Birdie Personal Safety Alarm Review
If you’ve visited my website before, you know I’m passionate about personal safety. I have lived alone and love to travel solo, but I understand the importance of staying safe and aware. I’ve learned that being prepared is the best method - it gives you peace of mind, a sense of confidence, and helps you trust yourself so that you can enjoy life, not live in fear.
For better or for worse, there are a lot of opinions about personal safety devices. Most commonly discussed are pepper spray and tasers, yet they’re not legally allowed everywhere, difficult to travel with, and can cause harm to you in a state of emergency (ex: wind often carries pepper spray into your eyes, too).
I’ve tried a few different personal alarms, and also learned from experience that when you are in a true emergency, logic tends to go out the window and simplicity is best. You may think having a keychain decked out with a flashlight, pepper spray, and knife makes you more prepared, but in a time of distress, it’s just clutter. Having too many devices makes it harder to grab the right one, and time is of the essence.
After trying a few different safety alarms that were either too similar to my keys to grab in a blind panic, bulky, not loud enough, or difficult to use, I was excited to try the Birdie Alarm. Keep reading for my full unsponsored (I bought it myself on Amazon) review, including the benefits, how to use it, comparison of the OG vs 3.0 version, and whether or not I think it’s worth it.
birdie personal safety alarm review
To put it simply, the Birdie Alarm is great. It’s lightweight, easy to use, effective, and allows you to maintain your personal safety no matter where you are, as it’s travel-friendly and TSA approved. I find that other personal safety devices are either too fussy or require the threat be close to you to be effective (ex: pepper spray isn’t as effective if you spray it 10 feet away). The alarm is easy to toggle, so you don’t have to think, you can just act. I like that it also enables a strobe light, which is visually disorienting and can help you get away. We hear a lot of about fight or flight, and even if you are capable of fighting, it’s rarely the best move.
I don't go anywhere without my Birdie Alarm and I wish I had it back when I was in college (even high school, to be honest). It’s the most effective and reliable personal safety device I’ve used.
key features
Easy to use - it might look complicated, but this is the easiest self-defense device I’ve tried. You don’t have to fuss with finding a button; it’s way more instinctual and intuitive than other devices I’ve tried.
Non-violent - unlike other safety devices that emphasize pepper spray/ gel, knives, knuckles, etc. the Birdie alarm is purely meant to create a distraction to help you get away safely.
Easy to travel with - because it’s non-violent (no blade, pepper spray, etc.) you can travel on planes with this without worrying about TSA confiscating it. Unlike other safety alarms, this also won’t accidentally go off in your suitcase.
Triggers an alarm - the 130dB siren is super loud and high pitched; there is no mistaking it for a car alarm and will get the attention of help.
Triggers a strobe light - as if the sound wasn’t enough, there’s also a strobe light to disorient the threat, helping you get to safety.
Perfect size - you won’t mix up the Birdie Alarm with your keys; this is a pain point I had with other safety alarms.
Useful at a distance - whereas you have to be close to the threat/ attacker to successfully use pepper spray or a taser, the Birdie alarm is much more likely to scare off the threat from a distance.
Sleek, thoughtful design - the alarm comes in a ton of colors, and while the neutral colors can blend in with your car keys, the alarm is much longer than a key fob so you won’t accidentally get them mixed up.
birdie alarm vs birdie 3.0 new version
I own both and have no complaints, but the 3.0 version does improve in a few important ways:
Rechargeable - the 3.0 version is rechargeable with a USB-C cord, and there’s a charge light to let you know when the battery is running low.
On/ off switch - prevents accidental usage and helps conserve the battery.
Separate flashlight - you can use this without toggling the alarm, so you don’t need to worry about also carrying a flashlight on your keychain.
how to use the birdie personal safety alarm
Pull the top rounded piece to activate the alarm; it will come out completely.
To stop the alarm, put the piece back into place.
While the Birdie alarm is really easy to use, I highly recommend practicing! The alarm is loud and the strobe light is meant to throw the attacker off, but I myself was startled when I first tested it out. Get familiar with how loud it is. Yes, the alarm will be really easy to use in the case of an emergency, but you also want it to be instinctual with zero hesitation and know how much force to use to trigger it.
The Birdie 3.0 version includes an on/off switch to make toggling the alarm more purposeful, but I still recommend practicing until it’s second nature.
is the birdie personal safety alarm worth it?
100% yes. I’ve tried lots of different personal safety alarms as well as pepper spray, pepper gel, and a taser, and I find the Birdie Alarm to be most reliable. You can take it anywhere, it’s easy to use, you won’t get it confused with your keys, and it consistently works. This is my go-to stocking stuffer/ “just because” gift for all of my friends, and I highly recommend it to you. I hope you never have to use it, but it’s worth getting just in case.