20 Best Gmrs Radio For Off Roading (2022 Updated)

I bought 4 of these at the same time. ALL radios have less than 4 hours use- TOTAL power on time. All battery packs have been replaced within the last two months because of their natural life cycle. They suddenly locked up for no reason.

All packs have been charged appropriately, and all settings have retained themselves without pack batteries installed, making me believe the onboard memory batteries are still ok. Given the fact that all four of these locked up within a month of each other- if not on the exact same date and time- I believe this to be a planned obsolescence feature built in to the radios themselves.

I have tried all available low level troubleshooting I found online. Outside of this issue, menu navigation is painful, the open key has a miserably long swell time before transmit, making it difficult to hand these off to a novice user.

They get frustrated and despite repeated reminders, tend to start talking before the 1-1 5 second delay in transmit, making the whole usability far worse than expected. A well oriented hunting or other group may not have this issue, but be aware that there is some learning that should take place.

The included earpieces are next to worthless. A specially bought, better made earpiece or headset works FAR better, especially in VOX mode, which is all but unusable with the stock earpieces. The radios themselves are of appropriate levels of value for the price, at least until this lockup tool place.

Given that the most used unit may have transmitted less than 20 short messages and been powered on for something on the order of four hours total- and that they have been kept dry, 99. 5% of the time used indoors.

this issue is supremely irritating, disappointing, and, it rendered these unusable, completely unacceptable and worthy of sourcing from another company. I am ticked right now.

I read many reviews. I was aware range is an issue. I have been operating the radios in the FRS mode. Obstacles like walls and buildings absolutely reduce range. When I am using the radios at distances to a mile with few obstructions the sound is clear.

So far I have not exceeded a mile. My range in a car talking to my wife in a house is reduced to 1/2 a mile at best which is not bad (IMO). Knowing this should help you understand that the range numbers are all inflated and you shouldn’t expect results close to the stated maximums.

I bought the radios because my wife and I are moving to a remote area with very limited cell service. I intend to stick to FRS unless I require the extra power of GMRS. The $70 license fee for 10 years does not bother me.

The radios are a great value, home charger, car charger, ear phones for much quieter operation, and the options for customizing sounds, vibration and privacy are vast. Both Midland and B&H were quick to respond to my few questions.

Again, no complaints.

I’m no radio expert but these fit my need perfectly. My son and I ride touring motorcycles and were looking for good communications that were practical. The expensive bluetooth units can be buggy and not always pair with other riders.

These won’t pair with them either but if everyone used a GMRS radio then motorcycle coms would be much easier. Initial test range was 2. 8 miles on high setting before it got too hard to understand. We don’t plan to ever be that far apart while riding.

They were paired with the AVPH2 helmet headsets, bought separately. We have full face helmets. I only wish they were rechargeable with a usb port. Space is limited on motorcycles. We can also use these radios for coms on family caravans.

Our large marina facility (on and off the lake) decided to try Midland quality name brand radios after using several cheaper sets for years. The old units we had been using always had limited range, drained batteries quickly and were difficult to operate with little to no manufacturer support.

The Midland ORMXT115VP MicroMobile®-GXT Bundles have been just what we needed. The range more than covers the entire State Park and lake area. The stock batteries in the handheld units last a few days on a full charge and the boat/automobile mounted units have an incredible range considering the trees and land topography of the lake area.

We love the lock-out feature that makes it difficult for staff to accidentally change the channel or other settings. The weather channel feature is a definite plus considering how quickly the weather can change to catastrophic in the Great Plains States.

One of the Midland Marketing Managers even contacted me within a few days of our purchase to see how we liked the radios and to see if we had any questions or issues. We are 100% pleased with the purchase and performance of these units!.

I bought this setup primarily for my overlanding and off road trips, however I’m going to use it on a cross country trip moving from Hawaii to New York. I have used it multiple times while off-roading in large groups here and the clarity and range is unmatched.

Even without an upgraded antenna I was able to reach the front of the convoy from 4 very large gulches away with perfect clarity. The terrain here is EXTREMELY restrictive but the radios were always clear.

I mounted the radio inside on the side of the center console and ran the antenna to the bed mounting it to my bed stiffeners. No issues with it staying in place and zero interference from my LEDs. Overall I highly recommend this product.

I’ve sent the link for this specific radio to at least 5 people since this past weekend’s trip. Super easy install, even hardwiring, and it’s ready to go out of the box!.

I picked this combo up to have a better comms solution for outdoor activities or emergencies. I own several Midland products already, so I was expecting quality, and I got it. It comes with everything you need to establish a semi-mobile comms solution in mere minutes.

It’s easy to use and very straight forward, and all the radios are designed to work together. The GXT1000 handheld is based on the venerable GXT900 with slight cosmetic and feature changes, but with the same no-nonsense design and bullet-proof construction.

The range on the 1000 seems to be slightly better or at least the same as the 900, which is much better than less powerful handhelds, and helps to punch through the heavy forest when hiking, camping or hunting.

The GXT1000 is powerful and feature-rich, and you really should go through the user manual to get familiar with all it can do. These are by no means “toys”, and a huge step up from most of the other blister pack handhelds out there.

The MXT115 micro-mobile installs in minutes and is easy to use, and powerful. I have used it for mobile comms as part of a convoy, as a base station while hunting and camping, and as a base station at home for neighborhood coverage during events.

The mic is clear, and the speaker is plenty powerful and works well in all but the noisiest environments. I haven’t used the external speaker jack, because I frankly haven’t needed it, but it’s good to know it’s there.

I have used it with the N9TAX slim-jim portable, and a KB9VBR j-pole, and while each significantly improved the range, the included antenna is in no way shabby, when used with a proper ground plane. I’ll probably upgrade to a better one, but for a starter kit, it’s by no means bad.

The ability to use repeaters also sets the MXT115 apart. This one feature makes this a very flexible and capable unit, and the ability to also scan weather alerts really rounds it out. Overall, this a great combo, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great comms solution for outdoor activities, farms, emergencies, or anywhere a more powerful comms solution is needed.

I have several of these radios, all have been dependable , and simple to use for family members that are not around radios often. However the fact that they will Not store more than one repeater with a tone on each of the 8 repeater pairs, or allow nameing each of thise repeaters is not good! If you travel you cannot simply change to another saved repeater in the area you are going to, without stopping, and physically deleting tones you have already saved for one area, then adding the new tones for the area you are going into.

A PITA ! That said, If you only want a basic GMRS radio, that will cover 8 repeaters programmed for immediate use without changing yout set tones, and a radio that is very good on simplex. This IS my choice ( I now own 2 Wouxun KG- 1000G radios!!!!!!! These are in our vehicles that we use when travelling , you can have lots of preprogrammed( and Named ) repeaters.

Please Step up your game Midland).

The MXT400 Bundle came well packaged and intact. Shipping was quick and efficient. I was pleased with the products when I opened the package regarding their heartiness and quality feel. Unfortunately, a few days after receiving the MXT400, the MXT500 became available, so I ordered the MXT500 and returned the MXT400.

I preferred the IP rating and dust proof aspects, and felt the additional cost for those items along with the additional 10W of power were well worth the extra cost. I anticipate good things from this setup once completely installed.

Bought the Midland Micro Mobile GMRS 2-way radio MTX400 in late August to set up as a base station in my home. After all other components purchased and installed, the unit became operational in early November.

Had to replace a protected breaker with a regular breaker. Worked great for about 2 weeks then noticed I wasn’t receiving any transmissions. A quick test revealed the internal speaker no longer works.

Several friends purchased this same unit and have had no issues.

The Midland Micromobile radios are definitely money well spent. Our farm recently decided to try Midland’s micromobile radios in our harvest equipment. With adding more acres each year farther away from home we decided that it was time to upgrade our communication systems to a system with more range.

We looked at multiple systems that ranged from $700 to $100 and we ended up buying four MXT105 from Midland. The price is affordable and the quality is great. The main reason our farm bought these radios was for the extended range that we needed and they work great we can talk to the truckers from the home farm and be 10 to 15miles away and they can still hear us clearly.

The radios are small and fit about anywhere a person might want to put one. The sound quality is loud and clear. The MXT105 radios have 15 channels to choose from plus the weather channels to get the forecast for the day.

In conclusion if a person is looking for a quality radio with good range and clear sound for a good price the MXT105 is a great radio to purchase. I know our farm will be purchasing a couple more in the near future!.

I bought two MXT105, one for my truck and the other for a base station using the LPX-14 power supply for the house. I also bought a few other misc items. While I like the radios, I was disappointed in a few ways.

First, the packing was pretty bad. The outer box was too big for all of the items inside. Sure, there was some packing material, a few air bubble pouches, but not nearly enough. All the items inside the box move/slid around inside the box.

I’m surprised the equipment was not damaged in transit. Second, both of the MXT105 radios were in packages that clarly had been opened. They both were re-taped shut, and had an orange tag taped on them with the markings “Clam Open WHS.

5”. Probably these were returns, I don’t know. Maybe they were new, just in a damaged box, but either way, I should have been advised I wasn’t getting NEW equipment. Very disappointed! I was angry and almost sent them back.

So far however, I like the MXT105 radios but I do have a few complaints/suggestions (sorry to be so picky, but you did ask me to write a review). 1) The volume control is digital (0,1,2,3,4…etc. ) instead of analog.

On the lowest volume setting (#1), the volume is still too loud for my truck. I realize this may be a benefit to some people, but for me, I have had to tape a noise reduction baffle over the speaker on the radio to reduce the volume.

2) Even when I turn the BEEP setting to off, when the radio is turned off and then back on again next time I use it, I still hear a BEEP. Very annoying when I want to be in quiet mode – not very quiet, eh? 3) When I went to buy the radios off the MidlandUSA.

com website, the MXT105 bundle with MXT1050 and/or MXT3VP3 were not available, even though listed on the website. I called customer support because I couldn’t find how to “Add to Cart” for those two listed bundles.

I was told it was be they are no longer available. So I ask you now, why were they still on the website as a bundle option? I would have bought two or more bundles if they had been available. Finally, yes, I ordered two MXT105 radios, and I got them.

But I really wanted several of the more powerful radios, like either MXT115, MXT275 or even the MXT400. The reason why I ordered the MXT105 radios is because of the hand held microphone having no radio controls on it.

The MXT115 and the MXT400 both have radio controls on the microphone itself, which is un-safe for driving, very annoying, and can cause accidental setting changes. If the MXT400 would have had a microphone like the MXT105 (no controls on mike except PTT), I would have bought two or more MXT400 radios.

As it stands, I am watching for more powerful radios from other makers that have the radio controls on the unit itself rather than the microphone.

I just got this last week and installed it over the weekend(took just a few hours) I went ahead anf got the 32 inch antenna as well due to my mounting location. In general I wasnt sure how well the radio would do but I figured the only way to find out was to give it a shot and see for myself.

The other day I was on Medano Pass by myself for a fun trip. While using the scan function I started to hear a group coming from the other direction. I could hear them fairly well and it got better as we got closer.

As. my guess we were about 10 miles from each other there were plenty of trees in the way. Just from that alone I was impressed. I also tried the NOAA Feature and really like it. I was most likely 35-40 miles out from a few towers and still picking up signal.

In general I feel its a great combination for those simply wanting a good radio for group communication in a OffRoad Trip. Yes you could get a more powerful unit but if you dont have the need then I suggest sticking with a lower powered unit like such.

I bought this for my Ram 2500 Power Wagon. The install was straightforward. I went back and forth on the models I wanted. I decided on this version, so that I didn’t have to look down to see what channel I was on, etc.

Mounting the micromobile on top of my radio was not an option as I have seen others do. I have a bulletpoint phone mount that takes up that area and I was not giving that up. I hope to use this in Colorado this year.

I will update my review if anything changes. The mount I used for the Ghost antenna I found on Amazon. I powder coated it to match my truck as close as possible. The mount that came with this kit would not work on my truck.

I will use it on my side by side for something I’m sure. I won’t dock this a star, but I did have a question on how to run the extra antenna wire I ended up with, roughly 10 feet. I called and left a VM with support and never heard back from them.

I am a little disappointed in that. My question to them was can I roll the slack and zip tie it? Or do I need to find a way to run the extra wire so it’s not coiled together. Or do I find someone that can cut it to fit? I have heard that in some instances coiling coax antenna cable could cause some issues.

The MXT275 is the latest addition to the Midland Micro Mobile GMRS 2-way radio line up, with an all in one handset that allows for numerous mounting options. We pushed this unit to the Tx/Rx limits while communicating with the Midland MXT115 and X-talker hand-held in various circumstances and environments.

Communications were consistently readable up to threshold in spite of background static or chop. Like any GMRS, exchanges will vary considerably, as affected by user interface with mic, terrain, buildings and equipment setup to name a few.

Communicating with another Micro Mobile was superior to communication with a lower wattage handheld with fixed antennae. Car to Car was readable at 1. 5 – 2 miles in residential / urban environments.

Good clarity to 5 miles with line of sight over water. Tx/Rx Car mount to handheld cut these numbers roughly in half. The handset is a comfortable size with a solid quality feel and a noticeably tactile mic key.

I appreciate the ability to hold the back-lit display at a comfortable reading distance as opposed to leaning in to read a fixed base unit. The option to select the mic and / or the base unit as a speaker allows multiple installation options.

Bonus: External speaker jack, USB port and weather band with weather alert option. GMRS communications are essential to my business. For my vehicle mount GMRS, the MXT275 just moved to the head of the class.

I bought this Two-way to go in the combine on our farm. Installation was quick and easy, and I powered the unit with the DC power adapter plugged into the cigarette lighter. We have a couple of the handhelds that we use together with this unit and they work great.

Range with those is up to 4 miles in our area. Rural but quite a few tress and houses in between. One thing that we have trouble with is talking into the mic. Sometimes it is hard to understand the person that is talking on the Two-way.

I think most of it is inexperience in how to hold the mic up to talk so I am hoping this gets better the more we use it. Another thing I wish was available was a connector with flying leads to wire into the power point that the combine has.

I know most people probably cut the 12V adapter off and wire it directly into the power point, but this limits the places you can put it in the cab. I am sure a quick google search and I could find the connector, but if Midland offered this as an option when purchasing, I am sure many people would get it.

I really like the MXT115 radio. I am picking up transmissions 90 miles away using the MXTA26 Whip Antenna. I appreciate how small and powerful it is. It takes up very little overhead space on my Overhead MOLLE Panel.

I was able to mount the MXTA26 Whip Antenna very conveniently next to the drivers door of my JL Wrangler and cut the length of the MXTA24 Low Profile Antenna Cable to the perfect length and add a new PL-259 Male-Plug Crimp Coax Connector to plug in the back of the radio and have power is hardwired to an ignition active wire with no wiring showing.

Arrived quickly and in great shape. Easy to get started with nice handheld feel and very tactile buttons. I live in a very wooded and hilly area… here are some operation checks: with one handheld in the house I have about 3/4-1 mile range, second test with one handheld outside in the driveway I have out to 4 miles with great reception (4 miles is as far as I’ve tested so far).

Can’t wait to check out the max range in varying terrains. Very happy with the purchase and looking forward to using it while camping. I also have a Garmin 755t and these 1030 handhelds pair with it nicely.

Waiting on my Midland MXT575 base unit’s summer arrival (new model) to round out my communications in the RV.

I am a Military pilot as well as a wildland fire fighter. I rely on radio communication as part of my daily professional life. Unfortunately, my previous experience with FRS/GMRS radios has been disappointing.

Admittedly, my expectations are high. My goal was to have a reliable, portable, radio solution for my family along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Storms are common and history has shown that having a no nonsense backup communication platform is an essential part of life.

Additionally, the topography of the region is almost ideal for line-of-sight radio transceivers. With a crescent shore, large areas over water to other land (and marine) users have the potential for excellent results.

My pair of radios arrived with excellent packaging and ready to go with a partial battery charge. The Good: The radios were of excellent build quality and had enough transmission power to cover nearly 5 miles in the above mentioned environment.

My 4-year old daughter had no problem operating basic functionality. Being on the coast, the NOAA radio feature was a huge plus. The “privacy” codes were excellent in squelching non cooperating radio chatter from my daughters young ears.

Additionally, we used them while riding personal watercraft along large spans of water in rough/wet conditions. The radios earned their keep and performed flawless while on the water between watercraft and reach back to the shore.

I really like the ability to replace the battery pack with ubiquitous AA batteries. The Bad: Nothing significant to report. Areas for consideration: The scan function seemed a little slow. Instead of scanning the 22 common channels, the radio continues to scan the midland coded channels.

It appears to me that this is unnecessary since the additional channels are just the first 22 with squelch codes. Keeping the scan on the 22 primary channels only, would allow for a quicker scan at the current speed.

This note makes no difference for the functionality of a solid radio. There is no repeater capability with this radio. Its primary goal is reliable point to point communication where it excels! Final Comments: I don’t think you will find a better radio at any price point.

The lack of repeater capability and slower scan rate, has no impact on the reliability of this radio. I used this radio in conjunction with the Midland MXT275 mounted in my Jeep. Paired with the 15 Watts from the Jeep expanded my range beyond my expectations (>5 miles).

I have found that Midland has created such a reliable network for our young family and friends, that we use the technology as a more common place method of communication than we have in the past (previously limited to a child play toy or vacation situations).

I am so impressed with the Midland line, that I will be adding an additional mobile transceiver at my coastal home to improve the functionality of the wonderful Midland product line. BRAVO Midland!.

Pros: *Easy to charge wherever you might be with both AC and DC chargers. * SOS & NOAA Weather features * Battery comes fully charged straight out of the box. * Lengthy battery life Cons: *Signal can be a bit hindered by terrain and you lose some of the 30 miles you are told you have for communication.

*I will say that before I hit the road I did a few tests on the equipment to make sure I fully understood the features. The communication from radio to radio was crisp in my tests up to 10 miles. Although I will say that after that distance I did have a little struggle.

I feel like after reading the materials that it had a lot to do with the tree coverage in our area and my lack of previous experience in use to troubleshoot. With this particular trip I took both radios with me because I would be later meeting a friend along the way, but for this campsite I was most interested in using the radio for its NOAA weather alert feature.

Recently, in Arkansas there have been a lot of flash floods in remote areas such as the one in which I was staying. These particular Midland Radios are ideal for allowing you to know when one of these is coming your way so you can seek shelter immediately.

I scanned several times through the 10 NOAA stations and it did in fact pay off just before bedtime when I was warned of a severe storm which would be passing through. Had it not been for this I would have more than likely taken my rain fly off my tent for improved circulation since it was so hot and humid.

In addition, I always make sure to keep something in my tent and on my day pack for emergencies and safety. I usually have a tool or some kind or a knife, but adding the Midland Radio to that for its SOS Alert was a perfect way to make me feel a bit more secure in my travel.

The alert is a loud substation noise which can be heard for quite a distance when you simply press and hold down the SOS button located on the front face plate of the radio. I was a little worried about the battery life of the radio and leaving it on for the duration of an evening to feel secure.

I fully tested the battery life when camping at Lenox Marcus, turning the radio on steady at approximately 8 p. m. and not off until 6 a. m. The charge not only held but was still full when I returned it to its carrying space in my front cup holder of my car.

This was in addition to being turned off and on throughout the day when I would exit my car to explore sites. All in all, the Midland Two-Way GMRS Radio has made its way into my travel pack for more adventures.

The features go on and on as to how it can benefit my hikes with friends, improve my overall awareness, bring efficiency to charging through both AC and DC connections and of course provide that SOS Safety net.

I would give the Midland Two-Way GMRS Radio 5 stars!.

When I could not figure out all the functions, I went on line to Midland LXT 535 and found the instructions there. They work well and are perfect for Track & Field. Even though they claim the range is 20 miles, I would say they are adequate for several miles if unobstructed.

For the price they are well worth the cost. With the transmit button left on , it can be used as a baby monitor as well.

These work pretty good for the price. We can communicate 5 miles away or so on a good day, however 24 miles is a joke. If your looking for a good inexpensive walkie for large properties this is great.

The kids love them and they are easy to use. I would buy again.

We live on a 24 acres tree farm and these are essential for keeping in touch while working in different areas each day. The range is 1/2 mile due to thick trees and uneven terrain. I would buy these again, if needed.

They are holding up well under extreme conditions.

Bought these so that I could communicate with my wife, who follows me as I tow our Rv. We travel long distances and these have made it easier to talk instead of using our cell phones. The distance that they can reach is dissapointing while traveling.

It seems as though if we get a half mile apart, we cant reach each other. The battery life could be better too. We got two days before mine began to beep off about a low battery, and that included turning them off overnight as we slept.

In reality they only lasted about 10 hours. So now we know that they have to be charged daily, before we get on the road. With that being said, the radios did allow us to communicate to each other as long as we were close and did serve the purpose I bought them for.

I ordered this radio to use with my outdoor activities and volunteering with my church. When I tested the radio out when the batteries were charged, it sounded loud and clear so I used it with my family and they love it too.

I like this radio since it has more channels to choose from.

I’m a prospector and work in the desert area mostly. I need to stay in contact with team members. I find the private channel availability handy, if I need to discuss a problem or a question with one member that the other members don’t need to be disturbed or bothered with.

Haven’t had a chance to test the distance but I can say I’ve used it 4 – 5 miles in distance with no problems.

I wanted a pair of walkie talkies that I could use around the house and with the grand kids as well. I chose Midland because I was very satisfied with my HH54 weather radio, which I’ve had for about 6 years.

I found that like the weather radio, the walkie talkies work very well with the permanently attached smaller antennas. (Type accepted) Right out of the box I noticed how well the T71’s received other stations in the local area that I had previously heard on my Alinco handheld.

There was no “intermod” interference on any channels. I tried them with my wife and they went through the high rise & out over a mile or so, with audio that was loud & clear on low power channel 8. Note that on channels 8 – 14 there seems to be less interference from more powerful stations in the area due to the mandatory low power settings.

The 1 amp rechargeable batteries are a plus. If you need more power you’ve got 2 watts that you didn’t have under the old FRS rules. High power channels are 1-7 and 15-22 but you may be sharing with GMRS stations in your area.

In that case you can use the private codes that are available with this series. I did turn off the “roger beep” and BP key tones because they were annoying. The weather radio feature can come in handy to get the latest up to the moment info from NOAA weather.

The weather radio alerts & warnings are better than the emergency alerts you get on the cell phone, in my opinion. The radio does not however, support the use of S. A. M. E or County codes, so you will have to listen carefully to the information from NOAA to see if it actually applies to your local area or not because NOAA weather radio is a region wide broadcast.

One thing the instruction book didn’t cover or I didn’t notice were the extra channels, 23-36. These are just repeats from the original 22 with a simplification of the quiet codes. Also, these radios cannot access any repeaters that you will hear on some of the upper channels.

And now on to Customer Service. There was a battery issue. One of the packs would go dead prematurely so I contacted Midland and replacement batteries are on the way. All in all a good value for the money and no license is required: Also there is no “skip” interference on UHF like the kind you get on CB radio plus the FM modulation is clean and quiet.

I can honestly tell you that these radios will get a lot of use in our family. Dan.

Don’t buy these to use with a GMRS repeater. These are decent radios if you want just a quick fix for something at the house or on the farm but if you plan on going hiking with these anywhere near a GMRS repeater they will not work.

I was hoping that the additional channels were used for repeater offsets but I was wrong. They’re simply standard channels with privacy code offsets. Seeing how you can set privacy codes on every other channel it seems sort of pointless to do this unless you want to make it seem like there are actually more channels than what’s actually available.

FRS radios operate on 22 different, standard frequencies, GMRS operates on 8 additional frequencies for repeater purposes as well as allowing you to transmit at higher powers with the propper FCC license.

While the packaging and labeling say “GMRS” it is misleading because you’re only functioning on FRS. If you go out and buy a second set of GMRS radios that aren’t midland’s preset channels you’re going to have a bad time and these will only be able to communicate with them in simplex on the first 22 channels.

We bought these walkie talkies in 2021 and used them everyday on our farm until this winter 2022. My husband lost his walkie talkie somewhere on our property in the beginning of our winter as we had a huge snow storm.

We had been trying to find another one but didn’t have any luck as we are in Canada. Our snow has been melting these last 2 weeks and my husband found our missing walking talkie. I didn’t think it would be any good as it was out all winter long with temps in the -30’s C.

After we dried the walking talkie and charged it up. It still works great. We couldn’t believe it. What an awesome product. Thank you for making a great product that lasts.

First day of use it went body surfing in a wave in the ocean trying to get a kayak past the breaker, but that is another story. After being submerged, it still performed well for the whole morning fishing, was able to keep in contact with friends that were fishing on the pier near by.

I was able to test the range on top of a local hill to our house and we found it to have clear reception, distance 1. 5 miles. Didn’t hear much difference with regular ptt and boost, but that could be we may have been too close.

On ours the charging light goes off after they are fully charged. A Note: After fishing, we rinsed off the sand that was all around the radio, found that the audio was very quiet compared to the other radio that wasn’t submerged.

After shaking out what water was in the cracks by the speaker, we took a little air and blew out the rest. Another Note: we used compressed air that we use on our computers, not the compressed air for air tools!!! The audio came back to normal, as I believe water makes a good muffler.

Hope this helps.

The more common complaint for 2-way radios is “lack of distance capability”. With that in mind, this kit was selected as it said to have the most distance range. This hasn’t been tested yet in different conditions).

This kit has radios that have many features. Good. for those that use them. But the down side of having many features is that it causes confusion as to how to use them. Surely a kid (and many adults) will not readily understand those features therefore interfering with efficient utilization.

One thing I find annoying is the VOLUME control as it applies to both the ringer intensity and voice conversation level. When VOLUME is set to the appropriate level for conversation, ringer can hardly be heard.

And vice-versa. when ringer is set to be easily heard, the conversation level is so loud that the words are much distorted. Overall, for simple utilization, radios are OK. I especially like the retro-lighted screen for when using radios in dark conditions.

It has been mentioned in other reviews, but the volume on this thing is terrible. I think the real issue is that the mic is weak possibly due to the waterproofing, but phones have this figured out so it shouldn’t be a serious barrier.

Either way, unless you find the exact right place to speak into and yell directly into that place (no just holding up the walkie and speaking to it normally from a reasonable distance), your buddy on the otherside will not hear you.

It’s quiet in a silent room, I couldn’t imagine using it anywhere in the real world. Other than that major issue, it’s also kinda heavy compared to others that i’ve used. I didn’t get around to trying the headsets or any other features as I returned it after realising just how quiet it is.

When AA batteries are new, transmission is like having the receiver standing right next to you. This quickly discharges the batteries, like in one morning of hunting. This thing eats batteries like a tyranasaures rex eats goats.

Looking into buying some Ni-MH high amp hour batteries and a charger. This is going to be more expensive than what I paid for a pair of refurbished GXT1050 radios. Previously Used GXT 650 radios these were not as clear or able to reach out and touch someone.

AA batteries in these lasted several days. I would recommend either one of these depending on the transmitted distance required and the topography.

I have 1 older pair of these radios and purchased a 2nd pair because of their usefulness. My wife’s 95 y/o father has 1 pair so he can always have 1 with him and his walker and the other in the charger at all times in the in-laws quarters.

Of the new pair, 1 is in the main house and the other is in my workshop. They work great on our 6. 3 acres. Be aware: 1) the OE battery packs typically need to be replaced about every 2-3 years. I tried aftermarket Li batteries but went back to the OE packs.

2) for longer distance at higher power, you may need to use the GMRS channels which require an FCC license. Otherwise, the FRS channels work well but at reduced range, no license required.

I have used these Midland GTX1000 series GMRS radios for many years. They are good small, lightweight radios with better than average range (although not close to the advertised range). I really like the NOAA weather band.

These radios have VERY clear reception. They are easy to use if you read the enclosed instructions. The only complaint that I have is how long they last; after two or three hunting seasons, most often they fail to transmit.

They still receive, but cannot transmit. Then it is time to discard the radio and order another. However, still a very good radio for the money.

My wife and I needed a reliable way to communicate when I am out hiking and after some research we decided on the Midland GXT1000VP4 Two-Way Walkie-Talkie. With its 50 Channels and 36-mile range, the Midland GXT1000VP4 has worked wonderfully in the month since it arrived.

So far, we have yet to exceed this unit’s range even in deep wooded areas and the 142 privacy codes keep our communications both private and without outside interference. Also, between the use of the Hands-Free Transmission via VOX (Voice-Operated Transmission), the accompanying Headset with microphone, the Whisper Function (which enables the user to transmit high-level sounds even when whispering) and the Silent Operation Mode (wherein all beeps and tones are disabled), I can observe wildlife close-up without being noticed.

I do heartily recommend The Midland GXT1000VP4 36-Mile 50-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Walkie-Talkie with great enthusiasm.

This has 5 watts of power which is the maximum legally allowable. Mine came without rechargeable batteries so I use AA batteries. At maximum power it goes through those batteries fast, but at lower power it’s acceptable.

The range is nowhere near advertised in normal conditions but on a hike or ski hill, it’s okay. It’s easy to use – a good first radio. I didn’t pay much for mine so for me, it was a bargain. However, I prefer the Baofeng radios which I subsequently bought.

I bought these for the main reason to be able to call my wife while she is on one of her 2 hour shopping spree’s. And they work just fine lets me drop her off and I can go do my thing she lets me know when she is done so I can pick her up.

The range is amazingly far and the head gear lets us talk with out letting ever one around us know our business. The rechargeable batteries are really nice we don’t spend any more replacing batteries.

These little radios have so many features I still have yet to figure them out. I lived in Oklahoma for a few years and I can see where the weather channel could be a life saver. All in all I can’t find a thing I don’t like about them, they do the job I got them for and they do it well.

I have some cheaper Cobra hand held radios that I paid more for a few years ago, I gave them to my kids to play with.

i bought this for hunting on a mountain with no cell phone coverage. my group had 16 mile range units but because of the shape of the mountain there is no line of site between the top of the mountain and the bottom.

this set of 32 mile radios performed better although not perfect perhaps bouncing of other side of valley and back. I think whisper function is to be used exclusively with earpiece which i did not use.

it was not easier to hear a person whispering without earpiece. light up display is great if you are going to buy a radio, you really don’t want to be stuck with a roger beep. being able to turn it off with these is a must for me.

with this set just the squelch at the end of a key up is perfect for keeping quiet in the woods and it also features a vibrate mode. I’m sold.

One of my two radios works fine. The other one powers on with what I assume is an error code, since the working one doesn’t display it (it’s “UI 12” or “U1 12”), and then nothing happens when I press any of the five buttons on the face of the radio.

The manual and Google suggest that the problem is that I have the key lock on (I don’t) or that the radio needs to be reset by popping the battery pack (didn’t help). I am wildly annoyed at the bother it will be to return them (REI isn’t super close, and also I bought them with curbside pickup so I didn’t have to go inside in a state with almost the nation’s leading COVID hospitalization rate, but I can’t do a curbside return of course).

And I won’t have them tomorrow for the outing I bought them for (taking a bunch of flatlanders hiking and anticipating that some will want to do a shorter version of the route). I see everyone else’s great ratings here, but I won’t be buying anything Midland again.

I have been super impressed with the clarity and range of the radios. When I received them, I unboxed them immediately and threw them on the charger. I was happy that I was able to charge both of the radios at the same time.

Alternatively, I could have put in AAA batteries, but I would rather use the rechargeable ones that it comes with. After the charge, I wanted to give them a test. I sent one of my kids on their scooter to the local school (about 2 miles in distance) and could mostly hear him with clarity when on a hi power setting.

This was in a city where there are no tall buildings, but there are still cell towers and other things that could disrupt the signal. A couple of my other kids were using the X-TALKER T20X4, but only got about.

5 mile before their voices were a bit crackly coming through. The product is well made and seems to be very durable. The battery charge has lasted for quite a bit of time. My kids have been using them to play across the neighborhood and we haven’t had to charge them yet.

The belt buckle is convenient to have so you don’t have to carry in your hand and I like that you don’t have to remove it for charging. Pros: – Easy to use – Instructions don’t require an advanced degree in linguistics – Durable – Great Range – Great voice clarity – Hi/Lo range Cons: – No Light up Display / not backlit for night time – Would like to have sub channels like some other devices I have used have.

Excellent radio and love the more compact size but they are marketed as an “Outfitter” radio. The problem is the ONLY way to charge them is with an AC charger which means you need to plug them into a wall unless you have an inverter in your vehicle.

If you plan on being in the backcountry using them as marketed as an Outfitter you get about a days use then you are out of luck unless you purchase several extra battery packs and change them out and charge them individually before you leave (a ridiculous expectation).

When I called Midland they just said sorry. I purchased two sets for packing trips into the backcountry and they just stay at home for use on other trips where I have the ability to charge them at night.

I purchased a 3rd set (T71VP3) the T77 value pack which charges with a USB/Micro USB cable which allows me to charge them using a portable battery pack. Used the T71’s in the Book Cliff wilderness 30 miles in from any roads/service.

Easily charged them each night and had excellent reception. I can highly recommend the T295/T299 if you just have a day use application and can charge them at night. If not, the T71’s are an outstanding alternative.

Midland needs to develop other charging options for these radios to meet the marketing they are doing as an Outfitter radio – it is VERY misleading and resulted in me having to purchase more radios. One other recommendation for Midland is to make these waterproof.

In the Book Cliffs we were snowed on each day for 4 days and had to take extra precaution to keep them out of the rain which was inconvenient to keep them in a waterproof pocket and yet compunction regularly or hear incoming communications.

I like this radio a lot. I have the following radios: t290, gxt1000, and the micro mobile 15watt. All connect to each other flawlessly. Exceptional clarity. I use these for property management operations in a small town.

The gxt1000 have noticeably better performance. I can get good radio signal through urban environment and trees for about ~2 miles. With the T290’s I can only get good clarity for about 1 mile in urban setting with trees.

Ive switch my entire crew to gxt1000 handhelds and installed the 15watt micromobile stations in the vehicles and loaders. I would recommend the t290 for off-roading, camping, recreational activities, short range communication.

I would recommend the gxt1000 for more serious operations, 2 mile range in high obstruction, and maybe 5 miles unobstructed.

I purchased this set in advance of buying a mobile unit for my Jeep. The Jeep club I am in is interested in moving everyone towards GMRS and we wanted to compare the features and range to our traditional CB’s.

Many of our members are new to off-road and finding something simple that everyone could use was a priority. Our first outing was a simple trail ride (actually more of a spring color tour) that consisted of 60 Jeeps.

We positioned the hand helds at the front and rear of the caravan. As you can imagine 60 jeeps gets spread out quite a bit. The T290’s far out performed the CB’s in both range and clarity. It was a very good example that helped us sell the idea to club members and many have already committed or made purchases from Midland.

The only real drawback I experienced is that you are not supposed to leave the radios on the charging base. It would be nice to be able to leave them on a ‘maintain’ setting. PROS: compact design, pretty easy to use, very good clarity of signal, good ‘feel’ (doesn’t feel cheap), nice range for a hand held device CONS: charger does not maintain the battery, can’t use any other battery source (AA’s) other than the rechargeable that comes with it, menu and displays can be hard to understand if you are not familiar with terminology Overall I am very pleased with my purchase.

I have ordered the MXT275 to mount in my JL Wrangler and I think these T290’s will make a great addition on the trail for spotting or just to loan out to those without a GMRS.