Rocky Talkie vs Midland vs Motorola
With no license, buy the Rocky Talkie Mountain. OutdoorGearLab rated it the best license-free radio for range and clarity, and its battery lasts days. On a budget or near water, buy the Motorola T605: less than half the price, and it floats. With a GMRS license, buy the Rocky Talkie Expedition. Skip the Midland GXT1000 if you need range.
No license: Rocky Talkie Mountain vs Motorola T605
Best license-free radio
Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio (2 pack)
- OutdoorGearLab's top pick. OutdoorGearLab: "Among the walkie-talkies you can use right out of the box, it has the best range and clarity, by far."
- Battery lasts days. Rocky Talkie: "A specialized lithium-ion battery delivers 3–5 days of life, even in extreme cold."
- A metal-reinforced leash and carabiner.
Watch for
- More than twice the price of the T605, and only splash-proof (Rocky Talkie).
Sold on Amazon by the maker's own store, Rocky Talkie.
Best on a budget, and near water
Motorola Talkabout T605 H2O (2-pack)
- In forested hills it matched the Rocky Talkie. OutdoorGearLab: "These FRS radios boasted ranges of 2.2 to 2.6 miles in forested rolling hills."
- Waterproof, and it floats. Motorola: “This radio meets IP67 standards. It will withstand submersion of up to 1m for 30 minutes.”
- Runs on AA batteries in a pinch (Motorola).
- Sold by Amazon itself.
Watch for
- Range drops fast among rocks and trees. OutdoorGearLab found it reached six miles over open water but just over one with rocks and trees in the way (OutdoorGearLab).
- Hours, not days, on a charge. Pack AA batteries for long trips.
With a GMRS license: Rocky Talkie Expedition vs Midland GXT67 PRO
Best GMRS pair
Rocky Talkie Expedition 5 Watt Radio (2 pack)
- OutdoorGearLab: "The BaoFeng BF-F8HP and the Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio offered the best radio range in our lineup."
- Waterproof (Rocky Talkie).
- Works with repeaters (Rocky Talkie).
Watch for
- Needs the $35 license. How to get it.
Sold on Amazon by the maker's own store, Rocky Talkie.
If you want more channels and programming
Midland GXT67 PRO
Watch for
- Sold one at a time, so a pair costs more than the Expedition pair.
Sold on Amazon by the maker's own store, Midland Radio.
Amazon prices as of October 14, 2026, 10:00 PM Pacific. Prices change; Amazon shows the current one.
Measured range, side by side
| Radio | Service | Range | Where | Tester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio (2 pack) | License-free (FRS) | 2.2–2.6 mi | forested rolling hills | OutdoorGearLab |
| Motorola Talkabout T605 H2O (2-pack) | License-free (FRS) | 2.2–2.6 mi | forested rolling hills | OutdoorGearLab |
| Motorola Talkabout T605 H2O (2-pack) | License-free (FRS) | just over 1 mi | rocks and trees | OutdoorGearLab |
| Midland GXT1000VP4 | GMRS: needs a license | under 1 mi | trees and hills | OutdoorGearLab |
| Rocky Talkie Expedition 5 Watt Radio (2 pack) | GMRS: needs a license | about 0.6 mi | hilly neighborhood with houses | Outdoor Life |
| Midland GXT67 PRO | GMRS: needs a license | about 5 mi | high ground, clear line of sight | OVR Magazine |
Compare rows from the same tester only. OutdoorGearLab tested side by side in the same forest. Outdoor Life tested in a hilly neighborhood full of houses, where every radio does badly; its $18 FRS pair reached about 0.3 mile there. OVR tested from high ground with a clear view. All range tests.
The specs, from the makers
| Product | Power | Waterproof | Battery | Weather alerts | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio (2 pack) | 2 W | Splash-proof (IP56) | Li-ion, 3 to 5 days | Not stated | $240.00 |
| Motorola Talkabout T605 H2O (2-pack) | About 1.2 W | Waterproof (IP67), floats | NiMH, 9 hours, or 3 AA | Yes | $94.45 |
| Rocky Talkie Expedition 5 Watt Radio (2 pack) | 5 W | Waterproof (IP67) | Li-ion, 4 to 6 days | Yes | $390.00 |
| Midland GXT67 PRO | 5 W | Waterproof (IP67) | Li-ion, built in | Yes | $219.99 |
| Midland GXT1000VP4 | About 2.3 W | Splash-resistant | NiMH pack or 4 AA | Yes | $89.99 |
Questions people ask
Is Rocky Talkie better than Motorola?
Yes, for range and battery. OutdoorGearLab rated the Rocky Talkie Mountain best for range and clarity among license-free radios. Both reached 2.2 to 2.6 miles in its forest test, but the Motorola T605 fell to just over a mile among rocks and trees. The Motorola floats and costs less than half as much.
Is Rocky Talkie better than Midland?
Than the GXT1000, yes. OutdoorGearLab found the GXT1000 reached less than 1 mile in trees and hills. Against Midland's GXT67 PRO, both are 5-watt GMRS radios; the Expedition costs less per pair.
Can a Rocky Talkie talk to a Midland or Motorola?
Yes, on channels 1 to 22 with matching privacy codes. How to pair brands.