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Walkie Talkie Uses: Two Way Radio Uses You Probably Haven’t Thought Of

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Article Categories: Gear
Article Tags: Hiking Gear | Skiing Gear

In this article, we are going to discuss different walkie talkie uses. As avid outdoorsman and athletes, we are amazed at all of the great uses for these devices, many of which most won’t think of.

 

What are walkie talkies and how do they work?

Walkie talkies are handheld, portable radios that are often used by people who need to communicate over short distances. They usually have two way radios, which means that they can both send and receive signals. Walkie talkies work by sending radio waves through the air, which are then received by another walkie talkie that is tuned to the same frequency. The radio waves are then converted into sound, which the user can hear through the speaker. Walkie talkies are a great way to stay in contact with friends and family, especially when you’re out in public places or in remote areas. And best of all, they’re really fun to use!

 

Uses Of Walkie Talkies

In this section, we will highlight some of the great use cases for walkie talkies that you may have never heard of.

 

Hiking With Walkie Talkies

Walkie Talkie Use While Hiking

Talking to my fiance over 2,000 feet below while on summit.

We love hiking with walkie talkies. If you have a group where hikers go at different speeds, or have different objectives, walkie talkies makes communication easier, and therefore improves safety substantially. In our experience, we have people that do technical hiking, and others that may want to stay at the alpine lake below. Walkie talkies enable parties to separate much more safely, and also potentially communicate with other groups nearby.

 

Skiing at a Resort With Walkie Talkies

We get tons of comments about how great of an idea walkie talkies are at ski resorts when we take them. Groups can easily reconnect, ski different levels of terrain, and meet up much easier if everyone has a communication device. Even today, when many resorts have cell coverage, communicating with an easy to access radio with your gloves on is a breeze.

We take it to the resorts nearly every trip now because of how convenient it makes it.

 

Fishing With Walkie Talkies

Fishing with walkie talkie

I got to come help net this fish thanks to the radios.

As avid wade fisherman that often cover large distances across rivers in places where there are no cell coverage, a radio is incredible. You can communicate to your partner or group when you need assistance netting a big fish, inform them of a nearby awesome whole, or let them know you are moving up stream.

You can easily strap them on a bag, on your sling, and communicate effortlessly. It makes the fishing experience with a partner so much better and more efficient.

 

Climbing With Walkie Talkies

Instead of screaming over a wall, just have your radio easily accessible. Any climber can see how valuable this can be when outdoor climbing, especially if there is any wind, or a highway down below. This will substantially increase safety as well.

 

Mountaineering

Mountaineering, much like climbing or hiking involves remote places where communication is key to safety. These remote areas often don’t have reliable cell service, and a radio is one of the essential safety tools for just about every mountaineer.

 

Ski Touring (Backcountry Skiing) With Walkie Talkies

Once again, any backcountry skier will easily see the value in a walkie talkie. Communicate when you have reached your safe zone, when your dropping in, or any other details. Communicate if you separate on the skin track, or even communicate with other parties above or below.

Better rescue communication in any event, plus, better communication to avoid any potential hazards. Every backcountry skier shoudl carry a 2 way radio.

 

Fun Kids Activities

Kids love radios. They can be a blast. Not to mention, a great tool for parents to hand the kid a radio when they go off to play out of site. They can be fun for kids to play with, and great parenting tools.

 

Mountain Biking

Much like the other adventure sports listed here, mountain bikers can communicate extremely well with walkie talkies. They can separate, do runs, and communicate easily. This enhances overall safety, and can add simplicity to the experience.

 

Road Trips With Nearby Cars

Ever need to drive a solid distance with friends in a nearby car? Radios are better than phones, and they work extremely well. Tell them when you need to grab gas, or an incident on the road up ahead, or just to chat.

 

Commercial Use Cases

There are two many commercial and business use cases to list, but you can get the gist when you think about retail, manufacturing, construction sites, event coordination, rescue teams, policing, security details, and tons of other essential use cases.

 

What To Look For In A Walkie Talkie

There are a few key things to look for when considering a walkie talkie:

  • Size & Weight
  • Battery Life
  • Ability To Handle Cold Weather
  • Waterproofing
  • Shock Proofing / Durability
  • Radio Power / Range

You want radios that can withstand the elements, not weigh you down, can handle being dropped on a rock or bashed into a cliff, can deal with heavy rain, and can withstand extremely cold temperatures.

Keep all of the above in mind when choosing a radio for your particular needs and climate.

Read our review on the Rocky Talkies to see our favorite radios for diverse outdoor activities.

 

Walkie Talkies We’d Recommend

Backcountry Access BCA Link Group Communication Radio (See on REI)

Rocky Talkies

Midland X-Talker

*Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, so we would get a small percentage of any purchase through these links. This by no means effects our recommendations, but we want to be transparent. This is how we help support the production of high quality content.

 

Conclusion

Walkie talkies are some of the most versatile and functional pieces of technology that you can bring with you on any adventure. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, an extreme adventurer or a professional who needs to stay in constant touch with their team; radios offer unbeatable communication convenience and security. From fishing to mountaineering to kids activities, you’re sure to find the right walkie talkie for your particular needs. Just make sure that it is up to the task and capable of withstanding even the most extreme climates. Happy exploring!

Max DesMarais

Max DesMarais

Max DesMarais is the founder of hikingandfishing.com. He has a passion for the outdoors and making outdoor education and adventure more accessible. Max is a published author for various outdoor adventure, travel, and marketing websites. He is an experienced hiker, backpacker, fly fisherman, backcountry skier, trail runner, and spends his free time in the outdoors. These adventures allow him to test gear, learn new skills, and experience new places so that he can educate others. Max grew up hiking all around New Hampshire and New England. He became obsessed with the New Hampshire mountains, and the NH 48, where he guided hikes and trail runs in the White Mountains. Since moving out west, Max has continued climbed all of the Colorado 14ers, is always testing gear, learning skills, gaining experience, and building his endurance for outdoor sports. You can read more about his experience here: hikingandfishing/about