Just a simple survey. Why do you carry a whistle for EDC. I"m not targeting, yet not excluding the people whom travel distances daily or why we carry one in our kits/packs, but the average person, going from home to local stores, work etc. What whistle do you prefer, and why do you carry it. I fully understand and agree with all uses for them (one on my keyring and in my pack here at work as i write this), but would like to see rationales for ones "daily carry". I figure this could also serve to help instruct our orientees as to why we carry specific daily/survival items.

I EDC a Fox 40-mini whistle. I keep it on my key-ring. Why? Because it is great for getting the attention of people. I also have my 2 dogs trained to come to me on three quick blows of the whistle. We have a lake house in Upper WI and they love to roam the woods. I could shout myself hoarse calling them or just blow 3 quick times on the Fox and they come a runnin'. It is also there for the "obvious" survival reasons.

Used to carry a mini Fox 40 on my keys. It came in handy around heavy machinery, when I needed to get people's attenction, becuase I have a little voice.

I gave it to a young lady I know, and just haven't gotten around to replacing it. I know I should, but I never get to it.

A Fox 40 [glow in the dark plastic] whistle and an ARC AA live on my lanyard for neck EDC.

Why? Tthere are times that being able to make your self heard is more than slightly convienent.

Picked up someone at the bus station, was in a car driving and unable to stop due to traffic...rolled down the passenger window, hit three blasts, got a wave of recognition and drove around block again to get in the better lane to safely pick up my family member. Horn blowing did not help, there were others doing that.

On ride home, I was told that "I KNEW that only ONE person I know would blow a whistle and I knew 3 blasts was you too."

In another situation, I was in a large group of people (~110) and the person that was making announcements was unable to make herself heard. I was standing behind her, pulled out the whistle, hit a quick 2 second blast and had the lanyard put back inside my shirt before all lthe heads finished looking around, she was easily able to make her announcements in the ensuing silence.

Later on, she told me that she was just wishing that she had a whistle when I blew mine.

There are other times and places that I've used mine, but these two come quickly to mind. Likewise the AA light is immenently useful as well.

Regards,
Comanche7

I carry a Fox 40 on my keyring, but I've never used it. I'm scared to, frankly; I reckon it's loud. I carry it mainly for emergencies, such as getting stuck in a lift (err, elevator in American?). It gets on my keyring when other gear doesn't because it is smallish and light.

I think it is probably one of the most universally useful tools. Being able to start a fire is important mainly in wilderness settings. Water purification likewise. A knife is always useful, but in the wilderness you need a big one for splitting logs etc where-as in an urban setting you just need a small one for opening packages, and something with screwdrivers and scissors is better. A flashlight is important in an urban setting where you are probably indoors and dependant on electric lighting. In the wild, you probably have star and moon light; it's rarely pitch black outside. A mirror is no good at night.

A whistle is good in any situation you can hope to be rescued from. It's unlikely to break, it won't get flat batteries or be zapped by an EMP, and it won't wear out.

If I get stuck somewhere (building, whatever) and to call my dogs. I usually carry an ACR. It's flat, small, pealess, and loud.

I carry Doug's whistle everywhere except the shower and the bed, on Gorilla fishing line around my neck.

Why? Because it's louder than me, more piercing than me, more noticable than me, carries farther than me, and I can blow it for a lot longer than I can yell.

And it's completely unnoticable and of no inconvenience whatsoever to have it, so why not?

And my dog comes to it.

I've actually used a whistle that came in a SAS survival kit in an elementary classroom! Little stinkers would not be quiet for anything and the whistle was quite effective for getting their attention.

I now EDC a mini Fox 40 in my Ritter PSP as well as a Jet Scream in that SAS kit.

I think back to something that happened near here a few years ago. The girl's story reached Dateline or some show like that too. She was driving (a long commute) to work and fell asleep, eventually going off the road. Her legs were pinned in the car in cold water for a couple of days, and they had to be amputated. Her car was not easily visable from the road. She had a cell phone, but I think the battery died. A road work crew ended up finding her. I don't know if a whistle would have saved her legs, but it really made me think of what could happen, even so close to civilization.

I'm happy to say she is making the most of her prosthetic legs.

Just another reminder how important it could be to be prepared.

How strong is that Gorilla line???
If it is over 20lb or so, I would HIGHLY suggest a break-away connection of SOME sort be added to it...
Fishing line could slice your throat, if it is some of the strong stuff...

I carry a Jetscream from Ultimate Survival in the little money/coin pocket of my pants/jeans.
It sits flat and is just the right size for it to not fall out.
I have it because I find myself working alone quite often, and I do a lot of bushwalking etc. So its there for when I want to attract attention.
6 Weeks ago I had an operation. I ran into some complications 12 hours after being released from hospital. I didn't have anything on me apart from my phone which didn't pick up enough signal to call. I was stuck for 90 minutes before I could attract my friends attention, so they could call the ambulance. There is only 2 other times in my life that I can recall being in more pain than this.
The next day the whistle went back into the pocket.

Its that small, the question is why not carry it.

I have a fox 40 micro tethered to the cord on my badge holder around my neck. It is advertised at 122 db, and I think I can squeeze a little more out of it. Our security guards here are trained to respond to it when I blow it continuously and repeatedly (unlike my dog back home, who comes back on one two short blasts). The sound will carry farther than my voice, is more recognizable, and will last longer than my vocal chords.

The down side is it lets the bad guys pretty much know where I am as well. Once the screeching starts, they are keen to make it stop before the guards come. Not something you use indiscriminately.

i have use my whistle on many occasions. Range from wakening people to getting the attention of a hunderd talking first year students.

I carry a modified ACME Tornado 2000. It´s for emergency signalling. So far I didn´t have to use it though. It´s pretty loud and flat enough for EDC. I might carry a Fox 40 if I could get one with reasonable effort.

In additional to the obvious “get the attention” of a group of people, potential rescuers, command signaling, pet calling, etc., it can serve as a possible deterrent to a would be attacker. Many street survival tactics include yelling, screaming and making as much commotion as possible. The use of a whistle would make the potential attacker aware that their “victim” was not going to silently be taken advantage of, without making a commotion. Also, many whistles produce a blast, that up close is quite uncomfortable to the human hearing, another possible deterrent.

Pete

I know a whistle will get people's attention much more quickly than my shouting will. A whistle will also cut through ambient noise much better than my shouting will, should I need to attract attention.

I keep a big honking Storm whistle in my car, a Fox Mini-40 on my key chain, an Ultimate Survival JetScream on my EDC neck lanyard, and a flat survival whistle in my sportcoat pocket.

-- Craig

A great question!

I like these kind of questions that make you think about your EDC gear. Am I just carrying junk I would never really use? Is it really life saving equipment? Are we just fooling ourselves that some piece of gear is useful because the experts say it is. Good stuff!

I keep the yellow Ritter Fox 40 Micro in my pocket 24/7 (package of two at Sportsman’s Warehouse for $6.50). I have never had to use it, but if I was trapped in a building or if I was attacked it would be useful. I also hike a lot and it could bring help.

I carry a full size Storm whistle in my Camelback because it is the loudest whistle made. If a whistle could help at all, the Storm is going to do the best job possible. I bought everyone in my family a Storm whistle to keep in their Camelback for the same reason.

I’d like my boys to carry a Fox 40 micro in their pockets but they will just lose them. I go to Sam’s Club with my 11 year old twins. Sometimes they need to go to the bathroom while in the store. If they want to go by themselves I make sure they have a whistle in case anyone messes with them. My wife and I don’t like to take any chances with our boys.

I have one because I can blow a whislte longer than I can yell. I carry a standard basketball referee's whistle in my hunting kit and one in the car, but never considered EDC. Already carry so much, but something to think about.

A pealess plastic whistle like the Fox40 is featherweight and besides plastic is better during a cold wave... So yes, why not carrying one.

Frankie