Your Hiking Backpack Has a Hidden Feature That Can Save Your Life

I vividly remember the first time I went hiking with my grandfather. The jackets were cool, all crinkly and bright, and back then we still used a compass (an essential survival skill).

But what really blew my mind was the backpack. All those pockets and straps. “Each of them must have a specific purpose,” I thought. I could carry so much stuff in those little zippered treasure chests and then use it for adventures.

Pretty soon I realized I actually didn’t want to carry that much stuff. If you’re ever in Dartmoor, you may still be able to find some “indispensable” folding frying pans I abandoned out there for an equally naïve hiker to find and carry a few more miles before coming to the realization that nobody needs three pans to make rice. But I do still get a great deal of joy from exploring the various bells and whistles on new backpacks.

Yes … literally whistles.

Did you now that the chest strap on your backpack has a built-in whistle on the buckle? I did because eight-year-old me used to love packing and unpacking that thing, and one day I found the whistle. Aside from how awful that discovery was for my parents, I have also come to realize just how useful having that sternum-mounted whistle always ready to go can be in a survival situation.

Not every pack has one, but most modern units designed for hiking and other ambitious outdoor activities — such as the the Dakine Syncline pictured here — manage to incorporate the feature.

Photo by Henry Phillips

In the decades since my own epiphany, I have led many outdoor expeditions, and I always equip hikers with a whistle. A whistle can carry a long way in the backcountry, and in undulating or wooded terrain it is much more effective than a line of sight in alerting rescuers to your presence.

If you’re separated from your group, grab that whistle and blow and they’ll know that you’re lost and where to find you. If you’re alone and trying to summon rescue, shouting is a bad idea; it’ll dehydrate you and make your throat hurt. A 100-decibel whistle can be heard from 1.4 miles away, a much greater distance than your shouting. With a whistle, you can make the internationally recognized SOS distress signal by blowing three short, three long and three short blasts — and then listen for a response from rescuers.

Rather than having a whistle on a lanyard around your neck or in the bottom of your bag, having one handy on your chest strap means you can access it easily and alert rescuers more quickly. This might sound trivial, but try falling into a freezing river in Alaska and you’ll realize how important every second can be.

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