Reddit mentions: The best coach & referee whistles

The core material EDC, to me would be knife, light and cellphone. But cool keychain gidgets are really nice too.

So I'd say if you have a knife, a good flashlight would be next, then a backup knife and light (one is none, two is one). I like a multi-tool or SAK for my backup knife, and a keychain light for my backup torch.

(In case you're curious, after that I start considering footwear, gloves, hats and other clothing.)

(Sorry, I'm feeling a bit lazy, so you'll have to live with bare links.)

This one is pretty popular for keychain use: www.amazon.com/iTP-A3-EOS-Flashlight--Upgrade/dp/B006K5C2EG/

Fenix has single AA and 123 powered lights that are well regarded and compact:
AA: http://www.amazon.com/Fenix-E11-Compact-Lumen-Flashlight/dp/B005GW8UC2
CR123: www.amazon.com/Fenix-Compact-140-Lumen-Flashlight/dp/B005CWRB44

There are a lot of other brands worthy of consideration too, of course (Fourseven's mini, Jetbeam, Klarus, Zebra, just to name a few).

There are also a lot of much larger but more capable flashlights out there.

Keychain stuff is always nice:
I use these sliver grippers way more than I thought I would. The convenience of always having them around is unparalleled: http://www.amazon.com/UNCLE-BILLS-SLIVER-GRIPPER-TWEEZER/dp/B001KMSUA4
I've been thinking of getting this, I'm a little leery about that much stuff for so little cost though: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003A5E5IK
I love this style of keyring, but it's way cheaper on eBay: http://www.amazon.com/Vigilant-Gear-Aircraft-Cable-Ring/dp/B006ZSP1PA
Little one-piece keychain tools have become really popular, and I really like having a little prying and screwing tool always present.
The Gerber Shard is cheap but probably at least worth what you pay for it: http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-22-01769-Shard-Keychain-Tool/dp/B002ZK45IQ
This one has a bit more functionality, and is made of the magically delicious titanium: http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-Chain-Tool-Seatbelt-Cutter/dp/B004PQJ1QO

Keychain multi-tools can be good.
Here's one from Gerber: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006M9NIDO
Supposedly the build quality isn't as good as Leatherman's though: http://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-64010101K-Micra-Multi-tool/dp/B000JCN0FG

I'd also recommend looking for a glow in the dark lanyard.

A pen you can EDC is another "you're surprised how often you use it" item. I have an Inka and it's definitely alright, though a bit fiddly: http://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-Inc-Inka-Pen/dp/B001E6R6EM/
The biggest competitor is the classic Fisher Bullet Space Pen: http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Space-Pen-Bullet-400B/dp/B000WGD13U

Something to write on is nice. I'm a real child of the digital age, but I still like having an analog recording medium on me. I prefer Pentalic's pocket size books to Moleskine's. They're a little thicker, but they have a flexible cover, and are usually cheaper. Here's one: http://www.amazon.com/Pentalic-Travelers-Sketch-3-Inch-4-Inch/dp/B0025TZ35Q but I don't know if it's ruled or grid or what. I also prefer a bright color cover to make it easy to spot.

Continuing on the writing stuff matter, a sharpie and/or a metallic (ink) sharpie are nice to have. You can get sharpies with stainless steel cases too, which feel nicer to hold, and you're a little less likely to forget somewhere.
Black (dozen): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IFEP
Stainless Steel: http://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Stainless-Permanent-Marker-1747388/dp/B001V9LQLG
Metallic: http://www.amazon.com/Sanford-39108PP-Metallic-Sharpie-Permanent/dp/B00119QWCO

I think everybody should carry some sort of bandanna. I carry an off-brand buff (tubular bandanna) and an olive drab shemagh.

I like to carry a small baggie of what I call MacGuyver goods. Paracord (bound up in a hanayawa right now), some gorilla tape and electrical tape wrapped around a card, super glue, a sewing kit, zip ties, twist ties, rubber bands, safety pins, binder clips, and a few 1 quart ziplock freezer bags. (Like hell I'm finding links for all of those.)

Yet another "surprising how useful it turns out to be" item is a small mirror: http://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-Featherweight-Mirror/dp/B0047QV44O/

Whistles are useful for warning people of fire or danger, or calling for help, so I like to carry one: http://www.amazon.com/Fox-40-Whistle-Breakaway-Lanyard/dp/B00544UJC6

A monocular is fun to have on your person. This particular model is really great because of its super low minimum focusing distance, which lets you use it as a sort of loupe. In regular mode it's good for looking for house numbers or your car in a parking lot, that sort of thing: http://www.amazon.com/Brunton-Echo-7x18-Pocket-Scope/dp/B000FKMTBS

I think that's all I could come up with off the top of my head.

>Do yours have the lumeon for lighting up the inflated jacket?

Yep. And flexible-stem light on the outside of the bladder for seeing stuff.

>Are you using personal ais in each life jacket as well?

Well this is only a personal lifejacket, I don't own or run a boat (yet), but in my lifejacket yes, I have an AIS MOB1 from Oceansignal.

In case you're interested, based on a sea survival course lecture I was a given a while ago, I bought the best lifejacket I could find, and decided to research, purchase and fit the very best whistle (all lifejackets come with a an ISO standard whistle, but it's awful, so I wanted another better one), emergency knife, emergency signalling light, and emergency line (for tethering people together in the water or tethering to safer places like liferafts or floats), I possibly could. I came up with:

• Fox 40 Sonik Blast CMG Whistle
  
• Aqualung Small Squeeze Dive Knife (blunt tip, will be kept on the webbing belt of my lifejacket)
  
• This thread about lights... (I'll probably end with an LED strobe beacon and your recommended Cyalume SOS lights, they look great!)
  
• Red/orange Dyneema hollow braid line (don't worry, I know that having random long pieces of line floating around in the water can actually be dangerous. I' going to do some experiments, and hopefully find a way of coiling the line, then tying the coil to my lifejacket (probably inside) with a quick release hitch and making the end easily reached, so that I can easily deploy the whole lot when and if I need to).
  
• Possibly some small floats (like these) to keep each piece of equipment floating and easier to find.
  
• Probably also some retroflective tape for marking things.
  
  > If you want to tie it on, you could open one end of the foil, tie it up, then tape the top closed.
  
  I like this idea. I imagine I could do some experiments and come up with a good 'weak enough link' to tap the top that I could pull the foil off relatively easily when I needed to. But it seems like your rabbit hole comment has solved the problem for me, because a more robust version of that of that is exactly what Cyalume offer!

I grew up in Louisiana and always had these at the ready in case another Katrina came by. Barebones and lightweight in case you need to get up and move.


Multitool - Something that's sturdy, offers plenty of options, but also is lightweight. If I got washed out, this would be one of the top things I'd want coming with me.

First Aid Kit - You just never know. Water can hide a lot of nasty stuff like sharp metal edges, broken glass, etc. The kit I've linked to also comes with a multitool.
Water Filtration System - Dehydration will get you before anything else. Southern heat combined with physical exertion takes a lot out of anyone and tiny filtration systems like this will take care of you without adding bulk.

Meal Replacement Bars - You'll ideally want a few days emergency food. I recommend meal replacement bars that are high in protein and fiber and no less than 500 calories. They'll provide decent nutrition and should make you feel satiated for at least 2-4 hours. I don't have a recommendation on this one because there are so many brands and flavors.
Hand Crank Lantern - A reliable source of light that you can crank on your own. Generally, I avoid using generators and the like. I'm paranoid about electricity after flooding occurs.

Whistle - Great for alerting people without tearing up your vocal chords. It's also very, very, very good to have in case animals that shouldn't come by are nearby.
Dust Mask - If your city floods, there's going to be a lot of crud that comes up from the sewers and a lot of things accumulating inside buildings. Save your lungs and your noses.
Portable Battery - I love this age of technology we're in. Charge this a few days before the storm hits and you'll be able to keep your phone charged for days if the power goes out.
Insect Repellant - The ample amount of still water after a hurricane is prime bug nesting. A little repellant goes a long way.
Paddle Your Own Canoe by Nick Offerman - Or any book really to help pass the time. This is a fantastic read though. :)

ATTN: If you are planning to attend Trump's next rally in Minneapolis, please bring your whistles! You can purchase a pack of 24 whistles for only $10 on Amazon here. Also please keep your ears safe! You can purchase 50 pairs of earplugs on Amazon for only $10 here.

If you have any extra whistles or earplugs while at any rally or protest, please hand them to fellow friends. Soon the American People will all be able to blow the whistle on Donald Trump.

edit: Thank you for the gold you beautiful anonymous mystery person! <3 ! DON'T FORGET YOUR WHISTLES!

I am going to be a lifeguard over this summer. This whistle is loud, comfortable, and looks good. A whistle is essential for the job, and a comfortable whistle is just a bonus.

Takin' care of business!

Take a look at the EDC from The Urban Prepper. You probably don't want it all but he's got a lot of really good items. Also grab the PDF list of items in the video description.

Here are a few of my favorite items:

1. Leatherman Knifeless Fuse
   
2. Maratac AA Flashlight
   
3. Fox 40 Whistle
   
4. Frontier Water Filtration Straw

Loud whistle - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FOJRF64/

Heavy duty velcro - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O6T2ZS

Sugru throttle nub - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BFE0KNQ/

I liked the recent post with the bicycle bell mod, really anything to enhance safety, especially in NYC, where jaywalkers cross roads diagonally with their heads buried in their phones and then proceed to do the "evade me" shimmy when they finally see you coming.

I use it sparingly, 120 dB is on the human pain threshold for hearing, so it's quite jarring. A quick toot toot tends to resolve most antsy situations, but a nice sustained hard whistle can even help you be heard from inside yellow cabs.

Spare hiking socks

• in Ziploc bag
  
  Spare underwear
  
  
• in Ziploc bag
  
  Pants/shorts
  
  web belt (2)
  
  Jacket/rain jacket
  
  Pullover sweater
  
  Bandana/shemagh
  
  OR sunbucket hat
  
  Tyvek tarp (w/grommets)
  
  50' hanks para cord (2)
  
  
• with a couple of Figure 9 tighteners
  
  50' orange 3/8" rope
  
  Titanium tent pegs (6)
  
  Mylar emergency blanket
  
  GPS & spare batteries
  
  Digital FM radio & spare batteries (with headphones)
  
  SPF 30 sunscreen
  
  Lip Balm
  
  Headlamp & spare batteries (with red light)
  
  LED flashlight & spare batteries\
  
  Small IFAK
  
  
• mole skin
  
  
• Neosporin
  
  
• lavender oil
  
  
• Band-Aids (various sizes)
  
  
• gauze pads
  
  
• Clear tape
  
  
• cloth athletic tape
  
  
• antibacterial wipes
  
  
• latex gloves
  
  
• foldable scissors
  
  
• plastic tweezers
  
  
• Advil Liqui-gels (200 mg)
  
  Fire bundle
  
  
• Old man's beard, birch bark, etc
  
  Ferro rod, Bic lighter, etc
  
  Mora knife & sharpener
  
  Pocket knife
  
  Multi-tool
  
  50" roll, duct tape
  
  Pen/Notebook
  
  USB stick with scans of important docs along with other files, like a list of Internet bookmarks, etc
  
  Tupperware container (vital records)
  
  
• Birth certificate
  
  
• Passport
  
  
• Social Insurance card
  
  
• Family photos
  
  
• Insurance policies
  
  
• Mortgage/deed
  
  
• Vehicle titles
  
  
• Vaccination record
  
  
• Cash
  
  
• Bank info
  
  
• address book
  
  Food*
  
  KFS
  
  GSI cup
  
  Aluminum water bottles (2)
  
  Sawyer Mini kit
  
  Toilet Paper!
  
  
• in Ziploc bag
  
  Hygiene kit
  
  
• toothbrush/toothpaste
  
  
• soap
  
  
• baby wipes
  
  
• dental floss
  
  
• wooden toothpicks
  
  
• Black garbage bags
  
  
• Ziploc zipper freezer bags
  
  
• Hand Sanitizer
  
  Whistle
  
  Signal Mirror
  
  6" chemlights (4)
  
  Mechanix gloves
  
  Dust masks
  
  Permanent marker
  
  Sillcock key
  
  FuBar
  
  ------------------
  Food
  
  Cereal bars
  
  Dried soup mix
  
  Trail mix
  
  Mountain House meal
  
  ------------------
  Winter
  
  Synthetic long underwear
  
  Wool toque
  
  Gloves

I think that a lot of my surprise was that playing as long as I did, I saw a lot of scrub looking refs that were still great refs. Still do in my mens leagues. When I was playing AHA in college that was a different story, but I am not reffing AHA, I am reffing youth hockey.

I already got a new helmet specifically for reffing as well as a visor for the same.

Thanks for the whistle comment! I live in a very remote part of the country and ordered this whistle followed by this whistle before I broke down and paid the insane shipping to get it from officials wearhouse. According to the August 2013 Officials manual there is no requirement on what kind of whistle to purchase other than " Whistles should be finger type that provide a deep, loud blast. White tape should be placed on the mouthpiece and finger clasps to protect you from the sharp and hard edges." so I was going with the resources I had in front of me.

Agree with the ROI on doing a few games. Am now planning on putting aside all of my reffing income and using that to buy new skates when I work enough games to cover the investment.

I understand, I already roll with an electric whistle as a horn and It has saved my ass more than once cutting through rivers of pedestrians so i am not even going to ask about that but at night i think the gloves would be useful if only to solidify my direction intentions. Drivers are dicks here.
Check it:
https://www.amazon.com/Fox-40-8616-1908-Electronic-Whistle/dp/B003DWH4KG/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1469764202&sr=1-1&keywords=fox+electric+whistle

vote UP to keep this convo alive. I'd like to hear more opinions on this before it fades away.

In rough order, starting from the upper left corner:

• White bandana
  
• Car keys on a belt clip (includes Iris Smart Home fob)
  
• Generic leather-ish wallet from Target (?)
  
• Bic Mini disposable lighter
  
• Fox 40 class peals whistle
  
• Kel-Tec PF-9 in CrossBreed MiniTuck
  
• Pocket Ref 4th Edition
  
• Pepper spray
  
• Gerber Artifact
  
• TOMS Traveler Dalston sunglasses
  
• Gerber EAB
  
• iPhone 7 Plus in MoKo Slim clear case
  
• Apple Watch Series 1 38mm Space Gray w/ black sport band
  
• Streamlight MicroStream
  
• Smith’s Pocket Pal
  
• Extra magazine (Speer Gold Dot 124gr)
  
• Utilitech flashlight + laser pointer
  
• Black bandana
  
• Keys on a belt clip, including:
  
  • Swiss-Tech Utili-Key
    
  • Kingston DataTraveler SE9 32GB USB 3.0
    
• Leatherman Crunch
  
• Notepad
  
• Sharpie
  
• Pilot G-2 1.0mm
  
• Tungsten carbide wedding band
  
• Kershaw Freefall
  
  The wallet has enough stuff in it to do an entirely separate post.

Fox 40 Sonik whistle. Not something to be used for fun. This is a real emergency whistle that can reach 120+ dB. It's equivalent to having a chainsaw revving next to your head. They also make a standard version if you're not trying to blow out ear drums. It still gets pretty loud.

Olight I3E EOS

Olight I1R EOS if you want something rechargeable.

Also, Olight does regular sales and new releases on their website.

Streamlight is another great option but their keychain size offering is just not very good compared to Olight. I do believe everyone should have a Pro Tac 1L-1AA since it can take both C123A batteries and standard AA batteries.

One of these - the best whistle made.

I like the Morakniv and firesteel ideas, and also:

• Wood/tablet/alcohol stove, $19
  
• AccuSharp knife sharpener, around $12
  
• Stainless steel cup that fits perfectly on bottom of Nalgene bottle (can be used for cooking), $9, an Equinox Bottle Bag, $11, a Survivor HK-106 knife w/ fire starter (clip point), $10, and a Nalgene bottle, $10 (pick 2-3 to stay under $30) are the start of a Nalgene bottle kit. That's not an ideal knife and may need sharpening but it is full-tang and I can confirm it fits inside a Nalgene bottle, which the Morakniv for example will not.
  
• The book Where There Is No Doctor, $25
  
• Perhaps a keyring for EDC featuring such things as a Streamlight Nano ($7), firesteel ($10), something like a [Kingston SE9 USB drive](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00URLZTNU/ ($7), a universal handcuff key ($5), and a whistle ($8).
  
• A Leatherman Squirt PS4 (with pliers) for EDC, $30
  
• WaterBOB, $23
  
• Emergency hand-crank radio, $20+

Just to start, let's talk whistles. My NFHS (American high school) season is just starting, and I have a new whistle I'm going to try out.

Fox is, of course, the standard in refereeing. I have two trusty Fox 40 backups in my bag at all times - one on a wrist lanyard, and one fingertip version.

But the new one I'm going to try is the Fox Sharx:

http://www.amazon.com/Fox-40-Sharx-Whistle-Lanyard/dp/B0034IUTU6/ref=pd_sim_sg_4

Anyone have any experience with this one? I'll probably use it with my wrist lanyard...

Disclaimer, I only patrol about a dozen shifts a month.

 


Pen-style cuff key in left shirt pocket, next to my Fisher Space Pen.
Rite-in-the-Rain notepad in the same pocket.
Whistle on a chain in right shirt pocket.
Good folding knife with seat belt cutter and window breaker.
Phone Charger.
Backup pocket-carry CREE LED flashlight.

I bought the acme tornado because it looks cool. It also has a unique sound.

www.amazon.com/dp/B005UGMKFM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_o7CNBbWXRFMCA

I have the yellow ( louder ) for the city bike paths.
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32907924610.html?pid=808_0000_0101&spm=a2g0n.search-amp.list.32907924610&aff_trace_key=&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=4477amp-gKn_b7A1SEWFW7lRCQA0ng1556680856880

And a smaller version for regular bike paths
MINI ELECTRONIC WHISTLE
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B077YQXKB3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It’s mostly for the blinds spots, and let the driver know you're there...

Fox 40 Sonik Blast whistle

Cheap and effective way to make a statement and drown him out. This would make history. Brilliant idea!

24 pack on Amazon for $11. Petutu Coaches Whistle with Lanyard 24 Pack, Soccer Referee Whistle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077JX8CP4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_QjHMDbZ36PPRJ

Don’t forget bulk earpligs. I don’t want to know how much it would hurt to be surrounded by people blowing these.

60 pack for $11. Mpow Foam Earplugs 60 Pairs with Aluminum Carry Case, 34dB SNR Ear Plugs, Soft Earplugs Noise Reduction for Hearing Protection, Hunting Season, Sleeping, Working, Shooting, Travel-Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FY4H16F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_VmHMDb1PDX8F1

Whistle: Fox 40 Classic. 7 grams. I'd never trust the sternum strap whistle to be loud enough.

Packing your fears: Phone, battery, charger, cords, GPS, and compass aren't really evidence of packing your fears. Most of us carry all of that, except the GPS, which I don't own and can get that functionality from the phone. Compass is one of the 10 essentials. I'd rather have my phone on me both for safety and I'm not keen on leaving it at the trailhead. Also it's my camera.