I am going on a 3 day trip. Our 'guide' is suggesting to us to purchase CBs. Not walkie talkies. I went to the stores and all I can find it walkie talkies.

He says to purchase a CB. I will also have to buy an antenna for the car he said.

I'm a little confused. Someone please clarify how CBs are better than walkie-talkies

If the walkie talkie is on the CB band, the only differences are range, built in antenna, and power source. CB's allow you to talk to most if not all of the truckers on the highway. A CB walkie talkie is about the same size as the first cell phones. You are looking at about $50 plus antenna for the type he's suggesting. IIRC normal effective range for these is 1/2-5 miles. FCC licensing is issued with the radio at manufacture.

The FRS radios are on an entirely different system. These are the ones that come two to a pack. These are generally smaller (about the size of a modern cell phone). The advertised range for these is 10+ miles. They work on two frequencies/power ratings. Licensing for the lower power channels is the same as the CB. You are supposed to send in a licensing form to the FCC if you will be using the longer ranged channels.

If you are talking car to car to coordinate stops, etc. I'd ask him why you want a built in model.

Unless you plan on trips like this on a regular basis, you might see if he has a spare or make him explain why a CB. FRS radios will be more useful around the neighborhood or amusement park due to their reduced size.

We are suppose to be in a rural area. And we will have about 3 or 4 car groups trying to communicate with each otehr.

IMHO, the variable here is the vehicle mounted antenna. A hand held, whether it's a walkie-talkie, CB or HAM radio is limited by the antenna (and power, but I don't see that as an issue here). By vehicle mounting the antenna, you have a huge ground plane which will add gain to the antenna. I don't know what kind of wattage walkies put out, but comparing a 4W (legal limit) hand held CB with a 4W vehicle mounted CB, you will get better coverage with the vehicle mounted one due to the antenna.

The Motorola Walkie-Talkies I saw have a range of up to 8 miles they say. But he said CB's will have a range up to 4 miles. So I'm little confused

"Range" is not an exact science. Everything depends on line of sight. Theoretically, if you put the two side by side with identical power and identical antennas, on water or flat land, they would have the same range. That's the 8 mile potential the walkies have. The 4 miles he told you for the CB is more real life environment, with hills, buildings and the ever present atmospheric conditions.

How many of you already have CB's? I'd get one of the "emergency" radios if everybody else already has one and this will be a regular event. These are similar to a walkie talkie in that you hold the whole radio in your hand but they have a vehicle type antenna & plug into the cigarette lighter.

If no one else has radios I'd get the FRS units due to size. They run less than $50 for two.

Your guide has dropped the ball.

Who does he want you to talk to?
What frequency are they on?
What are the radios for?

Unless you are going to take the time to have a CB tricked out by some one who knows how to set the antenna (requires a meter) to the CB in use, the range for most CB's are line of visual sight (usually less) at best. Todays CB are garbage and are nothing like what was made in the 1970 & 80's. My family have been truck drivers since the late 60's. The only CB's we use are those in the semi trucks and that are properly set up and have power boosters.

If your traveling in a group together, FRS radios are the way to go. Stick with Motorola brand. From my personal experience they work much better than any other brand. If you get seperated make a quick call on a cell phone to the other parties to get back together.
We use FRS radios to stay in touch all the time when hunting. Even when I bow hunt I take a radio with me and leave one home with my wife turned on in the kitchen. My furthest stand is just hitting 2 miles away from my house per GPS tracking. I have it with me "just in case". I also let her know when I am down and walking out so she knows Im on my way out of the woods.

In a nut shell, the CB off the shelf is no way any better than an FRS radio. I sold my last CB about 3 years ago and dont regret it a bit.

Huck

I would say the only reason to buy a CB is if everyone else already has one. That is what I have seen in the off-road community. Sure for trail communications, FRS would probably work just as well. But everyone else who wheel's their rig already has a CB, so that is what all of the new people buy. Kind of a never ending cycle at this point