Speaker could be louder,
  • Cheap belt clips

Verdict

Based on all of our experience with walkie talkies for survival, we found that GOCOM G9 IP67 Waterproof Two-Way Radios is the best survival walkie talkie available today.

Our Premium Option is Cobra ACXT645 Walkie Talkies 2 Pack with all the best features and high-quality materials, but that’s only if you have more money to spend.

However, if you are on a slightly tighter budget, you can also consider the Midland-EX37VP E+Ready Emergency Two-Way Radio Kit as an affordable alternative.

Our other reviews you may find useful in your research:

What You Should Know Before Buying survival walkie talkies

Purpose

Size matters. The small size walkie talkies are mainly good for low range communications or communications in enclosed areas because of their small size also led to reduction in transmiter and antenna size. The long range walkie talkie, waterproof and floating radios are usually suitable for communication over a long distance events like hiking and camping. They are also the best choice for communication in locations with bad network access. There are also walkie talkies that are manufacture for children as a recreational device in the house. This type only sends information over a short range and are mainly used indoors and moslty connected to small number of people in the range.

Questions and Answers About survival walkie talkies

What are preppers preparing for?

Preppers are people who are preparing themselves for natural disasters and catastrophes. They make sure to have every significant survival ration like ammunition, emergency kits, medicines, and utensils. As part of it, they also do have a set of walkie talkies as it can help people locate and communicate with each other in the emergency. Moreover, it can assist them in communicating with officials and health workers.

Are walkie talkies good for emergencies?

Walkie talkies are great as a form of communication during emergencies and can be quite reliable. They can be an excellent replacement for cases of emergencies when phone and network lines are down. This is because they rely on radio waves to communicate and it also functions on batteries which can be easily swapped with any other household items that uses batteries. The modern brands and models have additional nifty features that can be a lifesaver during emergencies. These includes VOX activation, weather alerts, SOS signals etc.

What should be in a prepper kit?

For a preppers kit, one should have water bottles, packet food, and beverages that can stay fresh for up to 30 days. In addition, one should have a waterproof tent with a torch, light, and batteries for shelter. Next, for communication and location identification, you should keep walkie-talkies with you so that you can reach the person who has the other set in case of an emergency. Finally, a first aid box with personal hygiene material should include a hand wash, shampoo, brush, toilet paper, bandages, painkillers, and hand sanitizers.

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