Emergency Whistles Decibel Testing

I've often wondered how loud my backpacking emergency whistles really are compared to one another. Some sound much louder than others but the products specs say that isn't always the case.

So I put several popular backpacking whistles to the test using a decibel meter. You might be very surprised by the results!

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• backpacking
• hiking
• ultralight
• whistle
• test
• decibel
• REI
• UST
• JetScream
• ACR
• Fox40
• Micro
• Harbor
• Freight
• loudness
• camping
• outdoors
• safety
• emergency
• survival
• blog
• tips

[bfjgreen]

Hi dritb4, the person holding the decibel meter was about 8-9 feet away from me.

[bfjgreen]

Hi dritb4, thanks for commenting. Despite the results the Fox 40 Micro Safety Whistle continues to be my favorite. I have one on just about all my backpacks and even make sure that my two little kids have them when we go out on hikes - but they carry them on cord around their necks so that they are never without it. I've also started wearing a spare Fox 40 Micro around my next so that even if I get separated from my backpack (which can happen) I have a good whistle on me at all times.

[bfjgreen]

Stick, thanks for the feedback. After reading your comment about how loud people whistle, I wish I had kept the decibel meter to test that too - but I handed it back. Maybe I'll do a follow up on that. Regardless it's still a good idea to carry a safety whistle at all times.

[sscoltpython]

good all around. good job. no bs, no wasting time, no unnecessary music.

[qwiksquirrel]

Decibel is not the main point.

Pitch is what really matters.

A higher pitch is much easier to hear over longer distances.

[McHenryAnge]

I would say that the whistles all performed about the same or close enough.

So ease of use becomes important as you may be blowing from a sore or wounded rib.

Which would you say was the easiest to blow?

[phrankus2009]

Good try ... appreciate the effort ... I feel this test implementation is lacking, tho.

... First ... The Storm Force whistle (the best, IMO) was absent, from this test, and is the "Gold Standard", to my mind ... Also ... Different frequencies propagate differently, at distance ... I wish you had set up the decibel meter at least 20 meters away ... Finally, some whistles may sound similar to a bird or may be less "distinguishable" from other noises, in the envirinment ... "character

[cyclist01222]

Interesting test but I'm not sure this is the right way to do it. The harbor freight whistle did not sound the loudest at all. I don't think decibels matter as much as the disinctive sound and how that sound carries. I would have a person blow each whistle at different distances from a listener to judge the effectiveness since this is exactly how an emergency whistle would be used. Some high decibel noises are not necessarily that loud or distinctive to the human ear. Good job!

[BravingTheOutDoors]

Not to be annoying but if you didn't have the 'The Storm' which is supposed to be the loudest than this whole video is somewhat lacking isn't it?

Also, the Acme city safety whistle is quite important as well as the Acme flat and classic Tornado(s) and Fox 40 Sharx Whistle, etc... maybe i should just make one of these videos myself one of these days ;) ... would also be nice to know what "sounded" louder rather than DB and what was the easiest to blow through, and which has the toughest material

[GoingSkateboarding]

interesting but i can't see 1 decibel making much of a difference to be honest. the one thats with you when you need it, is the best one :)

[mrrcrogersjr]

Some observations. The sound pressure level created by all of the whistles was rather close, all things considered.

In all truth, we don't care how loud a whistle is, but if the sound is distinguishable as a call for aid at a distance. The sound absorption properties of the environment varies over the season and terrain.

Try to run the test at a greater distance, move the db meter to a distance where the meter read 60 db, then rerun the tests. They will be different.

[MeZillch]

Fantastic. My 2 cents: The dB meter should be fixed on a tripod, the whistles held in a vice or clamp at a very specific and unalterable distance and orientation to the SPL dB meter, and each whistle should get three or more blast tests which then should be averaged together for a final score (been said I see). The blower should take a one minute break between whistles to ensure no shortness of breath and the ability to give it his all.