Updated June 6, 2020.
There are a number of GMRS two way radios on the market today that are advertised as weatherproof for outdoor use, and many of them are. However, there are varying degrees of such protection, and these different levels are not always considered or even known to consumers, who are largely unaware of rating standards such as Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) and Ingress Protection Code (IP). The terms weatherproofing, water resistance and water proofing can become confusing and unintentionally misleading, because many consumers think of them as interchangeable. Such misunderstanding can lead to a frustrating experience when radios purchased for their ruggedness in rough, outdoor weather turn out not to be all that resilient to the elements, or not resilient at all.
There is a big difference between weather resistant, weather proof, water resistant, and water proof. It's important know what each one means and what it doesn't. That is why the JIS and IP ratings exist. These are standards of measurement to determine and define levels of resistance of an object (in this case, a two way radio) to a liquid such as water. The different ratings determine the level of waterproofing (and with IP, dust proofing as well) the radio can handle.
To simplify the terms somewhat, a weather resistant radio can likely handle a little cold and damp air, but a weather proof device is protected from slightly harsher elements. A Water resistant radio can handle some rain and splashing, but a water proof radio will not allow the liquid to enter the enclosure if the device is immersed in it or, in some cases, even submersed.
A radio that is rated submersible to JIS and IP specifications means that it can withstand complete submersion in water to a specified depth for a specified period of time (usually up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes).
When choosing a two way radio for outdoor or all-weather use, it is important to know and understand the difference between the words weather and water and between the terms resistant and proof. To make it even easier, we created this simple Guide to Weatherproof GMRS Two Way Radios below.
| Weatherproof GMRS Radios | Rating | Details | |
 | IPX7 | Waterproof Submersible | |
 | IPX7 | Waterproof Submersible | |
 | IPX7 | Waterproof Submersible | |
 | JIS4 | Water Resistant | |
 | JIS4 | Water Resistant | |
 | IP67, MIL-STD 810 C, D, E, F | Waterproof Shock and Dust Proof | |
 | Water Resistant | ||
 | Water Resistant | ||
 | IP-67 | Water Resistant Submersible | |
 | IP54 | Weatherproof | |
 | IP54 | Weatherproof | |
 | JIS1 | Weather Resistant | |
 | JIS7 | Water Resistant | |
 | JIS2 | Weather Resistant | |
 | JIS7 | Water Resistant Floats | |
 | JIS7 | Water Resistant Floats, Submersible | |
 | IP55 | Water Resistant |
