When you have a household and also you wish to be outdoors, you need to have walkie-talkies. In a number of locations the place cell protection is spotty, you want a greater approach of holding observe of one another than working backwards and forwards and yelling. Youngsters love walkie-talkies. There’s nothing that my 9-year-old likes higher than signaling again to base camp, “Are available in, are available in, make me cinnamon toast, over,” when she’s midway by means of her hike.
I do know this isn’t essentially the meant use case for the Rocky Talkie, the super-popular and super-rugged backcountry radio that my mates use for backcountry snowboarding and ascending multi-pitch climbs. However youngsters are quite a bit tougher on gear than many adults. We’ve been testing the Rocky Talkies on weekend journeys all summer time, dropping them whereas clipped to my backpack and working round within the rain.
We’ve tried walkie-talkies from a number of different manufacturers, together with low-cost ones from Amazon and the customary Midland walkies, however the Rocky Talkies are my favourite, even when—and doubtless as a result of—they’re much costlier than different choices.
Loud and Clear
The Rocky Talkie is available in two totally different configurations. The Mountain Radio that we examined makes use of the FRS, or Household Radio Service band that the Federal Communications Fee reserves for many leisure walkie-talkie customers. This is the reason you don’t normally choose up radio stations or large rig CB conversations in your walkie-talkie (though I’ve discovered that you simply nonetheless can in case you strive)
{Photograph}: Adrienne So
It additionally is available in a extra highly effective GMRS model that has IP67 submersible waterproofing and barely longer battery life. Technically, you additionally want a license to function the GMRS model, which I had no real interest in procuring for my 9-year-old and 7-year-old. The Mountain Radio, alternatively, is straightforward sufficient that my youngsters opened the field, turned them on, and began working round utilizing them with out me. Which, to be clear, is nice!
Most likely the obvious distinction between the Rocky Talkie and different radios is that a number of two-way radios are simply handhelds or use gator clips to clip onto your clothes or backpack straps, however the Rocky Talkie has an ultralight carabiner. I beloved this. I’ve little pockets and put on little shorts. If I stroll round with a walkie-talkie clipped onto my garments, the walkie usually slips off once I sit down and I lose them within the rocks. I really like figuring out that neither my family members nor I are going to lose or drop these.
