Uniden GMRS680-2 (14 Channels) Two Way Radio

Pros: Can transmit up to 5 miles, 38 privacy codes, rechargeable batteries, decent price
Cons: Kids LOVE to play with these things!

On the way down to the Oregon Coast, one of the kids noticed we had forgotten four of the walkie talkies. Of course, we were about 4 and a half hours into the drive! This prompted a stop at the next Target where we were able to pick up the Uniden GMR ...

Pros: Lightweight, large display, rechargeable batteries included
Cons: Range disappointing, nowhere near the claim of 5 miles

The wife and I had been using a pair of relatively expensive ICOM IC4008As for several years, keeping them stored in the minivan so that they were readily available for us to keep in touch on shopping excursions. However, the range was limited, as are ...

Pros: nice-looking, fits in a palm, easy to use
Cons: Range is non-existent, hard to find a practical application for this unit.

I won't be going into the details of all the features, you can look up the specs for that. In the end, the reason you buy the walkie-talkie is to communicate with your partner from a distance, at which you cannot talk directly to each other. This unit failed at it, in my opinion, miserably. With a claim of a 5-mile range, you could expect at least 1.5-2 mile range in reality. What you really get is more like a 10 yards range.
The only practical application I can see for this unit is if you are doing some work in a big house. Walk at least a 100 yards away - this unit becomes useless.

I am taking it back to the store.