This Is The One Ski Trip Essential My Family Never Skis Without

You know that feeling when you’re stuck on a chairlift or heading down a mountain, and you want to check in with other members of your group who might be skiing elsewhere? Perhaps, like me, you put your seven-year-old in ski school, while your older child is barreling down a double black diamond with a barely-out-of-college, adrenaline-fueled ski instructor. Or maybe half your crew took the harder run, while you chose to cruise a cat track halfway across the mountain. How will you ever find them again?

Rather than shove your poles to the side, remove your gloves and risk taking out your phone, wouldn’t it be nice if you could just radio your family and friends? Well, you can. The Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio is the one ski essential we never leave home without. Each member of my family clips on a two watt Rocky Talkie, and we have instant radio connectivity, no matter where we are on the mountain.

The Rocky Talkie range pushes the boundaries of around one to five miles across a mountain (its line-of-sight is 25-plus miles), while its battery life can last up to five days without a single charge. Its specially designed lithium-ion battery can withstand frigid temperatures of up to -20°F with no effect on performance, while its rugged, lightweight construction features shatter-proof screen and thermoplastic case. Every function has a corresponding button, meaning there are no menus to dig through to change settings.

As if it weren’t easy enough, the Rocky Talkie also offers a waterproof hand mic for its radios. The accessory provides a remote microphone, speaker and push-to-talk button, making the radio setup even more convenient, particularly in tough conditions. Now we’ll be able to stow our radios in a dry bag or pack and keep communication right on our shoulders. I’ve never used the microphone, but I’m looking forward to trying it on my next trip.

For the more advanced thrill-seekers, Rocky Talkie just introduced its GMRS radio with IP67 waterproofing, featuring five days of battery life and 5-watts of power for optimal range. Designed and tested deep in the Colorado Rockies, the radio includes a specialized 1800 mAH battery that achieves around five days on a single charge, even in frigid conditions (-20°F). The maximum range is over 35 miles, however, two to eight miles is typical in backcountry terrain. The radio even includes useful features for the backcountry, including access to 11 weather channels and NOAA weather alerts, as well as dual-channel monitoring and transmitting.

I hope that my family is never in a position to have to need our Rocky Talkie radios outside of attempting to meet up for lunch, but I’m grateful to know that should any of us get stuck in a dangerous situation, we’re all just a radio away.