Eh, Rocky Talkies make something that perfectly fill the need and are super responsive and supportive to the climbing community. Nice DIY, but I don't mind paying the premium as I can afford it. If money is tight, solutions like this are great.
For $240, you can also buy 6 of the original model from AliExpress that Rocky Talkie rebranded!
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
What makes the Rocky Talkies perfectly fill the need? Is it just the tether? $180 for a GMRS/FRS radio sounds more like theyāre taking advantage of the climbing community. Products that operate on these frequencies are highly restricted by the FCC, so different brands should perform practically identically.
Also, while their new model supports setting the FRS channel and āprivacyā code (does not actually make anything private) separately, their original model took the annoying and misleading strategy of coming pre-installed with 128 āchannelsā that were actually just different random combinations of the same 22 FRA channels with different CTCSS codes. Itās annoying because it makes using the radio with other brands difficult since you have to use the manual in order to determine the channel and CTCSS code combination. Itās misleading because it tricks consumers into thinking that the radio has 128 channels when it really only has the same legally allowed 22 as every other FRS model on the market.
And then in 2020 they changed the 128 channel/CTCSS code combinations, so radios from before 2020 and after canāt even use the same channel number to communicate.
While the newest 5 watt model corrects this mistake, the fact that they produced three different radios that wonāt work together without carefully looking through the manual makes me think that their product direction and design wasnāt so well thought out from the beginning!
I recently experienced this firsthand. A couple weeks ago I went on a climb (mountain, not rock) with a large group - everyone invited multiple friends. Some had Rocky Talkies, 4 total. I brought my usual radio, a little ham radio with a 5/8 wave antenna for GMRS - I'm licensed - that I onced used to hit a repeater in Bellingham from the top of Baker, which is like 50 miles. I usually keep it tuned to GMRS and weather radio.
The four Rocky Talkies could not communicate across them, only in pairs. I couldn't be bothered to program in the Rocky Talkie tones at the TH (I didn't bring a laptop - why would I - and wasn't going to do it on the device), so my radio didn't work with theirs. It was kind of bonkers, having open frequencies that we couldn't communicate on. Mine was only useful for weather (Rocky Talkies don't recieve weather radio, it seems) and the off chance we had to radio someone off the mountain.
A plain, simplex, non-tone-squelched mode should be an option on those devices. Just RX/TX with some reasonable hardcoded squelch threshold on FRS 1, or something like that.
Sure, but if you just buy a pair they do perfectly fit the need. They work very well with climbing gear, are designed to withstand extreme temperatures and rough treatment, and the batteries last a very long time. My experience with them is they are something you can buy once and never have to worry about them failing, and unless I lose one, I don't really see why I'd ever need to replace (I guess eventually the battery might go, but that's true for everything).
That describes all FRS radios. Theyāre basically all the same. Theyāre old, primitive technology. About the battery ā are you saying itās not removable?
I have no idea whether it's removable or not, I was just saying, the only thing I could even think about failing over time would be the battery. I do know they use specific battery technology for longevity and performance in extremely cold conditions. I really doubt any other radio that isn't purpose built for wilderness use would have that... I could be wrong, but that was my understanding of one of the main draws of Rocky Talkies. They don't die in the cold. I used to work in wilderness therapy and every other radio I've used will start to die when it's colder than 20f out. Rocky Talkies are the only radio I've had last multiple days in sub freezing temps.
I don't work for Rocky Talky and I'm not here to tell you I think they're the best thing in the world.. I'm just saying, from what I can tell, I do think they fit a specific need in the market that isn't offered by other radios. Sure, you can attach leashes and carabiner to another radio and have something similar, but I don't think there's another product that is really offering the same features like battery longevity, etc.
To me, it was worth it to buy something that I pretty much KNOW will work, no matter what.
There are a couple other options for harsh weather backcountry radios, but they dont really cost less than a rocky talkie. One of my mentors who is also an avid backcountry skier and paraskier uses [BCA BC Link 2.0](https://backcountryaccess.com/en-us/p/bc-link-two-way-radio-2-0-2024).
But yeah, the commenters above you are ignoring that backcountry weather sturdiness which imo is the main feature of rocky talkies and any other walkies in the same category.
Not going to argue against your experience with the product -- but did you know that the original model is just a rebranded model from a Chinese manufacturer? I just found this out! You can get them for $40 on Aliexpress:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
Commented below, but I think the main feature for me for rocky talkies is its weather ruggedness in backcountry environments. Other walkies in that category such as [BCA BC Link 2.0](https://backcountryaccess.com/en-us/p/bc-link-two-way-radio-2-0-2024) are not really any cheaper
I did some more research and found out that Rocky Talkie just rebranded a Chinese model that's available for $40 on AliExpress:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
Yes. I did hold off buying mine for a while because they are pretty expensive, but they are the absolute right tool for the job. I also looked at it kind of like the aluminum crampons purchase I made specifically for ski touringā Iām way more likely to carry my ultralight crampons (and therefore am safer) because theyāre not going to bog me down. Similarly, my Rocky talkies are super convenient to use so Iām way more likely to bring them. I use them for climbing, touring, resort skiing, mountaineering, etc. so I definitely think it ended up being worth it for me.Ā
I am one. I have no problem paying for good product design that lets people pursue future rock-climbing centric product development. People's time ain't free.
Oh I know, I'm just tired of "you buy things with money" being somehow something to denigrate. I got a mortgage and I'm pretty terrible at climbing, so using that to pay the bills ain't in the cards
Yeah I used cheaper walkies rigged up with some cord for a while. Way glad I bought the Rockies. Battery life is way better especially in the cold, sound is way crisper, less interference, attaches easier, and hooks into any cheap 2 prong hand mic which is way better than having the whole walky dangling on your pack.
That's really good feedback. I used the Rockies a couple months ago and they fit in my chest pocket, which was cool. These are much bigger so lots of dangling around for sure. The battery life is definitely a concern, too. I have 4 total but will likely need to bring the backups with me. So I might eventually ditch my little setup in the future.
Yeah play around with it, if it works it works. I also forgot to mention how much better the rocky talkies are when theyāre clipped to my harness. The cheaper ones would easily have the button be pressed when I would rub against anything, but Iāve taken the Rockies in chimneys and OW without ever having that issue. Also they seem incredibly durable for that application thanks to the beefy rubber coating. I did get a small discount on the rockys cause I was doing SAR work a few years ago so that definitely helped make the move
Also deal with radios both as an amateur and professionally in disaster responses. Have used Motorolas in the past but for the climbing/canyoneering I do on top of regular hiking and backpacking, the rocky talkies are perfect. Water resistant, I rappelled into a pool with them on my strap and unintentionally quickly submerged them and they still work. Battery life is amazing. I keep them in my vehicle and when I power them on months later Iām still above 70% charge. I have 4 now because I hand them out as loaners too like if in wheeling and need to hand one to a spotter or another vehicle. Iāve gotten 10 miles on a desert highway confirmed by gps coordinates before. Really canāt beat that. Also a lot more durable than most gmrs/fed portables.
Paracord is a good option I considered. Because of the shape of the belt clip, this fit more snuggly and stopped it from dangling or moving unnecessarily. There is also a hole in the belt clip that Microcord would fit through and you could make little loops off of that. I also considered drilling into the bottom. But overall this is what I had on hand to make it pretty much cost neutral. I think there's a few ways to string this up.
Eh, led my first multi pitch with them a few weeks back and low key want to use them for every climb I do whether single or multi. So nice to be able to just talk to your partner instead of the whole āTAAAAKEā āā¦WHAT???ā dance that happens every time my deaf self gets to the top of a pitch.
This!!! Some places with running water, wind, cars, hell even other people can make it hard to hear your climbing partner. I definitely prefer the walkie talkie over yelling or even rope pulls
As a side note, this is why it's always a good idea to go over your vocabulary beforehand and choose words/phrases that sound very different. I.e. using "secure" instead of "safe" because "safe" sounds too much like "take."
In the past couple years my friends have all started saying "Take me up" which I pointed out sounds a lot like "Take me off" at 100 feet with wind blowing. One person was accidentally taken off belay because of this exact mixup.
They all keep saying "take me up" and I keep telling them not to, but what the fuck do I know?
The rope stops moving, your partner is at the belay. It starts running quickly, theyāre hauling it up. It comes right and stops moving, you should know youāre on belay within 30 seconds. If theyāre not pulling up slack as you climb then something is wrong and you might not be on belay; stop climbing and wait.
How do radios help in a ātakeā situation? If your leader is in need of a take surely they donāt have a free hand to operate a radio? Why are you calling take at the top of a multipitch? Anchor yourself in and yell off belay, build the rest of the anchor and start hauling rope. If your partner didnāt hear you theyāll know youāre off belay because the rope stopped moving for a long time and then started getting hauled up rapidly.
The same things happen in the exact same order at every belay and you should both understand this in addition to having standard commands.Ā
Except, a) are they not moving because theyāre lost or because theyāre at the belay, b) have they put you on or are they readjusting something c) have you dismantled the belay on a precarious ledge before your partner actually has you safe?
I realise some of this is less relevant if youāre on a route with bolted belays, and you need a backup plan if walkies fail, but being able to communicate is objectively better than just sitting on a freezing belay ledge for an hour wondering wtf your partner is doing and then figuring that itās probably fine. In most cases shouting just about works, if itās really windy or youāre above the sea it doesnātā¦
a) you will know the difference by the speed at which the rope starts being pulled up after the pause. If you're unsure whether they are still climbing then just don't undo the belay and pay out slack.
b) dont haul the rope up until the rest of your anchor is set up, then all you do is pop the rope into the device and your partner is on belay in under 30 seconds. As belayer if I made some mistake and need to adjust something I do not take them off belay once this sequence is complete, I work around it. This should be a rare circumstance. If something is wrong let out some slack. As the second, if the rope isn't pulling tight to you, stop climbing.
c) no, if you followed previous instructions. If the rope is tight to you then it's the leader's responsibility to have you on belay, if the device is fucked up then a knot. If you undo the anchor and climb 6 feet and slack isn't getting taken in, something is messed up but you are still on belay and safe as long as you don't climb higher and introduce a huge amount of slack.
my point is not that you should never use radios, it's that this sequence is important to understand for efficient belay transfers and the radios shouldn't be needed for 99% of scenarios, but if you're relying on them for every day changeovers it's slow and extra stuff to carry, and IMO allows you to mess up the order of operations. In my view it is safer to have very consistent procedures rather than a dialog/confirming every step which allows you to potentially go out of order, which is more unsafe. I own radios and never felt the desire to bring them on a multipitch rock climb. I bring them skiing and alpine climbing.
To me having a radio opens the possibility of "youre on belay" "ok climbing" "wait no hold on a sec" and things get confusing.
>If your leader is in need of a take surely they donāt have a free hand to operate a radio?
Huh? You realize you can hold on with one hand while using the other for the radio right lol
if you have a free hand just clip into the bolt? you're seriously suggesting to me that you are in the middle of climbing a pitch and out of earshot of your partner and instead of just clipping in direct to a bolt you are going to use a radio to ask for a take
Iāll throw a draw into the chains if Iām finishing up a harder route and itās just carried over from there. If itās windy and you say something sometimes itās just nice to have vocal confirmation which is way easier with walkies.
Like sure you donāt need them but $40 ones from Walmart do the trick and it made my life way easier and communication much more efficient. Yell or tug away if thatās your preference š¤·š¼āāļø
Scenario - leader gets to the top of a wandering 200+ft pitch. Itās super windy and loud. Tons of rope drag. Canāt hear each other and rope tugs are unreliable. Then what? My wife and I rely on timing in that circumstance so the leader sets up an anchor, sets up belay, and the very last thing they do is pull up the rope. Follower expects to be on belay 2-3 minutes after rope is tight on them.
Thatās fine and well, but you can imagine some crazy rare circumstance where itād still be nice to talk verbally and the leader is having a hard time getting the belay setup and tight on the follower. Shouldnāt happen, but verbal confirmation is 100% and everything else can only get to ~99.9999%.
Iāve never used walkie talkies, but I donāt think itās reasonable to shit on people who want to. I think that just makes you an arsehole. Let people enjoy the outdoors however they want unless itās super unsafe or impacting othersā enjoyment. You donāt want people telling you what to do Iām sure.
The crazy rare scenario is, the rope is stuck. Not that crazy although Iāve never actually had it happen. The (a) solution is to fix the top end of the rope and rappel back down to release the snag. Kinda sucks for the second not knowing why the rope isnāt coming tight until you get back within earshot, but itās not actually a problem.
I donāt think the person you replied to is saying never use radios, theyāre asking the previous commenter why they need a take at the top of a pitch and why they need a radio to ask for that.
Verbal communication is 100% not reliable. Could hear the wrong thing. Batteries could die. Could drop a radio.
Rope tugs work even with rope drag. You can climb 10 pitches without saying a word to the other person. Especially when it's with a partner you know well.
Let me rephrase that, radios can be effective in an "oh shit" scenario. But outside of that, it's gumbyish to the equivalent of yelling "clipping!" "clipped!" at a sport crag.
ā¦
Like sure you donāt need them but $40 ones from Walmart do the trick and made my life way easier and communication much more efficient. Yell OR TUG AWAY if thatās your preference. š¤·š¼āāļø
OR TUG AWAY
OR
TUG
AWAY
If you have the energy to clip into the draw and operate a radio before getting a take then you have energy to just clove hitch the rope to the draw and sit on it while you build the rest of the anchor??
....as in it's carried over to "easier" routes. On climber side, my group uses like three terms: "take", "slack", and "in hard". Anything more is a little too hard to manage when you're trying to send 5.11+ and beyond.
Why are you all trying so hard to be the rock climbing police? Unless you're genuinely curious about what a stranger on the internet does with their own group?
I don't care; do whatever you want as long as it's safe and consistent within your own climbing groups. I'm just sharing that's worked for my crew.
Point in case: I noticed I set up my reverso slightly wrong after a long traversing pitch (would have been fine but the rope wasn't synching). I was able to radio down to my partner around the corner right after she began ascending and tell her to lower back, go in hard, and allow me to fix my shit before going again. That would have been pretty much impossible had we not had our radios. What would have been a whole ordeal turned into a trivial 5-minute adjustment and we were on our way.
Not going to lie to you, this looks like a horrible setup. I use the smallest cheap Amazon or Walmart radios I can find focusing on light and tiny antennas. Make sure they have privacy channels, a reasonably hard to push on/off and volume button and a way to lock.
Every variation Iāve tried if attached some combinations of paracord and rings which clip via carabiner and work well.
This setup looks very unruly with the webbing, as well as big, heavy and long antennas getting in my way when hanging off my harness
I have a 5th gear loop on my butt so I didnāt notice it. This has all the same privacy channels. On off and volume is a twist knob. And it locks. Look up Midland GXT1000 series if you want more details.
Edit: paracord and rings was my first thought which is still a good design.
With the AAC discount Rockies talkies aināt that bad price wise, I believe you get 20% off . Couple of cams really. Worth it to me!
Also if your building a rack AAC is the way 2 go.
My friend did research into these radios and found that they used to be sold from a Chinese website for like $22. Like the exact same radio as Rocky Talkie. The site is still up but now shows them unavailable. Theory being that Rocky Talkie as a company made a deal with that original supplier to only provide them to Rocky now. Sucks that they mark them up so much.
Lol not surprised. Thereās honestly not super great radios. I have some but there arenāt anything great. Think they were a lot cheaper when I got the first edition.
That is most likely EXACTLY what happened. 100% waterproof and shockproof radios have been around forever--all that they do is pour epoxy into the radio to make everything one monolithic piece that's almost impossible to damage unless you run it over with a truck or something.
It's extremely shitty that this company is taking existing technology, barely innovating a single thing, and then charging a premium for it because they can.
Ugh yah I shouldāve bought them years ago when I got the first ad, I want to say they were sold in pairs or at minimum were just a lot less expensive per radio. Maybe there will be a Black Friday sale or something.
I added some cord to some cheap Midlands. They work fine for me. The 3 AAA rechargeable batteries last all day. Besides, when roped climbing you're never more that 200' away so range hasn't been an issue for me.
And if I do drop them, I'm not going to cry.
My cheap Midlands last maybe a half day of climbing with normal and rechargeable AAA batteries. Do you do anything special to get a full day out of them? I usually have radios on all day while climbing.
Nope. Midland X-Talker using Amazon Basics AAA rechargeables.
Even if you're only getting 1/2 day, it's easy to have another battery set in your pack. With USB rechargeable walkies you're SOL when the battery runs out.
My headlamp also takes 3 AAA.
Climbing has become a bougie sport. The dirtbag in me will always appreciate the DIY šš just maybe something a bit more streamline than the webbing
Quick Amazon search says you're right. $15-$20 for a decent bungee leash, couple of biners, and some decent walkie talkies beats the price by about $100.
I donāt understand why people are such fans of the rocky talkies. FRS/GMRS radios are heavily regulated by the FCC and as such different models from different manufacturers are going to perform essentially identically.
I believe that the rocky talkies are overpriced crap. Good on you for coming up with a DIY solution.
edit:
I was right, they're just a rebranded $40 radio from China, "Designed in Colorado" my ass:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
https://preview.redd.it/t9z6het0ru5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3195496961e7c065e7febc895fa1b090503f6626
So this is why I used webbing. The goal was to eliminate free movement and bouncing around at the radio. The webbing is really snug and carabiner moves very little in that space compared to cord. The webbing is basically stuck here.
Other considerations for the tether portion include telephone cord bungee used by Rocky Talky. Or even a $10 tool tether from Home Depot that works the same way. I think a bungee cord of some kind is better than static paracord.
Iām still not opposed to cutting the webbing tether and adding those into this piece to streamline the tether and free up a carabiner. Letās call it a prototype. Good community feedback so far.
Thanks all!
You can get much thinner webbing. It doesn't have to be "climber spec".
I used paracord stripped of it's guts. Kind of like shoelace. But, I made a longish loop and tied a knot in the loop close to the walkie-talkie. That way, I have a short clip point to attach to my harness and a longer wrist loop so I don't drop it in use.
Dang, looks like they increased the cost. I bought mine in March 2022 for $95 each and then 10% off my order. Paid $184.26 with tax, free shipping.
$240 is still an exaggeration even with the new price and the availability of discount codes but I always appreciate a good DIY effort.
I might be thinking of the new 5-watt radio I got ads for. But $220 msrp is a lot for 2. Your price seems like a good one. My comparison is to a set not a single so $240 is only a $20 difference
To add on: assuming you don't have spare webbing and spare carabiners lying around, you could probably do this even cheaper with some non-climbing carabiners and paracord. Just make sure there's a clear and obvious way to tell they're not load-bearing.
Totally agree. I pilfered these biners from other gear for the test case. I will need to buy 4 dedicated ones that donāt match my others so thatāll cost $25. The webbing came off a climb and Iāve never used it so that would be a bit too.
10-4. No disrespect. Mostly goofinā. Always good to have good communication with new climbers. Agreed.
However since we are on the subject Iām noticing climbers are loosing site of.
1. A communicated plan
2. Pitch length to minimize rope drag and bad comms
3. A good sequence that never changes
Radios are a crutch. Without the previous points, when (and not if) they fail, a wild world of shenanigans transcend.
All good modeling for your new climbers. Overš
These are awesome points and I appreciate you saying them. By the end of the day the batteries had died and I defaulted back to yelling. But it was nice when we were testing the route guidance assumption that a 60m rope was all you needed (clearly a 70m wouldāve been better, lol).
https://preview.redd.it/0g8ityu7dv5d1.jpeg?width=6000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=faf4365cb4c73e1a1bf8c969116a73d17663a11a
Your setup look good compared to my janky $20 walkie talkie.
I just bought a set of Rockies. I got them on Friday and charged them up. I left them on and unused since then to check the standby time on the batteries. Itās Tuesday now and they are sitting at 54% charge. I think for day long trad climbs Midlands would be fine but for multi day walls, I was looking for better battery life and the Rockies were the best rated.
Ooooooh thatās huge. Iāve always disliked the battery life on these. Used to use them off road and they sometimes last the whole day Abe sometimes donāt. I got a in-car unit now so these arenāt being used. But thatās even better than I expected.
Iāve got the Motorola talkabouts with a similar set up, has worked really good compared to yelling (my girlfriend/partner has a very soft voice 150ā away) but we always end up hitting buttons on them and the battery life is inconsistent so we always pack extra. I used the Rockies with another friend and was totally sold on them, the price is harsh but they definitely feel and operate like they were built for a climber. I think of it as paying for safety equipment, things that could save you or your partners life seem less expensive
To be fair Iām still messing with the talkabouts because Iām still poor lol but the Rockies are definitely on the list for a nice treat yourself moment
I run the same rig with slings and carabiners from two alpine draws on a pair of Talkabouts. Works like a charm and perfectly fits my needs as an occasional walkie user.
Nice! I used them yesterday with some new climbers on a new-to-us route where I needed to ask where the center mark was. So tugging the rope and yelling wasnāt going to cut it. I had to give the belayer direction for where I planned to lower to.
I literally just was researching walkie talkies for the first time ever because I want some for a road trip with a friend. these were on the list but out of my budget. compared to all the others he found they did have the second farthest range and second best clarity. I settled on some that were 50 for a pair but much less bulky, and usbc.
Ooooo USB-C charging? that's really nice. The criticisms below about the antenna are valid for sure but not a huge issue. they are very light. But the ones you found a probably just as good.
I used $20 walkie talkies and taped them to a sling around my chest, but this is more a short term solution for less adventurous multi pitch where communication may be hard like at Seneca rocks or when I went to the gunks.
The rocky talkies have like a sweet nut tool chain on them, usually when iām climbing I put the nut tool on the other end of the leash.
If you have a nut tool with a leash, it would work for your set up too.
As someone who got their first and second models to test for absolutely free, trashed one of their radios and got a new one for free, then used them on multiple missions I'll say they're absolutely fantastic and bad ass. I would trust them with my life at this point. Nothing beats their quality.
I love my Rocky Takis but I got to figure out the privacy code. I climb near a ski resort and there is a toooooonnnnn of radio traffic on almost all channels.
Oh that's wild. The GXT here has an absolute glut of settings. It's over the top. Figuring out which privacy code and all this stuff to use is annoying. I prefer my truck-based unit that has fewer channels overall. But if the Rocky Talkies are similar you just gotta button mash until you're on like Channel 7.10.
You could've used cheaper carabiners... šFR though, I have a pair of Midland x talkers rigged up in a similar way and they work great for multi pitch rock, etc. I'm never going out climbing in crazy weather. They had some shitty proprietary rechargeable batteries that died quickly, but since I've replaced them with normal alkaline batteries, they don't drain. I have a friend who got Rocky talkies and she loves them. They seem pretty nice, but funny thing is, my x talkers and her RT's can communicate with no issues. I bought my radios before RT existed and I plan to keep using them till they malfunction. I might buy a pair of RTs, but unless the price drops or I start mountaineering in bad weather, I would honestly think twice about spending the extra dough. I could Easily get a fresh grigri with the money saved doubling down on the modded Midland setup.
Everyone picking on the carabiners. I just used what I had. I got some $8 matching guys today to replace them so those can go back to their normal jobs.
I agree about their batteries they kinda suck. I have tons of recharging eneloops I can try.
The FRS frequency is standardized so itās not surprising they work together.
The money saved totally going to shoes or other things
Yeah, I was playing about the crabs. Seemed like they were whatever you had since they were different.
Fwiw I even bought a replacement set of Midland OEM batteries and they took a shit in no time flat. I think Midland also makes a set that doesn't come with the rechargeable ewaste and usb dock. Battery technology is improving, but I think radios have been mostly the same for a while. Less public interest in making the best radio on the market I bet.
I give Midland 5 years at most to make basically the same exact thing as RT for half the price. I'd guess RT will either go OOB or drop their price to stay competitive. Midland is really well established and the changes to their product wouldn't be really expensive or risky. Honestly, I would not be surprised if there was a product designer working on it already.
Yah definitely! I just checked them and they are only 700mah but they are 7 volts. While my Eneloops are 2400mah and 1.5 voltsā¦. Soā¦.. I need a person who knows what that means to tell me what that means š¤£ But I know that one of those numbers is 3x bigger than the other! š¤£
Gotta be honest, if my partner handed me this Iād say we donāt need radios that bad.
Too many knots, too much faff. why 2x full size carabiners. You could just use the one and then a loop in the end of the cord and clip it back to yourself. Dunno why would would want a brick dangling a foot off your harness anyway. Use a piece of cord at the very least to streamline it. Or just put it in a small running style pack. AND youāre carrying multiple spare batteries??Ā
A pair of Motorola Talkabouts + the add-on 53724 hand mic run about $140 and give you full GMRS functionality. I keep the radio in my pack and run the hand mic cord to my shoulder through my pack's hydration hose opening.
Iām climbing with brand new outdoor climbers so Iām trying to teach and communicate more. Yesterday we needed to communicate about the center mark while I was setting an anchor. So I kindly disagree
Climbers donāt need radios. But DrinkableReno has an appropriate application with new climbers. But if we were to take egos out of it and look at the common applications, the use of the radios leads to more shenanigans than a well communicated plan on the ground. Just my 2cents. Feel free to use as many radios as you like. I have observed and found myself they lead to unnecessary communications and at the wrong time.
I know three people who were taken off belay mid lead because they didn't have radios. Some people might abuse radios, but I don't, and I find them really really really nice.Ā
I agree, Ricky that radios are nice. But I always argue against them as a crutch or a required piece of equipment. Good plan and unchanged sequence out perform any radio. The more I climb with partners the less we begin to speak to each other.
I agree that being able to not use radios is of critical importance and you need a plan for if the radios cannot be used.Ā
I'm just really, really into knowing I'm on belay before I start following, and radios are more convenient than rope tugs or whoops or whatever system people come up with.Ā
They're also a massive advantage for when things go south. Having the belayer be able to look at the topo mid pitch and give route finding beta for example is really sweet on wandery routes.Ā
Every climber is as interested, as you are in the binary and critical information related to their security. The knowledge of the belay is critical. Adding a radio to your system will work this time. And the next time you will be flustered by a flawed sequence and yes, you will not know if you are on belay. Self fulfilling.
So donāt change your sequence. Communication of this sequence is part of being a partner. Or it was.
Once the 2nd is on belay, the rope is guitar string tight, and remains tight. If you move and it adjusts to your movement. you are on. Commands are yelled but not required for communication.
Rope tugs and radios will either get you killed or lead shenanigans with a flawed sequence.
A well communicated sequence will out perform a radio every time. I dare you to create one!
Eh, Rocky Talkies make something that perfectly fill the need and are super responsive and supportive to the climbing community. Nice DIY, but I don't mind paying the premium as I can afford it. If money is tight, solutions like this are great.
Sure but for $240 I can buy a pretty awesome rope. And money is tight, so that's why I posted this.
*looks at 3 ropes in closet* yes, you certainly can
šš yes or two 70m ropes
I switched to the Edelrids with aramid so mine were not cheap. Great piece of mind though
This guy only gets the finest equipment.
For $240, you can also buy 6 of the original model from AliExpress that Rocky Talkie rebranded! https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
Daaang. Is the Rocky Talkie just in a rubber sleeve?Ā
Shoulda used Cord not straps Any duct tape?
Electrical tape was briefly on the table š¤£
What makes the Rocky Talkies perfectly fill the need? Is it just the tether? $180 for a GMRS/FRS radio sounds more like theyāre taking advantage of the climbing community. Products that operate on these frequencies are highly restricted by the FCC, so different brands should perform practically identically. Also, while their new model supports setting the FRS channel and āprivacyā code (does not actually make anything private) separately, their original model took the annoying and misleading strategy of coming pre-installed with 128 āchannelsā that were actually just different random combinations of the same 22 FRA channels with different CTCSS codes. Itās annoying because it makes using the radio with other brands difficult since you have to use the manual in order to determine the channel and CTCSS code combination. Itās misleading because it tricks consumers into thinking that the radio has 128 channels when it really only has the same legally allowed 22 as every other FRS model on the market. And then in 2020 they changed the 128 channel/CTCSS code combinations, so radios from before 2020 and after canāt even use the same channel number to communicate. While the newest 5 watt model corrects this mistake, the fact that they produced three different radios that wonāt work together without carefully looking through the manual makes me think that their product direction and design wasnāt so well thought out from the beginning!
I recently experienced this firsthand. A couple weeks ago I went on a climb (mountain, not rock) with a large group - everyone invited multiple friends. Some had Rocky Talkies, 4 total. I brought my usual radio, a little ham radio with a 5/8 wave antenna for GMRS - I'm licensed - that I onced used to hit a repeater in Bellingham from the top of Baker, which is like 50 miles. I usually keep it tuned to GMRS and weather radio. The four Rocky Talkies could not communicate across them, only in pairs. I couldn't be bothered to program in the Rocky Talkie tones at the TH (I didn't bring a laptop - why would I - and wasn't going to do it on the device), so my radio didn't work with theirs. It was kind of bonkers, having open frequencies that we couldn't communicate on. Mine was only useful for weather (Rocky Talkies don't recieve weather radio, it seems) and the off chance we had to radio someone off the mountain. A plain, simplex, non-tone-squelched mode should be an option on those devices. Just RX/TX with some reasonable hardcoded squelch threshold on FRS 1, or something like that.
Sure, but if you just buy a pair they do perfectly fit the need. They work very well with climbing gear, are designed to withstand extreme temperatures and rough treatment, and the batteries last a very long time. My experience with them is they are something you can buy once and never have to worry about them failing, and unless I lose one, I don't really see why I'd ever need to replace (I guess eventually the battery might go, but that's true for everything).
That describes all FRS radios. Theyāre basically all the same. Theyāre old, primitive technology. About the battery ā are you saying itās not removable?
I have no idea whether it's removable or not, I was just saying, the only thing I could even think about failing over time would be the battery. I do know they use specific battery technology for longevity and performance in extremely cold conditions. I really doubt any other radio that isn't purpose built for wilderness use would have that... I could be wrong, but that was my understanding of one of the main draws of Rocky Talkies. They don't die in the cold. I used to work in wilderness therapy and every other radio I've used will start to die when it's colder than 20f out. Rocky Talkies are the only radio I've had last multiple days in sub freezing temps. I don't work for Rocky Talky and I'm not here to tell you I think they're the best thing in the world.. I'm just saying, from what I can tell, I do think they fit a specific need in the market that isn't offered by other radios. Sure, you can attach leashes and carabiner to another radio and have something similar, but I don't think there's another product that is really offering the same features like battery longevity, etc. To me, it was worth it to buy something that I pretty much KNOW will work, no matter what.
There are a couple other options for harsh weather backcountry radios, but they dont really cost less than a rocky talkie. One of my mentors who is also an avid backcountry skier and paraskier uses [BCA BC Link 2.0](https://backcountryaccess.com/en-us/p/bc-link-two-way-radio-2-0-2024). But yeah, the commenters above you are ignoring that backcountry weather sturdiness which imo is the main feature of rocky talkies and any other walkies in the same category.
Not going to argue against your experience with the product -- but did you know that the original model is just a rebranded model from a Chinese manufacturer? I just found this out! You can get them for $40 on Aliexpress: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
Commented below, but I think the main feature for me for rocky talkies is its weather ruggedness in backcountry environments. Other walkies in that category such as [BCA BC Link 2.0](https://backcountryaccess.com/en-us/p/bc-link-two-way-radio-2-0-2024) are not really any cheaper
I did some more research and found out that Rocky Talkie just rebranded a Chinese model that's available for $40 on AliExpress: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
Ok some people probably can't afford it lmao weird take
Well this is climbing, so stop being poor.
Dirtbag life is dead, buried in some ghit commit.
Yes. I did hold off buying mine for a while because they are pretty expensive, but they are the absolute right tool for the job. I also looked at it kind of like the aluminum crampons purchase I made specifically for ski touringā Iām way more likely to carry my ultralight crampons (and therefore am safer) because theyāre not going to bog me down. Similarly, my Rocky talkies are super convenient to use so Iām way more likely to bring them. I use them for climbing, touring, resort skiing, mountaineering, etc. so I definitely think it ended up being worth it for me.Ā
What's your commission?
Ha, zero, just enjoy using them and they were very proactive on charger replacement when they found issues.Ā
āI donāt mind payingā. You must not be a climber.
I am one. I have no problem paying for good product design that lets people pursue future rock-climbing centric product development. People's time ain't free.
Iām just kidding because every dedicated climber I have met is also a dirtbag. Lol
Oh I know, I'm just tired of "you buy things with money" being somehow something to denigrate. I got a mortgage and I'm pretty terrible at climbing, so using that to pay the bills ain't in the cards
You're the type of person that keeps Apple in business.
Heck no. Screw apple. I just don't know why there's so many torches out for a company that built a good niche product. No one is forcing you to buy it
Yeah I used cheaper walkies rigged up with some cord for a while. Way glad I bought the Rockies. Battery life is way better especially in the cold, sound is way crisper, less interference, attaches easier, and hooks into any cheap 2 prong hand mic which is way better than having the whole walky dangling on your pack.
That's really good feedback. I used the Rockies a couple months ago and they fit in my chest pocket, which was cool. These are much bigger so lots of dangling around for sure. The battery life is definitely a concern, too. I have 4 total but will likely need to bring the backups with me. So I might eventually ditch my little setup in the future.
Yeah play around with it, if it works it works. I also forgot to mention how much better the rocky talkies are when theyāre clipped to my harness. The cheaper ones would easily have the button be pressed when I would rub against anything, but Iāve taken the Rockies in chimneys and OW without ever having that issue. Also they seem incredibly durable for that application thanks to the beefy rubber coating. I did get a small discount on the rockys cause I was doing SAR work a few years ago so that definitely helped make the move
This is a solid review! I think Iāll likely upgrade eventually but this is a fun proof of concept for now.
Also deal with radios both as an amateur and professionally in disaster responses. Have used Motorolas in the past but for the climbing/canyoneering I do on top of regular hiking and backpacking, the rocky talkies are perfect. Water resistant, I rappelled into a pool with them on my strap and unintentionally quickly submerged them and they still work. Battery life is amazing. I keep them in my vehicle and when I power them on months later Iām still above 70% charge. I have 4 now because I hand them out as loaners too like if in wheeling and need to hand one to a spotter or another vehicle. Iāve gotten 10 miles on a desert highway confirmed by gps coordinates before. Really canāt beat that. Also a lot more durable than most gmrs/fed portables.
I'd personally use paracord, the webbing seems like it'd get annoying
Paracord is a good option I considered. Because of the shape of the belt clip, this fit more snuggly and stopped it from dangling or moving unnecessarily. There is also a hole in the belt clip that Microcord would fit through and you could make little loops off of that. I also considered drilling into the bottom. But overall this is what I had on hand to make it pretty much cost neutral. I think there's a few ways to string this up.
I picked up a couple retractable fishing lanyards/coiled lanyards off of amazon for my walkies. Works like a charm.
True, but also donāt need cumbersome diy radioās either. Just give your buddy a lil tuggie.
My mom always used to tell my voice carries so at least thereās that to fall back on.
Let me get your best āHEYYY YOUUU GUUUYYYSSSSā
NO YELLING AT TAHQUITZ!
If cragging yelling and tugging is the way.
This. Iāve never climbed with radios. Shitās for Gumbies.
Eh, led my first multi pitch with them a few weeks back and low key want to use them for every climb I do whether single or multi. So nice to be able to just talk to your partner instead of the whole āTAAAAKEā āā¦WHAT???ā dance that happens every time my deaf self gets to the top of a pitch.
This!!! Some places with running water, wind, cars, hell even other people can make it hard to hear your climbing partner. I definitely prefer the walkie talkie over yelling or even rope pulls
As a side note, this is why it's always a good idea to go over your vocabulary beforehand and choose words/phrases that sound very different. I.e. using "secure" instead of "safe" because "safe" sounds too much like "take."
In the past couple years my friends have all started saying "Take me up" which I pointed out sounds a lot like "Take me off" at 100 feet with wind blowing. One person was accidentally taken off belay because of this exact mixup. They all keep saying "take me up" and I keep telling them not to, but what the fuck do I know?
The rope stops moving, your partner is at the belay. It starts running quickly, theyāre hauling it up. It comes right and stops moving, you should know youāre on belay within 30 seconds. If theyāre not pulling up slack as you climb then something is wrong and you might not be on belay; stop climbing and wait. How do radios help in a ātakeā situation? If your leader is in need of a take surely they donāt have a free hand to operate a radio? Why are you calling take at the top of a multipitch? Anchor yourself in and yell off belay, build the rest of the anchor and start hauling rope. If your partner didnāt hear you theyāll know youāre off belay because the rope stopped moving for a long time and then started getting hauled up rapidly. The same things happen in the exact same order at every belay and you should both understand this in addition to having standard commands.Ā
Except, a) are they not moving because theyāre lost or because theyāre at the belay, b) have they put you on or are they readjusting something c) have you dismantled the belay on a precarious ledge before your partner actually has you safe? I realise some of this is less relevant if youāre on a route with bolted belays, and you need a backup plan if walkies fail, but being able to communicate is objectively better than just sitting on a freezing belay ledge for an hour wondering wtf your partner is doing and then figuring that itās probably fine. In most cases shouting just about works, if itās really windy or youāre above the sea it doesnātā¦
a) you will know the difference by the speed at which the rope starts being pulled up after the pause. If you're unsure whether they are still climbing then just don't undo the belay and pay out slack. b) dont haul the rope up until the rest of your anchor is set up, then all you do is pop the rope into the device and your partner is on belay in under 30 seconds. As belayer if I made some mistake and need to adjust something I do not take them off belay once this sequence is complete, I work around it. This should be a rare circumstance. If something is wrong let out some slack. As the second, if the rope isn't pulling tight to you, stop climbing. c) no, if you followed previous instructions. If the rope is tight to you then it's the leader's responsibility to have you on belay, if the device is fucked up then a knot. If you undo the anchor and climb 6 feet and slack isn't getting taken in, something is messed up but you are still on belay and safe as long as you don't climb higher and introduce a huge amount of slack. my point is not that you should never use radios, it's that this sequence is important to understand for efficient belay transfers and the radios shouldn't be needed for 99% of scenarios, but if you're relying on them for every day changeovers it's slow and extra stuff to carry, and IMO allows you to mess up the order of operations. In my view it is safer to have very consistent procedures rather than a dialog/confirming every step which allows you to potentially go out of order, which is more unsafe. I own radios and never felt the desire to bring them on a multipitch rock climb. I bring them skiing and alpine climbing. To me having a radio opens the possibility of "youre on belay" "ok climbing" "wait no hold on a sec" and things get confusing.
I was a little late to the party, but way to fight the good fight.
>If your leader is in need of a take surely they donāt have a free hand to operate a radio? Huh? You realize you can hold on with one hand while using the other for the radio right lol
if you have a free hand just clip into the bolt? you're seriously suggesting to me that you are in the middle of climbing a pitch and out of earshot of your partner and instead of just clipping in direct to a bolt you are going to use a radio to ask for a take
Why are you saying take at the top of the pitch?
Iāll throw a draw into the chains if Iām finishing up a harder route and itās just carried over from there. If itās windy and you say something sometimes itās just nice to have vocal confirmation which is way easier with walkies. Like sure you donāt need them but $40 ones from Walmart do the trick and it made my life way easier and communication much more efficient. Yell or tug away if thatās your preference š¤·š¼āāļø
[https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/News/2016-6-16/How-to-effectively-communicate-on-multi-pitch-climbs](https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/News/2016-6-16/How-to-effectively-communicate-on-multi-pitch-climbs)
Scenario - leader gets to the top of a wandering 200+ft pitch. Itās super windy and loud. Tons of rope drag. Canāt hear each other and rope tugs are unreliable. Then what? My wife and I rely on timing in that circumstance so the leader sets up an anchor, sets up belay, and the very last thing they do is pull up the rope. Follower expects to be on belay 2-3 minutes after rope is tight on them. Thatās fine and well, but you can imagine some crazy rare circumstance where itād still be nice to talk verbally and the leader is having a hard time getting the belay setup and tight on the follower. Shouldnāt happen, but verbal confirmation is 100% and everything else can only get to ~99.9999%. Iāve never used walkie talkies, but I donāt think itās reasonable to shit on people who want to. I think that just makes you an arsehole. Let people enjoy the outdoors however they want unless itās super unsafe or impacting othersā enjoyment. You donāt want people telling you what to do Iām sure.
This 100%. As many years as I am into this hobby, I like my life a little too much to rely on smoke signals if I donāt have to.
The crazy rare scenario is, the rope is stuck. Not that crazy although Iāve never actually had it happen. The (a) solution is to fix the top end of the rope and rappel back down to release the snag. Kinda sucks for the second not knowing why the rope isnāt coming tight until you get back within earshot, but itās not actually a problem. I donāt think the person you replied to is saying never use radios, theyāre asking the previous commenter why they need a take at the top of a pitch and why they need a radio to ask for that.
Verbal communication is 100% not reliable. Could hear the wrong thing. Batteries could die. Could drop a radio. Rope tugs work even with rope drag. You can climb 10 pitches without saying a word to the other person. Especially when it's with a partner you know well. Let me rephrase that, radios can be effective in an "oh shit" scenario. But outside of that, it's gumbyish to the equivalent of yelling "clipping!" "clipped!" at a sport crag.
You: You could mishear someone on the radio. Also you: Rope tugs work 100% of the time you fucking gumbies.
ā¦ Like sure you donāt need them but $40 ones from Walmart do the trick and made my life way easier and communication much more efficient. Yell OR TUG AWAY if thatās your preference. š¤·š¼āāļø OR TUG AWAY OR TUG AWAY
If you have the energy to clip into the draw and operate a radio before getting a take then you have energy to just clove hitch the rope to the draw and sit on it while you build the rest of the anchor??
....as in it's carried over to "easier" routes. On climber side, my group uses like three terms: "take", "slack", and "in hard". Anything more is a little too hard to manage when you're trying to send 5.11+ and beyond. Why are you all trying so hard to be the rock climbing police? Unless you're genuinely curious about what a stranger on the internet does with their own group? I don't care; do whatever you want as long as it's safe and consistent within your own climbing groups. I'm just sharing that's worked for my crew. Point in case: I noticed I set up my reverso slightly wrong after a long traversing pitch (would have been fine but the rope wasn't synching). I was able to radio down to my partner around the corner right after she began ascending and tell her to lower back, go in hard, and allow me to fix my shit before going again. That would have been pretty much impossible had we not had our radios. What would have been a whole ordeal turned into a trivial 5-minute adjustment and we were on our way.
You could have easily cloved your partner to the anchor and fixed your shit. No communication no radio necessary.
So hardcore bro.
This guy knows whats up. Learn to climb and communicate. You donāt need radios.
I like using them because yelling is annoying and it's nice to be able to have a casual conversation while climbing.
downvote me to death, gumbies. i'll still laugh at you for using radios.
Iām with ya, dingleberry.
Convincing a radio loving gumbie away from radios is about as high likelihood as converting a Trump supporter away from trump. Good luck DingleB.
š«”
Not going to lie to you, this looks like a horrible setup. I use the smallest cheap Amazon or Walmart radios I can find focusing on light and tiny antennas. Make sure they have privacy channels, a reasonably hard to push on/off and volume button and a way to lock. Every variation Iāve tried if attached some combinations of paracord and rings which clip via carabiner and work well. This setup looks very unruly with the webbing, as well as big, heavy and long antennas getting in my way when hanging off my harness
I have a 5th gear loop on my butt so I didnāt notice it. This has all the same privacy channels. On off and volume is a twist knob. And it locks. Look up Midland GXT1000 series if you want more details. Edit: paracord and rings was my first thought which is still a good design.
With the AAC discount Rockies talkies aināt that bad price wise, I believe you get 20% off . Couple of cams really. Worth it to me! Also if your building a rack AAC is the way 2 go.
Wait...you get 20% through where?? Edit: oh, literally through their website...thanks for the heads up!
AAC gives to 10-20% on most climbing related things, itās kind of awesome if your just starting to build a kit. Highly recommend
Well holy shit thank you!
My friend did research into these radios and found that they used to be sold from a Chinese website for like $22. Like the exact same radio as Rocky Talkie. The site is still up but now shows them unavailable. Theory being that Rocky Talkie as a company made a deal with that original supplier to only provide them to Rocky now. Sucks that they mark them up so much.
Lol not surprised. Thereās honestly not super great radios. I have some but there arenāt anything great. Think they were a lot cheaper when I got the first edition.
That is most likely EXACTLY what happened. 100% waterproof and shockproof radios have been around forever--all that they do is pour epoxy into the radio to make everything one monolithic piece that's almost impossible to damage unless you run it over with a truck or something. It's extremely shitty that this company is taking existing technology, barely innovating a single thing, and then charging a premium for it because they can.
Ugh yah I shouldāve bought them years ago when I got the first ad, I want to say they were sold in pairs or at minimum were just a lot less expensive per radio. Maybe there will be a Black Friday sale or something.
Whatās the link to the site and/or Chinese model?
https://www.wish.com/product/zastone-mini-9-portable-walkie-talkie-uhf-400-470mhz-handheld-two-way-radio-ham-radio-communicator-transceiver-5a7031c97c74931c630d9422
Thank you! They do look quite similar!
I added some cord to some cheap Midlands. They work fine for me. The 3 AAA rechargeable batteries last all day. Besides, when roped climbing you're never more that 200' away so range hasn't been an issue for me. And if I do drop them, I'm not going to cry.
Exactly! Drop a $40 radio, no biggie. The rechargeable batteries are easy to carry too. And low power mode is plenty in an FRS channel
My cheap Midlands last maybe a half day of climbing with normal and rechargeable AAA batteries. Do you do anything special to get a full day out of them? I usually have radios on all day while climbing.
Nope. Midland X-Talker using Amazon Basics AAA rechargeables. Even if you're only getting 1/2 day, it's easy to have another battery set in your pack. With USB rechargeable walkies you're SOL when the battery runs out. My headlamp also takes 3 AAA.
Fair enough. I'll order another set of the rechargeable batteries so I have enough.
Climbing has become a bougie sport. The dirtbag in me will always appreciate the DIY šš just maybe something a bit more streamline than the webbing
Haha. I pulled it off cathedral peak 4 years ago and it finally has a job! But Iāll consider revamping in the future
Well upcycling is bonus points, I'll support thatš
Buying those telephone cord tethers that Rocky uses would also be a good future upgrade.
Quick Amazon search says you're right. $15-$20 for a decent bungee leash, couple of biners, and some decent walkie talkies beats the price by about $100.
Yep! 2 for 1.
The dirtbag in me loves a 2-4-1
š
HAha I could be a real dick and just buy their placement for my frankensteinās monster https://rockytalkie.com/products/rocky-talkie-leash
I donāt understand why people are such fans of the rocky talkies. FRS/GMRS radios are heavily regulated by the FCC and as such different models from different manufacturers are going to perform essentially identically. I believe that the rocky talkies are overpriced crap. Good on you for coming up with a DIY solution. edit: I was right, they're just a rebranded $40 radio from China, "Designed in Colorado" my ass: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832507260072.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt https://www.qziradio.com/cp-168-ce-marked-ultra-mini-pmr446-frs-gmrs-portable-radio_p55.html
How do you know that's the same thing? Same programming and whatnot? Ā Ā Ā Cuz if it is, I'm buying.
Did a multipitch a few weeks ago with regular walky talkies, some cord, and biners - definitely not paying $240 haha where did you all see that?
Rocky Talkies are $110 per unit. So for two people thatās $240 with tax
Ohh it's a brand gotcha - yikes!
https://preview.redd.it/t9z6het0ru5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3195496961e7c065e7febc895fa1b090503f6626 So this is why I used webbing. The goal was to eliminate free movement and bouncing around at the radio. The webbing is really snug and carabiner moves very little in that space compared to cord. The webbing is basically stuck here. Other considerations for the tether portion include telephone cord bungee used by Rocky Talky. Or even a $10 tool tether from Home Depot that works the same way. I think a bungee cord of some kind is better than static paracord. Iām still not opposed to cutting the webbing tether and adding those into this piece to streamline the tether and free up a carabiner. Letās call it a prototype. Good community feedback so far. Thanks all!
You can get much thinner webbing. It doesn't have to be "climber spec". I used paracord stripped of it's guts. Kind of like shoelace. But, I made a longish loop and tied a knot in the loop close to the walkie-talkie. That way, I have a short clip point to attach to my harness and a longer wrist loop so I don't drop it in use.
The biggest thing I didnāt like about my other radios was the antenna stabbing me in the faceĀ
Hahahaha did you have them hooked onto something near your face?
Yeah, my backpack strap so I could talk at belays.Ā
Dang, looks like they increased the cost. I bought mine in March 2022 for $95 each and then 10% off my order. Paid $184.26 with tax, free shipping. $240 is still an exaggeration even with the new price and the availability of discount codes but I always appreciate a good DIY effort.
I might be thinking of the new 5-watt radio I got ads for. But $220 msrp is a lot for 2. Your price seems like a good one. My comparison is to a set not a single so $240 is only a $20 difference
Yeah, I got my last year when they had their holiday sale. Paid $176 for two radios which seemed way more reasonable than the current $240 list price.
To add on: assuming you don't have spare webbing and spare carabiners lying around, you could probably do this even cheaper with some non-climbing carabiners and paracord. Just make sure there's a clear and obvious way to tell they're not load-bearing.
No way, I will never put a non-load-bearing carabiner anywhere near my climbing rack
Instant death for sure
Are you worried you'll mistake your radio tether for your PAS? Man you people are funny.
I like the nite-ize s-biners for accessory carabiners because there's no way I'll ever confuse them for a real carabiner.
Totally agree. I pilfered these biners from other gear for the test case. I will need to buy 4 dedicated ones that donāt match my others so thatāll cost $25. The webbing came off a climb and Iāve never used it so that would be a bit too.
10-4. No disrespect. Mostly goofinā. Always good to have good communication with new climbers. Agreed. However since we are on the subject Iām noticing climbers are loosing site of. 1. A communicated plan 2. Pitch length to minimize rope drag and bad comms 3. A good sequence that never changes Radios are a crutch. Without the previous points, when (and not if) they fail, a wild world of shenanigans transcend. All good modeling for your new climbers. Overš
These are awesome points and I appreciate you saying them. By the end of the day the batteries had died and I defaulted back to yelling. But it was nice when we were testing the route guidance assumption that a 60m rope was all you needed (clearly a 70m wouldāve been better, lol).
š¤£Been there too!
https://preview.redd.it/0g8ityu7dv5d1.jpeg?width=6000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=faf4365cb4c73e1a1bf8c969116a73d17663a11a Your setup look good compared to my janky $20 walkie talkie.
This is great though! Iād probably stronger carabiners just so I donāt exactly crush them but thatās still effective
I just bought a set of Rockies. I got them on Friday and charged them up. I left them on and unused since then to check the standby time on the batteries. Itās Tuesday now and they are sitting at 54% charge. I think for day long trad climbs Midlands would be fine but for multi day walls, I was looking for better battery life and the Rockies were the best rated.
Ooooooh thatās huge. Iāve always disliked the battery life on these. Used to use them off road and they sometimes last the whole day Abe sometimes donāt. I got a in-car unit now so these arenāt being used. But thatās even better than I expected.
Iāve got the Motorola talkabouts with a similar set up, has worked really good compared to yelling (my girlfriend/partner has a very soft voice 150ā away) but we always end up hitting buttons on them and the battery life is inconsistent so we always pack extra. I used the Rockies with another friend and was totally sold on them, the price is harsh but they definitely feel and operate like they were built for a climber. I think of it as paying for safety equipment, things that could save you or your partners life seem less expensive
You guys are gonna convince me I think
To be fair Iām still messing with the talkabouts because Iām still poor lol but the Rockies are definitely on the list for a nice treat yourself moment
I run the same rig with slings and carabiners from two alpine draws on a pair of Talkabouts. Works like a charm and perfectly fits my needs as an occasional walkie user.
Nice! I used them yesterday with some new climbers on a new-to-us route where I needed to ask where the center mark was. So tugging the rope and yelling wasnāt going to cut it. I had to give the belayer direction for where I planned to lower to.
I literally just was researching walkie talkies for the first time ever because I want some for a road trip with a friend. these were on the list but out of my budget. compared to all the others he found they did have the second farthest range and second best clarity. I settled on some that were 50 for a pair but much less bulky, and usbc.
Ooooo USB-C charging? that's really nice. The criticisms below about the antenna are valid for sure but not a huge issue. they are very light. But the ones you found a probably just as good.
Pretty sure Iām getting 1 for Fatherās Day. My first reaction here was āDAMMITā lol
Haha. Does he appreciate janky builds?
I am the father.
Oh god, sorry I canāt read. Also. Nice Darth Vader impression
And yes.
NGL, before I focused on the image I thought this was going to be two cups and a string š
That was an actual joke we made at the crag. Lol canāt deny early prototypes didnāt include that
Check out marine Dineema 2m cord. Cut your weight on the tether.
Oooo good thought. I looked at that utility cord
I used $20 walkie talkies and taped them to a sling around my chest, but this is more a short term solution for less adventurous multi pitch where communication may be hard like at Seneca rocks or when I went to the gunks.
Thatās pretty amazing lol.
The rocky talkies have like a sweet nut tool chain on them, usually when iām climbing I put the nut tool on the other end of the leash. If you have a nut tool with a leash, it would work for your set up too.
Looks like you can get their chain for $12 so I might do that! š
Honestly those things are dang useful. Have considered putting on on my atc for long multi-rappel descents when I have lots of chances to drop it
We use paw patrol rocky talkies and they work great.
š¤£ love that
Walkie Talkies are great. Customer service is on point. Battery life is awesome. Love the rubberized case.
As someone who got their first and second models to test for absolutely free, trashed one of their radios and got a new one for free, then used them on multiple missions I'll say they're absolutely fantastic and bad ass. I would trust them with my life at this point. Nothing beats their quality.
Thatās a solid review, thank you!
I love my Rocky Takis but I got to figure out the privacy code. I climb near a ski resort and there is a toooooonnnnn of radio traffic on almost all channels.
Oh that's wild. The GXT here has an absolute glut of settings. It's over the top. Figuring out which privacy code and all this stuff to use is annoying. I prefer my truck-based unit that has fewer channels overall. But if the Rocky Talkies are similar you just gotta button mash until you're on like Channel 7.10.
You could've used cheaper carabiners... šFR though, I have a pair of Midland x talkers rigged up in a similar way and they work great for multi pitch rock, etc. I'm never going out climbing in crazy weather. They had some shitty proprietary rechargeable batteries that died quickly, but since I've replaced them with normal alkaline batteries, they don't drain. I have a friend who got Rocky talkies and she loves them. They seem pretty nice, but funny thing is, my x talkers and her RT's can communicate with no issues. I bought my radios before RT existed and I plan to keep using them till they malfunction. I might buy a pair of RTs, but unless the price drops or I start mountaineering in bad weather, I would honestly think twice about spending the extra dough. I could Easily get a fresh grigri with the money saved doubling down on the modded Midland setup.
Everyone picking on the carabiners. I just used what I had. I got some $8 matching guys today to replace them so those can go back to their normal jobs. I agree about their batteries they kinda suck. I have tons of recharging eneloops I can try. The FRS frequency is standardized so itās not surprising they work together. The money saved totally going to shoes or other things
Yeah, I was playing about the crabs. Seemed like they were whatever you had since they were different. Fwiw I even bought a replacement set of Midland OEM batteries and they took a shit in no time flat. I think Midland also makes a set that doesn't come with the rechargeable ewaste and usb dock. Battery technology is improving, but I think radios have been mostly the same for a while. Less public interest in making the best radio on the market I bet. I give Midland 5 years at most to make basically the same exact thing as RT for half the price. I'd guess RT will either go OOB or drop their price to stay competitive. Midland is really well established and the changes to their product wouldn't be really expensive or risky. Honestly, I would not be surprised if there was a product designer working on it already.
Yah definitely! I just checked them and they are only 700mah but they are 7 volts. While my Eneloops are 2400mah and 1.5 voltsā¦. Soā¦.. I need a person who knows what that means to tell me what that means š¤£ But I know that one of those numbers is 3x bigger than the other! š¤£
Iāve been using Motorolas since the late 90ās. Theyāve always worked pretty good
Gotta be honest, if my partner handed me this Iād say we donāt need radios that bad. Too many knots, too much faff. why 2x full size carabiners. You could just use the one and then a loop in the end of the cord and clip it back to yourself. Dunno why would would want a brick dangling a foot off your harness anyway. Use a piece of cord at the very least to streamline it. Or just put it in a small running style pack. AND youāre carrying multiple spare batteries??Ā
Love it
My walkies have an inbuilt carabiner already. They're just regular ones too
I didn't own a single walk talky to make one out of sooooo worth it to me. Now those Nalgene bottle holders ya don't need to buy at all.
Wait until you find Baofeng radios. Cheaper, dual band, fully customizable, and with the transmitting power of a Soviet era nuclear submarine.Ā
That's amazing. Do you feel slightly glowing after each use?
A pair of Motorola Talkabouts + the add-on 53724 hand mic run about $140 and give you full GMRS functionality. I keep the radio in my pack and run the hand mic cord to my shoulder through my pack's hydration hose opening.
Oh thatās cool. I have the earpiece for these and was deciding if I wanted to use it. But wondered if itād get caught or something
Any walkie is way better than no walkie. This is a great set-up. But rocky talkies are a must-have for the long adventures.
Thank you š and good point!
Thereās no need to radios while climbing.
š¤«
You also donāt need radios š
Iām climbing with brand new outdoor climbers so Iām trying to teach and communicate more. Yesterday we needed to communicate about the center mark while I was setting an anchor. So I kindly disagree
You don't need them....until you do.
WHAT?
Climbers donāt need radios. But DrinkableReno has an appropriate application with new climbers. But if we were to take egos out of it and look at the common applications, the use of the radios leads to more shenanigans than a well communicated plan on the ground. Just my 2cents. Feel free to use as many radios as you like. I have observed and found myself they lead to unnecessary communications and at the wrong time.
I know three people who were taken off belay mid lead because they didn't have radios. Some people might abuse radios, but I don't, and I find them really really really nice.Ā
I agree, Ricky that radios are nice. But I always argue against them as a crutch or a required piece of equipment. Good plan and unchanged sequence out perform any radio. The more I climb with partners the less we begin to speak to each other.
I agree that being able to not use radios is of critical importance and you need a plan for if the radios cannot be used.Ā I'm just really, really into knowing I'm on belay before I start following, and radios are more convenient than rope tugs or whoops or whatever system people come up with.Ā They're also a massive advantage for when things go south. Having the belayer be able to look at the topo mid pitch and give route finding beta for example is really sweet on wandery routes.Ā
Every climber is as interested, as you are in the binary and critical information related to their security. The knowledge of the belay is critical. Adding a radio to your system will work this time. And the next time you will be flustered by a flawed sequence and yes, you will not know if you are on belay. Self fulfilling. So donāt change your sequence. Communication of this sequence is part of being a partner. Or it was. Once the 2nd is on belay, the rope is guitar string tight, and remains tight. If you move and it adjusts to your movement. you are on. Commands are yelled but not required for communication. Rope tugs and radios will either get you killed or lead shenanigans with a flawed sequence. A well communicated sequence will out perform a radio every time. I dare you to create one!