vhf radios

Hooked on toys in wenatchee has Midland VHF radios, hand held like a small walkie talkie. 5 watts 14 mile range, NOAA channels, water proof bag. It's called Nautica or Nautiqa, something like that, for $58 bucks, any comments on this. After the coast guard aux inspection I thought I should spend some of that prize money. Is this a good deal. It's the only vhf that they carry.
Matt

Wow, that sounds cheap to me!
 I am in the same place, trying to decide which VHF radio to purchase. I don't want to pay an arm and a paddle for it but I don't want to skimp on quality iether. I guess I figure if it's not a hundred dollars it isn't worth anything ( is this good or bad thinking?)
I suppose I could go the Coat Guard Station and ask if they know of a "better" brand than others.
 The thing will not be used much I suppose so sturdily built against corrosion would be the main concern!?
 How many of you have and use a VHF while on the water???
 What brands do you have???
 Thanks for any replies as I need this safety equipment soon.   

Yes, that is a good cost.  But I've never come across this one.  The specs are pretty standard for handhelds ... mostly 5 watts of power.  We have it tough sitting right on the water as that limits the effective range.  You'd never get anywhere close to 12 miles range so don't get swayed by that number.  I don't know why they claim range anyways as it's a function of power (watts), placement, and even the weather on a given day.

A few words on water resistance.  It just doesn't happen.  I was in a West Marine in Palo Alto one day looking for a VHF.  I got lucky and a "product tester" for West Marine was there.  He claims that no matter what brand they tested, almost all did not live up to their claims of water resistance.  He highly recommended getting the water proof bags, which I eventually did, but not until after loosing a unit to leaking.

If someone buys this unit, please let us know how it is.  I may just pick up one myself as I need a second for the other yak.

-Allen

I did look at Icom and they have one for $100 that they claim to be submersible, as opposed to just water proof. But I think that I agree with polepole, at some point they will all give way to the elements.

POLEPOE,
 Which brands have you used and is there a particular one you liked? Or dislike? And for what reason?
 I can see where the waterproof bag is a must to keep the unit dry, I live on the coast and things just corrode from the small amount of salt in the fog. Since the moisture of marine fog starts collecting on a salt particle released from mother Ocean.
 I saw it in a movie as a kid but now it's true to say "beware of the fog".

I have a West  Marine VHF50.  I bought it because it had 5W of power, it was on the smaller side, and it was on the cheaper side.  Other than the leak problem, which I was warned about for ANY unit, I haven't had any problems.

-Allen