Midland LXT500 FRS License-Free Walkie Talkie 2 Pack - LXT500VP3

Over & Out - These Walkie Talkies Are Excellent!
For years my kids and I have talked about one important missing element from our list of camping 'must haves' - a really great set of walkie talkies that would keep our family connected while out hiking trails (OK, or getting lost at the mall - remember this pre-Covid 19 experience?!). You see, we're a family of four, and that usually means that one half of our brood ends up walking a bit faster then the other half (I won't disclose that I tend to be in the faster half with my wee youngest one!), and often get separated. So we finally decided to get the Midland 2-Way Radios and this ended up being a great decision, for a few different reasons. First, what you see is what you get - there's no surprises. Second, the quality of these walkie talkies is just fantastic. Both the durability of the units, which I was incredibly impressed by, or the audio quality when put to use, this product is top-notch. Apart from taking them out of the box, inserting the batteries (which you should read the directions on, unlike me!) and letting the 2 radios charge for 24 hours, it couldn't have been easier to get these devices up and running just in time for our camp trip. And while we didn't get separated for more than just a mile or two, the reception was absolutely perfect. The units come with a clip that you can attach to the back of the walkie talkies (which I highly recommend affixing immediately before misplacing them!) and can either clip on to your belt, backpack or hang from inside your tent. Be sure to read the instructions for maximum effect! Over & Out!!!

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Works great!
I’ve had these radios for about a month now. I’ve used them around campgrounds to stay in touch with my traveling partner. And they are perfect for communicating while backing up the trailer and the boat. I particularly like how lightweight and compact they are, as I can easily throw them in my daypack. I haven’t tested the claim of 24 mile distance, but in my experience with other radios the distance is much shorter when there are trees and other obstructions. I certainly had clear sound from several miles away. As another reviewer said, don’t forget to turn them off or you will drain the battery. An auto-off feature would be a nice addition. For the price though, these are great to have.

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Good price for a radio, but not a long-range radio
These Midland radios are good radios for the price, but they are not long-range radios by any means. They advertise that the range on these LXT-500 radios as 24 miles, but that is only on flat land with zero obstructions. We use our radios around campsites and while hiking, and the range for these radios in those situations is somewhere under a mile or less depending on how dense the trees or buildings are in the area. These radios are best for keeping track of kids or friends on short hikes or around the campgrounds. Don’t get me wrong, I love these radios for just that fact because we mostly use two-way radios when traveling in a convoy or around our campsite. These are definitely entry-level radios for short-range use only. They do not have the range of 22 miles as stated. I love Midland products, but they need to be more honest on their packaging about the real range in real-life conditions.

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Work like a charm!
Got these two-ways about a month ago, great price for some quality radios. Glad to have these for hiking, as my partner and I want to split up sometimes we can stay in contact now! I'm not sure if we picked up on other two ways or maybe a CB radio, but we had some interference from another party. Make sure you find a private channel that isn't being used, and remember to TURN THEM OFF, Ive forgotten twice already now, only to come back and find them dead. No problems with working long distance, we tried them a couple of miles apart and no issues. I would like to see if these really work 24 miles out or see how far they work in densely covered forests. Talkies have a backlight and come with neat charging station

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Good for travellers with a plug in!
I got a set of these, as well as the X-TALKER T20X4 Walkie Talkie Four Pack. I wasnt sure what would be best for different kinds of camping, or for use by my kids vs by me or by my older parents. I tested these under a variety of conditions, including in varied topography, heavy forest, on roads and on water. Overall, this radio set is defintiely more powerful, and clearer for a longer range generally. I didnt test them over a distance further than 6 miles, but it can do that over water, or down a river in a flat valley or along flat road. It can also do several miles in heavy vegetation, as long as the terrain is flat. Rougher terrain in the woods with hills, or on a river with steep hills and a lot of bends, it is reduced to a mile or two, unfortunately. But defitnitely good to use outdoors or on a road trip. Advantages: able to be charged with a regular plug outlet, or you can put in regular batteries. Louder, clearer transmission for longer distances than other models. Multiple channels possible. Disadvantages: casing is a bit less sturdy than the X-talker T20X4, charge by plug in doesnt last quite as long as with batteries, and the various buttons are a bit more complicated to figure out. It comes with a rechargeable lithium battery which is great, but it is a little tricky to install. However, given the longer clearer range, I would say this version would be preferable if planning to use on a road trip, especially if you have a plug in adapter in your car.

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Great hiking/camping Radios!
Killer set of radios for the price. The quality is on point. I used them on a hiking trip to MOAB, went to Arches and Canyonlands and was able to keep in touch with the other group miles apart. They are super clear with only some random interference noises, but it's nothing really. They are light, compact and clip on to any gear. They charge up pretty quickly and the charging dock is great. Love that they have rechargeable batteries. I cant wait til snowboard season is back and I get to try them out in Colorado in the snow.

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A fantastic and functional addition to your gear
As a regular backpacking party of 2, my partner and I were on the hunt for a means of communication when cell service was limited. Since we typically visit remote locations for our treks, primitive sites are usually very limited and we are guilty of wanting to set up camp at a location that serves our interests and duration of stay. This often means that one of us needs to forge ahead of the other to scout out additional sites while the other holds a reached site until we have settled on the option that best suits our time in the wilderness. We have debated for some time what might support our needs while keeping additional pack weight to a minimum and settled on giving the Midland X-Tra Talk LXT500VP3 a go—and we’re so happy that we did! These talkies meet our basic need to communicate regardless of cell reception (the main goal) along with a few other awesome features that we didn’t even realize we needed. The units themselves are small which really helped since space in a pack for a multiple night trip is hard to come by. They also have a clip so that you can attach it directly to your belt and avoid compromising pack space altogether. There is a call button on the side that emits a sort of ring sound and we like to use this to cue each other in the instance static makes hearing difficult. However, static has only been a challenge when we tested them out within city limits—so the call feature just becomes great back up while in the backcountry. We were shocked at how clearly our voices can be hear when we tested them up to 3 miles from one another on a mini-trek. While the units offer multiple channels, again, the only time we’ve needed to use that is within city limits and other users can be picked up. It’s a great option though and we’re thankful to have it should the need arise for what we use it for primarily. We also really appreciate the option to turn off the Roger Beep Tone and control volume, as we like to travel sort of discreetly and this has helped us to move without disturbing our surroundings. As mentioned, we like to use these the most while site scouting. One of us will stay at a found walk-up first come first served site with the packs while the other moves ahead to see if there is a more efficient site still available. This is hugely beneficial if you’ve hiked several miles to the first site and prefer to conserve remaining energy until you know it’s absolutely needed. One thing we wouldn’t mind is a smaller travel charger since the units do require being locked into a larger wall-charging unit. But the battery life is sufficient for our needs at this time since we really only use them at the beginning of a trip and then power off. We also like to use the talkies when camping in more developed sites with groups. The scout vehicle will move through the grounds while the others wait and this allows us to find our most desired site without creating a lot of dust and disturbance to other settled campers. They have also helped us stay in communication with base camp friends/family while on day hikes which is nice for coordinating mealtimes together between stationary and moving party members. We have tried to use them in city limits from 1-6miles apart and had some challenges hearing each other but were able to make do. In nature they perform with absolute clarity and excellence and are a great and functional addition to your gear!

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Perfect Camping/4x4 Radios
I’ve had these little Walkies for a week now and they have gotten the job done. We’ve used them to communicate between cars on our drive to Joshua Tree National Park as well as within the park, the park has zero cell coverage. Additionally, I left one at a friends house about a mile away to test them in the suburbs. In both cases, we had zero issues. When you purchase a bargain product like this it is all about trades offs and the Midland Radios make the right ones to get the right price. Pros: -Perfect for camping, caravanning, and hiking with groups if you are staying relatively close -Compact durable design allows them to be stashed almost anywhere -Rechargeable batteries and base means less waste and a smaller footprint -Radios snap into charging base with a satisfying click and lights indicate you are charging -Enough channels to avoid congestion and background noise -Screen lock child proofs radio settings for communication with younger children Cons: -Like all Walkie Talkies that claim 20+ miles, these will never actually get that -Would not count on these over a mile distance -If you are using these in the outdoors like me you will need to pick up a car charger adapter to charge on the road -If you want weather alerts you’ll have to upgrade to the Midlands LXT600VP3 -Belt clips are not hinged and just a simple piece of plastic At this price range, the pros easily outweigh the cons and this product is an easy recommendation.

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Simple and efficient, compact and effective.
Have used these lightly for about a mouth, only on the supplied battery packs, even after forgetting to charge them, they lasted a 5hr hike without going dead. I was only able to test them at a range of roughly 2.5 mi over open water, but the clarity on both ends was impressive. I can't wait to push them a bit harder to see what they can do, but as for now they get a solid recommendation.

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Great Range and Tough Too!
We are avid campers and were excited to try these out primarily with our kids while the explore the campgrounds. These came nicely packaged, are a perfect size, and we were very anxious to test out the range. Our kids were super excited and loved using them. The range was very ample for us and our usage. The kids were able to traverse the whole campground and we were able to hear them loud and clear. They also told me the accidentally “dropped” them a few times and they kept working just fine. The only downside to these is there is no battery display to see what the level is. It only tells you when it is low. I’d love to have had that as an added feature. Totally pleased with these little radios and so glad to have them while we are camping! It’s a purchase you won’t regret!

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