WALKIE TALKIES

Although one of the best things about camping is that feeling of getting away from it all, you don’t want to get completely lost. Imagine your extended family is combining a reunion and a camping trip. There’s a whole bunch of kids and a couple of adults who want to go hiking. The older kids forge ahead with one adult, and the younger ones straggle along with the other adult, stopping to look at dead leaves and bugs and bits of trash. How do you keep in touch? You might or might not be able to get a cell phone signal. A more reliable method is by using two-way radios, also known as walkie talkies.

Audiovox Two-way Radios GMRS1882CH

These Audiovox two-way radios are lightweight and reliable. The batteries hold a charge for about three hours and a hand-cranked generator supplies power instantly—about 15 minutes after five seconds of cranking. There are 22 channels with 38 privacy codes per channel with an 18-mile range. (Other Audiovox radios may have different ranges.) Features include voice-operated switches (VOX), built-in flashlight, and a hard plastic housing for durability.

Cobra microTALK PR 170-2 8-Mile Radio

The Cobra microTALK series of two-way radios includes radios for just about every occasion and range. The PR 170-2 set has a range of eight miles, making it a very good choice for camping. A total of 836 privacy combinations are possible with the 22 channels, each with 38 privacy codes. Among its features are call alert, roger beep tone, and auto-squelch, which automatically shuts off weak transmissions or noise interference. An LCD display gives you easy-to-read status information.

Motorola Talkabout SX600 Walkie Talkie

This walkie talkie set, just one of 25 in Motorola’s line of Talkabouts, is a great one for family use. Its hands-free, voice-activated operation is good for up to 14 miles; the 22 channels and 121 privacy codes ensure your conversation won’t be overheard. Other features include 10 call tones, low-battery alert, roger beep, and Motorola’s Quiet Talk filter, which eliminates interference from non-Motorola radios. These radios are rechargeable or run on three AAA batteries.