I emailed Thule and they sent me a replacement. They definitely dont whistle. Ive had 2-3 pairs of these over the years and I love them. Even then its not an easy target to hit. Leider. Its well made and seems sturdy. Warning, this is not your parents Plantronics. Damit die Kinder richtig drinnen laufen können. Check out the pics. Hopefully, this set will last a little longer.