View Full Version : does anyone carry a whistle?
hi
i was wondering does anyone carry a whistle when they go hill walking or camping in the wilderness? or has the mobile phone replaced them as a call for help?
MartinK9
04-08-2010, 12:01
Always carry one as a back up.
gregorach
04-08-2010, 12:02
I have one on my key ring right now.
Yup two or three, one on me, one in pack plus one more in my map case.i never rely on thing with battries for emergencys.
yep .............................. .............
MartiniDave
04-08-2010, 12:22
Yes, on lives on my keyring permanently, and I carry one round my neck for hill walking on a lanyard with an inova light.
Dave
Fastened to a D ring in top left pocket of smock...always.
Simon
Always at least one on me .
I have to say sometimes yes sometimes no. There is no option for that. Reason being that I oftern form part of a larger group when out in the hills and we naturally tend to carry less individually and more as a group. Then I tend not to carry a whistle. It is attached to my compass lanyard so if I have that I have my whistle. Although I have an admission that even if I'm no my own I don't always take the compass which also means no whistle. Its a case that I know my patch well so often find I don't need even a map. Bad practice I know but in benign conditions in an area where I know every single nook an cranny I find that even IF I carried stuff like that I'd not use it. Suppose that misses the point of emergency equipment, you never know when an emergency will happen (or you would skip that day) so you should have the gear anyway.
lostplanet
04-08-2010, 12:23
me too usually carried in responce pack or in shirt/jacket pocket. such a lightweight essential bit of kit can't imagine not having one.
I once arranged to meet Brenda and her friend in a town square after they'd been looking at shops, her husband and myself went round the outdoor and ironmunger shops. They were just walking off at the far side of the crowded square so I blew a blast on my then Acme thunderer. The whole square stopped for a split second, in a sort of time freeze, and Brenda said "that'll be Danny" and started to walk across to us, the friends husband Chris said "I'll have to get one of those" just thought I'd share cheers Danny
lots of reply's so far and i agree a whistle is a great piece of emergency kit.
what type do you all use or recommend as the best, i have a acme tornado cant fault it.
Bushwhacker
04-08-2010, 13:11
As a bushy alternative, I suppose you could just use a piece of grass if you haven't got a whistle.
Place the blade tight between your thumbs and blow - may take a tiny bit of practise but it's fairly easy.
Melonfish
04-08-2010, 13:18
i always carry one when out walking, its a nifty little thing with a built in compas and thermomitor, twas only cheap but it does the job.
5.10leader
04-08-2010, 13:32
I do carry a whistle, and compass, more through habit than anything else. After many years spent in the mountains I have been fortunate in never needing a whistle as an emergency device.
theres one on my pfd when i,m in the canoe.
Yep, keep one in my bergen lid.
naefearjustbeer
04-08-2010, 15:16
I have one on me any time I venture out to see in a kayak or up into the mountains. Dont carry one every day.
Allways got one on my keychain
Harvestman
04-08-2010, 18:07
My Mountain equipment goretex coat came with one on a lanyard in a pocket, and I've another in my survival tin.
Burbidge
04-08-2010, 18:17
ALWAYS, no exception as electronics can fail and people will ALWAYS react to the sound of a whistle!
Barn Owl
04-08-2010, 18:31
Always.
Have a Fox on my belt ring.
A wee antler one around my neck.
shaggystu
04-08-2010, 18:51
Yes, on lives on my keyring permanently, and I carry one round my neck for hill walking on a lanyard with an inova light.
Dave
what dave said
cheers
stuart
Graham_S
04-08-2010, 18:54
Yup, I've got a few fox 40s' scattered around my kit.
Perfect for grabbing the attention of a room full of scouts ;)
Barn Owl
04-08-2010, 19:06
Yup, I've got a few fox 40s' scattered around my kit.
Perfect for grabbing the attention of a room full of scouts ;)
I deafened myself outside with mine never mind in a room.:yikes:
Dormouse
04-08-2010, 19:17
I'm with southey and burbidge on this one - never like to depend on electronics/batteries.
Only when I'm wearing a bouyancy jacket. There's no mobile reception where I am working. Oh, and when I'm out of the range of mobiles when on land. A phone is electronic, it requires a power source and is most likely to let you down when you need it the most. If you're operating a chainsaw you are supposed to carry a whistle too, but with other saws working and hearing protection on who's going to hear it before you exanguinate?
The whistle I have is a Fox 40, its very loud.
Highbinder
04-08-2010, 21:56
Don't own one, now I've started going off solo more often maybe it'd be a good idea to get one. Can anyone recommend one ?
got one on my keys, one in every first aid kit and a few others scattered throughout the kit.
As regards to which one, any is better than none. Although I think the rescue howler (fox 40 micro) is probably one of the best:
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/images/products/thumbnails/142_335x335.jpg
I've got a few of those whistle, match case, compass thingies (pound shop!) in inside pockets of coats that I tend to grab if I'm going for a bit of a bimble - I know they are not the best at anything, but they are better than nothing. I always carry one after I once fell into a ditch and sprained my ankle while walking the dog, I wasn't very far from civilization, but far enough not to be found for a long time had I done any more damage than a sprain.
http://www.meritline.com/images/product/medium/248-290.jpg
They are handy for other things too, such as if out with a big group that begins to split apart, a whistle can be used to get their attention (especially kids). Just because there is an international distress call, doesn't mean you cant blow the whistle at other times!
ScotchDave
04-08-2010, 22:10
Don't own one, now I've started going off solo more often maybe it'd be a good idea to get one. Can anyone recommend one ?
My experience is that these (http://www.heinnie.com/Survival/Signalling-Devices/Ultimate-Survival/Ultimate-Survival-Jet-Scream-Whistle/p-484-629-632-3435/) are VERY loud. I've got no affiliation to heinnie's but I've always had excellent service from them.
Dave
P.S. I always have one with me when I bimble, very good things.
Nope, I can emit an ear splitting whistle by blowing through my fingers
I always have two whistles on me.
One is expensive, kind of discrete and polite (useless), the other is a cheapo plastic give away (Malibu drink promotion 1988) with a pea in it which works brilliantly.
I'm thinking of getting one of those semi circular sheep whistles.
hi gang...folks just because you have'nt used your emergency kit(first aid /survival kit) yet does'nt mean your never going to use it....i always keep a whistle in my pocket and an extra one in my survival tin....vince g. 11B Inf...
ScotchDave
05-08-2010, 08:11
Nope, I can emit an ear splitting whistle by blowing through my fingers
I just want to point out that this is great if you can do it one handed, but if it requires two hands and you've had a bad tumble it might not go so well.
Dave
I allways carry one.
In fact i used one in a real rescue situation to help mountain rescue home in on us in the dark. Allways carry a bivy bag a whistle and some food and water. I would also recommend a torch with a strobe function.
Yes , really like the classic Acme Thunderer and also got a Perry whistle in my FAK.
gregorach
05-08-2010, 10:45
I would also recommend a torch with a strobe function.
Hehe... I bought myself a Petzl Tikka XP recently, which has both a whistle and a strobe. First thing that crossed my mind was "are they targeting this at ravers"?
I'm guessing that's not quite what they intended... ;)
I can do it with one hand or two:lmao::35::nono:
budgetbus
05-08-2010, 16:09
Yes, with my EDC and backpack.
bhofmann
05-08-2010, 18:50
Yes, I usually have one or two with me in case. Some places have no mobile phone reception. You never know.
Laurentius
05-08-2010, 20:58
I have been known to take a tin whistle or a piccolo out with me into the woods, and a small e flat piccolo is extremely shrill in the high notes, I don't doubt that it carries. Never mind standard emergency signals is there a tune one can play when one is in danger - nearer my god to thee, when sinking in quicksand perhaps :)
I do have a whistle/compass and torch thingy that came with a pair of Karrimor KSB's that I have put with my FAK. I've got one or two other small whistles lying around, some I consider a bit dubious. I used to have one of the dubious whistles, on sale from the likes of Millets and Go Outdoors on my keyring till the fipple came out. I was not impressed. As for the plastic ones, they all seem a bit fragile to me, If I could find something that would not split or collapse if you drove a car over it, I might consider it a good buy. My 'tin' whistle would survive that test, it is very solid brass, something of equivalent quality would be quite a find
If I could find something that would not split or collapse if you drove a car over it, I might consider it a good buy.
If you drove your car over it, wouldn't that mean you had a car with you. That's a pretty good survival kit, so you wouldn't need the whistle!
Laurentius
05-08-2010, 22:44
Well I dunno, I suppose I ought to have said if you put your foot on it. I myself have sat on a variety of things that have not survived the experience.
Big Geordie
06-08-2010, 12:20
Like most of you I've got whistles scattered throughout my kit. Wouldn't ever go out very far without one!
G
Another vote for a pea whistle - pretty much everyone in the UK has been subliminally conditioned by the things, from P.E. at school to football on the telly, everyone hears it and takes some form of notice. Just as QDanT said re his Thunderer, a whole street will stop for a split second (this is an observation, not an instruction to test the hypothesis!) if you give it a good toot :)
Mesquite
06-08-2010, 14:56
Yup... always have one on me. Comes in handy when I want the dogs to come back :)
leealanr
06-08-2010, 15:06
Always!
Lanyard on BA or round neck if walking.
Strobe on BA as well, always!
Alan L.
Scots_Charles_River
06-08-2010, 15:07
One on my rucksac top zip, in my bumbag kit and one on my BA/PFD.
Nick
John Fenna
06-08-2010, 15:54
Always have a couple with me - wood, horn, antler or good old plastic - especially if I am in the hills or on the water!
Spikey DaPikey
06-08-2010, 19:16
Always have one, its so light to carry that it makes sense to have one :)
Always have an acme tornado on my keys and several more dotted about my kit. One attached to the first aid kit, one attached to my compass and one on my firesteel
http://seekajak.ch/e-store/images/produktbilder/acme_signal_slimline.jpg
i never leave home without it!!and its bright orange..nice.
One on my key ring.
One in my kit.
One of my rucksacks came with one built into the chest strap buckle!
PREPER............ :)
Yes. And I know how to use it...!
I use the Orange one featured,the kids have it and when they go off too the loo they feel a bit safer knowing they can call us if needed
Danceswithhelicopters
09-08-2010, 11:41
Yep, always carry one.
One in the survival kit, one in the FAK, one on mt chest strap on a built in buckle. Even with a GPS and a top quality grid reference you will still need a whistle to home in on you especially in rough, undulating, dense terrain.
welshwhit
09-08-2010, 12:57
Yep,
I have one on the drawstring of my rucksac and a few dotted around, when all else fails, make lots of noise!
Drew
Aloha,
I carry two whistles when I'm on a hike with friends or group. (Hike=American term; can't rememeber the Brit term).
For example: If we're lost/injured and one person goes looking around, he takes a whistle with him. The party remaining/waiting has the other whistle. This provides a communications channel between them. It also doubles the signaling-for-help factor.
If the scouting party loses the way back to the main party, the whistle helps him re-locate the group.
It's such a cheap and ligihtweight insurance. Prolonged shouting only results in a hoarse throat. Besides, I cannot whistle, with or without fingers, one-handed or two.
Second thought. As much as I like pea whistles for its more distinctive sound, the pea drives me nuts with its rattling, so I prefer pealess ones such as Fox, JetScream, Perry, Storm or similar.
Jim FBtE,
Ancient hiker
Honolulu
Proudfoot
09-08-2010, 19:49
and here's one for all you scuba divers out there
http://www.whistleworld.co.uk/shop/Storm_Safety.html
after all one never knows :o
swampy99
09-08-2010, 20:27
I have one with a British army penknife ciirca 1950 and peanut lighter on some hi viz paracord around my neck when ever I go out for a tab. In the Australian never never you cant get a signle on a mobile phone so have to have a sat phone. Plus in top pocket of bergan an orange air marker panel and heliograph .
About covers it if you take a fall.
I always have a Fox 40 with me and all of the people I take out the bush carry one as well. It isn't often that we have a cell phone signal in the mountains of Central Brazil, and to get one often means a steep climb. The bush itself can be very dense and a whistle makes sense to alert the rest of the group that someone has run into trouble. The whistle is one of the only signals that works really well in dense jungle. Mac
ETA - As long as I have fingers I'll be able to whistle very loud. The question is, do I really want to stick those DEET and grime covered fingers in my mouth?
and here's one for all you scuba divers out there
http://www.whistleworld.co.uk/shop/Storm_Safety.html
after all one never knows :o
I have one of those and they are very, very loud above the water - I made a lot of peole in the NEC turn around when I got mine some years ago. They aren't that loud underwater though - more along the lines of trying to get your buddies attention if they are close. Flashing a torch on the side of their mask is much better.
Radix lecti
09-08-2010, 20:44
Rummaging around at home today whilst packing kit i found my old pea whistle "The Acme Thunderer" it will be going with me on my next trip.
I have one of those little bullet whistles and a mini led torch on a small keyring in my day bag, never had to use either yet but for what they weigh it seems a no brainer
gordonmac
12-08-2010, 09:22
I have the ones that come attached to both my Maxpedition Sitka and Osprey Talon - handy that.
I have zipper whistles attached to my jacket, I also carry a whistle around my neck and there is one in the safety pack in the top of my daysack or bergan.
LennyMac
16-08-2010, 11:52
I carry a whistle (quite large- about 2.5") that I got out of a christmas cracker. I've never used it (even tested it) and (touch wood) won't ever have to. However, even just typing this has made me think 'er, perhaps I'd better actually test it...'. I keep it in a pouch with my SAK on my webbing.
No. I can whistle myself quite loudly. And I never camp alone.
naefearjustbeer
25-08-2010, 11:52
I have now started carrying a whistle everyday on my keyring along with my SAK, a mini fire steel, a small tinder pot and LED torch oh and of course my keys!
One on my keys and one in my pocket when out hiking. I can whistle through my fingers like a good un, but if your hand is broken you can't whistle for ****
I have now started carrying a whistle everyday on my keyring along with my SAK, a mini fire steel, a small tinder pot and LED torch oh and of course my keys!
Whats a SAK? google brings up tatoo's and boots har har
Highbinder
25-08-2010, 14:44
Whats a SAK? google brings up tatoo's and boots har har
Swiss Army Knife. Puzzled me for ages, too.
iamasmith
21-09-2010, 18:37
I have one of these woven into the MOLLE webbing of my pack on the shoulder strap. If I have the pack it's there.
http://www.lifesystems.co.uk/psec/mountain_survival/safety_whistle.htm
andybysea
21-09-2010, 18:48
Yep i carry one in my pack, used to have it on my bouyancy aid(used to have a sit-on-top kayak)but now keep it with me just in case.
Yes always carry one - on keyring, in map pocket of my waterproof etc. Usually a glow in the dark Acme Tornado:
http://stoneagebushcraft.com/store/images/Acme%20tornado%20whistle.jpg
Also following a game of hide and seek with my kids where they heard me shouting them, but thought I was trying to trick them into showing themselves :rolleyes:, they also carry one attached to their coat zippers. When I give up looking for them I blow the whistle and they reply with their whistles and know that they have beaten me (again!)
yep always got one with me regards dave
yes never without one whatever im doing outdoors, acme tornado cheap ,loud, you cant go wrong.
lannyman8
03-10-2010, 09:43
when im working or tabing i always take one out on the hills and have a pack of red minin flares (10 x flares) and 1 red smoke just in case i break my ankle or leg.
i dont tend to take any with me when bushcrafting but im normaly never over night and dont get to go far normaly due to lack of places to go......bummer
if i was going for any length of time out of the way all of the above would go.....
good thread peeps....
chris......................... ....
I've just bought a couple of these, one lives on my BCD and another in my pack, both in black though...
http://www.bluewatersports.eu/storm-whistle-the-loudest-whistle-in-the-world-876-p.asp
I did a 'test blow' in the car after buying , not the brightest of ideas, my ears were ringing for a good 5 minutes after!
Yes,icarry always this whistle:
http://i54.tinypic.com/34hjp4z.jpg
Acme Tornado 636
Theo
Realbark
27-01-2011, 20:18
I have a lifeboat whistle in my pack and a thunderer refs whistle on my keyring
Always, it would be daft not in some of the places I go. One on my key ring & others in my pack etc..
davy crocket never had a whistle
http://lucasbarnetio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/davy-crocket.jpg
so i dont either. its just how us frontiersmen are. life on the edge.
Realbark
27-01-2011, 20:46
davy crocket never had a whistle
http://lucasbarnetio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/davy-crocket.jpg
so i dont either. its just how us frontiersmen are. life on the edge.
Fair point. But i believe Fess Parker always carried one :p
Yep, standard issue police whistle, dated 1940..a parting gift from my first WO1 when he retired. I treasure it as he's long gone and I used it in anger many times since!
WeThePeoplexfbm
28-01-2011, 08:17
yea i carry one never need it ^^