Rocky Talkie Review – Great for Backcountry?

If you spend a lot of time hiking around the backcountry in places where cell phone reception simply doesn’t exist, then having some kind of communication system is critical to your safety. This goes even further when you’re doing adventurous activities like rock climbing and off-piste skiing. 

Now, we all know about carrying a radio so you can communicate between your group as well as search and rescue but which ones are better than others?

Today we are going to take a detailed look at the Rock Talkie, a new radio that is taking the climbing and skiing industry by storm. Does it live up to the hype? Find out below. 

Durability & Weatherproofing

When it comes to choosing a radio for the backcountry, the last thing you need is a radio that falls apart at the first sign of trouble.

The radio needs to inspire you with confidence so that no matter what happens out there it’ll be ready for you to use after. Let’s take a look at how the Rocky Talkie stacks up when it comes to durability and weatherproof.

Durability

The Rocky Talkie’s design comes with everything you need to feel confident that it will survive on the trail.

Firstly, it comes in a removable rubberized case that is almost half an inch thick which provides it with a lot of impact resistance. The case fit’s so snugly, you might not even think it’s removable so there is no need to worry about it slipping out.

The LED display on the Rocky Talkie is made from a transparent shatterproof screen that can handle being dropped from halfway up a rock wall.

The chances of it actually falling are minimal too as the Rockie Talkie comes with a full-strength Mammut Wall Light carabiner which you can attach to your backpack or climbing harness. It also features a safety tether in case the first system fails.

Weatherproofing

In terms of weatherproofing, the Rockie Talkie can withstand extreme temperatures and will happily operate in anything from -20° to 120° Fahrenheit, so you’re covered there.

It also has a waterproof rating of IP56 which means the radio is both splash-proof and snow-proof but it will not survive being submerged. This means you will be able to use it in heavy rain, climb with it up waterfalls, and ski with it.

If you’re a fishing guide, chances are you won’t drop it in the water thanks to the safety tethers but it’s something to think about.

Weight & Packability

When you’re spending days at a time out in the wilderness, chances are you’re going to be carrying a heavy backpack.

Adding extra weight to a backpack is every outdoor adventurist’s worst nightmare, so how does the Rocky Talkie stack up when it comes to weight and packability?

Weight

The Rockie Talkie weighs in at just 4.8 oz by itself which, to be honest, is extremely light. You’re not going to notice an extra 1/4 lb hanging off you while you’re skiing, fishing, or rock climbing.

But, we have to take into account the full system, as you’ll need to carry the extras such as charging equipment, etc.

The full system is also super light, weighing 7.9 oz including the radio so you should have no issues with any extra-weight holding you back due to the Rockie Talkie on your adventures.

Packability

We have already touched on the fact that the Rockie Talkies come with a heavy-duty Mammut® Wall Light Carabiner for easy attaching to a pack or harness, as well as a safety tether. This is great for when you want to use the radio and have it nearby, but what about when you want to stow it in your backpack?

The dimensions of the Rockie Talkie are just 16.2 x 5.9 x 2.7 cm which is pretty small. You’ll easily be able to squeeze them into a backpack of any size, even a small day pack.

The main issue here is, what if you’re not wearing a backpack or a harness, where do you put the Rockie Talkie then? You can clip the carabiner onto your belt or belt loop, but that won’t make hiking very comfortable.

It would probably fit in a jacket pocket but again, that’s not so comfortable either and you’d have the aerial sticking out.

This is the one flaw of the Rockie Talkie in regards to packability. It would be nice if it had a clip your belt or something as well as the carabiner.

Communication Clarity & Range

It’s one thing having a durable radio that is easy to take anywhere but does it actually work when it comes to time to communicate?

If you can’t hear your buddy or search & rescue, is the radio even worth it? Let’s take a look at the comms range and clarity of the Rocky Talkie.

Communication Clarity

I have to say, everyone who has used the Rocky Talkie has spoken highly of its ability to communicate clearly when in range. These are just any people testing this product, these are rock climbing guides, and mountain rescue volunteers.

The general consensus is that hearing communications on the Rocky Talkies is as clear as chatting to someone on a cell phone with a full signal.

That’s pretty impressive if I’m honest, and I have used radios at sea my whole life, and good ones too with base stations, and they aren’t always that clear.

Privacy Codes Make Peace

A great feature of the Rocky Talkie is the privacy codes they come with. Privacy codes allow you to block out any radio comms on the same channel that doesn’t have your privacy code meaning you’ll only hear who you want to hear.

The Rocky Talkies come with 121 different privacy codes to choose from so you can guarantee that you’ll only be in direct comms with the groups you want and never be interrupted mid transmission.

Communication Range

The Rocky Talkie radio has a transmitting power of 2 watts which is the maximum allowed that doesn’t require a radio license to transmit.

On top of this, the antenna on these is fixed which means it holds a better connection than removable ones. So it’s technically stacked up to be the best it can be within its class with regards to range.

Rockie Talkie claims to be able to transmit up to:

• Line-of-sight: 25+ miles
• Mountains: 1 to 5 miles
• Forest/Hills: 0.5 to 3 miles
• City: Up to 1 mile

This range selection is pretty solid and it is better than almost all the radios that do not require a license. The ranges are also perfect for groups to communicate between as chances are you’re not going to be more than a mile apart.

Ease Of Use & Battery Life

Ease Of Use

The Rockie Talkie only comes with a total of five buttons and they are oversized buttons as well. The buttons include an on/off button, a channel changer, a volume up, a volume down, and a push to talk button, and that’s it.

With these buttons, you can scan all the channels, lock and unlock the radio, switch between high and low-frequency power, change channels, switch to different privacy codes (CT, DCS), and even check how long the battery has left.

The Rocky Talkie also comes pre-programmed and ready to use to there is no need to delve into the user manual and spend hours trying to configure them and set them up.

There is one advanced feature to get your head around though and that is adding a privacy code which is actually super simple and is well explained in the manual.

Overall, you couldn’t find a simpler radio to use than the Rockie Talkie.

Battery Life

The battery life of the Rockie Talkie is specified as 3+ days in the manual and this is actually a much lower estimate than what you can get out of a full charge in reality.

The battery life of your Rockie Talkie is depending on two things – how often you transmit and whether you’re using high or low power to make your transmissions.

On-field tests by outdoor professionals, the battery lasted for 12 days while being used for 5-8 hours per day. So you’re pretty much guaranteed to get 3 days out of a full charge.

If you were to just leave the radio on in standby mode the battery will last over 120 hrs. So even if you forget to turn it off when you’re at home base, you have some leeway.

Recharging the battery is very easy, all you need is a power bank and the included USB-C cable and you’re set!

Value for Money

Is the Rocky Talkie worth the $110 it costs? In a word, yes! These radios are built to survive, come with a 2-year warranty, and you can’t really put a price on safety, can you? No! Plus they donate $2 per radio to search and rescue teams.

For the sake of peace of mind, being able to communicate with your family, friends, other guides, and search and rescue, $110 is a small price to pay in our eyes.

Rating

With a huge score of 86/100 on our rating system, the Rocky Talkie has performed exceptionally well.

The only things the radio lost points for are not being waterproof and having no extra attachment system for when you’re not wearing a pack or a harness.

In our eyes, it ticks all the boxes in terms of comms, durability, ease of use, and more!

Verdict

So, is the Rocky Talkie worth buying? We think it is.

If you’re an outdoor guide or love to really get off the beaten track for a day or week at a time, having a good radio is paramount to your survival ability if something goes wrong.

Having been a guide for most of my life, I have to say that I never go out without my radio and when the radios aren’t functioning well, it puts me on edge.

This is one of the most reliable radios out there and it’s very affordable. We highly recommend it!