How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a complete walkie-talkie system with a paired wireless earpiece for hands-free team communication, choose Retevis RB37; if you need a standalone Bluetooth headset for phone calls and PC meetings, choose Soothielec Headset.
• Retevis RB37 biggest strength: A self-contained two-way radio kit — two FRS radios with Bluetooth earpieces already paired out of the box, long battery life, and a 2-mile rated talking range.
• Retevis RB37 biggest trade-off: The Bluetooth earpiece only works with the matching RB37 headset and radio — it will not pair with other Bluetooth headsets, phones, or other brands.
• Soothielec Headset biggest strength: A versatile Bluetooth 5.1 earpiece with noise-canceling mic, 33-foot range, dual-device pairing, and a charging case with a digital battery display.
• Soothielec Headset biggest trade-off: It is a headset only — it does not transmit radio signals and cannot talk to walkie-talkies on its own.
• Who each pick is for: Choose Retevis RB37 if you need a ready-to-go radio system for a team or family; choose Soothielec Headset if you mainly need clear calls on your phone or PC.
The Retevis RB37 is a two-pack of FRS business radios bundled with wireless Bluetooth earpieces. The headline feature is that both radios and earpieces come already paired, so you can power on and start talking without fiddling with Bluetooth menus. The earpiece auto-connects to the first RB37 it was linked with, and the linkage holds within about 10 meters. Touch the PTT button on the earpiece and you are transmitting — that is genuinely convenient for anyone who has to keep their hands free.
On the radio side, you get 22 channels and a rated maximum talking range of 2 miles. The RB37 talks directly with other Retevis 16-channel FRS radios on channels 1–5, such as the RT21, RT22, RT68, and H-777, provided the channels, frequencies, and sub-audio codes match. Battery life is a real highlight: a 2000mAh battery with up to 120 hours of standby and roughly 12 hours of continuous use, recharged over USB Type-C. There is also a built-in flashlight, VOX hands-free talking, and auto squelch with tailgate cancellation for cleaner audio. Two lithium-ion batteries are included.
Who should buy it: church staff, event crews, family camping groups, security teams, and small businesses that need several people talking on the same channel with private, hands-free audio. The bundled earpiece keeps calls discreet, and the flashlight earns its keep on night walks or in a blackout.
Soothielec Headset: Who It's For
The Soothielec Headset is a different animal entirely. It is a single Bluetooth earpiece built around a QCC 3020 chipset with Bluetooth 5.1, rated for a 33-foot (10-meter) wireless range. It connects to iOS and Android phones, tablets, laptops, and MP3 players, and it supports dual-device pairing so you can keep a phone and a laptop connected at once and switch between them. That is the feature that matters most for anyone who juggles a work call and a personal line.
The mic uses environmental noise cancellation to cut background sound, which helps your voice come through on calls in a car, a shared office, or a busy street. The design is ergonomic and built to fit either ear, with a retractable ear hook and a rotating flip-boom arm. Three sizes of soft ear gels are included, so you can dial in the fit. The charging case holds 500mAh and shows a digital battery readout, so you always know when to top it up — and it doubles as protection against damage and loss. A full charge takes about 2 hours.
Controls are button-based and genuinely hands-free: mute and unmute with one button, hear voice prompts for battery level, connection status, and mute state, and even get the caller's number announced. Double-press the mute button to wake Siri or another voice assistant. Pairing is simple — pull the headset from the case, enable Bluetooth on your phone, pick "G5," and you are connected. Soothielec backs it with a 1-year warranty.
Who should buy it: drivers, remote workers, call-center and office staff, and anyone who lives on phone or video calls and wants one lightweight earpiece that moves between devices.
Who should skip it: anyone who needs to talk to a group over radio. This headset has no radio transmitter, no channels, and no way to reach walkie-talkies — it is purely a Bluetooth audio device for phones, tablets, and computers.
• Best for team or group communication → Retevis RB37. Two radios on the same FRS channel let a whole crew stay in touch; the Soothielec has no radio function at all.
• Best for battery endurance → Retevis RB37. A 2000mAh battery with up to 120 hours standby and about 12 hours of continuous use, versus the Soothielec's 500mAh charging case that recharges the earpiece in about 2 hours.
• Best for phone and PC calls → Soothielec Headset. Bluetooth 5.1, dual-device pairing, and environmental noise cancellation are exactly what remote work and driving require.
• Best for out-of-the-box simplicity → Retevis RB37. The radios and earpieces ship pre-paired, so there is no pairing routine to learn for your own kit.
• Best for travel and portability → Soothielec Headset. The charging case protects the earpiece, prevents loss, and shows battery level at a glance.
• Best for hands-free radio PTT → Retevis RB37. Touch the earpiece's PTT button to transmit while your hands stay on the job.
• Best for fit flexibility → Soothielec Headset. It fits either ear, with a retractable hook, rotating boom, and three ear gel sizes.
• Best for weather resistance → Neither, honestly. The RB37 is listed as not water resistant, and the Soothielec sheet makes no water-resistance claim — so plan accordingly outdoors.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to what you actually need to transmit. If your goal is a team, a family, or a job site where several people talk on the same channel with discreet, hands-free audio, I would buy the Retevis RB37 — the pre-paired earpieces, long battery life, USB-C charging, and flashlight make it a genuinely complete kit rather than a pile of parts. If your world is phone calls, video meetings, and driving, I would buy the Soothielec Headset instead, because dual-device pairing and a noise-canceling mic serve that life far better than a radio ever could. They solve different problems, so buy the one that matches the problem you have. Before you commit, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page.
FAQ
No. It is a Bluetooth earpiece for phones, tablets, laptops, and MP3 players within a 33-foot range. It has no radio transmitter or channels, so it cannot communicate with walkie-talkies.
The Soothielec Headset. Its QCC 3020 chipset, Bluetooth 5.1, environmental noise cancellation, voice prompts, and dual-device pairing are designed for exactly that. The RB37 is built for radio traffic, not phone calls.
The Retevis RB37 runs on a 2000mAh battery rated for roughly 12 hours of continuous use and up to 120 hours of standby. The Soothielec earpiece recharges in about 2 hours from its 500mAh charging case, which you can top up on the go.
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