A signal mirror is one of the lightest pieces of rescue equipment you can carry and one of the few that works with no battery, no signal and no moving parts. The reflective face throws a bright flash of sunlight that can be seen at considerable distance by aircraft, boats or search parties, and the central aiming aperture lets you place that flash on a target rather than sweeping it hopefully across the horizon.
Using it is straightforward: hold the mirror near your face, sight the target through the hole, and tilt until the bright spot of reflected light settles on it. Repeated flashes read as a deliberate signal rather than a glint off water. It weighs almost nothing, slips into a first aid kit, map pocket or survival tin, and sits there indefinitely without maintenance. Two shapes are available, rectangular and square.
Worth carrying on hill walks, multi day treks, sailing and kayaking trips, and in a vehicle emergency kit. It is a daylight tool and needs sun or strong ambient light to work, so pair it with a whistle and a torch so you are covered in poor visibility and after dark. Fellmont Outdoors treats signalling gear as basic trip insurance: tiny, cheap, and occasionally the thing that shortens a search by hours.
- Highly reflective glass signalling face
- Central aiming aperture for accurate targeting
- Shapes: rectangle or square
- Lightweight and pocket sized for survival kits
- Needs daylight or strong sunlight to work
- No batteries or maintenance required
