Walkie Talkies: A Must Have Accessory For Every Trekker In Mountains
Ever carried a wireless walkie talkie for a trek? If you haven’t then it’s high time that you do. Trekking is undoubtedly super fun and those who do it regularly should really consider investing in one. It acts as a useful tool to stay connected with your team members and no one can ever get lost. A rather effective safety tool, it should be a part of every trekker’s safety kit in mountains.
Why do you need a walkie talkie?
- Network: Being as you are high up in an isolated location unhindered by the devices of man-made technology (i.e., network towers), you can very well use two-way radio sets to help you stay connected. Every trekker has his/her own speed. So it’s rather likely that some are way ahead of others. If ever there is anything you need to communicate with a fellow trekker, you can do that by the click of a button.
- Emergency situations: Imagine if you plan to go to a higher plane and the rest of the trekkers decide to stay back, then the walkie talkie can be a perfect safety tool. You never know what to expect up there; you might get lost, witness a blockage or twist your foot. Anything can happen, thus, long range 2-way radios can be used to instantly call for help.
- Wood hunting: Well, there comes a time on the trek when you have to cook for yourselves. This means arranging for a makeshift stove. Of course, that is made possible by lighting a fire using wood. It is always advisable to go looking for wood in groups of two. And again, communicating with each other then becomes easy with a walkie talkie.
- Voice clarity: While in the city, walkie talkie ranges can be interrupted by the existence of walls and furniture, the open valleys of a trekking track allow for ease of transmission. Invest in the best walkie talkie for mountains which offer both VHF & UHF ranges and never miss a thing.
What to look for when buying a walkie talkie for trekking?
- Range: The two types of frequency bands are UHF (Ultra High Frequency) & VHF (Very High Frequency). When in an outdoor setup, especially a trek, it is usually helpful to go for VHF frequency band. Most of the long range walkie talkies are equipped with both and are perfect for outdoor activities like trekking and hiking.
- Water Resistance: While you are up in the mountainous regions, weather conditions can be really unpredictable. It may rain at any point and in such situations, you cannot afford to compromise your device. Therefore, a water-resistant device is what you need.
- Good Battery Life: One cannot expect to find charging points up in the wilderness. Thus, it is essential to buy a walkie talkie set that offers a great battery backup. It is also advisable to buy some extra batteries to avoid any unseen circumstances.
- Multiple Channels: The more channels a two-way radio offers, the more the people who can communicate. In most scenarios it’s a large group that people go on treks with, thus, you need to be able to communicate with each other and a device with multiple channels can ensure the same.
With these points in mind, deciding on the right wireless walkie talkie can become easier. These sturdy and compact devices can be of so much more help then you know and especially for trekkers this is something as important as first aid, a raincoat or a torch.