review: road id.

[JV3]

just got my road id "wrist id elite" yesterday. it's basically a modified dog tag to wear on your wrist. you get 6 lines and 24 characters per line to customize...on the 2nd line i have nka (no known allergies), nkda (no known drug allergies), and no med hist (no medical history).

i've been hiking and mountain biking for awhile and never really felt the need to carry something like this until i bought my 1st road bike a little over a month ago and since then i've had a few close calls already...a quick check of any roadie forums and you'll easily see people are a-holes and will leave you bleeding on the side of the road...figured i'd post a review here for those looking for extra peace of mind but never heard about this product before.

size comparison...i usually wear my watch on my right, it's just there for this pic though.

this particular version comes in a tin can.

back view. the whole thing is around 10" long and the strap's underside has grooves evenly spaced so you can easily cut it to size and keep it straight.

it has a watch-like locking clasp. the whole thing is actually pretty low-key/classy - it won't stick out if i wanted to wear it while wearing a suit, for example. the nylon version of it looks too sporty though especially with the reflective stitching and all that.

all the metal hardware is brushed stainless steel. the band and the metal id are available separately (if info changes or you just want a different colored band).

the tin can by the way is about twice as thick and 50% wider than an altoids tin.

closer look at the tooty clamp...after you trim the rubber to length this thing really bites down on the strap and locks in place. i had to trim some more so i had to use a flat head screwdriver to re-open it...it's not going to come loose in normal movement and fall off for sure.

the instructions.

i like it so much i think i'll order another one for $%*Ts and giggles while bar hopping with my buddies. this one will say "if found with slurred speech but otherwise conscious, i prefer maker's mark...no ice please!"

 

[mtwarden]

neat idea- I wonder if it (or something similar) be incorporated into paracordist's survival bracelet (the scraper portion)

looks like a heck of survival tin as a bonus

 

[bulgron]

I've been wearing a Road ID for about 4 years now. But I wear the necklace (looks like a dog tag) instead of the bracelet. I wear mine 24x7 except for when I go swimming. This is just so I don't forget to put it on when I go biking, hiking, etc.

I started wearing mine when I found out that EMTs won't search the saddle bags on your bike for ID. If you go down and you're unconscious, the EMTs won't know for a while who you are even if you do put your wallet/ID in your saddlebag. They'll only search your body for ID.

I actually add a few things to my Road ID chain when I go hiking in order to make a very basic PSK. It's easy enough to attach a whistle, an neck knife and a few other goodies (as long as it doesn't get too heavy) to it.

 

[CoyotePhysics]

Smart item to have. Bulgron, thanks for the usefull info about EMTs not searching bags for ID. I'm guessing that this is a liability issue?

 

[gruntmedik]

Smart item to have. Bulgron, thanks for the usefull info about EMTs not searching bags for ID. I'm guessing that this is a liability issue?

Not really a liability issue, but more a time is of the essence issue. When I arrive on the scene of an unconscious trauma patient, my priority is finding and fixing immediate life threats, and then leaving the scene. If your info is not on you, and more than likely not immediately visible, I'm not likely to find it. The one exception to that is a long transport, where I may have the time to search your pockets for an ID after I've done what needs to be done.

Long story short, we are typically too busy to search your bags/car/bike for info.

I like the idea of the Road ID, but at a casual glance at it, not sure I would recognize it for what it is, but this thread has caused me to add that to my "To look for" items. Given the time and opportunity, I'll also check a cell phone for ICE---In Case of Emergency.

 

[Jayhawk1]

I have been wearing the road ID for years now in races (marathons and trail ultramarathons) when I am out of town or when my family is not with me at an in-town race. It's pretty popular in the running community and just makes sense to have quick hit identification and contact information on you in case something goes sideways unexpectedly and you end up unconscious.

 

[gadgetgeek]

I've seen stick-on info pouches like a packing label sleeve for helmets, but to be honest, if the guy had not mentioned it, and showed it to me, I would have just assumed it was another sticker. Not very visible, but at least the helmet stays with you when you get packaged. I wear a standard set of dogtags (US style) with my name, birthday and blood type on them, kinda pointless info, but if something happens out in the woods it will make the eventual id easier on everyone.

On the other hand, if we could get my little brother to wear one (once something is his, it stays with him forever) it would be a good way to keep a phone number on him. He has special needs and doesn't communicate well.