The Rocky Talkie is designed for athletes to push their limits in the outdoors. Unlike the fragile plastic belt clips of other radios, our radio easily secures to backpacks and harnesses using an ultra-light carabiner. For extreme terrain, a back-up leash is included to prevent drops. We find that this system is the difference between actively using the radio and keeping it in a backpack for emergencies.

In addition to the convenience offered, the Rocky Talkie includes a shatterproof LED screen (no-glass) and a thermoplastic covering to protect the electronics. The radio is ready to use out of the box and requires zero configuration. The electronics are simple and reliable - we cut out all of the superfluous radio features that kill battery life. The radio has 5 buttons that are easy to understand and still support the critical advanced features (such as privacy codes to prevent outside interference).

Rocky Talkies were specifically designed for climbers and skiers, however they are recommended for any activity where partner communication is critical. Rocky Talkie users have put the radios to good use from mountain biking and adventure photography to base jumping, and more.

Watch a video of our radio range testing here.

As with any FRS radio, the range is highly dependent on the environment you are in. We have conducted our maximum range (line-of-sight) testing in open areas with little interference. The maximum line-of-sight range is greater than 25 miles. In other environments with more trees, hills, or mountains, the range will be significantly reduced because the radio waves cannot penetrate large bodies of earth. You can expect to get a range of around 0.5 to 5 miles in these type of environments.

The toughest environments for radio communication are cities and urban centers where large buildings block signal and the air is filled with other radio waves causing signal noise. In these environments, expect to get up to 1 mile of range. All distances listed above are tested with the radio’s high power mode (2 watts). The low power mode (0.5 watts) will slightly reduce maximum range, but increase battery life.

For more detail, please see our blog post on walkie talkie range.

The Rocky Talkie has a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 1550 mAhrs. Battery life is dependent on how frequently the radios send and receive signals. With normal usage, the battery can be expected to last 3-5 days (assuming the radio is used 8 hours/day). The battery will last over 120 hrs when in standby mode (the radio is on but not transmitting or receiving signals). The battery life was tested in high power mode (2 Watts), so you can expect a slightly longer battery life on low power mode (.5 Watt).

Yes! You can order extra batteries here. For instructions on replacing the battery, see this video.

Yes, the Rocky Talkie is compatible with other FRS and GMRS radios, and the first 22 channels will have matching frequencies. The simplest way to communicate with other brands of radios is to match the channel number on both radios and also match the privacy code (sometimes called sub-channels) on both radios.

For details on switching your privacy code, please see this video.

The Rocky Talkie is compatible with nearly all USB-C chargers! A USB-C cable is included with every radio, however you can use chargers from your other devices such as: phone or laptop chargers, power banks, solar chargers, etc. As long as the device is capable of outputting 5V 1A and has a USB-C plug, it will be compatible.

For any questions about charging please contact us for assistance!

Rocky Talkies were designed to operate in harsh conditions. They have been thoroughly tested and can be reliably used down to -20˚F without significant loss in battery life. All Lithium-ion batteries experience reduced life in cold weather, and temperatures below -20˚F can have significant effects on battery life. While the radios can be operated down to -20˚F, make sure to only charge the radios at temperatures between 0˚to 100˚F to not damage the battery.

The Rocky Talkie is rated IP56. In practical terms, this means the Rocky Talkie is protected from rain, splashes, and snow. However, it is not fully waterproof, and should not be fully submerged in water. If you do need to use your radio in heavy water conditions, consider stowing it in a dry bag and using the Waterproof Hand Mic along with your radio!

The Rocky Talkie does not support NOAA weather channels. We opted to keep the radios as small and lightweight as possible. Supporting NOAA weather channels would require the radio to be dual-band and increase the size and weight of the radio.

To fully charge a Rocky Talkie from 0% to 100% battery it takes around 5 hours. An indicator light near the USB-C port shows red when the radio is charging, and green indicates the radio is fully charged.

Yes, our radios are compatible with headsets and hand mics! We now offer the Waterproof Hand Mic as an attachment for the Rocky Talkie. The Rocky Talkie has a standard K1 type port (dual pin 3.5 mm-2.5 mm).

There is no limit to how many Rocky Talkies can be set on the same channel. Keep in mind that only one radio can transmit on a given channel at one time.

The Rocky Talkie has not been tested in zero gravity but the range in outer-space is going to be great!

The leash and its connecting clips should not be used for anything but attaching to your Rocky Talkie. The small clips that come with the leash are not intended for climbing or other weight-bearing activities.

The ultralight carabiner that is included with the Rocky Talkie is a full-strength rock climbing carabiner.

The Rocky Talkie operates on FRS license-free frequencies and no license is necessary.

The radios transmit on FRS license free frequencies which range from 462 to 467 MHz. These frequencies are part of the Ultra High Frequency band (UHF). See the user manual's channel settings section for the complete list of frequencies each channel uses.

Our team tested VOX (voice activation) extensively (both when developing the Rocky Talkie and testing other radios), but were unable to achieve a level of reliability that we thought was needed for backcountry communication. Oftentimes VOX will be activated by outside noises (like the wind) or potentially fail to activate in a critical situation. Because of this, we instead focused on a convenient attachment system to make the radio as easy as possible to use on the go.

High power mode uses 2 Watts and low power mode uses 0.5 Watts. You can tell if you are on high power or low power by the “H” or “L” indicator on the screen. To switch between the two, hold down the Volume + button for 2 seconds.

Check the battery life of the radio (single press the power button). If the radio is below 15% battery life, the battery is too low to transmit and can only receive signals.

If the battery is not low, double check that the radio you are trying to talk with is on the same channel. Next, make sure the radio you are trying to transmit with is on the same privacy code. You will see CT lit up if privacy codes are activated, and can check the number of privacy code by double pressing the power button.

Battery life can be checked when the radio is on by pressing the power button once.

The Waterproof Hand Mic is a great accessory to increase the versatility of the Rocky Talkie and other radios. Some sports encounter heavy water spray or benefit from other attachment configurations. The Waterproof Hand Mic allows you to stow your radio safely in a pack or dry bag while keeping communication right on your shoulder. This setup tends to be preferred in fishing, snowmobiling, dirt biking, overlanding, and sometimes backcountry skiing.

Yes, the Waterproof Hand Mic is compatible with most radios with dual pin 3.5mm-2.5mm (Kenwood "K1" type) headset/hand mic ports.

The Waterproof Hand Mic is submergible up to 1 meter in water and is built to handle extreme conditions! However, the radio itself and the connection point to the radio are not submergible so make sure to stow your radio in a safe and dry location, like in a pack or dry bag, if heavy water exposure or full submersion is a possibility!

When the Waterproof Hand Mic is attached to your Rocky Talkie, the PTT button on the radio, and the PTT button on the hand mic itself are both functional! Either one will initiate a transmission. In both cases, speak into the microphone on the hand mic!

When connecting the Waterproof Hand Mic with your Rocky Talkie, ensure the K1 type connector is fully inserted into the port. You will feel two distinct clicks, the second click may take more force. If you’re encountering connectivity issues, double-check your connector is fully inserted. If you are still encountering issues with your hand mic, please reach out to Rocky Talkie Support here!

Rocky Talkie products are backed by a 2-year warranty.

We are a small team that is based out of Denver, Colorado. We design and hand-test all of our products here in Denver. We rely on our specialized manufacturing partners in Italy and China for parts and electronics assembly and label our products as made in China.

As a small company we are working hard to expand our regions of sale, however due to radio frequency regulations we are currently unable to sell our products outside of the USA and Canada. We don't have any firm timelines to begin selling outside of those countries but please stay tuned!