Probably number five in the list of desirable Everyday Carry items is a whistle. It is something you might never need, but if you do need it, it could save your life, both in an urban environment and in the wilderness. Fortunately, a whistle need not be big nor heavy and it is one of the items that could find a permanent place in your pockets. As usual, unsure of which one I should have, I bought several and tried them out.

Note that the offer for whistles is very large so I only bought a handful that satisfied a few personal criteria such as being really small, being made of titanium and looking good. I did include one of the more standard aluminium whistles that has been accompanying me for the last decade or so for comparison.

4Sevens Flat Whistle

10.8g, 120db, about £37

It’s the butch one of the lot. Squarer, larger, meaner. It is still small, at 4.1cm long and light enough, but 4Sevens estimates it can output 120db, which is a lot (remember it is a logarithmic scale). It is elegantly branded on the top and a large hole will accommodate any sort of lanyard. It looks good enough to be worn on your neck and a small ridge at the mouth will allow you to hold it between your teeth or lips. Nice, clever design but a bit large for my purpose, this one might actually find its place with  my mountaineering gear.

4Sevens Whistle

4.7g, 100db, about £19

A very nice square design but without lips or ridges. The branding is quite obvious, taking up a whole side of the whistle but a nicely designed hole at the end will accommodate different lanyards or rings. Loud at 100db, it should do the job. I am not to keen on the obvious branding although 4Sevens is a good, company, well known for its excellent flashlights.

Mini Ti Whistle

6.3g, about £22

I was expecting a lot from this one but was a little bit disappointed by its size, as it is the second most bulky of the lot and its squat shape forces you to twist it in your mouth so that the outlet is sideways, free of your lips. It makes a nice zip pull though.

Titaner Whistle

4.3g, about £12

So far my favourite of the bunch. The mouthpiece is slightly fluted so you can retain it safely between your lips, it is the lightest and thinnest of the bunch and its tint matches the rest of my titanium gear.. It is alone in coming with its own split ring as well and it is the cheapest of the titanium bunch.

Aluminium Whistle

4.9g

This is a generic aluminium whistle, made in China and given many different brands. It is tiny, light, well designed and dirt cheap so there is no excuse not to own a handful of them and leave them in your various jackets, coats or bags. The bright colours make them easier to find when needed. One lives permanently in one of the pen pockets of my SeV jackets.

LifeSystems Aluminium Whistle

11g, 100db, about £3

Similar, but not pictured as mine is permanently attached to my climbing jacket. It is slightly longer than all the whistles depicted here but it is necessary for operation with gloves. The bright colours make it easier to find in a hurry. If you need one of these, you probably already have it.