Whistles

saturnine138

saturnine138

Joined
Dec 15, 2005
Messages
241
I was looking into getting a good whistle, and I found a Bosun's Whistle in a nautical shop the other day. Anyone ever use one of these before? I would imagine that the sound would carry pretty well, since it was designed for use on a ship and needs to cut through the wind. I love the look of it, and I was thinking I could keep it in my coat pocket with a chain holding it to a button, much like a pocket watch. Would a Bosun's Whistle be worth carrying, or should I go for something a little more modern?
 
The kids and I keep a whistle on a pack zipper pull. We use a Fox 40. I bought mine at a local boating/marine supply.
 
I carry the Coghlan's 4-purpose whistle. I think a bosun's whistle makes a lot of sense. :thumbup:
 
I second the Fox 40. I've had a lot of pea type whistles fail on me, not that the bosun's is a pea type. The Fox-40 is small and very loud. If you are looking for a whistle, the Fox-40 is a good choice.
 
If you want a loud whistle, then the Storm whistle is it, but of course it is a fairly large whistle. Its younger brother the WindStorm is a bit smaller, but not much.

If you want an easy-to-carry whistle, then the Fox 40 is a good choice. I've carried a filed down Fox 40 for quite a while now, but I recently started carrying the Fox 40 micro - the one that comes in the Doug Ritter Personal Survival Pak. It has a more pocket-friendly form. I've tested them on my wife and kids, and they say they are about equal in loudness, though the Micro has a slightly lower tone.

I got the Fox 40 Micro from http://www.countycomm.com
 
Fox 40 is a good whistle and I carry it in my PSK. I also carry a JetScream attached to the lanyard on my compass. I have a Storm too, but it's too big and so I never figured out a good way to fit it into my gear. Without question the Storm is louder than everything else.

I'd have to think the bosun's whistle would work real well too, although I've never actually handled one. Certainly you'd get extra points for style just by carrying one of those around.
 
bulgron said:
Certainly you'd get extra points for style just by carrying one of those around.
Click to expand...
That's really the important part, anyone can make a survival kit, but one that matches your jacket? That takes skill.
Wouldnt it be cooler to be rescued by this:
boatswbrass.jpg

Instead of this:
fox_40.jpg


I'd keep a Fox 40 in my kit, but for everyday use I'd like to go with something a little cooler.
 
saturnine138 said:
That's really the important part, anyone can make a survival kit, but one that matches your jacket? That takes skill.
Wouldnt it be cooler to be rescued by this:
boatswbrass.jpg

Instead of this:
fox_40.jpg


I'd keep a Fox 40 in my kit, but for everyday use I'd like to go with something a little cooler.
Click to expand...

Very good point, the rescuers will say: "You look Mahvelous!"

I got a small aluminum whistle with my GPS unit, no pea, pretty loud and shrill.

Cool Anodized blue aluminum for those Style Points ;)
Haven't seen them anywhere retail.

The Fox40's seem to be the most popular and well liked.
 
I have a bosun's whistle somewhere, never actually tried it but I'm fairly certain it wouldn't be as loud as current plastic whistles. Never been a fan of the Fox 40, even though it was invented by a local guy. I have a Acme Tornado Slimline which is &^%& LOUD!!! Also a fair bit smaller than the Fox & pealess. I've been looking for a pink one for my GF's keychain but haven't found one yet. I will plan on picking up a few more of them, hard to beat the size to noise ratio. Here's a link for Acme, you'll have to navigate through to find the slimline but they have recordings of the sound each whistle makes so you may find it useful. http://www.acmewhistles.ca/
 
I carry what is known as a shepards whistle. They come in metal and plastic and carved in bone or wood. These are the whistles that shepards in Scotland use for signaling to their dogs when herding sheep. They are also use in other places in the world by Shepards. Mine is plastic, about the size of a half dollar, flat and pealess. I can and do carry one in my wallet as well as in my kits.
I did a little research on using whistles as emergency signaling devices a while back. Bottom line, evidence indicates that a whistle with a lower frequency carries farther than those with a higher frequency. The nice thing about the shepards whistle is that, once you learn to use it, you can produce a large number of various signals (Some shepards have have as many as 100) with varying frequencies. If you are hiking with a team, you can set up a small number of specific whistle signals to use to identify individual members and specific situations or emergencies.
If I can find that link I'll post it later. Or go online and google on shepards whistles.
OldSalt
 
If it doesn't get very cold where you are I'd think it would work fine.
I keep a Roy Gonia and a Fox 40 on a lanyard while bird hunting. I added the Fox 40 after the pea froze in my Gonia years ago. This is frustrating if your running a bird dog in cold but I'd think even more so if your lost and your whistle is a small metal tube filled with frozen spit.
But it does look nice.

Helle
 
I got one of those Storm whistles. Damn thing is LOUD and large. But it will be heard. I got it in my BOB. For EDC, the Fox 40 micro is the one to get.
 
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