I did look around the forum before asking, and I get the sense that maybe I should be looking on eBay for some older GMRS radios. Is it best to just avoid bubble packs and FRS/GMRS combos altogether? I was also looking at a Btech that's repeater capable, but I'm kind of allergic to anything made in China.
There are a couple of directions you can go, depends on what your budget is, what you are ultimately looking for, and what your tolerance is for quality.
As for repeaters, do understand that they are considered private property, and an owner can restrict usage to specific individuals. Before you invest in equipment, make sure you have talked to the repeater owners and have permission to access them. Some repeaters are advertised as "open", but it's still a good idea to talk to the owner.
To be fully legal on GMRS, radios need to have FCC Part 95 certifications. Some choose to ignore this and will use radios without it. Your decision...
The low tier consumer stuff is probably best avoided unless your budget is tight. Any radio with FRS capability is going to be severely limited by the required non-removable antenna. Most of these radios are designed to be compact, and consumers don't understand the importance of a good antenna.
As for good radios, I'm in the same train of thought you are, I avoid the cheap Chinese radios. While they can be an easy way to access the hobby, you are getting exactly what you are paying for, essentially a disposable radio. That's fine if that's what you want, but if you are investing hard earned money into equipment, there are much better options.
Buying used is a good option, but you -really- need to fully understand what you are buying into. Some manufacturers have multiple UHF radio models to cover different segements of the band. You can't always buy a "UHF" radio and have it work on GMRS frequencies. Fully understand the differences in models before you purchase.
Back when I was active on GMRS (before everyone in the family got their amateur license) I used a lot of commercial UHF radios. I had a number of Icom UHF portables and mobiles. I had a few Motorola, and eventually a few Kenwood. The benefit to these radios is that they are designed to be used in a commercial/public safety/industrial application, not a consumer toy. They will be more durable, repairable, and often give you a lot more options for features, accessories, etc.
Drawback is that they are not "pre-programmed" radios. You will need to have programming software, cables and a solid understanding of how to properly program a professional radio. It's not impossible, but it's also not easy for the newcomer. Programming software and cables can be expensive, so like I said above, make sure you fully understand everything you are getting into.
So, a lot depends on your budget and your technical comfort level. There are some good options from Icom and Kenwood. Most of the new Motorola stuff does not have Part 95 certifications.
