“You see one there?” I asked my friend, Craig.
“Nahhh…Nothing,” responded Craig.
“I will continue down the main road, if you want to take a left and check that area out? Holler if you spot one!” I requested.
Craig and I were deep in the Teton backcountry looking for one animal—a bear! More specifically, we hoped to spot a grizzly bear. We had spent the morning and afternoon hiking miles of trail, so as evening descended upon the Teton wilderness, we opted to check out some of the dirt roads crisscrossing grizzly country. We both had Cobra Trailblazer 450 handheld radio for this adventure in order to help us communicate between our separate vehicles.
Communication is known as a key to marriage but what about overlanding? Ha, I am not giving any marriage advice, however, communication is very important when overlanding with others. Where are we going? Should we turn here or there? Do you like this campsite? Did you spot a bear? Questions constantly arise when traveling with others. How those answers are determined can make or break the trip when others are involved. While traveling with others, everyone desires to feel a part of the trail decisions and happenings. Simple communication between vehicles is achieved easily through radios. No more stopping along the side of the road to discuss. Time and energy are saved when communication can be achieved while on the go.
Cobra has been engineering and producing radios for over 60 years. They design and engineer radios, dash cameras, marine radios, and radar detection devices among other things. Their CB radios gained popularity during the oil shortage of the 1970’s. Truckers would use them to inform each other about fuel stops and police speed traps. Today, the Cobra brand engineers and sells products for both the private and business personnel.
Craig and I shared a pair of the Cobra TrailBlazer 450 radios for our adventure in the Teton backcountry. The 2.5-watt radios are powerful and compact which results in the radios feeling good to hold and use. Craig and I communicated only a few miles apart but were easily understood. Range varied greatly depending on the terrain. Cobra advertises a 36-mile range, but in my experience, a few miles if there are no obstructions can be easily be achieved. Valley, mountains, buttes, and other geographic features can negatively impact the radio’s overall range. During my use, the radios performed well in the two-to-four-mile range. Anything above that, static and interference affected the radio’s performance. The radios are lightweight at one and half pounds and felt very comfortable to operate. I personally liked the orange antenna each radio is equipped with because it was easier to spot in the “sea” of my other gear and equipment. The incorporated flashlight on each handheld is superb. Just that little light allowed me to spot my dropped keys outside my vehicle at camp. Battery life was excellent. Craig and I used the radios on and off for eight hours before a recharge. The battery lasted 18 hours on standby mode. Impressive! The radios recharge through an included USB cord.
The Cobra TrailBlazer 450 has both FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) channels. The FRS are not as powerful and don’t require a separate license. However, I found the FRS channels just fine for around camp, short distances (less than a mile), and spotting one another for driving obstacles. The GMRS channels do require a FCC license , which I already acquired, and are more powerful. We used a 50-watt GMRS channel for traveling, since it was more powerful than the .5 FRS watt channel. I would suggest getting a license and using the GMRS channels for greater distances and just general overall use.
Craig asked, “Did you see that brown spot back to your left?”
“Yep, it’s just a shadow. No bear.” I sadly responded.
No, we didn’t see or spot a bear over our time in the Tetons. Oh well, it was a glorious time spent wandering and exploring the majestic Teton range. Additionally, the Cobra TrailBlazer 450 handhelds allowed us to communicate with each other and made travel easier and more efficient. Our four-hour drive back home allowed us to communicate about sports, life, adventures, and where to search—next time!
Positives
- Orange antenna allowed for the radio to be spotted easily
- Sleek, comfortable overall design
- Lightweight
- The LCD screen is easy to ready and understand
- The simple, yet effective LED flashlight
- Both FRS/GMRS channels
Improvements
- The side buttons of the radio need to be raised somewhat. At times, I thought I was pushing the talk button, but I was actually pushing the flashlight button.
- Some of the radio’s channels are GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) which require a FCC (Federal Communications Commission) license and 18 years of age to operate.
To Learn More CLICK HERE
________________________________________________________
Featured Writer: Mike Holland
Photos: Mike Holland
Instagram: DesertRush
CHECK OUT: Get-North – Overlanding in the Canadian Rockies – Mike Holland
