Why You Should Carry a Survival Whistle While Hiking?
If you are a regular hiker or are just getting into hiking, you may have heard that carrying a survival whistle while trekking is a good idea. I've heard this before, and I didn't carry a whistle on my hikes for the longest time. What I've realized is that I may have been a little too reckless.
So, should you bring a safety whistle with you on your hike? No matter how long your hike is, you should always have an emergency whistle with you if something catastrophic happens to you while trekking. The survival whistle could save your life. The sound of a whistle is much louder and goes far further than that of a human voice.
A survival whistle is a small device that can be used to signal for help in emergencies. They are very important when hiking and camping because they can help you get rescued in an emergency. If you're ever lost, injured, or need assistance with something, there's no better way to call for help than by blowing your survival whistle!
Why Do You Need to Carry a Survival Whistle While Hiking?
Having safety equipment like a emergency survival whistle with you could save your life. If you are hiking and an adverse incident occurs, such as a fall, hyperthermia, or snakebite, you may become immobilized or unable to hike to safety on your own. Safety whistles are provided to ensure that you are heard and located.
Because there are so many factors that can affect how far sound can travel, how far your whistle can carry depends primarily on the environment in which you are hiking. Wind, air density, temperature, pressure, humidity, natural features, and other factors can all influence how far sound travels. At least for a long time, most of us cannot yell and generate a sound as loud as just what the whistle emits. Humans' typical yelling volume is roughly 90 dB. However, with very little effort, you can make a whistle that easily produces over 120 dB.
So the purpose of having the loudest emergency whistle is to simply assist someone in locating you in an emergency circumstance if you require assistance. You'd have to rely on shouting to alert someone if you didn't have a loud whistle. Humans can't shout as loudly as a survival whistle, and shouting requires a lot more work than blowing a whistle. That is why you should always bring a whistle with you when trekking.
Where Should You Keep Your Survival Whistle While Hiking?
This is primarily a matter of personal preference, but you don't want to chuck it in your backpack and have to dig through a bunch of other stuff to find it. I strongly advise you to attach your survival whistle to your backpack's shoulder pad. This makes using the whistle very simple and consistent. Plus, unless you forget your entire backpack, it's impossible to forget it by accident (unlikely). Just be regular with where you store your whistle, so you always know where it is.
What Could Happen if You Don’t Carry a Survival Whistle While Hiking?
If you don't have a survival whistle with you when trekking, the worst-case situation could occur. You're in a critical situation, but you can't adequately summon assistance because no one can hear you. You scream and shout as loudly as you can, but you'll become tired quickly, and your voice isn't as loud as an emergency siren.
What Kind of Whistle Should I Get For Hiking?
Price
When purchasing an emergency whistle for your hiking adventures, I urge you not to save on quality. On the other hand, I'm not suggesting that you need a top-of-the-line whistle. I'm trying to say that your emergency hiking whistle should not have been purchased at a dollar store. If it is composed of low-quality materials, it may not be effective in attracting someone's attention in an emergency. However, if you can find one with good reviews, you can get a quality whistle for a reasonable price.
Material
One thing to consider is what kind of material is best for trekking. In general, a very robust plastic whistle will be preferable than a metal whistle for trekking. This is because blowing the whistle while hiking in a cold area can be uncomfortable. Metal whistles are also more prone to rusting when left outside for long periods of time.
While plastic is better for emergency hiking, be sure the plastic is of good quality. A plastic whistle is likely to be found in a dollar store, but its long-term effectiveness is unknown. Furthermore, higher-quality plastic produces more effective whistles with a louder output.
Noise level
You want your survival whistle to be a rather loud and high-pitched sound as an emergency instrument. Any whistle that can emit a sound of over 100 decibels would most likely suffice. Keep in mind that blowing the whistle at this decibel level for long periods could cause damage to your ears, so you should use it with your ears covered.
Color
Color is a vital component of an emergency hiking whistle, believe it or not. You should get a whistle that is a bright, unusual color to make it easier to locate. This is especially useful when it's dark. If possible, avoid darker colored whistles and whistles with natural colors, as they are more difficult to notice. I believe that the ideal color for an emergency whistle is orange.
Portability
The majority of whistles will fit this condition, but you should ensure that your whistle can attach to your survival kit or pack and that the strap is strong enough to prevent you from losing it.
How to Maintain Your Survival Whistle So it Lasts For Years
If you take care of your survival whistle, you shouldn't have to change it very often. However, before leaving for your hiking vacation, give it a brief inspection to ensure that everything is in working order. It's easy to keep your emergency whistle in good working order. If it becomes wet, make sure to dry it as soon as possible. If it becomes dirty, clean it as soon as possible.
Simply run your whistle underwater or in a sink of water now and again. Wipe it down afterward to ensure that it is entirely dry. You should always check to see whether your whistle has any debris trapped inside of it. Finally, before each hiking trip, perform a brief operating check.
What To Look For In A Hiking Whistle
Because your hiking survival whistle is an important element of your gear, it must meet specific requirements.
It needs to be durable
There's no need to waste time with a Dollar General plastic whistle. You'll need something that will last a long time and can withstand the rigors of your hikes.
A stainless steel or high-durability plastic whistle is recommended.
It needs to be waterproof
You'll want to ensure your survival whistle works in all kinds of weather, especially when it's wet.
The majority of emergency situations are caused in part by weather events. In the event of a severe weather, your equipment must function properly. Make sure your whistle is waterproof so it doesn't break when you really need it.
It needs to be loud enough
The decibel level of your whistle should be around 110. This can be heard for up to 1.5 kilometers in normal conditions.
Most referee whistles, by comparison, are between 113 and 127 decibels.
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