Home > Consumer Reviews > Cobra PR 4100-2 WX VP 16-Mile GMRS/FRS 2-Way Radio (Twin Pack)

This a huge step up from the 5-mile Cobra radios that I also own. To a point that I actually find them useful.

The biggest range I was able to get from them in a residential area was around 1 mile, and a good usable range would be around 1/2 mile. This was not exactly line-of-sight, with a lot of residential houses in between. So, yeah, the 16-mile range claim is completely bogus, and it would be stupid to expect something like that from a 2-watt GMRS radio. Hence, I find 0.5 mile usable range to be respectable, but I wouldn't say that about the advertising claims of the manufacturer, of course.

Curiously, the transmitt power seems to be very similar to my 5-mile radios. The main difference is in quality. With these radios I'm able to receive the same signal further away, and it is much clearer.

So far, the most use I got out of these radios was on a 400 mile trip to LA. With my old radios, I had to be almost right next to the other car to communicate, a car in between or distance over 300 feet will make the signal too weak. The new radios were working very well. Granted, our cars didn't get further than 1/2 mile apart, but in that range the signal was always very strong and clear. I was very comfortable using them during the entire trip.

Pros:
AAA batteries - easily replaceable, when stock batteries die.
Handsfree compatible - very useful when skiing or driving.
NOAA forecasts - kills time when bored on a camping trip.
Handy volume knob - put on high to hear a call, then set to comfortable level to communicate.
Weatherproof - wouldn't dunk them, though, and they don't float.

Cons:
Unstable when in the charging base.
Hand-straps could be useful with these.

I'm glad these radios use AAA rechargeables. I'm only going to use my radios several times a year and I'm sure they will last much longer than the batteries will (build quality is pretty good, BTW). Li-ion batteries only make sense when you use your radios a LOT, otherwise - store your Li-ions half-discharged in a fridge, or they will loose their capacity in just a couple of years.

The original Cobra handsfrees are overpriced, and although, they have the same plug as many cell phone hansfrees, polarity is reversed. Of course, that last part can be fixed with just a little soldering. I'm anxious to try these radios on the slopes, when ski season starts. Then would be a good time to update this review.

The only reason I gave these radio's 3 stars is because I know they are the same as any other 2-way radio's. I also own a set of Uniden 5 Mile FRS 2 way radio's, but I decided to buy an extra set so each user can have their own charger.
I also like that these Cobra radio's use standard AAA rechargeable batteries. This way when the batteries go bad you just buy another set of rechargeable batteries.
Do not believe the claims of 16 mile range, they barely do 1 mile if you are lucky. In fact my other set which is supposed to do 5 miles go just under a mile in reality about the same as these 16 mile ones. I don't know how they can advertise this, but they are all the same.
I tried them in low and in high and the distance was the same. Here's the kicker, I read the manual that says in order to use these legally in high power setting, you will need a license from the government? A license so you can talk a full mile away? That's a load of crap. Seriously, these things are nothing but a toy and a license to use them is laughable.
I have no problem keeping them on low power, especially since I will only be using them to contact the house next door (a relative). My new cell plan is only 200 minutes prime so these will do the job just fine, just don't expect much distance out of them.
I ran the test in my area which has a lot of trees. I left one home with my wife and drove my car away, I even turned down the windows. I had a fully charged battery in both and both were set at high.
Do not expect anything better from other brands, good luck. By the way, the price for these here at Amazon is great and I would sugest buying them if they fit your needs. There is 8 AAA rechargeable batteries includes, that's a value of at least $20 just for the batteries, so you get these 2 way radios for really cheap when you consider the value of the rechargeable batteries.

Claim of 16-Mile transmission is optimistic at best. Good quality and appearance. Fun. Especially find the weather band feature appealing. First AND second packages contained faulty charging base. Cobra Corp. tech support has not responded. Have decided to try a third time due to deal and overall quality.

I may be missing something, but I own a pair of Cobra PR-4200s also made by Cobra. Other than the fact that the faceplate on the 4100s is blue, they appear to be exactly the same radio. Same range, appearance, weather option, features, everything. They are except for the color exact duplicates. The only big exception is the vast difference in price. The 4200s are $25 brand new, while you can't even get a pair of these refurbished for that price. The new price for them was listed at $70 as of this writing. If you are at all considering these radios I strongly advise you to follow the link enclosed and check out the 4200s. I left a very favorable review for them for both performance and price. They're an excellent basic two way radio, and the very cheapest radios with the NOAA weather option available on Amazon as of this writing...Cobra PR-4200-2WX VP Micotalk 18-Mile Range 2-Way Radio - 2 Pack

I bought the Cobra PR 5000 2-way radios that claim to have a 15 mile range. In reality, the range is a little over a mile on a good day. I have a pair of Uniden walkie talkies that claim to have 2 mile range and they perform better than the Cobras.

Someone at Cobra should get in trouble for false advertising.