GMRS Guide
A side-by-side utility vehicle on a farm track with a short antenna on its roll cage

Midland MXT295 vs MXT275 vs MXT115 PRO: which 15-watt MicroMobile?

All three put out 15 watts. They differ in where the controls live, whether the radio survives rain, and whether the mic is on a cord. Pick by vehicle.

How we pick · Updated · We earn a commission when you buy through our Amazon links.

Get the MXT275 for an enclosed truck or SUV, the MXT115 PRO for anything open to the weather (UTVs, open Jeeps, tractors), and the MXT295 if you'll step out of the vehicle and want to keep talking: its Bluetooth mic works up to 100 feet away. All three are 15-watt Midland MicroMobiles with the same range potential, so the choice is about controls and weather, not distance.

Quick picks

Best for working outside the vehicleMidland MXT295Amazon
Best for enclosed trucks and SUVsMidland MXT275Amazon
Best for UTVs, open Jeeps and tractorsMidland MXT115 PROAmazon

How we compared them

The MXT295 and MXT115 PRO are new, and owner reviews are thin: on October 3, 2026 the MXT295 had 10 Amazon ratings and the MXT115 PRO had 37, against 1,824 for the MXT275. Each sold about 200 to 300 a month at our check. With so little owner feedback, this comparison leans on primary documents: Midland's product pages plus the owner's manuals (MXT295, March 2026; MXT115 PRO, August 2025; MXT275, November 2025) and the FCC equipment grants. We haven't tested these radios ourselves. How we research.

Comparison table

MXT295MXT275MXT115 PRO
Power15 W high / 5 W low15 W high / low15 W high / 5 W low
Where the controls areWireless Bluetooth mic; hideaway boxWired control mic; hideaway boxOn the radio; wired mic
Mic range from radioUp to 100 ft (Bluetooth)CordCord
Water and dustIP67None listedIP67 (radio and mic)
ChannelsUp to 99: 22 GMRS, 28 preset privacy-code channels, 8 repeater15 GMRS + 8 repeaterUp to 99: 22 GMRS (8-14 receive only), 28 preset, 8 repeater
Privacy codes154 (50 CTCSS, 104 DCS), split tones142 (38 CTCSS, 104 DCS), split tones on repeater channels154 (50 CTCSS, 104 DCS), split tones
BandwidthNarrow / wideNo setting in manualNarrow / wide
Noise cancelingAutomaticNot listedAutomatic
PA / intercomPA jack, wired intercom jackNot listedPA jack, wired intercom jack
OtherDual watch, scan lists, PC programmable, USB-C, NOAA alert, Bluetooth headset supportUSB-C, speaker mic jack, NOAA alertDual watch, scan lists, PC programmable, USB-C, NOAA alert
Warranty3 yearsNot stated on spec sheet3 years
FCC IDMMAMXT295 (Part 95E)MMAMXT275 (Part 95E)MMAMXT115P (Part 95E)

From Midland's product pages, manuals and spec sheets, the Amazon listings and the FCC grants, checked October 3, 2026. "Not listed" means we couldn't find it in Midland's documents for that model.

About the channel counts: "99 channels" sounds like more reach than "15 + 8", but GMRS only has 30 frequencies in total (47 CFR 95.1763). The extra MXT295 and MXT115 PRO slots are memory channels with a frequency and a privacy code saved together, which saves menu-diving when your group uses one channel-and-tone combination. Useful, but not more airwaves.

Range: a three-way tie

All three are 15-watt radios. The FCC grants list roughly 12 to 15 watts on the main channels for each (MXT275: 15.0 W conducted output; MXT295: 14.54 W and MXT115 PRO: 12.39 W, both listed as ERP). On channels 1-7 every one of them is capped at 5 W ERP by rule (95.1767(b)). With identical power, what decides range is the antenna and how high it sits. On our GMRS range calculator, two antennas at about 7 feet have a line-of-sight limit of 7.48 miles; a vehicle to a repeater antenna 150 feet up, about 21 miles. Same for all three.

Midland's MXT115 PRO spec sheet quotes "up to 15 miles" mountain peak to mountain peak and "up to 5 miles" in neighborhoods or dense forest. Those are Midland's estimates, more modest than most box claims. The upgrade that actually moves your range is the antenna: see the MicroMobile antenna upgrade guide.

The three radios

Best for working outside the vehicle

Midland MXT295

The headline is the wireless control mic. Midland's listing says it works up to 100 feet from the radio unit, so a rancher at a gate, a trail leader spotting a rock garden or a driver standing at the campsite stays on the air with the same radio. It also pairs with Bluetooth headsets and PTT buttons, which matters if you ride in helmets or work around loud engines.

Add IP67 sealing and automatic noise canceling, plus PA and intercom jacks and a 3-year warranty, and it's Midland's most complete 15-watt mobile. The risk is that it's new, with 10 Amazon ratings at our check, so long-term reliability of the Bluetooth mic is still unknown.

  • Power15 W / 5 W
  • MicBluetooth, up to 100 ft
  • RatingIP67
  • Channelsup to 99 incl. 8 repeater
  • Codes154
  • Warranty3 years
  • FCCPart 95E

Why it stands out

  • Wireless mic, up to 100 ft from the radio
  • Bluetooth headset and PTT support
  • IP67 with wide/narrow bandwidth

Think twice if

  • You want a radio with years of owner feedback
  • You'd rather never charge a mic
Check price on Amazon
A rancher holding a wireless radio microphone next to an open truck door
A wireless mic means the radio stays in the truck while you work the gate.
Best for enclosed trucks and SUVs

Midland MXT275

The proven one. A small hideaway box with every control in the corded mic, a plug-in power cord, a magnetic-mount antenna and the biggest owner base of any Midland mobile on Amazon at our check. Inside a closed cab, where weather isn't an issue, you give up nothing on range by choosing it over the newer models.

What it lacks next to the MXT295 and MXT115 PRO: a water rating and the wide/narrow switch; it also has no memory channels or PA jack. If none of those matter to you, this is the sensible buy. For the 50-watt question, see MXT275 vs MXT575.

  • Power15 W high / low
  • Micwired control mic
  • Channels15 + 8 repeater
  • Codes142
  • Size1.4 x 5 x 4.2 in
  • FCCPart 95E

Why it stands out

  • 1,824 Amazon ratings, lots of install help online
  • Tiny box hides anywhere

Think twice if

  • The radio or mic will see rain: no water rating is listed
  • Your group runs wide-band radios
Check price on Amazon
Best for UTVs, open Jeeps and tractors

Midland MXT115 PRO

A dash-mount radio with its own display and buttons, a noise-canceling IP67 mic, and an IP67 body. That combination suits machines with no doors: side-by-sides, open Jeeps and tractors. It comes with a flip-frame bracket, a 2.1 dB magnetic-mount antenna and a 12 V cord.

Feature for feature it matches the MXT295 apart from the wireless mic: dual watch and PC programming, PA and intercom jacks, narrow/wide band, and the same 3-year warranty. You need dash space for the radio itself, since the controls live on it.

  • Power15 W / 5 W
  • Controlson the radio
  • RatingIP67 (radio and mic)
  • Channelsup to 99 (8-14 receive only)
  • Codes154
  • Size4.8 x 5.1 x 1.4 in with bracket
  • Warranty3 years
  • FCCPart 95E

Why it stands out

  • IP67 radio and mic
  • Controls on the radio, simple to use with gloves
  • PA for calling across a yard or jobsite

Think twice if

  • Your dash has no room for a radio body
  • You want to walk away from the vehicle and keep talking
Check price on Amazon
A compact two-way radio mounted on a tractor dashboard
With the controls on the radio, the MXT115 PRO needs a dash spot, but it's simple to run with gloves on.

Pick by vehicle

Vehicle or usePickWhy
Pickup or SUV, closed cabMXT275Proven, compact, nothing to gain from IP67 inside
Wrangler with doors and top offMXT115 PRO or MXT295IP67; the MXT295 if you also spot outside
Side-by-side or UTVMXT115 PROIP67, controls on the unit
UTV with helmet commsMXT295Bluetooth headset support
Ranch truck with gate workMXT295Wireless mic up to 100 ft
Tractor or equipmentMXT115 PROIP67, PA function, simple controls
Daily driver, tight dashMXT275 or MXT295Hideaway box; only the mic shows
Rain droplets on a radio mic inside an open off-road vehicle
Doors off, top off: that's where an IP67 rating earns its keep.

Install notes that differ

The MXT295 and MXT115 PRO manuals list a 5 A fuse (type F5AL, 0.25 x 1.25 in) in both the power cord and the 12 V adapter. Both manuals say to connect the red lead to the fuse block or straight to the battery's positive post, and that a good, direct metal-to-metal ground is essential. The MXT295 manual also says to mount the antenna as high on the vehicle as possible and to avoid fiberglass or vinyl surfaces. That last point rules out a magnet mount on a Wrangler hardtop; our Jeep install guide covers the alternatives.

All three ship with the 2.1 dB magnetic-mount antenna. Midland lists its MXTA25 and MXTA26 antennas as compatible with the MXT115 and MXT275; the MXT295 isn't in that compatibility list yet (it's newer than the list), so check the antenna connector before buying.

License and channel rules for all three

Each needs an individual GMRS license (95.1705): a $35 application fee (47 CFR 1.1102; the FCC fee page lists no separate regulatory fee), no test and a 10-year term; it covers immediate family. None of them can transmit on channels 8-14, which are for handhelds only (95.1763(d)), and repeater channels transmit on 467 MHz, 5 MHz above the 462 MHz output (95.1763(a) and (c)).

Bottom line by budget of attention

If you want the radio you'll never think about, buy the MXT275 and spend the savings on a better antenna. If weather is part of your day, the MXT115 PRO. If you work outside the vehicle or ride with helmet headsets, the MXT295 is the only one of the three that keeps you on the air away from the dash. For 50-watt options from Midland and BTECH, see Midland vs BTECH vs Wouxun and BTECH GMRS-50V2 vs GMRS-50PRO; for the full field, the best GMRS radio for a Jeep.

Sources: Midland product pages, owner's manuals and spec sheets for all three models (midlandusa.com); the three FCC grants listed in the table (FCC ID database); Amazon listings; all checked October 3, 2026. Rules: 47 CFR 95.1705, 95.1763, 95.1767, eCFR current as of October 1, 2026. How we research · Affiliate disclosure

Questions people ask

What is the difference between the Midland MXT295 and MXT275?
Same 15-watt power and hideaway layout, but the MXT295 has a wireless Bluetooth control mic that works up to 100 feet from the radio, an IP67 rating, wide/narrow bandwidth, up to 99 channels, PA and intercom jacks and a 3-year warranty. The MXT275 has a wired mic, 15 channels plus 8 repeater channels, and no water rating.
Is the Midland MXT115 PRO waterproof?
Midland rates the MXT115 PRO IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and its noise-canceling mic is IP67 too. That makes it the better fit than the MXT275 for open Jeeps, UTVs and tractors.
Is the MXT295 PRO the same as the MXT295?
Midland's product page calls it the MXT295 PRO, while the Amazon listing and owner's manual call it the MXT295. The specs and box contents match, so treat them as the same radio.
Can the MXT295 and MXT115 PRO transmit on channels 8-14?
No. GMRS rules only let handhelds transmit on the 467 MHz interstitial channels (47 CFR 95.1763(d)). Midland lists 8-14 as receive only on the MXT115 PRO, and the MXT295 manual shows no power setting for them.
Which Midland MicroMobile is best for a side-by-side?
The MXT115 PRO for most UTVs: IP67, compact, with the controls on the radio. Pick the MXT295 if you want a wireless mic or Bluetooth headset support, for example with helmets.
Do these Midland radios need a GMRS license?
Yes. All three are GMRS radios, certified under Part 95E, and operating them requires an individual GMRS license (47 CFR 95.1705). It's a $35 application fee, no exam, and it covers your immediate family.