Survival whistles are a prime example of non-verbal communication. If you are hiking and hear a loud sound blasting off off-trail, you know exactly what is happening. Someone is in trouble, and they need your help. Therefore, owning a good survival whistle is an absolute must. Many survival backpacks include one built into the buckle clips. That way, even if you forget to pack yours, you can still have one at all times.
Yet these small built-in buckle ones are cheap, not 100% reliable, and not the loudest option available. So even if your backpack has one built-in, we still recommend investing in a high-quality product. Whether you’re camping, hiking, fishing, boating, or going for a night jog, a good reliable model is a vital piece of safety gear, especially when traveling out of a cell phone range.
1. S.O.L. Slim Rescue Howler
One of the best survival whistles available is the S.O.L Slim Rescue Howler Whistle. It is a slim, single-frequency model that emits a 100-decibel call, making it audible from over one mile away. It features a design ensuring that it works without jamming or freezing in any outdoor condition, whether you are on the trail, on the slope, on the water, and more.
The Slim Rescue Howler is a pea-less design that ensures that it works in outdoor conditions without jamming or freezing. Weighing less than an ounce, this ultra-portable S.O.L Slim Howler fits in any pocket and attaches to zipper pulls. Each pack contains two whistles to share or distribute among gear like a rain jacket or go bag.
2. Storm – All Weather Safety
Storm All-Weather Safety Whistle had 6 item bundles, including 3 all-weather storm whistles with 3 Koala quick-release sports safety lanyards. It is one of the world’s loudest survival whistles – tested over 120 decibels, heard over a quarter of a mile through trees and over half a mile over water.
The astonishing Storm All Weather even works underwater, making it a great choice for scuba diving, boating, watersports, and water rescue. The Storm Safety model can be heard over 50 feet underwater and used by military and law enforcement worldwide (including US Navy, US Armed Forces, US Coast Guard, and Police).
3. TI-EDC – Titanium
This TI-EDC Titanium emergency whistle is made from ultra-lightweight and strength of titanium and is well-polished with an aesthetic appearance. It is waterproof and works in both dry and wet conditions. You can have it on your keychain or hang it around your neck as a pendant. The high quality is guaranteed with its non-allergenic, strong, durable, and resistant to corrosion material.
The TI-EDC is suitable for emergency survival, hiking, camping, traveling, pet training, sports, and boating. It is loud enough and can be heard from a far distance. Its size is the perfect match with a length of 1.55”, 0.31” outer diameter, and 0.17oz weight. The titanium emergency whistle is highly portable and can fit perfectly on your keychain, necklace, or backpack.
4. Ideal Gear Titanium
The super loud Ideal Gear Titanium is excellent for camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, boating any kind of outdoor activities, and also for dog training. It has double tubes and can provide up to 150 decibels, which could be enough to be heard at a very long distance. The emergency whistle, made of Titanium, can be described as precision-machined, resistant to corrosion, non-allergenic, lightweight, and durable.
One of its many perks is that it is light weighted (27g) and highly portable, allowing it to fit perfectly on your keychain, necklace, or backpack. It includes one wristband and key chain, which is very compact. The survival whistle is water-resistant and can be used without a problem on a rainy day or in humid weather.
5. Fox 40 Sonik Blast CMG
The Sonik Blast CMG whistle is extremely loud and easy to blow. The Fox 40 Pealess model is special because it produces three slightly different frequencies simultaneously. The different frequencies are superimposed on one another out of phase and thus alternately reinforce and cancel out each other. The result is a loud, piercing vibrato. The whistle is injection molded and ultrasonically welded together, rather than glued, for maximum durability.
Fox 40 whistles are great for sports use (coaching and refereeing – on and off the field), emergency and survival (hiking, camping, and outdoors safety), water (Lifeguard and boating, kayaking, rafting), and police and firemen (Simply safety and rescue). The high-impact ABS plastic construction ensures high durability and complete moisture resistance.
6. TACRAY – Double Hole Design
Tacray is capable of producing a sound of up to 120 decibels. This elegant, double-tube titanium whistle design is loud enough to be heard from a far distance. Once again, the Tacray double-hole model is multi-purpose, which is suitable for emergency survival, hiking, traveling, pet training, boating, or sports.
Made of titanium, the high-quality whistle is resistant to corrosion, can stand harsh conditions, and is a reliable tool. You can attach it with ease to keychains, backpacks, and necklaces, which makes it great for your everyday carry essentials.
7. NUBARKO 130dB
The volume of Nubarko can reach as high as 130 decibels with an inclined round whistle tube. There is no little ball to rattle around and no need to worry about it falling off. Its exquisite cut design makes the air vibration more frequent and the sound louder.
The Nubarko 130dB model is delicate and convenient to carry, suitable for various carrying methods, and great for different outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, etc. The model is light weighted, non-magnetic, and resistant to rust and corrosion. The Nubarko whistle is stable at both very high and low degrees.
8. TACRAY Titanium
Simular to the Tacray double-hole design, the whistle is made of Titanium, resistant to corrosion, non-toxic, non-allergenic, and amazingly durable, and is suitable for emergency survival, hiking, camping, traveling, pet training, sports, and boating. The gadget is again loud enough and can be heard from a far distance, with up to 120 decibels.
The Tacray titanium is extremely light-weighted with a weight of only 0.254 oz., and super compact with a 2.16” length and outer 0.38” diameter. The whistle allows you to tie it anywhere you feel appropriate, and easy to use.
9. HEIMDALL Floatable
This Heimdall Floatable model has everything you want a safety whistle to be: lite, easy to blow, super loud, floatable, handy to carry, and last but not least, highly visible. Heimdall’s lanyard and large clip have multiple attachment options, you can loop through a PFD strap, fit on a backpack’s shoulder strap or attach to a belt.
It is the perfect must-have safety tool for water sports like boating, kayaking, fishing, or hiking and hunting in case of an emergency. Many also describe it as a great whistle for walking and training a dog. The Heimdal floatable model is made of non-brittle plastic, meaning it can not crack or break. The small yet powerful gadget reaches up to 120 decibels and is audible for over 1 mile.
10. Ti22 – Air
Ti22 Air Titanium can provide a loud sound of up to 150 decibels, meaning it can be heard from a far distance. Made of pure titanium, it is lightweight, strong and durable, and resistant to corrosion. The emergency whistle is waterproof and works perfectly in both dry and wet conditions. The Ti22 whistle comes with a keychain and is very convenient to carry when you go out. It is small and easy to carry, so you can hang it around your neck with a lanyard or just put it on your backpack. It is also easy to just put it in your pocket and let it be your EDC equipment.
How To Choose A Survival Whistle?
When looking for a solid survival whistle, there are a few things you should look for, including, but not limited to material durability, reliability, loudness, ease of carry, visibility, and more…
Material Durability
Of course, one of the first things you need to look for in a survival whistle is the quality of the material it is made of. Plastic would be the ideal choice; however, there are different qualities out there, so you need to make sure that you choose high-quality plastic. It will not let you down when you need it the most.
Loudness
Always remember that if your whistle is not loud, it will not do you any good if you are in a survival or emergency in the wilderness. You want to be heard when needed, so a model that produces 90 to 120 decibels of sound would be perfect. This will ensure you are heard above ambient noises such as breaking waves or engine roars and, more importantly- over great distances.
Reliability
You want to choose a whistle that always works whenever you need it. There are some out there that have been known to malfunction under certain conditions. If you want a reliable product that does not jam, freeze or deteriorate, or get overblown, you should choose a pealess whistle.
It produces a high-pitched, penetrating sound that you can depend on when you need someone to hear you. With pealess whistles, the harder you blow, the louder the sound, which is exactly what you need in a survival situation.
Easy to Carry/ Access
When you are in the wilderness, you need to make sure that it is easy to access in case of an emergency. You should choose a whistle with a breakaway lanyard attachment that breaks away when you put pressure on it. A lanyard attachment also allows you to wear it around your neck, making it easy to carry and access when needed.
Visibility
That black whistle you are checking out might look cool, but it is always best to choose the ones that come in bright colors. This makes them more visible in the dark. You do not have to worry about looking for it in case of an emergency.
Make yourself heard with a small though powerful whistle. We recommend checking out and picking up a model (or two or three) today in order to be prepared. Here is a list of some of the best emergency and survival whistles on the market and what makes them worth a look:
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions about survival whistles that you might have:
What is a survival whistle?
Whistles are one of the best bang-for-the-buck items you can have with you in an emergency. Survival whistles provide an extremely loud sound that requires very little blowing effort. They can easily reach noise levels of over 100dB and often can be heard miles away.
What is the use of a whistle in an emergency?
Survival whistles are mostly known to signal for help, though you can also use your emergency gadget to scare away animals or even criminals. You can even survive a natural disaster thanks to your whistle.
Most natural disasters occur without warning, and because of this, you should make sure that there is always a whistle in your emergency preparedness kit. What would you do if trapped under a fallen building after being hit by an earthquake? It could happen to you, and you could be trapped for hours.
What is the loudest whistle?
The Storm All-Weather Safety Whistle is the loudest product on the market that we know of. Perfect for divers, lifeguards, and recreation. Creates a clear, high-frequency sound with a power rating over 75% greater than other referees and safety whistles. Its unique patented design allows it to be heard underwater up to 50 feet.
How far can you hear a whistle?
The average signal whistle sounds at 80-120 decibels and can be heard at least half a mile away. Some models with pealess design can be heard for miles – ideal when you’re stuck in a remote location.
What is the best survival whistle?
To wrap it up, we would say that S.O.L. Survive Outdoors Slim Rescue Howler is the best option out of all products.
The Storm All-Weather Safety Whistle is perfect if you are on a budget, and if you have saved up a bit more money to invest in a nice upmarket model, both TI-EDC Titanium Emergency Whistle and TACRAY Titanium Emergency Whistle (Double Hole Design) will meet your expectations.
Final Words
Whistling has been an important survival skill for thousands of years. Of course, back in the day, people used their lips and hands to do so. But today, whistles have been refined into a better survival tool. They are the perfect way to signal for help when you are stuck in an emergency. No doubt, whistles have saved countless lives over the years. They are cheap, effective, and reliable survival gadgets. So, if you take survival seriously (and if you’re reading this, we assume you do), you must own at least one survival whistle. Do not get caught without one in a situation where attention could have saved your life.