The Best Waterproof Walkie-Talkies – Top Two Way Radios Compared

Kids everywhere love playing with walkie-talkies. When I was just a little lad,we used to string cups together with floss to make wired walkie-talkies between bunk beds and rooms.

As I got older, my fascination grew as I was able to use better and better walkie-talkies. Now, I’m on the search for the best waterproof walkie talkie that I can take with me on any adventure.

Best Waterproof Walkie-Talkie Comparisons

Midland’s GXT pro series walkie talkies are your best friend while out in the wilds of the world. The GXT1000 series is a fully featured line of two-way radios built to give you strong communication in almost any situation.

The GXT1000 has a maximum range of up to 32-miles in mountain to valley conditions, 8 miles over open water, and 2 miles when in a city or neighborhood. This range is excellent for those trips where you will be traveling in groups that have different vehicles or for the tri-athlete team.

While out exploring, Midland has set you up with a suite of functions and features to makes sure that you are safe and informed. This walkie talkie 50 channels, including 142 privacy codes, picks up the NOAA and hazardous weather warning channels, and an SOS siren that will send out a distress and locator signal in the event of an emergency.

The battery on the GXT 1000 can last for up to 11-hours on a full charge, which great for those long day trips you make out to the mountains close to your home or the lake where you like to fish. The pack comes with a charger that can charge the battery alone or charge the radio with the battery installed.

In the range of waterproof and water-resistant radios, this Motorola Talkabout is the walkie you want in your gear bag. Where other walkie talkies can only take a splash or light rain, the MS350R can be dunked in water and pelted with heavy rain without breaking down. The IP-67 waterproof rating means that you don’t have to fear dust or water.

The Talkabout has a 35-mile range that will let you tackle city, sea, mountain, or desert. This walkie is an excellent choice for dirt bike enthusiasts, hunters, and boaters. The 22-channel range has 121 privacy codes to make sure you aren’t getting spied on.

Motorola uses a rechargeable battery system that includes a dock for charging both radios simultaneously.If you are out longer than you planned, or couldn’t resist exploring that slot canyon, the Motorola Talk about can use AA batteries as a backup power source.

As the list goes on, we are ramping up the waterproof intensity. Uniden’s MHS75 is a VHF Marine radio that can survive submersion for an extended period. The radio won’t do you any good at the bottom of the lake, so Uniden designed this radio to float.

Uniden’s radio has variable transmission power that you can select 1, 2.5, or 5-watt. The MHS75 comes preprogrammed with USA, Canada, and international marine channels. Plus, this radio supports NOAA weather channels and has an emergency and weather alerts. You can simultaneously monitor two channels. You can have your communication channel open, plus keep a channel open for emergency monitoring.

The other strength of Uniden’s radio is the easy to read display and LCD backlight on both the screen and keyboard. You can easily operate the radio in any lighting condition. The rechargeable battery can keep you in contact for up to 12-hours. Perhaps the only weakness of the Uniden MHS75 is that the charger is only a DC, cigarette lighter, connection.

The Midland LXT630 is the little brother of the GXT1000 that offers a lower level of water resistance but still lets you use this walkie in a light rain. Make sure you don’t submerge it though, the manual says that will void the warranty.

Even with the lower degree of water resistance, the LXT630 is still a solid radio for the outdoor adventurer. The radio has a 30-mile max range in clear line of sight conditions, which means you will have good coverage of about a mile in less direct line conditions. The radio is equipped to handle 36-channels with 121 privacy codes.

In addition to the communication features of the Midland walkie, it also automatically detects the local NOAA and weather hazard stations to make sure you are in the know during emergency situations.

Some of my favorite features are the bright yellow color that is highly visible, i.e., harder to lose. Plus, the LXT630 is hands-free VOX compatible so that you can hook up a headset. The VOX feature allows you to activate transmission with your voice, instead of having to push a button.

I already featured a super tough marine radio from Uniden. So, I figured we needed a quality walkie from Uniden that will work for the mountaineer. The GMR-5089 is rated JIS-7 for waterproofing, meaning that water won’t seep into the radio when immersed. The radio is not impervious to water, but you can be sure that drops in water and brutal mountain rains. Uniden states that it can withstand submersion up to 3-feet for 30-minutes. Plus, it floats.

The Uniden GMR-5089 has full 22 channel functionality, including GMRS frequencies that operate with consistent performance over a wider range. These channelsare one of the safety features built into this walkie-talkie set. The GMR-5089 also has a weather radio broadcast mode that will keep you notified of changing conditions that can be potentially hazardous.

Uniden has also built in a high-intensity signal light with an LED bulb. The light can be used to help you find your way when out later than expected and can be used to signal SOS in the event of an emergency.

Motorola’s T600 Talkabout is a solid all-around walkie-talkie. The T600 is one of the radios that are just as good on land as it is out on the water. For starters, the T600 is IP-67 waterproof rated. The radio has complete sealing against dust and particulates,and it can survive submersion in up to 3-feet of water. For the kayaker, river rider, or hiker. This Talkabout even has a VibraCall feature that silences the tones. No worrying about a ringer interrupting the serenity of nature.

The T600 have access to all 22 standard channels. It also has 121 privacy codes for each channel that help make sure your group is the only group on the comms. Like other quality radios, the Talkabout includes the NOAA weather alert channels and the option to receive automatic weather alerts.

Another amazing safety feature is the built-in flashlight with both red and white led colors. A flashlight is a great option for outdoors and as a great addition to your disaster toolkit. 

We’ve seen a couple of quality Motorola walkie-talkies on this list,and I wanted to include a more budget Motorola. Motorola has built its reputation on quality and consistent communication performance. The T460 isn’t quite as rugged as it’s cousins on the list but is still features a reliable performance at a lower price than the others.

The waterproof rating of the T460 is IP-54. The IP-54 rating puts it in the range that is splash proof and good for light rains. However, you can submerge it or expose it to heavy rain for extended periods. 

This walkie maintains the suite of safety feature found in other models. The features include weather and NOAA alerts,and a built-in LED emergency flashlight. You also have full access to 22 standard channels with 121 privacy codes.

I wanted to get another quality name on the list before moving on to our budget options for walkie-talkies. Cobra’s electronics are known for being high-quality and reliable,and the walkie-talkies are no exception.

The CXT1045 is an any weather radio set that has an IP-X7 waterproof rating that signifies that this radio can fully submerge in water without liquid penetration. Cobra also built the radio to float to help prevent losing it when you accidentally drop it in the water.

You have access to the standard 22 channels with 121 privacy codes per channel to make sure that you have ample options for setting up a line of communication. You also will get 10 NOAA and weather alert stations to keep you in the know about current conditions.

Perhaps the coolest and most endearing feature of the CXT1045 is that it automatically records the previous 20-seconds of communication. This feature is excellent for making sure you don’t miss important information.

I am not overly family with Baofeng as a company, but I do know that they make a quality, budget walkie-talkie radio. This radio uses both VHF and UHF frequency ranges to provide a reliable and consistent signal. Its small size and basic screen make it a great radio for any age user with almost any experience level.

The waterproof rating of the is IP-67 that means it has been rated to withstand full submersion in water. Plus, it has a seal against dust and dirt. This combination means you can take it anywhere you want without concern for water, mud, or dirt damage.

The Olympia R100 is one of the best entry-level budget set of walkie-talkies. The Olympia radios have a strong enough signal to make them operable in most activities but don’t expect the reception quality of some of the bigger names.

The R100 is IP-54 waterproof rated that keeps its main functioning components safe from dust,and the body is sealed well enough to withstand light to moderate rains. You don’t want to let it fall in a lake, river, or mud puddle while out on an adventure though.

The design of the radio makes it simple to use for adults and kids. A good choice for families that want a set of radios that work well and won’t break hearts if they become lost or damaged by little hands.

A Quick Note on the Best Waterproof Walkie Talkie

When an electronic device states that it is waterproof, it falls into a specific rating that measures its water resistance. Most devices like walkie-talkies with changeable batteries and ports for headsets aren’t 100% waterproof.

To help create an informed consumer market, two sets of waterproof ratings exist; the Japan Industrial Scale (JIS) that rates from 0 to 8. 0 means that the device is not waterproof at all and 8 means that the device is fully submersible.

The other rating system is the International Protection Rating (IP). This system measures both water and dust proofing. Like the JIS, the IP measures from 0 to 8 with the higher number meaning greater waterproofing. In the IP system, the rating has two numbers the fist is the dust rating and the second is the waterproof rating.

Get Out and Share Your Moments

With the best waterproof walkie talkie, you can share all the amazing moments you experience while out adventuring in the wonderful wilds. Great walkies will go with you anywhere and can withstand even the worst weather.Hopefully, this list helps direct you to your new favorite piece of adventure gear.

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