Let’s clear the air now: I declare that I am not the owner of the featured image on this page and I, therefore, give all credit whereupon credit is rightly due.
I, of course, have felt the need to EDC a Weather Radio for quite some time.
For years, my go-to EDC Weather Radio was a Midland HH50B.
My lovely fiancée now carries one of those.
In the Spring of 2022, I decided to try a newer Weather Radio for EDC purposes.
There’s nothing really wrong with the Midland HH50B, save for a faulty belt clip.
I just wanted to try something new for a change.
Therefore in that aforementioned time, I purchased a Midland ER10VP and have been EDCing this ever since.
And that is what this piece will be a review thereof.
God be praised, there hasn’t been much severe weather in 2022 so far, at least for my immediate area. This is a very good thing for me as I am currently living in subpar housing.
I lost my original Midland WR100EZ to Hurricane Ida, but my renter’s insurance replaced it and pretty much everything else that I lost. So, I keep one of those on standby right next to where I sleep. As mentioned before, if my fiancée and I are traveling, she carries a Midland HH50B in whatever handbag she has at the moment. And sometimes, I will carry my Midland ER10VP in my EDC backpack.
I think Midland makes the best weather radios that are currently on the market and I have relied on them for almost a decade.
Initially, I purchased my Midland ER10VP to give as a gift to a friend but later purchased him a better radio in the stead.
Therefore, I kept the Midland ER10VP for myself and have been EDCing it on and off since.
If I know ahead of time that there will be a significant chance for severe weather, I stay with family members who have more sturdy housing.
This was the case on the evening of March 22, 2022. My parents had me come to their place to ride out a squall line that was due in our area that evening.
I had my Midland ER10VP with me and was on standby.
After Ida had damaged their home they had upgraded their roof.
While the squall line was passing through, I was in their attic with my tactical flashlight (a PowerTac Valor for those who wish to know) monitoring for leaks. There appeared to be none.
After the storms had moved out of my area, I kept my Midland ER10VP on standby, just in case.
At one point, it alerted me to a Tornado Warning for Lafourche Parish, and several minutes before my parents’ cable system got the message out.
Now I have been observing the weather for the past twenty years and usually, in fact, almost always when anything tornadic forms in Lafourche Parish, it is always in the southeastern portions of the Parish near the Jefferson Parish line.
This was the case with this tornado as well, but I kept tracking it with my Midland Weather Center app anyway. It turns out that this would be the tornado that damaged parts of Greater New Orleans.
My fiancée was staying in the New Orleans area during all this and because of a misunderstanding, I had put her in the friend zone, which was a huge mistake on my part. Still, I liked her and I wanted her and when I saw that the tornado that I had previously thought not much of was in her neck of the woods, I texted her, which gave her seconds to get to safety. In the text I let her know that I still cared about her. She and I eventually got into a relationship on May 23, 2022, and have been very happy ever since.
Two other times, I had used this weather radio that I am currently reviewing to monitor the progress of severe weather.
It entailed me packing it in my EDC backpack, then seeking shelter in a truck stop near my subpar housing site and purchasing some food and/or drink, so I can say that I am a paying customer, thus allowing me to stay in the trucker’s lounge or adjacent restaurant for more substantial shelter.
I am also assisted by my Midland Weather Center app and a robust data plan.
As you, the reader can see, I am quite satisfied with this product as far as Weather Radio reception is concerned.
FM reception is also fairly decent and AM reception is on par with that of a radio its size.
As much as I like flashlights, I could take or leave the flashlight feature on this device.
I could also take or leave the clock, although I do greatly appreciate the digital display and PLL tuner.
My one complaint is that it gets knocked on into standby mode way too easily, thus unnecessarily running down the batteries.
I wish there were a better way to keep it turned on while being carried in a backpack, so if one plans to use it as the main radio, have extra AA batteries on hand.
It does not have a SAME decoder feature, but I see this more as a traveler’s weather radio, and therefore, I don’t think it needs one.
Although I see it has much potential as a traveler’s weather radio, I think Midland has intended this to be for tracking the progress of severe weather during and after a severe weather event and also while off grid due to a severe weather event.
The following is what the company website had to say:
“Don’t be caught off guard when you’re off the grid – be prepared at all times with the Midland ER10VP Emergency Alert AM/FM Weather Radio. An essential piece of equipment when you’re hiking, fishing, hunting, overlanding, or camping with the family, the ER10VP will immediately alert you of incoming inclement weather. This versatile battery operated weather radio doubles as a flashlight with Hi, Lo, and SOS strobe options in case of emergency. Its slim and compact design lets you easily slip it into your pocket or gear bag, and it comes equipped with a wrist lanyard to keep it on you at all times. Leisurely listen to AM/FM radio with the comfort of knowing that you will be warned of any emergency weather in your area.”
For all intents and purposes, this is a great device for weather-related emergencies. It is especially perfect for the aftermath of a hurricane or tornado but could also be useful for everyday applications.
I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the Midland ER10VP and if you, the reader are wondering, I give it 4.50 out of 5 stars only because it gets knocked on way too easily while in a backpack.
I hope that you have been informed, entertained, and maybe even enlightened.
May God richly bless you!
Eric John Monier's Personal Blog 