The Best Emergency Whistle for Hiking of 2024
The Best Emergency Whistle You Should Always Carry With You
When it comes to hiking, safety should always be your top priority. That’s why a must-have item for every hiker is the trusty emergency whistle.
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You never know when you might find yourself in a tight spot, whether it’s getting lost on a remote trail or encountering unexpected wildlife. That’s where a reliable emergency whistle comes to the rescue, quite literally.
Learn more about the best emergency whistle options out there, including our personal favorites, and discover what makes them stand out from the crowd. You can then amplify your hiking safety game and add an essential survival tool to your backpack.
The Best Emergency Whistle for Hikers
Many top hiking backpacks come with some sort of hiking whistle built into the shoulder straps. However, if your backpack doesn’t have this feature, or you want more peace of mind by having a backup, you should choose one of these top emergency whistles for hiking.
1. Coghlan’s Survival Aid 5-in-1
- Size: 4.5″ L x 1.25″ W
- Weight: 1 oz 28.3 g
The Coghlan’s Survival Aid 5-in-1 is a compact, plastic whistle with a shrill sound. It’s small enough to easily store in your backpack, yet it also comes with a nylon lanyard so you can hang it around your neck.
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What makes this survival whistle stand out from the crowd is that it’s more than just a whistle. This survival tool also includes a waterproof matchbox, fire starter flint, a liquid-filled compass with a luminous dial, and an SOS signal mirror.
2. Fox 40 Classic Whistle
- Size: 2.25″ L x 0.75″ W
- Weight: 0.02 kilograms
The Fox 40 Classic Whistle is a signal whistle that produces a loud sound that can be heard up to a mile away. The whistle features a pealess design that offers ease in blowing and a self-clearing functionality when it’s submerged in water.
Related: What You Should Do if You Get Lost While Hiking
The sound is so loud and crisp that it can be heard over the sound of whitewater. It’s so easy to use that it can’t be overblown, which is an ideal feature when you’re in an emergency situation. The whistle comes in bright orange for high visibility.
3. LuxoGear Emergency Whistle With Lanyard
The LuxoGear Emergency Whistle With Lanyard is a super loud survival whistle that uses dual sound chambers to produce a high-pitched powerful noise. It can provide up to 120 decibels of sound power, which is enough to be heard over a mile away.
Plus, it can’t be overblown, so it’s a great whistle to have in the event of an emergency. The pealess design means there are no moving parts, which means there’s nothing to jam, break, freeze, or obstruct the sound.
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The durable whistle is made with high-impact ABS plastic that ensures strong performance and complete waterproof moisture resistance.
You get two whistles that come with a lanyard so you can hang them around your neck. They also have a clip so you can attach them to your pocket, belt, or other easy-to-reach place.
4. NRS Storm Whistle
- Size: 3.25″L x 1.75″W x 0.88″H
- Weight: 0.5 pounds
A safety whistle won’t do you any good if no one can hear it. That’s why the NRS Storm Whistle is one of the loudest whistles available. It can even work underwater with a loud whistle can be heard up to 50 feet away.
The whistle’s unique design and asymmetrical shape are designed to amplify sound. Its 3150-hertz frequency is readily heard above other background noises in the environment.
The whistle is made of durable plastic and is bright orange to make it easier to spot when it’s in your backpack. It also includes a key ring so you can easily hook it in a convenient location.
5. Noopel Emergency Whistle
The Noopel Emergency Whistle is a metal whistle made from premium quality aluminum alloy material. At only 12 grams, it’s lightweight and easy to carry.
It’s a water-resistant emergency whistle for hiking that you can use in all types of environments and weather conditions, including humidity and rainy days. The loud safety whistle can be heard over long distances.
The metallic whistles come in either a 2-pack or 4-pack in a variety of colors so they’re easy to tell apart.
6. SOL Fire Lite 8-in-1 Survival Tool
The SOL Fire Lite 8-in-1 Survival Tool is an excellent choice to keep in your survival kit. That’s because this emergency whistle for hiking comes with 8 essential survival tools all in one tiny package.
It includes a compass, emergency whistle, signaling mirror, tinder cord lanyard, flint/match striker, micro sparker, Tinder Quik, and a waterproof compartment.
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The compass can help you navigate trails. You can use the fire starters to get a campfire going that will keep you warm through the night. The lanyard can help you carry the tools and doubles as a fire starter.
You can use the whistle or signal mirror to alert search and rescue teams to your location. The whole kit fits inside the small waterproof compartment to keep everything secure while you’re hiking, on a backpacking trip, camping, or enjoying any other outdoor activities.
7. Coghlan’s 6-Function Whistle
- Size: 3″ x 1″ x 1″
- Weight: 2.2 ounces
The Coghlan’s 6-Function Whistle is one of the top plastic whistles to have when you’re on the trail. This emergency whistle packs an entire survival kit into one small package.
It comes with an LED light, compass, magnifier, thermometer, signal mirror, and whistle. It also includes a convenient lanyard with a clip so you can hook it to your pack or jacket and always have it close by in case of emergency.
Related: The Best Headlamps for Hikers to Light Up the Trail
The whistle comes with batteries for the light. It uses three SR1120 replacement batteries.
Pea vs. Pealess Emergency Whistles
When you’re shopping for an emergency whistle, you’ll likely notice pea and pealess varieties. So which one should you choose?
Emergency whistles with a built-in pea typically have some sort of small ball, often made from metal, cork, or wood. While whistles with peas give you more control over the sound of your whistle, these moving parts are also more prone to freezing, jamming, or failing in wet environments or cold weather.
As a result, most emergency whistles for hiking don’t contain peas. If you think there’s any chance your whistle might get wet or dirty, it’s important to choose a pealess whistle so you know it will work when you need it.
Why You Should Carry an Emergency Whistle
Now that you know more about the best emergency whistle for hiking, you might be wondering why you should carry one with you. There are two main reasons why you should carry an emergency whistle.
In Case of an Emergency
The first and most obvious reason why you should keep a good whistle in your emergency kit is to signal for help if you run into an emergency on your hike. A safety whistle is louder than a human voice and can be heard over a much longer distance.
While some hikers believe they can rely on their cell phones if they’re in an emergency, you never know if your cell phone range can handle remote trails. Plus, unlike whistles, cell phones require batteries that can die.
If you don’t know about the widely known signal for help, be sure to check out this post on how to use an emergency whistle. You’ll learn about the 3 signals every hiker needs to know to call for help.
Also, keep in mind that you can use Morse code to signal for help. SOS in Morse code is 3 dots, 3 dashes, and 3 dots. When using an emergency whistle, that translates to three short blasts, three long blasts, and three more short blasts.
For Protection From a Wild Animal
Some hikers believe they can use an emergency whistle to scare off a large predator, such as a mountain lion or bear.
However, the National Park Service recommends that you don’t use a whistle if you’re trying to scare away a bear. A whistle can sound like an animal in pain, which might actually attract a bear.
Since most wild animals don’t want anything to do with people, simply making a noise like clapping your hands, clacking your trekking poles together, or talking loudly while you’re hiking should alert them to your presence and make them leave before you even see them.
If you’re hiking in bear country, especially in areas where grizzlies live, you should also carry bear spray. Bear spray contains red pepper derivatives that are designed to repel an attacking bear.
Just remember that it can affect your own eyesight and breathing if the wind blows it in your face. To make sure you can access your bear spray at a moment’s notice, you should always carry it directly on you using a holster.
The Best Whistles to Have in a Survival Situation
When it comes to your safety out on the trails, every little precaution counts. Investing in a reliable emergency whistle can be a game-changer, giving you peace of mind and a powerful safety device at your fingertips.
Whether you opt for the durable and compact Fox 40 Classic or the versatile and feature-packed SOL Fire Lite 8-in-1 Survival Tool, make sure to choose the one that suits your needs and preferences. Before you lace up those hiking boots for your next adventure, don’t forget to pack your best emergency whistle for hiking and keep it easily accessible.
More Helpful Hiking Tips
Did you enjoy learning more about the best emergency whistle for hiking? Are you interested in discovering even more tips that can help you get outside and hit the trails? Then please be sure to take a look at some of our other popular posts:
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