If you’re thinking of heading out for a road trip this summer or winter, you should keep your safety in mind. We quickly learned on our trips in Spain, Balkans and more that some highways don’t get good cellular service for hours at a time. For your safety, we strongly recommend getting yourself a high-quality walkie talkie for any road trips you have coming up to stay connected with the other cars in yoru convoy. Here are some of the best walkie-talkies for road trips we’ve found that have the best service range and user-friendliness.
What is the Best Walkie Talkie For Road Trips?
Below you’ll find the list of the top 6 Best Walkie Talkie For Road Trips. We compiled this list from walkie talkies for road trips we have used, asked others about, and researched further to give you the best possible roundup. With many years of experience with walkie talkie for road trips 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. Pxton 16 Channel Long Range Walkie Talkies with Earpieces
| Specs |
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 2.73 pounds (1.24 kg) Size: 8.3 x 1.9 x 2.4 inches (21.2 x 4.8 x 6 cm) Range: 3 miles Battery Life: 96 hours Power Source: 4 lithium ion batteries Continuous Talktime: 8 hours |
Pxton 16 channel long range walkie talkie is a radio that is powered by 4 lithium ion batteries which can last for about 8-12 hours when the walkie talkie is in continous use. The two-way radio offers you up to 16 available channel that you can select from by rotating the knob on the radio . Also, their customer service is good and efficient as they allow you to return the radio within 30 days of use if you have any defects spotted. However, do notw that that this hand-held radio does not have a display screen.
Pros
- Strong battery quality,
- Water resistant,
- Light-weight and portability,
- 30 days warranty by efficient and responsive customer service,
- Automatic functions like low battery and VOX voice activation transmission.
Cons
- No display screen,
- Battery can not be used for more than 24 hours.
2. Retevis RT22 Rechargeable Walkie-Talkies
| Specs |
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.55 pounds (0.25 kg) Size: 3.8 x 2.2 x 0.9 inches (9.7 x 5.6 x 2.3 cm) Range: 0.5-2 miles Battery Life: 10-12 hours Power Source: 1000 mAh lithium-ion batteries Continuous Talktime: 6-8 hours |
If you are looking for rechargeable radios with a slim design, consider the Retevis RT22 Rechargeable Walkie-Talkies. This set includes 6 units and a charging station with led indicators. Additionally, you’ll get six belt clips to save some space for other items in your pockets.
The best part here is that each radio features 16 channels with voice commands for hands-free operation. Even if you’ve left the charging station at your campsite located too far away, there is no need to worry because you can recharge a battery with a USB cable and your power bank. On top of that, there are microphone and headphones ports.
Unfortunately, the switch channel buttons are not as convenient as the regular knobs. Also, the alarm sounds are very obnoxious when programmed.
Pros
- Hands-free operation,
- Emergency alarm and channel lock,
- Comes with a multi-unit charger with led indicators,
- Slim design
Cons
- Obnoxious alarm sound,
- Not very convenient to switch the channels
3. SOCOTRAN T80 Rechargeable Walkie Talkies for Adults
| Specs |
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.11 pounds (0.05 kg) Size: 5.7 x 1.8 x 1 inches (14.5 x 4.5 x 2.6 cm) Range: 5 miles Battery Life: 72 hours Power Source: 2000mAh Li-ion battery Continuous Talktime: 24 hours |
Whether you travel a lot, enjoy hiking, camping, hunting, or need a radio for your job, the SOCOTRAN T80 Rechargeable Walkie Talkies for Adults can be a great choice because they provide up to 5 miles of signal range. The product has a bright design which makes it easier to find it should you drop it onto the grass. For ease of use, you get a user-friendly LCD screen where you can check your current channel and battery charge. The buttons below activate VOX, keylock, scan, calls, and flashlight.
Since each radio has 22 FRS built-in channels with 99 CTCSS sub-codes, they provide conversation privacy. Nevertheless, you might expect some interference if you are planning to use it indoors.
Finally, the radios arrive with lanyards, belt clips, and dock stations. But the longevity of those charging bases is questionable according to several customer reviews.
Pros
- Bright design and decent signal range,
- LCD screen, flashlight, and headphone jack,
- VOX, keylock, scan, and calls,
- Come with lanyards, belt clips, and dock stations
Cons
- Might get interference indoors,
- Charging bases could be more reliable
4. Retevis Mini Two-Way RT22 Walkie-Talkies
| Specs |
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Size: 3.8 x 2.2 x 0.8 inches (9.7 x 5.6 x 2.1 cm) Range: 1.5 miles Battery Life: 16 hours Power Source: 1000mAh Li-ion batteries Continuous Talktime: 10 hours |
If you are looking for a compact and lightweight design, consider the Retevis Mini Two-Way RT22 Walkie-Talkies. These provide 16 channels with lock function and come with dust and impact-resistant housing, which makes them a decent pick for outdoor trips, camping, and hikes. The integrated antenna is small and rugged, and it boasts a hole for a lanyard.
You can change the channel frequencies with CHIRP software if need be. Additionally, you’ll get durable belt clips that hold the radios firmly in place.
It’s a shame that the included earpieces break apart easily. Another way to benefit from hands-free functionality is VOX mode, but the sensitivity here needs improvements too.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight design,
- Drop and dust-resistant,
- VOX-ready, channel lock, and emergency alarm,
- Durable belt clip and integrated antenna
Cons
- VOX sensitivity needs improvements,
- Fragile earpieces
5. Long Range Walkie Talkies with NOAA Weather Alert
| Specs |
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.07 pounds (0.03 kg) Size: 8.9 x 8.2 x 2.7 inches (22.7 x 20.9 x 6.9 cm) Range: 5km Battery Life: 72 hours Power Source: AA batteries |
The Lone Range Walkie Talkie is extremely easy to use for both kids and adults. It features an LCD back-lit display which comes in handy when used at night. It is also very easy to install and is available in a variety of colors.
It has about 22 preset channels and 121 privacy codes which prevents eavesdropping and allows communication with a number of people if you are on the same channel. It also has a Weather alert system which will notify about the weather conditions and forecast so you can plan accordingly.
This Walkie Talkie is also relatively cheap, so its the best buy if you are on a budget.
Pros
- Easy to use,
- Has a weather alert feature,
- Portable, rainproof and have dust protection,
- Made of premium ABS material which is safe and durable.
Cons
- Transmission is not very clear,
- The PTT button is not reliable.
6. Cobra HE150G 16-Mile 2-Way Radios
| Specs |
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Weight: 0.44 pounds (0.2 kg) Size: 8.6 x 7 x 1.3 inches (21.8 x 17.7 x 3.3 cm) Range: 16 miles Battery Life: 21 hours Power Source: AAA alkaline or rechargeable batteries Continuous Talktime: 10 hours |
Designed for kids, the Cobra HE150G 16-Mile 2-Way Radios don’t look like toys and have an excellent transmitting range. Since these are lightweight and compact, both you and your kids can carry them during the trips. These are very easy to use as there are only a volume knob, channel select button, and PTT button. Since the radios have only two channels, you might catch somebody else’s conversation. But in most cases, this shouldn’t be a problem because you can switch to another channel.
Once your mate starts the conversation, you’ll get a call notification and then a confirmation tone when the channel is clear.
A durable belt clip will help to save a bit of space in your backpack. But at the same time, it makes it tricky to remove the back lid when it’s time to replace the batteries, so keep that in mind.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight design,
- Power-saving feature,
- Call alert and confirmation tone,
- Excellent max range
Cons
- Might get interference,
- Tricky to remove the back lid
Verdict
Based on all of our experience with walkie talkie for road trips, we found that Pxton 16 Channel Long Range Walkie Talkies with Earpieces is the best walkie talkie for road trips available today.
Our Premium Option is Retevis RT22 Rechargeable Walkie-Talkies 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 SOCOTRAN T80 Rechargeable Walkie Talkies for Adults as an affordable alternative.
Our other reviews you may find useful in your research:
What You Should Know Before Buying walkie talkies for road trips
Hands Free Communication
Hands-free communication has 2 features – the VOX as well as a microphone jack.
A VOX (Voice-activated) feature turns on the microphone whenever you speak into the radio.
Jacks for microphone and headphones is the other feature that enables hand-free communication when you unable to hold the set like while doing active outdoor sports like skiing, kakaying or cycling.
License Free
A license-free walkie-talkie is a helpful communication tool where you do not need special programming, technical assistance, or approval to operate. It is most applicable in school playgrounds, warehouses, or construction sites. It is helpful for professional and personal purposes where you do not have to pay to transmit a mid-size communication through limited frequencies and channels.
In simple words, a license-free walkie-talkie cannot be used for commercial purposes, such as radio broadcasting. It is used only for need-based communication. A two-way radio or license-free walkie-talkie operates on a limited frequency of 8 – 16 channels. A PMR446 license-free walkie-talkie can tune on one of the channels to transmit the communication.
Questions and Answers About walkie talkies for road trips
Why should I use a walkie talkie for road trip?
Walkie-talkies allow you to maintain a constant connection and eliminate the unavailability effect of cellular network coverage as in the case of cell phones especially in a far distance area to the city. Aside from the walkie-talkie being independent of a cellular network, the long-range coverage makes it of utmost importance and the ideal, dependable, and capable gadget to keep you linked within your party and across multiple vehicles for that long road trip. You can have a safe road trip with careful planning when including the use of walkie-talkies for all-around communication.
Do walkie talkies work while driving?
Yes, walkie talkies can work while driving as long as the distance between the cars are maintained and there isn’t too many external environmental factors affecting the signal like mountains and buildings. You might also want to take note that trying to operate a walkie while driving is akin to using your phone while driving. It might cause you to be distracted so you might want to look for a walkie with VOX or voice-activation feature to free up your hands.
Do walkies talkis work car to car?
Car-to-car communication is possible with walkie-talkies and it very useful for car convery road trips or even campervan trips. However, it is vital to keep some factors in mind, such as the range between vehicles and the battery life of the device. Choosing a model that supports automobile charging also helps to ensure your devices can sustain and have a long battery span.
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