Planning for going camping up the mountains in the holiday season and shopping for last-minute essentials? Well, you’ve clicked at the right place. Camping without a bear horn or whistle cannot be imagined at any cost.
Hiking and camping activities can be pretty fun if all the dangers involved have been eliminated and the best bear horn or whistle can be pretty helpful in crossing out the danger points in camping.
But among so many varieties of bear whistles available, purchasing the one which meets your requirement can be pretty unnerving.
So keeping in mind about individual choices and conditions, we have categorized some of the products so that you can choose the best one.
 | Frontiersman Horn | 115dB | ½ Mile | |
 | Shoreline Marine Eco | 120dB | 1 Mile | |
 | SABRE Compact Horn | 115dB | ½ Mile | |
 | SeaSense Air Horn | 127dB | 1 Mile | |
 | K3 Hiker Horn | 115dB | ½ Mile |
Why Bear Horn?
Bear whistles are safety and protective measures that help from attacks against bears while you’re camping in remote surroundings.
An air horn is a top priority addition to the list of camping and hiking supplies because you never know what you may run into in the wild.
So for swift management during an acute attack by an animal, a horn serves as the most comfortable and most convenient item to have in your backpack. It is also lightweight so that you do not face any difficulty in carrying it from one spot to another.
Even if you’re alone or detached from the group, a horn alone can save you from any dangers involved. Besides, it can help you reach your lost group members by transmitting sounds and noises so that tracking becomes more comfortable.
Camping and hiking almost always require safety measures if the camping spots are unknown or new to hikers. In these circumstances, ensuring safety is a wise decision.
So, a bear horn or a bear whistle is an essential thing to carry with you so that throughout the expedition, you remain calm and prepared for anything that may happen beyond the suburbs.
In addition to that, we also recommend having 2 or 3 cans of the best bear sprays.
Top 5 Best Bear Horn Reviews
Picking out the one bear horn that will be suitable for your need is a tough job, especially when the marketplace has so many different ones to choose from.
A bear whistle should be selected based on its material, durability, how efficient it is in transmitting noises, and if it is supplied with additional features that help prevent attacks as well.
With all these characteristics in mind, we have prepared a list of some of the best quality bear horns to help you make your choice properly.
#1. Frontiersman Bear Horn
This horn can be an excellent deal with its high quality and affordable price point. It is very easy to manage and deploy in any situation. This horn is a great option to purchase, and it is pretty affordable.
Its small size comes as an asset when you do not want a heavy item to carry at emergencies, and the small size makes it extremely travel-friendly.
The principal features of this horn include lightweight structure, audibility within ½ mile and a frequency of 115 dB making it a better option for those camping at a moderate distance range.
It serves in certain situations like deterring bears from reaching you, during hiking in bear territories and even for calling out for help.
Furthermore, this horn can be used for warning animals nearby, calling out for help with its 115 dB frequency sound that can prevent animal and even assaulting attacks and help others to locate you within a ½ mile distance so that you’re saved even when you’re lost.
Also, it lasts for days; if you have to go camping for a long time as each horn can accommodate 25 ½ second blasts so that you can be protected at a stretch of a week or so.
#2. Shoreline Marine Eco Air Horn
This horn comes with variable sizes of 1.4 oz, 3.5 oz, and 8 oz so that you can pick one that suits your requirement.
It is a great option if you’re looking for a short duration usage, for example, a single-use during hiking or camping trips that will not last a long time.
It is because this portable horn has a limited number of blasts.
The primary features of this horn include a variety of sizes to choose from, a sound frequency of 120 dB that is pretty loud to deter bears from coming close, and even for calling for help.
Its ability to cover a distance of a mile is pretty impressive as well.
Moreover, the high-frequency sound and wide range of distance to be covered is a plus point apart from its size options and moderate pricing.
Besides, this horn is made from non-corrosive materials for which it lasts longer than most horns available in the marketplace.
The structure is rigid to be used in any adverse situations in the wilderness. It is a great option to consider if you’re looking for boating and outdoor uses. This horn can also be used during football games.
#3. SABRE Compact Sport & Safety Horn
This compact portable horn from SABRE is a fantastic option with a high-quality structure and unique built-in features that are well suited to meet your needs.
SABRE is always a great option to choose bear-horns from where quality matches the price, and their products are also very durable.
Provided with 115 dB frequency of sound and covering a distance of ½ mile, this horn has a top-quality interior and is an excellent option at this price point.
Also lasting for about 25 ½ seconds blasts, this horn will last you a long time if used properly. It works as an excellent alternative to bear sprays as well.
Due to its high audibility range and ability to cover a good distance, this can be used during acute animal attacks for warning animals and also during hiking and boating trips to call for help and prevent any mishaps.
Besides, its small size makes it easier to carry anywhere without the trouble of carrying. Overall, this is an ideal horn to get in terms of its outstanding features for regular usage.
#4. SeaSense Large Air Horn
Larger in size than most of the portable horns, the SeaSense Air Horn is of top-notch quality serving as one of the best whistles out there.
At an affordable price, this comes in lots of options to choose from, varying from a pack of one to four according to the quantity you require.
With some pretty unique features, this can be a great purchase if you’re looking for something with superior quality.
This product is provided with high-quality built-in features. It also has non-flammable materials in the structure.
The product ensures rigid support. With a sound frequency above 120 dB, it emits a thunderous sound that is enough to send warnings to dogs and bears guaranteeing safety in the suburbs as well as during camping.
It also covers an area of 1 mile so that the sound emitted traverses a broader distance.
Moreover, it comes with a push-button horn so that it can be deployed quickly at emergencies without delay.
Probably the only bad side of this product is the large size which makes it difficult to carry everywhere, especially in hiking and boating activities.
Apart from this little disadvantage, this product will highly impress you with its unique features.
#5. K3 Brands Compact Hiker Horn
The K3 hiker horn claims to be one of the loudest hiker horns available. This horn is a product of very high-quality design and material.
With a classic emboss on the exterior made with a reflective foil label, this product is surely attractive to the eyes.
This product comes with a stainless steel design, and the structural material is very rigid and non-inflammable, as well as non-corrosive.
It also creates a sound of probably 115 dB. This hiker horn meets the expectation of the loudest hiker horn available in the marketplace.
It also covers a distance of one mile or more to be exact, ensuring the transmission of the sound to a wider area. Thus, it can be used by hikers, by people for residential uses, or even as a repellant for deterring animals as well.
Moreover, it can be used out for multiple purposes considering its highly defined abilities besides its principal features.
Additionally, the size is small enough to carry around without much trouble, and it is very travel-friendly. The horn lasts up to more than 50 blasts and is, therefore, a product that lasts very long.
With high durability, this hiker horn is best suited in any weather or any purpose– be it hiking, camping, boating, or even outdoor uses in the residential zones.
Before You Buy, What to Look For
Purchasing a bear horn can get pretty tough when you’re on your own, and the list is endless. Most people have variable preferences when it comes to choosing air horns for safe expeditions.
To cross out the many ones that meet your eye and settle with the best one suited to your need, you need to figure out which features you would need in your desired horn.
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Range
To make a purchase, the essential features you need to point out are the audibility range as to how much the sound frequency is, what distance it covers and how effective it is to warn animals and transmit sounds for help.
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Additional Features
The additional features you may want to get are its deploying mechanism in emergencies, i.e., whether it is easy or complicated to use, if it’s travel-friendly or not, how long the product might last, and if the material is hazardous or corrosive by any chance.
Most of these features can help you decide if it is of high durability or not. Pointing and crossing out these features along with the price point, can help you decide to choose the horn that would be effective for your use.
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Things to Keep in Mind
Other criteria you should consider while purchasing a horn is how effective it is during using on hiking and camping or outdoor activities. That is if it is suitable to carry in boats or not or if it has the capacity for enough blasts to last a long time.
Most people tend to go for horns that will work to scare their neighboring dogs and other critters away rather than actual hiking, boating or camping purposes.
So an ideal horn should meet the requirement to be used in any situation, be it expeditions, outdoor uses, or any other purpose that is required. Keeping these features in mind, you can proceed and make your desired purchase wisely.
Read Also: Our Kerosene Lamps for Camping.
Frequently Asked Question
Below are some of the most commonly asked queries regarding bear whistles or horns:
- Could they be used against an intruder or attacker?
Yes, these are very loud, so an intruder or attacker might be chased away by it like an alarm. These are metallic, so can be used during protection from intruders as well.
- How many times can you use it before needing to replace it?
The horn cannot be replaced, but you can replace the canister. You can also get refills easily available.
- How much air can this item hold?
The canisters can hold about 1.5-2 oz of air inside. It, however, might vary based on the sizes of the horns.
- What is the shelf life of most bear horns?
Most air horns tend to have a shelf life of about three years, approximately. But they may vary from product to product.
- Do these come with holsters, or do they need to be bought separately?
Unfortunately, these do not come with holsters, and hence, they should be bought individually. Besides, they can also be carried on backpack sides as well, or you can always make your holster.
Final Words
Summing up, it can be said that choosing the best bear horn is definitely a difficult task considering all the features, pros, and cons.
But based on our reviews of selective top quality bear whistles, the task can get pretty simple and easy for you to carry out so that you can choose your desired product wisely.