The best car walkie talkie for a road trip is one that is affordable, dependable, and will keep you connected within your party and across several vehicles. Cell phones can’t always keep you in contact with other drivers on long road trips. When you drive through certain areas, you may lose the ability to call and send text messages to other people. That’s where walkie talkies can come in handy, and perhaps even save you during an emergency!
Table of Contents
Best Walkie Talkie For Road Trip Reviews
It’s a good idea to have walkie talkies as a backup or main form of communication when you’re coordinating a road trip between multiple drivers. Consider these tips and products when you shop for the best walkie-talkie for a road trip.
Midland GXT1000VP4
The Midland GXT1000VP4 is a solid product that will not disappoint when it comes to battery life, range and quality of sound. The standard packaging of these walkie talkies also includes hands-free (VOX) capable headsets and a vehicle charging adapter that will come in handy while on the road. This is the best overall option for dependable sound quality at a good price. You really can’t beat for it for a road trip, because you can use it safely in the car and also out and about on your adventures or in an emergency situation road-side.
- Supports 22-FRS and GMRS channels for maximum flexibility.
- Choose between rechargeable or AA batteries for extended talk time.
- Exceptional audio quality.
- Built in weather alert feature keeps you safe by notifying of changing weather conditions.
- Rugged construction means these radios can handle the toughest conditions.
- Use of GMRS channels requires an FCC license.
- Real world range of 1 - 1.5 miles in normal situations.
- Headset could be uncomfortable with extended usage.
- A weatherproof rather than waterproof radio.
It’s far and away our best walkie for a road trip given its overall high performance and value at its reasonable price.
Cobra ACXT145
The Cobra ACXT145
- 22-Channel walkie talkie.
- Up to 16-mile range.
- Power saver circuitry.
- Powered by rechargeable batteries or 3 "AAA" batteries.
Its a great choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-use walkie talkie for your next road trip or car camping adventure and will not need super long range communication!
Cobra ACXT645
The Cobra ACXT645 is a great choice for those wanting a walkie talkie that is quite powerful and long-range. The ACXT645 offers up to 35 miles of range, but on the road you can expect maybe 10-20, and less if you’re in hills. That said, for the price that’s actually a lot of range and we were impressed by the clear sound quality. The ACXT645 also has great battery life as well as a fast-charging base station, so you don’t need to worry about running out of juice even on a busy day of use.
- 22-Channels with 121 Privacy Codes.
- Up to 35 mile range.
- Waterproof - Designed to IPX4/JIS4 standards.
- Voice-activated transmission frees hands for other tasks.
These are also ideal if you’re planning to use them outside the car when you are hiking, camping, or hunting, as they’re much more powerful than a model like the CXT195. And they do come with Vox capacity so hands-free is an option!
Motorola Talkabout T460
The Motorola T460 walkie talkie is one of the most popular on the market today, and we understand why. It performs highly in every category, with great range, battery life, and durability, as you would expect from the venerable Motorola brand. The T460 is well suited for use on a road trip especially because of its emergency weather alerts, flashlight for emergency use, and IP54 weatherproofing which allow it to withstand the elements. It has also got Vox hands-free ability, and a variety of privacy codes to pair with 22 channels of communication if you are looking for more security.
The Talkabout T460 is the ultimate necessity for anyone serious about outdoor adventures and sports. With this radio, you’re not alone whether you are skiing down a mountain, exploring a new trail or pitching a tent at a campsite. Just press the push-to-talk button and you are ready to go.
- A range of up to 35-miles
- IP54 Weatherproof
- Up to 8.5-hours battery life on rechargeables
- Automatic weather warnings and other emergency alerts
- Vox/iVox handsfree operation
- Weatherproof rather than waterproof
Its simply a solid overall walkie talkie at a great price.
Road Trip Walkie Talkie Buyer’s Guide
The remainder of this article will discuss some aspects you should consider when you are looking for a walkie-talkie to use when you go on a road trip.
Car to Car Walkie Talkies Range
It is easy to get the cars in your party separated while on the road, for example by traffic lights or taking a wrong turn. And those are precisely the sort of circumstances in which you need to be able to communicate with each other over your radios, especially if you are in an area with weak or no cell service. It would be a shame if this is not possible because your walkie-talkie has limited range. So make sure you buy a walkie talkie with good range if you want to use it on a road trip. Both of the options above have strong performance at range, and will ensure you can stay in communication with your party at all times. If you are planning to caravan with your family or friends, this is an easy way to quickly communicate with one another even across several miles.
Walkie talkie for car convoy
You can easily use these walkie talkies as part of a car convoy with your family and friends. They offer great range even on the go, so you can have your cars spread out on the highway and still be able to communicate. This is an easier option than having to call or text constantly and is also much safer!
Battery life
Road trip walkie-talkies need excellent battery longevity. It could be hard to charge the batteries when you’re on the road, or you might forget to pack them. Some walkie-talkies have battery backups that allow you to use regular AA or AAA batteries when you need to. Most of these devices can be powered by store-bought batteries for about two days. Because of this, we’d recommend you purchase a walkie talkie (like the two recommend above) with great battery life BUT also remember to pack a battery “back-up kit” in case of emergency, especially if you’re planning on going camping, hiking, or off-roading during your trip.
You can find any size and design of walkie-talkie that has great battery life as long as you shop around. A walkie-talkie is useless if you can’t power it. Make sure to read reviews of battery life before you make a purchase to save yourself some headaches. These are two great options, but if you look for others, be sure to ask about battery issues.
Ease of use
A road trip is designed to be fun and relaxing. That’s why it’s not an ideal time to try to mess with a sophisticated radio system unless everyone involved is tech savvy. Choose radios that are effective but simple to use at the same time. You don’t want to face an emergency situation while being confused about how to work the walkie-talkie. You don’t want a kids walkie talkie, but still try to find a device that has the most user-friendly controls and settings. You’ll make life easier for everyone on the road trip if the walkie-talkies are simple and effective. One other tip we would recommend is seeing if you can mount your walkie on your dash. That can make it easy to access at all times, and ensure you can hear clearly.
Walkie Talkie for Road Trip FAQ
We’ve answered some of the most common questions about walkie talkies and road trips so that you can have a safe and enjoyable experience!
Do walkie talkies work while driving?
Yes, walkie talkies will work while you are driving. That said, you should think of a walkie talkie as like a cell phone, and try not to use it as it can distract you. Depending upon the laws in your area, it may even be illegal to actively hold and use a walkie talkie while you are driving, so be careful and check the laws in your state! If you do need to talk while driving, make sure you choose one of our options with Vox hands-free capability or get an earpice or headset for your walkie talkie.
We've created a buyers guide that will tell you everything you need to know to buy the perfect walkie talkie.
