Midland GXT850VP4 22-Channel 26-Mile GMRS/FRS 2-Way Radio (Pair, Mossy Oak) Reviews

• Awesome!!!!!!!!!

  
  By A1BXK2R3EEIQ3B on 2007-10-25
  We have used several different types and brands of these in the past. I did alot of research before I purchased this set and I read alot of reviews to compare all the sets out there on the market. This set is well worth your purchase and I think the best out there. We are using them for my son and my husband while hunting. After we purchased the first set, we purchased a second set so I can listen from home which is about 9 miles from where they are hunting. As all sets and brands state you have to have optimal conditions to get the milage range that they are rated for. My husband and son are in the mountains with lots of forest terrain and I can still hear their conversation 9 miles away!
  
  

• Not waterproof!

  
  By A8J2K4CX7OIDL on 2008-01-29
  The overall feel of this product is great. It seems tough and of a good quality plastic material. I haven't tested the complete 26-mile range, but it worked great across fields and the voice quality seemed good. There are some downsides though. The included headset works, but it is not very comfortable and does not stay in your ear well. The weight of the microphone tends to work the earbug loose as you walk. Using high power requires you to get an FCC license by law. This is stated on one of the first pages of the user's manual.
  
  My biggest problem of all is that this radio is advertised as waterproof. Beware that their definition of "waterproof" is "can be held under light shower for 30 minutes." The designers of this radio did not put much effort into waterproofing the speaker holes. If water with any degree of force comes in contact with the unit by the speaker holes, the unit will readily take on water. Because of this you need to be careful not to drop the unit in a pond, etc, and you also need to be careful when rinsing the unit off. Either of these actions will result in the unit not working until it dries off. It can take 1 to several days to dry off depending on how much water got in.
  
  
  

• not bad at all

  
  By A3QUTB2R7PCW6X on 2007-10-22
  i bought 4 of these radios for woodsland paintball and have been testing and playing with them for about a week now.
  
  pros: they do just about anything you could want them to do, group mode with up to 10 individual id's with direct call capability, vox/hands-free operation, standard mode for communicating with other types of radios, etc... very clear static-free transmissions with great range even in low frequency FRS channels. setup is easy enough and saves your configuration even if you switch batteries. the option to use AA batteries instead of the rechargable pack included is also nice, in fact some may find it preferable.
  
  cons: the animal calls sound like they're recorded directly off of a sound-effects tape, not realistic at all. there is no way to disable the call alert function (even w/ key lock enabled), the best you can do is set it to vibrate which is still pretty noisy. the chargers as w/ previous models do not automatically turn off the charge light when the batteries are charged which makes absolutely no sense at all, and the charge time is a long 12 hours. i also find it a bit misleading that the packaging clearly states "waterproof" whereas the included manual warns against submerging it in water and drying it should it get wet.
  
  overall the design is very solid, i am very satisfied with the purchase and will likely purchase a few more in the future.
  
  

• Better than any other

  
  By A2VCP2YYWTCSES on 2007-11-30
  I've tried Motorola, Cobra and some others. Even though this isn't perfect, it's hands down better than any other I've had. Of course the 26 miles is bogus, just as if it said 5 mile or 10 mile. I believe they must be talking about the vacuum of space. But it does have great range, and the biggest positive is the clarity of sound. Extremely clear. The only gripe is the volume. I wish it could be a little louder. I use them outside and traffic noise sometimes makes me have to put the unit closer to me ear. But you can always use the headset which comes with it.
  I purchased 2 of these and was impressed. So I got 2 more.
  
  

• Excellet range

  
  By A2V3C6MFQFPWU2 on 2007-08-12
  The other day I hiked in the Rockies with one of the radios being in my backpack and the other, back at home, in Longmont, co. While hiking on near Longs Peak summit, I called home - to my surprise I heard my wife, and we chatted for a while. I checked my position on Google earth and the distance beteen us was a little over ..29 Miles. Whats even more surprising is the fact that she was in the basement of the house ( basement is totally underground ) when I called.
  
  29 miles folks. thats is one insane power. If not the silly camo look I would totally keep it. I think I will return this one and get the one in black color and waterproof.
  
  recommended.
  
  
• great little radio
  By A1HNIQZQ6RTU6Y on 2007-11-15
  I'm a ham radio nerd and these little radios are really inexpensive for what you get. My single ham handi talkie cost about 4x what you get 2 of these for and these have most of the same features and even some features not on my expensive radio (vibrate call).
  
  Pros: compact, good belt clip, vibrate call, noaa weather, hydride battery, charger included, squelch tones, 2 watts, good sound quality. There isn't much to dislike. If you aren't interested in getting a ham radio license but want 1st class close range communications, these are the ticket.
  
  Cons: marketed as having a range of 100 miles or some b.s. Come on, these are for short range communications and they do an excellent job. I use them during hunting in the thick woods of south AL and the working range is about 1 to 2 miles. On the highway, the range is about 2 to 4 miles, give or take. My 5 watt ham radio is only marginally better. They are also e z to lose if you drop one since they are camo. This is my second set after losing one in the woods. Finally the call tones of a duck, etc. are a gimmick. They cheapen the product.
  
  Overall, these are great for hunters with the vibrate call and headset and decent range. In standby and talking only every now and then, they will easily go a day or 2 on a single charge. I wouldn't want to venture in the woods without them.
  
  
• Good Performance.
  By AZ1ENM4WKYBYH on 2007-06-13
  We bought the radios about 2 week ago. We;ve tested them it the city and they worked pretty fine. in down town they worked excellent in a 2 miles range, and still got some communication up to 4 miles.
  Later, my brother took one to his job and i took the other one, I tried from the building's roof and we got an excellent and clear communication, my brother was able to hear me from the first floor on his building, i looked at googleEarth and the distance is about 7 Km (+-4miles).
  The only thing is that the Battery goes down quickly working on High level.
  As an overall, this radios have worked very good for us.
  
  Cheers from Costa Rica.!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• try max 8 miles
  By ARS79UKEWOQ98 on 2007-08-31
  None of these radios perform as they say based the mileage. Assume 1-8 miles unless you buy something totally different.
  
  
• Good product but the range is not as advertised
  By A2GGFK34U4TZIF on 2007-11-28
  I feel it is a better product compared to Motorola's T6500 (I have one). The sound is clear and loud enough for me, though some comment said the sound is a little low. The power can be configured by 3 levels: high, mid, and low. The channels can be set by either GMRS or FRM. The transmitting range (even at 5w high power) is less than 2 miles in a metro area, which you may want to consider. 26 miles transmitting range is a bit too boasting. You can easily find a math formula on the web to calculate the transmitting distance with 5w power and 4 inch antenna. Keep in mind, the power loss is proportional to the distance' square. If you really need 26 miles transmitting distance, walkie-talkie is a wrong solution, mobile or marine radio with 25 watts may suite your need.
  
  
• Excellent product!
  By A1LM5HTZQDAGWO on 2007-12-28
  This is the best set of radios I've used so far. Transmits very strong, great battery life, many useful features. Used these in very poor weather (sub-freezing temps, wind driven rain, snow, etc...) for a remote hunting trip. Both units worked without any problems or issues. My only advise to those considering these units is to familiarize yourself with them before leaving for a trip. The instructions are somewhat complicated and they do take some time to familiarize with all the functions. Once you figure it out they are worth the money.
  
  
• Very Pleased, Great Radios
  By A3UXJMG7HI0Y7O on 2007-10-31
  My buddies and I have been using radios for hunting for a long time. I've used pretty much every type of radio. These, by far, have the best transmission. I hunt in a very mountainous area so I don't expect the 26 mile range. But the big test was last Saturday (10/20/07). It poured from sun up to sun down. Very heavy rains. Completely waterproof. Great radios.
  
  
• Good Purchase
  By A2B2UCN4LNJKTH on 2008-05-09
  This works great for what I use it for, and that is vehicle to vehicle communication while traveling. About the farthest apart we ever get is just under 2 miles. A great surprise in the package was a car charger for the radios. I hadn't noticed it was included. I would have preferred black instead of camo, but the color wouldn't stop me from buying it. I highly recommend this radio. I diligently shopped and read specifications of many radios before choosing this one and am quite happy with it.
  
  
• Disappointed
  By A2WAKXY0HUFP0S on 2007-10-29
  Volume is too low. Reception distance good. Clarity of speech good. But, one has to be in a quiet environment to hear well. A noisy vehicle would be a challenge. Frank
  
  
• Awesome Radio
  By A348UN0J7HTK1U on 2008-02-13
  Great set of radio's. I have tried them at over 6 miles and they are crystal clear and work well. The earpiece and remote mic work well also.
  
  
• worth every penny
  By A37R5FI6Q0MCYR on 2008-05-02
  I am somewhat new to the 2 way world.My first set was a 4 mile moterola from target,sucked.My friend bought a 10 mile set from walmart ,fairly good but we wanted the longest range we could find and after reseach I found these.We live about 4 miles from each outher typicial suburbun/city conditions and one a clear day we get good recption but on a windy day forget it.Overall we have been very happy using them and the choice of regular or recharable batteries is a big plus.The only downside is if you do not need the long range do not spend money on them.Recent canpimg we got better reception on the 4 and 10 mile 2 ways for shorter distances,these seemed to pick up interfernce fron further away the the shorter distance one didn't
  
  
• Great Radios
  By A1JULE7C62JKU8 on 2008-05-12
  Very good pair of radios for the $$. Naturally the range is not exactly what they claim it is, but works well enough in close range. Battery life seems pretty decent so far. I had a 2 different pairs of Unidens, and they were worthless. Midland makes a much better 2-way product. Easy to use; easy to program. I already have a GMRS license, but don't forget you legally need one to use the GMRS freq's. They also have voice scramble which is a nice feature. The radios are fairly rugged too. Great for outdoor use. I definitely recommend them.
  
  
• Works Great
  By A3JT7U0QXY5UA on 2008-01-14
  I had bought these radios for my husband after a set of motorolas that he had just purchased, which were more expensive, didn't work. He uses them while hunting and said that they work great. He said that they are clear and easy to use. They are also camo which any hunter would love.
  
  
• Great Radios
  By AV9TITYPPWP9V on 2008-03-28
  I purchased these radios purely for recreational purposes. So far, I've been very happy, although I believe the greatest distance we've had these radios is approximately 4 miles and the sound was not completely clear at that distance. However, this was in the mountains with trees, and no direct line of sight.
  
  Overall, I'm quite satisfied that this a good product as a reasonable price.
  
  
• Great little radios
  By A2ECHUZCUNOG6R on 2008-04-11
  I've been very pleased with these radios. They are very sturdy and seem to have been put together with an eye towards quality. They feel fairly hefty in your hands, not flimsy at all. The voice quality is good and the reception in town seems to be pretty good. I have picked up other's talking a couple of times today. It didn't last very long, though. Sometimes when scanning, it'll pick up silence and I don't know why.
  
  Over all, I've been very pleased and can't wait to go hiking again so I can test them out on the trails.
  
  
• 26 MILLES ??????
  By A2UO0OI23LQU78 on 2008-05-09
  I TRY THE FIRS DAY , FROM MY HOUSE TO THE CONER OF THE STREET IN HIGHT POSITION ... THEY WORK OK FOR 1/2 OF MILES !!! THEY ARE UNDER 100 $ .. YOU GET WAT YOU PAID FOR !!
  
  
• W G
  By A22CGQSDRTQMNM on 2008-05-19
  I BOUGHT THESE TO TAKE WITH ME ON A CRUISE. THEY WORKED VERY GOOD. THERE WERE SOME "DEAD SPOTS" ON THE SHIP. WE HAD A GROUP OF 20 PEOPLE AND WE HAD 6 2-WAY RADIOS. IT WAS AN OVERALL GOOD PURCHASE. I DONT BELIEVE THEY WILL CONNECT 26 MILES AWAY BUT A MUST HAVE FOR CRUISING.
  
  
• Midland GTX850VP4 2 way radio
  By A2RJB9EFVVWE3X on 2007-12-12
  I am quite happy with the 2 way radio that I bought, a quality product.I used the 2 way radio's exclusively for hunting,I was able to hunt with the earphone's and needed to only talk very lightly for my sons to hear me, a great asset for hunting.
  
  
• great product
  By A1VBC58LBURZXN on 2008-02-13
  I have used multiple Motorola products which worked "ok", but this Midland pair is much better. They are more clear and seem to be of better quality. They are slightly heavier than motorolas. I have had them for only a few months so durability is unknown at this point. I would definitely recommend them. I use them for paintball.
  
  
• +++very nice toys, a lot of fun+++
  By A8AIR9Y29H2IH on 2008-03-15
  this are very good radios, and they have a lot of extra stuff, but I don't think that they have a range of 26 miles, but thats ok.
  
  
  
• traveller
  By A3C86P47PRO26E on 2008-03-15
  Bought this 2 way radio for a family cruise vacation. Lots of static inside, worked well outside and in ports.
  
  
• Very Good Buy
  By A3DMNW0Q4UYVYC on 2008-03-16
  An excellent buy for the price. The 22 mile range could be misleading to someone not familiar with radio communications, about 2 miles is a more accurate estimate in the real world. I bought them for our motorcycles and am very pleased with the quality, reception and features.
  As a comparison motorcycle shops sell GMRS based communication units in the range of $250.00 to $375.00 EACH!
  Fantastic product for the money.
  
  
• GMRS radios
  By A2OREYHXIQ8NVD on 2008-05-05
  These are a great item. We have really enjoyed them to talk back and forth on our ATV
  
  
• Good product and performance
  By A2N5H5N3WBHP05 on 2008-06-06
  Works very well. Be careful putting it down when in the woods... you will lose it because of the camoflauge color.
  
  I have lost one already due to the camoflaug color but I hope to have solved that by wrapping florescent orange tape around the antenna.
  
  Range is very good. Battery life is also good. I wish light on the chargers would go out when the batteries are charged but it doesn't.
  
  
• these walkies are great!
  By A15U3VJ1080VS3 on 2007-11-24
  they even work from my workplace to my home, almost as good as a cellphone
  
  
• 26 Miles? Not but they do work well for shorter distances
  By A2JZ9ZR6PTIYLM on 2007-12-06
  I got the walkie Talkies very quickly and within the time I expected them. I only wish they really did work at the kind of distance they were advertised at. No matter, for shorter distances they are a good solid product and will not go to waste but if you are really looking for more distance you will be better off spending the money and getting a more expensive set. For the price, you can't beat them.
  
  

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