VHF - Which Brand?

My Standard Horizon HX851 is starting to fail on me.  Every time it gets wet, the mic stops working.

I'm looking to replace it.  So, which VHF are you using and how reliable is it?

Please don't reply if you have a brand new VHF, I want to know about WELL USED VHFs that are still performing!

You might think about just getting an external mic. I have the same problem with my HX280 but have beaten it pretty hard for three years. Are you thinking you're going to go with a dsc model again?

My SH  HX851 crapped out on me with the mic and speaker acting like they were waterlogged.
After it going back and forth on me and not even wet, I sent it in for repair (under warranty). 

They tried to tell me nothing is wrong with it.  I told them to actually take it outside and use it for more than 20 minutes and it WILL act up.  Finally they just quit on our e-mail conversation and wouldn't answer my query as to what they found or are going to do to make it work.  Then out of the blue it shows up at the door.  Works great!  I called and asked for the guy I sent it into and chatted with online, and asked him what they did to fix it.  He hesitantly said the had replaced the main board, as the pre amp may have been going south.

I thinks its been at least 2-3 years since I had it fixed and all is good with it.

You may want to see about getting yours fixed.

I have been very happy with my two ICOM 72s. They will hold a charge for a week in Alaska and have a feature to force the water out of the speaker with sound if they get dunked.
Oh and I'm not easy on my equipment =)

You might think about just getting an external mic. I have the same problem with my HX280 but have beaten it pretty hard for three years. Are you thinking you're going to go with a dsc model again?

I have the external Mic, it crapped out last year.

I'm also leaning away from bulky, floating models, as I tether my vhf to my pfd anyway.

I have a $99 (Way back when I purchased it) Cobra MRHH325 that I bought about 5 years ago.  It is still going strong.  I have the external mike that I got wet once and it quit working.  I took it apart, wiped the water out of it and let it sit open to dry.  It has worked fine ever since.  Apparently, the external mike is NOT submersible.  It is low on the "features" but has worked every time I pushed the button to talk.  Oh, and the battery lasts seemingly forever and does not tend to self discharge when not in use.

I have thought about getting this one because it has GMRS with an overlap to FRMS so I can use it on land with others while hunting, or to keep track of the kids while camping. http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-MR-HH425LI-VP-15-Channel/dp/B000OYJ62U/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=16CSRKG3QNQGDM3REFRC