Best 10 Survival Radios Of 2024

A survival radio is one of the best things that you can to make sure that you can survive in the wilderness in case of an emergency. Survival radios can provide you with weather information, general park information, power bank, music player, communication device and so on. A good survival radio can definitely provide lots of usefulness when you are in the outdoors. I have listed a few radios that are great for the outdoors. They all have different capabilities and functionalities so be sure to pick one that is suitable for your needs.

Best Survival Radios – Quick Chart

How To Choose A Survival Radio

Basic Radio Frequencies Found On A Survival Radio

AM/FM Radio

Survival radios should be able to at least connect to the most common frequencies like AM and FM radio stations. In an emergency situation, information will be broadcasted in a lot of radio frequencies. Being able to tune to these frequencies will be very helpful.

NOAA Weather Band

NOAA weather band can provide you with the latest weather. If there is an emergency in your area, or the winter is turning for the worst, then you will know if your radio can tune in on this frequency.

Charging Features That We Should Consider

Solar Power

Being able to charge your radio by using the sun means that you can power up your radio anywhere you are. The down side is that charging by using the sun’s rays takes time. It is very slow. You may need 1-2 days before you can fully charge a radio.

AC/DC Power

It is best that you can recharge your radio’s battery using AC or DC. You want to be able to plug your radio into a wall socket and charge it. This is currently the fastest way to charge an electronic device. So you would want your survival radio to be able to do this.

USB Charging

A lot of devices can now be charged using the USB. There are a lot of computers, cars, and wall outlets that have a USB port so that they can charge devices. If your radio can be charged using a USB then that would be ideal.

Hand Crank

There are now survival radios that can be powered up using a hand crank. You basically wind up the radio and the motion will charge the batteries. This takes a long time though. You will end up getting very tired just to fully charge your radio. I don’t look for this feature at all. I think this is a waste.

Built In Survival Features To Also Consider

Flashlight

There are many radios that can turn into a flashlight. This is a great feature because in case of an emergency like an earthquake or natural disaster, flashlights will be needed. There will be a blackout and power will not be available.

Power Bank

A radio that can turn into a power bank is also a nice feature. This is great because you can charge your cell phone and other devices by using the radio as a power bank.

Siren

A siren feature is great especially if you injured yourself. You can call for help by activating the siren. The siren will send out a loud noise to alert people that you are need help.

SOS Light

SOS light is also great if you injured yourself while in the wilderness. SOS light can be seen from a very far distance. Hopefully, the radio’s SOS light can also be seen by rescue helicopters.

Reading Lamp

A reading lamp is also a great feature in case you want to be able to read something while in the wilderness or in blackout.

General Backpacking Features To Consider

Weight

Survival radios for backpacking will often be light in weight. There are lots of radios to choose from but they are not very light in weight. Even car camping radios are not very lightweight. We need to pick a good radio that is light in weight so we do not get tired so easily. The more weight we carry, the easier for us to get tired. Budgeting our weight is very important.

Multiple Capabilities

There are some really good radios that are multipurpose. They can become a lantern, flashlight, provide AM/FM, provide Bluetooth capabilities, become a power bank, charger and so on. These tools and capabilities can definitely help you out. They can protect you and provide the necessary tools to survive. They also provide the necessary tools to help you have more fun and comfort.

Compact

The more compact the item, the better. Survival radios are pretty good items to bring. They can definitely help you survive. They can tell you the weather and offer you other capabilities. However, we all have a limited amount of backpack space. Make sure that your radio is compact so that you can save a lot of space and have more space for other backpacking gear.

Battery Type

The battery type is also important. Some radios do not include the weight of the battery. So you may be buying a half a pound radio but when you put the batteries, it becomes 3 pounds or so. The battery type will also help you know how long the item will be functional. You also have to buy the battery. You might be expecting a lightweight battery but you ended up with a very heavy one. So make sure that you research what kind of batteries your radio is going to use.

Best Survival Radios

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1. Weather Radio Raynic 5000mAh Solar Hand Crank Emergency Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 1 pound
Battery Type: 5000 mAh lithium battery
Power Bank: Yes
Flashlight: Yes
Feature Summary: Durable and made by an amazing company, corded-electric, solar powered, Li-ion Battery, 2 LED light sources, hand crank, AAA battery, 7 NOAA weather channels

Short Review: This survival radio is impressive and I know you will definitely like it. This comes with a 5000 mAh lithium battery that can be used as a power bank to charge multiple devices. It is one of the best or biggest power source that I have ever seen. Can use three AAA batteries as well as a backup power source in case there is no electricity at all. A great item for outdoor activities and for survival situations as this is pretty good and has a lot of functionality. The resilience of this item is superb and comes with a very reasonable price tag.

2. RunningSnail Emergency Crank Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 0.87 lbs
Battery Type: 4000mAh replaceable li-ion battery
Power Bank: Yes
Flashlight: Yes
Feature Summary: Emergency flashlight radio, super-bright 3 mode flashlight and motion sensor, 7 NOAA stations at a crystal-clear sound, 4000mAh replaceable 18650 Li-ion battery

Short Review: A great deal of men and women are usually surprised at how awesome this survival radio is. This is an amazing emergency radio that is equipped with plenty of useable features and very multipurpose as well. The power source is 4000mAh replaceable 18650 Li-ion battery that can be used as a power bank. Can be used as a flashlight as well which is great when there is no electricity at all. Has AM/FM radio and NOAA frequencies. Can be charged multiple ways such as micro USB charge, solar charge, hand-crank. A great item for survival situations.

3. Midland – WR400, Deluxe NOAA Emergency Weather Alert Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 0.5 Pounds
Battery Type: 4 AA Alkaline batteries
Power Bank: Yes
Flashlight: No
Feature Summary: 80+ emergency alerts, & alarm clock, AM/FM radio, well-made item that is very durable, S.A.M.E. – The Specific Area Message Encoding

Short Review: This outstanding emergency radio is pretty amazing. I am extremely amazed mainly because this is incredible. Comes with 10 levels of backlight brightness so that you can go to sleep at night even if you have this on. weather service’s SAME codes for your location has been built in so you don’t need to program it. The AM/FM radio frequencies are good, same for NOAA. Equipped with 85 dB siren alarm with selectable alert volume will sound very loud during severely bad weather. Overall, a pretty good radio to have for emergencies and to know if a weather emergency is happening in your area.

4. FosPower 2000mAh NOAA Emergency Weather Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 10.9 ounces
Battery Type: 2000mAh
Power Bank: Yes
Flashlight: Yes
Feature Summary: Solar Emergency Weather Radio, a solar panel, and a crank lever provide full battery power, 2000mAh power bank provides enough emergency power, works with most USB powered devices

Short Review: This is a very multipurpose and functional survival radio. This is equipped with a 2000mAh / 3.7V Li-ion as a power source that can be charged multiple ways. You can also put AAA batteries as a back up power supply. This is very multipurpose because its features include 2 LED lights, radio broadcasts access, and 3 power options to provide emergency power. A good survival radio that can provide light, charge phones, and be able to hear radio frequencies for emergency situations. Can also use the radio for outdoor purposes like camping, backpacking and more.

5. C. Crane CC Pocket AM FM and NOAA Weather Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 4 oz
Battery Type: 2 AA
Power Bank: No
Flashlight: No
Feature Summary: Amazing item due to high quality materials, made to last, company has lots of positive ratings

Short Review: This is an amazing pocket radio that can be used outdoors and in emergency situations as well. Works incredibly well. Easy to use. This is strictly a radio that works well, meaning that it does not have a flashlight, powerbank and solar power charging capabilities. Having said all those things, these is a pretty amazing pocket radio. The presets are very intuitive, just put it inside one of your pockets and listen to your favorite sports, music or more while in a place without electricity. Volume is easy to adjust, picks up frequencies well, and overall, a good radio to have that is very portable.

6. Sangean MMR-88 AM/FM/Weather+Alert Emergency Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 13.8 oz
Battery Type: Built in 850mAh Lithium-ion
Power Bank: Yes
Flashlight: Yes
Feature Summary: All 7 noaa weather channels & reports, all 7 noaa weather channels & reports, handcrank dynamo/solar panel/dc input, micro usb-b input to recharge lithium battery

Short Review: This survival radio is awesome and has lots of features that are good for emergency situations. First off, it is equipped with triple LED lights with SOS signal that can be used to light up the dark or send a signal for help. It is a radio so it has AM/FM and weather radio reception plus the speakers are loud and clear. Can be charged using the sun also but will take a lot of time. There’s also a hand crank so you can manually charge the radio with your hands. A good item to have in case you find yourself out of power or out of electricity.

7. Kaito KA500 5-way Powered Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 1.6 lbs
Battery Type: 3 AA batteries
Power Bank: Yes
Flashlight: Lamp
Feature Summary: 6-way powered portable emergency radio, f AM, FM, 2-band shortwave and 7 pre-programmed NOAA weather channels, 5-LED reading lamp, LED flashlight and a red LED S.O.S. beacon light

Short Review: I am recommending this survival radio due to the fact I am certain you will like it. This is very sturdy. This has a telescopic antenna that picks up AM, FM frequencies very well. So enjoy your favorite music, news, sports and weather report while in a blackout or when in the outdoors. This comes in multiple colors as well so you can pick the color that is most suitable for you. The speakers are loud and clear. This also has a flashlight built in and can be used as a powerbank as well for phones, and other similar gadgets.

8. Midland – WR120B/WR120EZ Emergency Alert Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 1 pound
Battery Type: 2 AA batteries
Power Bank: No
Flashlight: No
Feature Summary: Built-in clock with alarm and snooze, high quality and amazing item, this will not break easily, 25-county memory system; 90 dB siren, voice alert, and flashing LED warning systems

Short Review: There are lots of NOAA and emergency radios in the Internet but this is extremely good. I like that the price of this one is rather affordable. This is strictly an emergency radio without the other functionalities like a power bank, flash light and so on. Equipped with SAME alert programming sounds an alert only when specific counties are threatened. Resilient items like this one tend to lasts for a very long time. I like that this has 80+ selectable emergency alerts with color-coded alert level indicators. Great radio for getting alerts when the weather suddenly turns really bad.

9. Eton, American Red Cross FRX3+ Emergency NOAA Weather Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 0.93 pounds
Battery Type: 2600mAh Internal Battery
Power Bank: Yes
Flashlight: Yes
Feature Summary: Designed to be outdoor friendly, AM/FM/NOAA weather band digital radio, charge a smartphone via USB port, alarm clock, LED flashlight and red flashing beacon

Short Review: This radio is extraordinary and I love it a whole lot. This is actually bigger than I thought it would be. I thought it would be pocket sized but it is the size of a normal radio. Has all the functionalities of an emergency radio like flashlight, NOAA, AM/FM frequencies, power banks and more. When it comes to durability, this is one of the best due to the design so this should lasts longer than most emergency radios. The drawback is the power supply. It only has 2600 mAh while most other radios have 5000 mAh already. This is very multi-purpose and good enough for outdoor activities such as camping, backpacking and more.

10. Vondior NOAA Weather Radio

Technical Specs
Weight: 0.39 Pounds
Battery Type: 2 AA batteries
Power Bank: No
Flashlight: No
Feature Summary: hand held portable radio, NOAA weather radio with 3 years Warranty, high-performance built in speaker, easily fit into your pocket or any emergency bag

Short Review: Another amazing pocket radio for survival or emergency situations. This is another pocket emergency radio which means that it does not have the functionality of some of the common emergency radios. It doesn’t have flashlight, power bank and so on. However, as an emergency pocket radio, this is pretty good. So if you just want to listen to alerts, radio frequencies and so on then this is an amazing choice. This is very lightweight as well so you can bring this on a backpacking trip. Great radio for outdoor activities that will let you know if a severe weather is approaching.