Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $89.99
Sale Price: $64.38
Today's Bonus: 28% Off
**REVIEW UPDATED 12/21/2012...see end of review for updated info.**
I've been around the block with consumer-grade two-way radios that I use for backpacking, camping and general Boy Scout activities. I've tried Uniden, Midland and Motorola, but always come back to Motorola. Midlands broke and Unidens don't have great range and can't produce clear enough audio for me.
I learned after hobbling along with my last non-Moto set (Uniden G-227) that Motorola really is the way to go for clarity, range and features. Audio clarity is important to me because there's nothing more maddening than muddy audio and having to ask the person on the other end to keep repeating until you can understand what they've said.
PROS:
* Robust design.
* Bright color makes it harder to lose.
* Waterproof from basic elements. Living in Florida, this is important.
* Great audio clarity.
* Decent range (certainly not 35 miles, but a more realistic one-mile+ range in forested and flat terrain).
* Richly featured for a consumer radio.
* PTT power adjustable buttons (one H, one L) means no more fidgeting with menu settings when you need higher power transmissions.
* Comes with a rechargeable battery pack for each radio.
* Emergency LED light is very handy.
* NOAA weather receiver.
* USB chargeable.
CONS:
* Currently lacks charging station (allegedly to be released soon, according to Motorola).
* Wish it had a carrying case instead of the plastic belt clip.
* Wish it had more range in typical conditions, but this is not a pro radio set.
I'm a realist when it comes to consumer two-way radios. I don't expect an actual 35-mile range and don't actually need 35 miles. That's what cell phones are for, but of course, if you are in a very remote area, a cell signal may not be available.
I was impressed with the menu of features on this radio and really needed to move up to a radio with NOAA weather capabilities. When you are one of the adults responsible for as many as 75 boys on an outing, you really need to be on alert for their safety. I like the overall quality of the radio and have never been disappointed with a Moto two-way. I still have my Talkabout 250, which has been in use for close to 10 trouble-free years now. It's still crystal-clear and transmits well for a compact FRS radio, which was another reason why I came back to and will remain with Motorola.
This radio set deserves five stars for its performance and deep feature list, but more importantly, for me, being able to hear transmissions clearly is a key element. I'm happy with this radio for what it is: an effective communications tool.
** 12/21/2012 UPDATE **
Not changing the five stars rating, especially after taking the radios camping in dense woodlands this past weekend. My daughter went hiking with her girlfriend and was well beyond a mile away when she called me on the radio. Her voice was loud and crystal clear. She also found the built-in LED light very helpful when she couldn't find her own flashlight. Honestly, I didn't think much about the radio's emergency light, but it came in handy!
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As advertised they are truly waterproof. A teenager dropped one overboard the first week I owned these units. IT FLOATS! (thank you Lord)
Communication is crisp and clear. VOX operation works very well.
To all who are new to quality two way communication be aware.....
YOU NEED A LICENSE TO OPERATE THESE UNITS ON HIGH POWER CHANNELS!
Radio licensing is a painless function that can be done online.
If you need quality communication these are the radios.
Best Deals for Motorola MT350R FRS Weatherproof Two-Way - 35 Mile Radio Pack
I've been a happy Motorola FRS radio customer for years. I purchased my FRS radios before consumer GMRS radios were even available in mass retail. My 'old' FRS radios still work, but our family has expanded and I wanted to add a couple more radios to our cache of outdoor adventure gear.
I'm happy with the MT350R radios. We use when skiing, so I'm happy they're weather-proofed. We also use the lanyard loop and wear under our jackets, so I'm happy weather-proof means (to me) sweat-proof under a coat. I like the rechargeable batteries, with the option of using alkaline batteries. These offer options for turning on lots of beeps and noises, and I shut all of that off because I just don't find it to be that useful. I also tend to stay on the lower-power FRS channels and avoid the higher-power GMRS channels, not only for battery savings, but because 35-miles just isn't very realistic. Whether using lowor high-power channels, line-of-site communication with the other radios in our party is all you get. If you can see where the other people are -waiting at the bottom of the slope, at the top of the next ridgeline, your belayer on a climb, etc. -then these will work well. But, they can't transmit through mountains.
These do exactly what I need, and I have no regrets about this purchase. The color shown in the photo appears more orange, which is what I wanted. The actual product color looks like school-bus yellow.
Honest reviews on Motorola MT350R FRS Weatherproof Two-Way - 35 Mile Radio Pack
I am taking two star because I ordered these specifically for the orange color and received yellow. the sound quality is crystal clear, the NOAA weather feature works great and has 12 weather channels to select from for best quality. You can customize the send receive chirps, and they are splash proof but i wouldn't submerge them. The other star i am taking is the belt clip is very soft and basically will just stretch open if pulled gently. One other nice option are the two PTT buttons, one is low power for relatively close range, maximum battery life and will operate at 0.5 watt, the top button is Hi power ( that's why its on top) and operates at 1.5 Watt for greater distances or crowded areas.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Motorola MT350R FRS Weatherproof Two-Way - 35 Mile Radio Pack
Love them! I bought a pair of these walkie-talkies for my boys (ages 4 and 6), knowing that the novelty would wear off pretty quickly for them, and I'd be left with a decent pair of radios for driving, hunting, fishing and other cool activities. But, man... I didn't know how great these things were when I ordered them.
Their range and clarity is startling. They have a built in LED flashlight that is really handy and more bells and whistles than I'll ever use. They are weatherproof, which has already come in handy when one of my knuckleheaded ankle-biters left his radio in the backyard where it was hit with our sprinklers, a light rain shower and a massive amount of dew on one night and a hard frost the next. I found the radio, turned it on and it worked like a charm.
The only problem so far is how much my boys LOVE these things. I may never get to put them in my "Outdoor" bag as I'd hoped when I ordered them.
They are big, easily the size of a full-grown man's hand, and they are rechargeable. In a perfect world, I'd like them to be a bit more compact and allow me to replace the batteries rather than recharge them (when I'm camping or fishing, I have access to loose batteries, but no electricity for charging.). But, these are still outstanding consumer-level radios that won't disappoint.
