Best Signal Mirrors for Rescue and Survival
If you are stranded in a coastal state and can only have one small item with you, you want a signal mirror. This small tool is versatile, functional, and an important inclusion in emergency and survival kits. A regular mirror is not quite as good as a signal mirror, but we’ll get into that difference below. We’ll also explain what signal mirrors are and how to use them. There are several options to consider when it comes to survival mirrors: brands, materials, size, etc.
This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best signal mirrors, tested each of them, and now the results are in: the overall best, an EDC option, and an upgrade option. If you need a proven mirror that will let you signal in a survival situation, one of our picks will get you rescued.
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Best Signal Mirror
Coghlan’s Survival
Inexpensive, Effective, and Durable
A solid pick for any survival kit, this mirror rivals top-of-the-line mirrors at half the cost.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
This mirror is your standard 2″ x 3″ signal mirror, but it is made of laminated glass, so it weighs a bit more. It comes with an important retroreflective sighting grid that makes aiming extremely easy and really sets it apart from standard mirrors.
Specifications
- Material: Laminated glass
- Sighting: Retroreflective grid w/ circle hole
- Size: 2″ x 3″
- Weight: 1.9 ounces
The stand-sizing and glass give you distance, and the retroreflective grid gives you accuracy. This makes it better than all of the other signal mirrors we tested at reasonable price points.
There are some durability concerns if you really plan to abuse it (keep it underwater for long periods), but otherwise, it holds up fine. It does not come with a case, so keep the protective sleeve it ships in for some basic protection from scratches and chipping.
If you are looking for functionality without breaking the bank, this Coghlan’s Survival Signal Mirror hits the sweet spot.
EDC Signal Mirror
UST StarFlash Micro
Small, Lightweight, Tough
This 1.5″ x 2″ acrylic mirror is lightweight and tough as nails. This small profile and lightweight make it ideal for EDC or small survival kits.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
UST (Ultimate Survival Technologies) has a lot of survival gear at inexpensive prices. The Micro StarFlash mirror is one of their more popular items. It is the smallest mirror on the market with a retroreflective sighting aperture. The small retroreflective area can make it difficult to find the fireball in a hurry, so I prefer to use the easier finger-sighting method with this smaller mirror.
Specifications
- Material: Acrylic
- Sighting: Retroreflective grid w/ star hole
- Size: 1.5″ x 2″
- Weight: 0.2 ounces
The Micro StarFlash mirror is a very effective reflective device and can serve as a small camp mirror as well as a long-distance signal mirror. In our tests, this mirror could be easily detected from over one mile away. If you need to go further than that, a larger glass mirror will serve you better (see our Best and Upgrade picks).
Still, you won’t get a small size and lightweight profile from other models. Some people complain that it scratches easily and is not as bright, but it comes with a protective film on both sides that you can peel off. Since I keep mine ready in my survival kit, I’m happy to leave that film in place until I need to use it in a dire situation.
If you need a small or inexpensive signal mirror, the UST StarFlash Micro Mirror will fit the bill.
Upgrade Signal Mirror
MIL-M-18371E
MIL-SPEC, Waterproof, Glass
The plastic mirrors can all take a step back- this military-issued mirror is what operators use all over the world. With the ability to flash signals up to 50 miles away, this mirror is durable and proven.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The MIL-M-18371E comes in two sizes: 2″ x 3″ and 3″ x 5″. The military issues smaller sizes for mobile load-outs, while the larger signal mirror is stowed in a vehicle or in-place kits. The retroreflective sighting grid makes aiming quick and effective. Everyone who has used a signal mirror knows that this is the best of the best, justifying the price tag.
Specifications
- Material: Coated glass
- Sighting: Retroreflective grid w/ circle hole
- Size: 3″ x 5″
- Weight: 5.0 ounces
SI Howard manufactures the signal mirror glass to a high specification. The cross-hatch center allows for precise aiming. The glass coating is chip and scratch-proof, and the entire signal mirror is waterproof and comes with a waterproof pouch for added protection and convenient storage. With instructions printed on the back, the mirror is foolproof even in the most stressful emergency situation. Since this mirror is military issue, you may be able to find a used one as military surplus, which is worth checking.
Comparison Table
| Signal Mirror | Recommendation | Price* | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coghlan’s Survival | Best Overall | $18 | 2″ x 3″ | 1.9 oz |
| UST StarFlash Micro | Best Portability for EDC | $8 | 1.5″ x 2″ | 0.2 oz |
| MIL-M-18371E | Best for Frequent Use | $48 | 3″ x 5″ | 5.0 oz |
What is a Signal Mirror?
A signal mirror is a reflective device that uses the sun or another light source to send a light signal to a second party.
Signal mirrors have several applications, including the ability to send silent signals long distances without any electronics or moving parts. The two most popular applications are:
- Military Operations
- Emergency Survival
We focus on emergency survival, looking to attract attention and notify potential rescuers of our location. Signal mirrors can certainly be used to send information or to signal for tactical operations, but our review and testing have been limited to survival and emergency applications.
When you find yourself in a bind without resources, you make do. This could be a cell phone, the bottom of a Coke can, or a grooming mirror. These are all better than nothing, but a signal mirror specifically designed for emergency and survival use makes signaling much easier, quicker, and possible over greater distances.
Signal mirrors for survival are designed with a centered hole so that you can aim the mirror by sighting through the hole. This hole is called the ‘sighting aperture’ and allows you to be much more accurate with the mirror’s reflected light.
They also usually have the instructions printed on the back, so that makes it easy for anyone to pick up and figure out quickly.
Signal mirrors come in a variety of sizes, which mainly affect three things:
- Reflection Intensity – large mirrors (over 20″ x 20″ can cause eye discomfort and damage, even from miles away.)
- Reflection Distance – large mirrors can typically be seen further away
- Size, Weight, Profile – large mirrors can be difficult to handle and transport
Larger mirrors are certainly more effective, but size and weight need to be factored in. This is why most survival signal mirrors have a 2″ x 3″ size or a 4″ x 6″ size- these can project bright flashes long distances without overburdening a survival kit.
These sizes should be more than enough: the record for a signal mirror was conducted with an 8″ x 8″ heliograph signal mirror. The signal was visible over 183 miles away.
What to Look For
The best signal mirrors for survival include two important features:
- Heavy-duty sealed glass construction
- Retroreflective sighting grid
A glass construction makes the mirror very reflective, making it much more effective over long distances. It can be marginally heavier, for its size, but the better functionality is usually well worth the added weight.
The glass should be sealed between the plates to prevent water damage to the mirror, and so the signal mirror is usable rapidly even after it gets wet. The MIL-M-18371E is the only mirror that is rated for submersion for long periods or for great depths. Coughlan’s signal mirror passed our submersion test, but the sight window can become foggy after extended periods. Coughlan’s signal mirrors made prior to 2010 were manufactured with a gap between the glass lamination, and water would destroy those quickly, so at least that is fixed.
Acrylic mirrors are a second to glass mirrors, with their benefits being that they are lighter, less brittle, and cheaper. They can scratch more easily and are ultimately less reflective than the glass models- both can affect their performance in an emergency.
The retroreflective sighting grid is important because it allows you to sight the signal mirror extremely easily. The grid works similarly to the way road signs reflect light back to the origin instead of off at an angle. Small microscopic glass beads are glued to a mesh so that the light can pass through, but the returned reflection is shown as a bright spot on the mesh from the back side.
Retroreflection is not just found in good signal mirrors, it is used on reflective tape and vests, road signs (like we mentioned already), and even cat’s eyes.
There are also some knock-offs still floating around out there – models from less reputable sources that imitate the look of retroreflective signal mirrors but don’t actually have the retroreflective coating on the sighting aperture.
Why Use a Signal Mirror?
Signal mirrors have unmatched effectiveness for search and rescue operations because of how simple and inexpensive they are.
A Navy Search and Rescue helicopter pilot listed a signal mirror as the best gear to signal for rescue. They described the signal mirror as cheap, never runs out of batteries, works extremely well on sunny days, and is still effective on overcast days. In their experience, a signal mirror “WILL get the attention of a pilot/boat” in an emergency.
The US Coast Guard Auxiliary recommends “the first item we recommend you attach to your PFD is a signal mirror”, highlighting the importance of a mirror for rescue operations. They expand further on this:
“If I had to limit myself to the two most important items […] I would choose the 2 items that are easiest to learn to use and lightweight – the signal mirror and signal whistle. Your children can use them, your grandparents can use them, and they take very little energy.”
How to Use a Signal Mirror
There are two main ways to use a signal mirror. The method you use mainly depends on what type of mirror you have.
- “V” finger method with or without sighting aperture
- “Fireball” method with retroreflective sighting aperture
The second “fireball” method is only possible with a signal mirror that has a retroreflective grid for sighting. Both methods are good to know and can help you signal for help in a survival situation.
“V” Finger Sighting
You can use the ‘V’ finger sighting method both with and without a sighting aperture. If you have a sighting aperture, the method is much easier since you can quickly sight your target through the hole in the mirror:
If you do not have a traditional signal mirror with a hole in the center for sighting (or if you have a cheaper model that fogs or obstructs your vision), you can still use your fingers to find the reflected sunlight.
Without a direct line of sight to the target, you will need to assume that you are missing your target. To compensate for this, keep the mirror as close as possible to your sighting eye and sweep the mirror over the target between your fingers in each direction to make sure you are flashing the target with the mirror.
Fireball Sighting
A retroreflective grid creates a ‘fireball’ on the grid that shows you the direction of the signal mirror reflection as you look through the back. This makes it extremely easy to line up the reflection flash and the target.
Rotate the mirror slightly until you have the target and the fireball overlapping. In the sighting aperture, the fireball will not move much, so move the entire mirror so the target is closer to it.
The fireball is much bigger than the flash from the signal mirror, so make sure the center of the fireball is swept over the target.
You can still use the ‘V’ finger method along with this method if you want visual confirmation that the reflective flash is close to your target.
This method of using a signal mirror is the easiest by far, which is why each of our suggested mirrors has a retroreflective grid.
Using the best sighting system could be the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.
Who Needs a Signal Mirror
Signal mirrors are a great survival resource for signaling, but also can be used as a camp mirror, redirecting light for a light source, or for discreet observation.
The sheer versatility of a mirror, combined with its low profile and weight, makes it ideal for a variety of survival kits and loadouts.
The main kits that you should consider a signal mirror for include:
Signal mirrors are an important consideration for both in-place and mobile kits. Some signal mirrors or situations make sense to include them in your EDC loadout.
These mirrors are easy to use and do not have any mechanical parts or electronics, so even kids can use them in survival kits to learn survival signaling skills.
If you have a camp mirror but not a signal mirror in any of these kits, it makes sense to add or swap out for the signal mirror since the sighting aperture makes it much more effective for signaling, but it can still be used as a camp mirror.
How We Review Products: We research thoroughly before selecting the best products to review. We have vast prepping and survival experience and bring in outside experts when needed. Hours on end are spent testing gear in stressful conditions and using specialized testing gear to verify claims. We assign performance criteria and impartially rate each tested item. Learn more about how we test.
Sources & References
An objective look at the best signal mirror is useless without sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our practical military experience and prepping acumen.
Carlson, J. (2014). The Signaling Mirror: A life-saving application of reflection and refraction. The Physics Teacher. 52, 374. (Source).
“Navy OnStar”. (2007). Best signaling equipment from the searcher’s point of view. ScubaBoard.com. (Source).
Spivak, W. (1998). Safety First! Duckworks Magazine. Courtesy of US Coast Guard Auxiliary (Source).
Woods, D. (2008). Heliograph and Mirrors. Military Communications: From Ancient Times to the 21st Century. (Source).
Conclusion
There is a wide range of skills associated with prepping and survival, with many of them in danger of becoming ‘lost arts’. As supermarkets and supply chain dependence have grown, survival skills are being left behind as society moves forward.
It is important to recognize the power of being self-reliant and having the ability to sustain yourself if the situation requires it. Learning and practicing survival skills- even if it is not your trade- can help you in this pursuit.
Our readers have also found these articles helpful:
- The Best Emergency Whistle for Outdoor Survival
- The Survival Rule of 3 | Air, Shelter, Water, & Food
- Bug Out Bag List | 44 Essentials
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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Excellent article! You’ve really done your homework, including lots of inside information and good tips. Using a retroreflective signal mirror aimer is like riding a bicycle – super-easy once you’ve learned, but a little tricky until you get the hang of it.
After 15 minutes of training on land, my nephew was able to average 39 really bright flashes per minute over 3 minutes while treading water in the swells of the ocean!