She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm review 

Is the Birdie alarm worth buying? 

As much as everyone might wish it weren't so, the world can be a dangerous place. Whether you're going for a nighttime run, walking home from work after dark or hiking solo, you might feel safer carrying the She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm. 

She's Birdie promises a 130-decibel alarm and a flashing strobe light to deter would-be attackers and attract the attention of passersby. The manufacturers claim that it's easy to use and the batteries last for 40 continual minutes. 

If you're in the market for a personal safety alarm, you might be wondering whether the She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm is worth buying. 

Testing the She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm

The BestReviews Testing Lab trials products in real-world conditions to evaluate manufacturers' claims. They send products to a group of experienced testers who get a feel for how they really perform day-to-day. For this article, the tester is a keen hiker and runner who tried out She's Birdie on their usual routes. 

What is the She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm?

She's Birdie is an alarm designed to be carried with you wherever you go. It emits a loud noise when activated, as well as shining a bright strobe light. The idea behind it is to deter attackers, who might worry about being caught once the alarm is activated. It can also attract the attention of people around you in an emergency situation. 

It comes in seven colors, including aqua, coral and metallic rose, and features a carabiner to attach it to a bag, belt loop or similar. 

See how it compares to other products in its space — check out our reviews for the best personal safety alarms.

She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm price and where to buy

She's Birdie costs $29.95 and is available at Amazon.

How to use the She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm

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This personal safety alarm prides itself on being easy to use. Obviously, this is important in an emergency, as you don't want to be fumbling around with it, trying to figure it out. It has a loop at the top that you put a finger through and tug. This releases the pin and sets off the alarm. It's easy to remove, but not so easy that there's a serious risk of setting it off accidentally. When you no longer need the alarm, replace the pin and the sound stops. 

She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm benefits

Volume

The She's Birdie alarm reaches an impressive 130 decibels. This is the equivalent of a jackhammer, a jet plane taking off or an extremely loud rock concert. A noise of this volume is bound to attract attention, whether you're attempting to ward off an attacker or you've injured yourself or got lost in the wild and need help. It's a similar volume to most personal alarms. However, you can occasionally find louder ones, up to around 145 decibels. 

Battery life

The battery runs for a continuous 40 minutes, so that's enough to last through many short periods of use or one or two extended periods. In most cases, this is more than enough. Other similar alarms run for between 30 and 50 minutes, so it's around average. Some don't advertise their battery lives, so you'll never know when they could run out, which is a reason for concern. 

Strobe light

As well as letting off a loud noise, the Birdie alarm also flashes with a bright strobe light when activated. This could startle an assailant in the dark, causing enough of a distraction to get away. It may also help people locate you if you need assistance. While some other safety alarms have strobes, not all do, so it isn't something you can assume comes as standard. 

Compact

The slim, compact design means it's no trouble to carry this alarm around with you. Clip it to your keys or bag or slip it in your pocket and you'll always have it to hand. It's of a similar size to other alarms. You can find a handful that are shorter, but they're usually wider or thicker, so it depends what you prefer.

Carabiner

Birdie comes on a carabiner that you can screw onto a belt loop, bag strap, keyring or anywhere else it fits. Not all alarms come with carabiners, so it saves you having to buy one separately. 

Operation

It's quick and easy to operate by simply pulling out the pin. The pin isn't stiff or tough to remove, which is encouraging to know in case you have to use it. However, it isn't quite as loose as the pins of some competitors, so it's unlikely to work its way out accidentally, making a loud noise when you don't want it to.

Unlike other safety tools, such as pepper spray or tasers, it doesn't require users to fight off an attacker. It simply draws attention to the situation, so no skill, aim or strength is needed to operate it. 

She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm drawbacks

Battery is tricky to change

To change the battery, you need to pry off the back and remove a couple of small screws, before doing it all again in reverse. There are certainly alarms out there that make it easier on users to change the batteries. 

No low battery indicator

There isn't any indication of when the battery is running low. In theory, it should hold its charge until it's been used for 40 continuous minutes, but it may run down over time and it would be nice to know when it's due to be replaced. 

Carabiner design

The carabiner design uses a screw rather than a clip. This makes it fiddly to switch from one place to another, although it is more secure. It's only a minor annoyance, but it can get frustrating over time. 

Should you get the She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm?

The She's Birdie Personal Safety Alarm is a great choice for anyone looking for this kind of alarm. It improves peace of mind when out alone, especially late at night or in remote areas. People who go running or hiking alone may feel safer with She's Birdie on their side. It's as easy to use as the manufacturer claims and certainly loud enough to startle and attract attention. Well-made and from a reputable brand, users can rely on it to work when they need it.