One of the busy repeaters is operated by the SeaTac Repeater Association, the repeater is located on East TIger Mountain - 462.625/141.3
I've heard checkins from Yelm, Orting, Puyallup, Port Townsend, Camano Island, Stanwood, Granite Falls, North Bend. Even from hikers camping up in those mountains using HTs.
Wouxun KG-UV9G Pro from better safe radios dot com (just remove the spaces).
Within price range, excellent receive/transmit with default duckie antenna (even better with the Smiley Super Stick GMRS [telescopic]), full SHTF/NOAA channels pre-programmed in.