Best Survival Walkie-Talkies for Emergencies
When you are surprised by an emergency, communication is extremely important. Phone lines, cell towers, and other everyday methods may not be operational, but you can take matters into your own hands. One of the best ways to communicate with your family or preparedness group is with a walkie-talkie. To handle a survival scenario, you’ll want to go beyond the kids’ toy models and pick a solid one that can handle whatever you throw at it: a true survival walkie-talkie. There are plenty of brands and types to choose from that make longer-range and tough walkie-talkies.
This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best walkie-talkies, tested them, and the results are in: the overall best, a budget option, and an upgrade option. If you need a walkie-talkie that won’t let you down in an emergency, one of our suggestions will help you keep in touch.
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Best Survival Walkie Talkie
Motorola T470
Simple, Effective, and Trustworthy
The best walkie-talkie option for those serious about emergency communication in survival situations.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The Motorola T470 is the best value if you plan on relying on walkie-talkies during an emergency. Its compact size, combined with the rugged casing, makes it easy to take anywhere to reliably stay in touch with your friends and family. The T470 has added versatility with a built-in LED flashlight and 11 pre-programmed NOAA weather bands. It stays in FRS channel frequencies with 121 privacy codes you can pair, so there are a total of 2,662 combinations you can set to operate within to avoid other people.
Specifications
- Includes: Pair of handheld radios, 2 cradles, 2 earpieces, clips, and lanyards
- Power: 2 Watts
- Battery Type: 800 mAh NiMH or 3x AAA batteries
- Runtime: 12 hours (NiMH), 28 hours (AAA)
- Charging: Micro-USB
- Range: 2 miles (typical), 35 miles (max)
- Operating Temps: -4° to 95°F
- Weight: 5.5 oz (each)
The T470 can use standard AA batteries, so it is easy to stock up on batteries, or you can always use rechargeable batteries. The practical range is about 2 miles, but one has been proven to transmit 35 miles in the best conditions.
If you are looking for the best survival walkie-talkie, you’ve found it in the Motorola T470 Walkie Talkies.
Budget Walkie Talkie
Baofeng BF888S
Simple, Lightweight, and Dependable
The best-performing walkie-talkie you can find in the budget price range with better durability than the base model.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Baofeng is a big name in the affordable handheld amateur radio market, and they also make an excellent budget walkie-talkie. The BF888s gets the job done, with long-lasting Lithium-Ion batteries at a great price.
Specifications
- Includes: Pair of handheld radios, 2 cradles, 2 earpieces, clips, and lanyards
- Power: 2 Watts
- Battery Type: 1500 mAh lithium-ion
- Runtime: 120 hours
- Charging: Cradle docks
- Range: 2 miles (typical), 35 miles (max)
- Operating Temps: -4° to 140°F
- Weight: 5.5 oz (each)
Using the Baofeng UV-5R amateur radio already familiarized me with Baofeng long before I first tested these walkies a few years ago.
The Baofeng BF888S Walkie Talkies transmit in a practical range of about 1 1/2 miles and are very easy to keep charged with the included cradle docks and USB charging. Like most Baofengs, it can be programmed by PC, but you’ll need your amateur radio license to venture out of the FRS bands.
Upgrade Walkie Talkie
Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio
Smart, Reliable, and Tough
Extreme ruggedness and durability, designed for mountaineering, work very well for survival situations.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at Amazon.
Rocky Talkie pushes the boundaries with its durable IP56 Mountain radios with massive battery life and max 2W range. They have plenty of channels and privacy codes to pick from and are very easy to use- they are ready to go right out of the box.
Specifications
- Includes: 1 handheld radio, carabiner leash, charging cable
- Power: 2 Watts
- Battery Type: 1550 mAh lithium-ion
- Runtime: 130 hours
- Charging: USB-C cable
- Range: 2 miles (typical), 35 miles (max)
- Operating Temps: -20° to 120°F
- Weight: 5.9 oz (each)
The downside is price- they cost more than every other walkie-talkie I reviewed. Also, unlike some other higher-cost walkie-talkies, these can’t use traditional batteries and rely on the proprietary Lithium-Ion from Rocky Talkie. The accessories are interchangeable, though- you can connect any K1 mic to these radios if you prefer out-of-the-way shoulder communication.
My favorite feature, besides their compact, durable casing, is the cold-tolerant battery. Over 100 hours of runtime at sub-zero temperatures is an impressive feat of engineering for anything running on battery power.
If you are looking for the absolute best survival walkie-talkie, the Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio is unbeatable.
Comparison Table
| Walkie-Talkie | Recommendation | Price* | Runtime | Weight | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorola T470 Talkabout | Overall Best | $80 | 28 hours | 6.4 oz | Dual power |
| Baofeng BF888S | Best for Budgets | $28 | 120 hours | 5.5 oz | Inexpensive |
| Rocky Talkie Mountain | Best for Bug Out Bags | $220 | 130 hours | 5.9 oz | Rugged durability |
| Retevis RT22 | $36 | 10 hours | 4.0 oz | High visibility | |
| Motorola T210 Talkabout | $50 | 18 hours | 3.5 oz | Light weight | |
| Midland LXT600VP3 | $60 | 10 hours | 5.1 oz | Dual power | |
| Cobra RX680 | $90 | 120 hours | 6.3 oz | Long range | |
| Dewalt DXFRS800 | $140 | 18 hours | 7.7 oz | IP67 rating durability | |
| Klein Blackbox PocketPlus | $180 | 5 hours | 7.1 oz | Thin profile |
The Walkie-Talkies We Compared
Our research narrowed the field down to several walkie-talkie brands and types that we tested: Midland, Baofeng, DeWalt, Motorola, Retevis, Klein, Cobra, and more.
There are a lot of brands that make walkie-talkies these days, with a wide range of prices and quality/durability. In a survival situation, you want your communication solutions to be dependable, so we focused quite a bit on durability and reliability. You can see our full list of review criteria below in the What to Look For section, with an explanation for each.
We steered clear of recreational or walkie-talkies aimed towards kids because the performance and the durability are not going to be where we need them. We also did not consider CB or Ham radios, sticking with just the non-programmable FRS type for the most part. That helped us trim out plenty of irrelevant brands and models so we could focus on just the top-performing walkie-talkies that could get you through any emergency. We’ve covered other radio types separately since they are important emergency communication tools in their own right:
- Best MURS Radios | Simple Two-Way Utility
- Best GMRS Radios for Two-Way Communication
- Best Ham Radio for Preppers
MURS is the most similar to FRS, while GMRS and amateur radios are strictly upgrades (but require a license to use).
What to Look For
- Value
- Durability
- Range
- Battery Type
- Versatility
The best walkie-talkies have several important features to look for.
When you get the right blend of these, you can find a top-performing walkie-talkie that will keep you in touch with your crew in a stressful situation. Below, we break down what each of these features means for a truly dependable walkie-talkie:
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
The amount of money you spend on walkie-talkies shouldn’t blow out your budget unless you have special circumstances where separation in an emergency is very likely. Having one is better than having none, but the same applies to other gear and supplies you may need for an emergency. Budget according to your risk and your needs, rather than just spending lavishly.
On the flip side, you don’t want to go too cheap. Even the base model Baofeng didn’t perform that well with durability (that’s why we suggest the PLUS model as our budget pick), and it’s not the cheapest you could find in a bargain bin. There are few things as soul-sucking as having gear fail on you in an emergency.
You never want to spend too much money on one resource, especially something like walkie-talkies. It’s better to diversify your communication and preparedness gear to make sure you are covered for a wide range of scenarios. There is a sweet spot where you get high value out of the best features with not too high of a price, which is where our top pick sits.
Durability
Walkie-talkies take more of a beating than you might expect. In an emergency, you don’t want to worry about handling your gear and equipment with kids’ gloves to keep them from breaking, so durability is a high priority. A good survival walkie-talkie should take a beating and keep working.
Solid ABS plastic casings are common, and rubberized cases end up being a great upgrade for durability.
Range
The range of a walkie-talkie is largely impacted by obstructions and terrain, the output wattage, and the antenna. Most of the ones we tested had 2W or less RF output.
Walkie-talkies have an exceptional range if you are transmitting from the top of the mountain down into a valley, but in typical conditions, their range is less than a few miles.
Battery Type
Both conventional batteries and rechargeable batteries can be found in walkie-talkies. Using rechargeable conventional batteries can be a good idea, so you have a renewable method to power your walkie-talkie. You could also just stock up on batteries, depending on your power strategy for emergencies.
Battery life is heavily impacted by how much you talk and receive transmissions. You want your walkie-talkie to last at least 12 hours so that you can use it on the go without interruption.
Versatility
Belt clips built into the housing, integrated flashlights, programmable features, built-in weather radio frequency buttons, and other features all add versatility to a walkie-talkie. While these are nice to have, the walkie-talkie’s main function and durability are more important. You will see many off-brand walkie-talkies, including earpieces and other gadgets to make them look like a good value when their range and durability just don’t compare well.
Lightweight walkie-talkies can add versatility as well, but you don’t necessarily want that lighter weight at the cost of durability.
What Walkie-Talkie Does the US Military Use?
Special Forces and other branches are still using the Harris Falcon III AN/PRC-152A in combat zones. There isn’t a need for civilians to get a hold of these, and buying one would set you back about $360 after shipping.
Out of combat zones, they use fairly common Motorola radios around bases and for exercise due to cost. It’s not uncommon to see large Motorola charging racks in most military base buildings.
How to Use a Walkie-Talkie
Using a walkie-talkie is pretty darn easy, which is one reason they are great for groups. You don’t need a course or license to use them by law (in contrast to amateur radios), and you’ve probably used one at some point in your life. They are common in all sorts of settings, from work environments to recreational activities, and they just happen to be very useful during emergencies, too.
Understanding walkie-talkie limitations and some basic radio etiquette can help you out. Here are a few things to remember when using a walkie-talkie:
- You can’t speak and listen at the same time. Know what you’re going to say before you start talking.
- Don’t transmit sensitive information. Walkies are very easy to intercept transmissions if someone else is in range.
- Consider using call signs if there are multiple groups in your party, and to be able to identify who is speaking.
- Use radio checks frequently to check if you are out of range.
Some good walkie-talkie lingo you may want to use includes:
- Affirmative – Long way to say ‘yes’ that is easier to understand
- Break – Interrupting for emergency message, repeat for effect
- Come In – Use with callsign to request to talk to a specific group
- Copy – Heard and understood
- Go Ahead – signal you are standing by for a message
- Negative – Long way to say ‘no’ that is easier to understand
- Out – End of conversation
- Over – End of message
- Radio Check – ask for a response if your group can hear your transmission
- Read Loud and Clear – response to radio check, also just “Loud and Clear” or “Lima Charlie”
- Repeat – Used when you are repeating a message on transmission
- Roger – message acknowledged
- Say Again – ask the last transmission to be repeated
- Stand By – you are busy and will respond momentarily
- Wilco – abbreviation for ‘will comply’
Using the military phonetic alphabet will also come in handy since it was developed to be better understood over radio transmission: The Military Phonetic Alphabet Guide.
This British chap does a pretty good job of walking through the basics of using a walkie-talkie:
Who Needs a Survival Walkie Talkie?
Groups that are looking to stay in contact through an emergency often rely on walkie-talkies. First responders, emergency responders, and field operators all use walkie-talkies for basic communication. The lack of encryption capabilities on most civilian walkie-talkies prevents the military from using them in theater, but as long as you are aware that other people can communicate on the open channels, then you should be fine.
A walkie-talkie isn’t the most versatile piece of communication equipment, but they are very nice to have if you are looking to keep your group/family coordinated when you are out of earshot of each other.
You should consider adding walkie-talkies to these kits:
Walkie-talkies are useful beyond emergencies, too, of course. A solid survival walkie-talkie will easily be able to handle your road trip or an amusement park.
How We Review Products: We research thoroughly before selecting the best products to review. We have vast prepping and survival experience and bring in outside experts when needed. Hours on end are spent testing gear in stressful conditions and using specialized testing gear to verify claims. We assign performance criteria and impartially rate each tested item. Learn more about how we test.
Sources & References
All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best walkie-talkies for survival are useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical military and prepping experience:
Kurnia, S. (2021). Covid-19, Walkie Talkie and Teacher Agency in Educating Young Learner at SD Punik. Advances in Social Science, Education, and Humanities Research. Volume 556. (Source).
Sterling, C. (2008). Military Communications: From Ancient Times to the 21st Century. ABC-CLIO. Page 504. (Source)
Watts, T., et al. (2011). “I Can’t Drive 55”: The Economics of the CB Radio Phenomenon. The Independent Review. Volume 15, Issue 3, Pages 383 – 397. (Source).
Conclusion
Walkie-talkies have been around for a while and now come in several varieties. They have come a long way since they were invented during World War II, and are easily accessible to everyone.
To go along with your survival walkie-talkie, you should also consider other communication backup methods: How Will You Communicate in an Emergency?
Our subscribers have also found these articles helpful:
- Best Emergency Weather Radios | Tested & Reviewed
- The Military Phonetic Alphabet | A Clear and Concise Guide
- Home Survival Kit List | 53 Essentials
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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Hello!
About the car survival kit, I would to share some tips.
Flashlight: one big, easy to reach in the darkness, with long-lasting batteries, and non-cylindrical shape to avoid loss by rolling. I carry an Eveready L73 made in 90’s that fits these requirements. The runtime is 13 hours with four D alkaline cells, that has a 10-year lifetime. Requires only periodical check for battery leakage.
Secondary flashlight: a hands-free model (headlamp or magnetic).
Tool kit: some meters of soft wire are essential. I carry some meters of discarded electric copper wire. Very useful to fix loose license plates, bumpers or everything else.
I am lost with so many options. I need to get my hands on a good family walkie talkie set 4 to 6 walkies. Need to be able to go long distance at the least 15 miles. I was told BaoFeng were good, but which one ? and if not that brand what brand is better / best ?