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The Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio is a GMRS radio built to handle an adventurous life, from submersion in a river to being battered by a blizzard. Once you pay for the test-free $35 FCC license, you'll enjoy the range of this 5-watt radio – the extra power over your standard 2-watt FRS radio allows you to transmit further in trees or hilly terrain. After a week-long ski expedition in Alaska, we didn't have to recharge this radio once, making it one of the best battery-life options we've ever seen. Its IP67 rating means it's dustproof and fully submersible up to 3 feet. This durable, high-powered radio is well worth the extra investment.
REASONS TO BUY
Incredible battery life
Excellent range
Top tier durability
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavier than some
Expensive
Requires paying an FCC license fee
After months of using the Expedition Radio in harsh environments, we've decided it's best to keep the radio in our pack and use either an earpiece ("headset") or a hand mic that clips to your pack. Fortunately, Rocky Talky sells the hand mic as part of a kit:
A high-powered GMRS radio, which may require a license fee, but offers unrivaled range and clarity
These compact walkies do their job well and hold up to wear and tear
A lightweight FRS radio that doesn’t sacrifice performance in the name of weight
For casual walkie talkie use, this budget radio offers great value and packability
This radio is small, light, and packs plenty of battery life, but lacks the range of larger radios
Rating Categories
Rocky Talkie Expedit...
Rocky Talkie Mountai...
Backcountry Access B...
Retevis RT22
Midland X-Talker T10
Range and Clarity(30%)
8.4
7.6
7.0
5.7
3.0
Ease of Use(25%)
6.0
8.5
8.1
6.9
5.0
Weather Resistance and Durability(15%)
9.4
7.3
5.5
5.3
6.0
Battery Life(15%)
9.5
7.7
9.5
3.0
6.3
Weight and Size(15%)
4.0
6.0
7.0
7.3
8.0
Specifications
Rocky Talkie Expedit...
Rocky Talkie Mountai...
Backcountry Access B...
Retevis RT22
Midland X-Talker T10
Number of Radios Included
Single
Single
Single
Two-pack
Two-pack
FCC License Required?
Yes, GMRS license
No
No
No
No
Measured Line-of-Sight Range
10.4 miles
7.7 miles
6.3 miles
4 miles
1.0 mile
Waterproof?
Fully waterproof (IP67)
Highly water-resistant; cannot be submerged (IP56)
Moderate rain resistance; cannot be submerged (IP55)
Not rated
Not rated
Hand Mic or Earpiece Available?
Both available and sold separately
Both available and sold separately
No
Earpieces (2) included
Both available and sold separately
Measured Battery Life
32 hours
26 hours
32 hours
10 hours
21 hours
Rechargeable?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Type of Charger
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Micro-USB
N/A
NOAA Weather Alerts?
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Channels
22 + 8 repeater channels
128
22
16
22
Privacy Codes
Yes, 121 available
Yes, 121 available
Yes, 121 available
Yes, 121 available
Yes, 38 available
Keypad Lock
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
VOX
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Scan Function
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Clips to Pack
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Battery Type
Lithium Ion
Lithium Ion
Lithium Ion
Lithium Ion
AAA
Battery Capacity
1800 mAh
1550 mAh
1800 mAh
1,000 mAh
1,000 mAh
Measured Weight (Single Radio, with Batteries)
9.5 oz
6.7 oz
6.0 oz
3.7 oz
3.9 oz
Dimensions Body Only
4.05" x 2.44" x 3.4"
6.5" x 2.5" x 1.6"
6.25" x 2.5" x 1.25"
3.74" x 2.17" x 0.87"
2" x 1" x 3.5"
Watts
5W
2W
2W
1W, 2W
Not listed
Frequency Range
462 to 467 MHz
462 to 467 MHz
462.55 to 467.71 MHz
462.55 to 467.71 MHz
462.55 to 467.71 MHz
Our Analysis and Test Results
We spent weeks with the Rocky Talkie Expedition radio, putting it through its paces on a climbing expedition to the Alaska Range. Credit: Zach Lovell
Range and Clarity
We were particularly impressed with the performance of the Expedition Radio throughout our examination of range and clarity. After all data was collected and distilled, we found this model to emerge as one of the best options in this metric.
In minor obstructions, this radio offered transmission distances of up to 5.1 miles and a 1.4-mile range in major obstructions. In additional field testing, we found exceptional range when there was a clear line of sight, communicating over 20 miles. The only setback in this metric for the Expedition Radio was its clarity, which was diminished fairly quickly once it reached the middle of its range or further.
The range is excellent, particularly in heavily treed or otherwise obstructed areas. Credit: Zach Lovell
Ease of Use
After testing, the Expedition Radio came in lower in the lineup for ease of use, though this is mostly due to the licensing process needed to utilize any GMRS radio in the US.
This model is a GMRS radio, so it requires a $35 license from the FCC. Fortunately, this doesn't include a test. This license is good for ten years and is also good for your immediate family. We strongly recommend conducting thorough research and diligence to always make sure your radio use is FCC-compliant. Outside of this licensing process, this radio is incredibly user-friendly, with the included cheat sheet from Rocky Talkie offering a simple and effective way to learn both the simple and more advanced features of the Expedition Radio. After a brief orientation to this radio, we were able to utilize this option to its fullest capacity, whether accessing NOAA weather channels or a repeater. The plastic rim protecting the mic button is effective, and accidental mic presses are minimal. The included steel clip was also among the most effective pack/belt attachments we've seen yet.
We greatly appreciated the friendly design, from the protected mic button to the feature navigation. Credit: Zach Lovell
Weather Resistance and Durability
This is the metric where the Expedition Radio truly shines, landing at the top of the charts amongst the entire review's lineup.
With an IP67 rating, the Expedition Radio is both dustproof and can be submerged in water up to 1 meter. After confirming the 1-meter submersible claim, we spent weeks with this radio, including some particularly nasty storms in Alaska, and this radio's performance was unwavering. When dragging this radio around in the arid deserts of the western US, it got dropped and dragged through the sand dozens of times, operating the same afterward as if nothing happened. The included steel pack/belt clip was rugged, especially when compared to other models with flimsy plastic clips. Our end-of-the-day take — this is one seriously tough walkie-talkie that won't let you down when your adventures get rowdy.
This radio was dropped, kicked, dunked in 1 meter of water, and still worked as well as it did out of the box. Credit: Zach Lovell
Battery Life
The Expedition Radio emerged as a top performer in battery life, after we carried out weeks of lab and real-world evaluation. If you need a radio that needs relatively little recharging, look no further.
Battery life is one of the strongest components of the Expedition Radio. Simply put, this radio takes a very long time to drain its battery, and we never even had to recharge it on a week-long expedition in Alaska, though we were turning it off at night. In our more quantitative testing, this radio had 205 minutes of transit time on a high-powered channel, though this may vary greatly in the future depending on temperatures and whether or not you're leaving your radio on in perpetuity for a trip. With such a large battery, it required a lengthy 6 hours and 1 minute to recharge fully.
We used this radio for several back-to-back days without having to recharge it. Credit: Zach Lovell
Weight and Size
With a model like the Expedition Radio boasting such excellent scores in metrics like battery life and durability, it came as no surprise to our team when it fell back in the lineup as a relatively heavy and bulky radio.
At 9.44 oz, this is one of the heavier radios we tested, though this fortunately comes with added durability and features. The profile of this radio is very manageable and easily fits on our pack strap or belts, and for many, the few extra ounces will be worth it to have a higher-powered radio.
This isn't the lightest radio, but it offers performance that's arguably worth its weight. Credit: Zach Lovell
Should You Buy the Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio
The Expedition Radio is both durable and capable, though the increase in performance also comes at an increase in price. Fortunately, we feel that this Rocky Talkie still offers exceptional value, with a phenomenal battery life and robust construction ensuring your handheld radio is dependable.
If you're going to buy a GMRS radio, you'll have to pay $35 for a GMRS license. This license doesn't require a test and lasts 10 years.
What Other Walkie Talkies Should You Consider?
The Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio is the smaller, 2 Watt power, and more packable sibling to the Expedition Radio, and it is an FRS radio, so no licensing is required from the FCC. Another durable radio worth looking into is the Motorola T605 H20, which also offers an IP67 rating and even floats in water. Notably, the T605 H20 is much more affordable than the Expedition Radio, offering an excellent, less expensive alternative.
