Road ID Review: Safety Identification Wristband for Runners

road ID Review

Check out our review of Road ID: Safety Identification Wristband for Runners. If anyone should know the importance of road safety, runners should.  Most of us take precautions to ensure safe travels before hitting the pavement each day.  But accidents do happen.  Today I’d like to introduce to you a product that was designed with your safety in mind. 

Road ID was created by two guys out of Kentucky who were looking for a comfortable way to wear identification while enjoying their runs and bike rides.  They knew that they would be in serious trouble were they to have an unexpected accident.  No one would know who they were, or who to contact.  The Road ID gives you the peace of mind of knowing no matter what happens, you will be spoken for in an emergency.

I caught a glimpse of Road ID a while back while reading a friend’s blog.  I thought their product was brilliant and that I MUST have one.  This past week I contacted Road ID and begged them to let me try their product so that I could review it on Forks to Feet.  After hours of negotiations, they gave in under pressure.  They agreed to send me one of their awesome wristband IDs in exchange for my first born. 

So maybe I made up that last part, but it sounds way more exciting than what actually went down.  It turns out, Road ID has an amazingly friendly staff. They were genuinely concerned that I wasn’t already wearing an ID on my runs.  To make a long story short, they were enthusiastic in offering me a Road ID – even if it was at their expense.  With that said, I’ll walk you through my experience with Road ID and offer my honest opinion about their product.

road id review band

Ordering

Because I wanted a low-profile wristband, I ordered the Road ID Slim.  But there are 7 different IDs that they offer; the FIXX ID, Shoe ID, Ankle ID, Wrist ID Sport, Wrist ID Elite, Wrist ID Slim, and Shoe Pouch ID.  All IDs come with a stainless steel plate that is etched with your personal information, which you design yourself.  Using their online ID builder makes designing and ordering your Road ID really simple. 

It took me all of five minutes to fill out my information: name, birth year, emergency contacts, and allergies. The hardest part was deciding what I wanted to put on the last line, which is often used for slogans or short sayings.  Of course, I chose to have “Plant-Powered” etched at the bottom of mine.

road id review options

Options

As you’ll notice from the picture above, I chose to add a badge to my band.  There are a number of different badges you can choose from.  I went with the “26.2” as a reminder of my past accomplishments.  The Road ID Slim comes in three different sizes: small, medium, and large.  To ensure you order the correct size, print out their sizing sheet and compare it to the circumference of your arm. 




Mine was the perfect fit; not too loose or tight.  I can barely tell that I’m even wearing it, which is what I want in wearable identification.  While Road ID was designed with athletes in mind, it’s an accessory you could (and should) wear everywhere.  And with different color bands, you can match your ID with just about any outfit you have on.  Extra bands are only $1.99, so I went ahead and ordered an orange and black to accompany my red band.

Interactive IDs

A new option that Road ID now offers is what they refer to as the Interactive ID.  The Interactive ID is better suited for those who have a long medical background.  This information should be shared with EMTs and doctors immediately following an accident.  The interactive ID comes with a phone number (and website URL) that first responders can use along with your personal serial # and pin (located on backside of ID) to quickly access your emergency response profile.  This is information you provide to an online database when registering your Road ID, and it’s only viewable to you and those with access to your Road ID serial number and pin.  For more information about the Interactive version of their IDs, check out the video below.

Price

Road IDs range from $17.99 to 29.99.  If you’d like to add a badge to your wristband (like my 26.2), they cost an additional $4.99.  The price of extra bands vary depending on the Road ID you choose.  As I mentioned, the Wrist ID Slim wristbands are $1.99.  If you decide to go with the Interactive ID, there is a subscription you will pay for their service.  This cost pays for the Emergency Response System (ERS), which includes 24/7 phone support and the ERS database.  When you purchase an Interactive ID, you get the first year of service free.  Each additional year costs a whopping $9.99.  That amounts to only 84 cents a month!

Final Thoughts

From speaking with the Road ID team, ordering my Road ID, and enjoying my first week sporting my new wristband ID, I would definitely recommend this product.  Not only do I recommend it, but I strongly encourage everyone to purchase a Road ID today.  There’s no price tag for safety, and $30 (at most) is a small fee to pay for peace of mind.  How many of you carry your driver’s licenses with you while you run?  I always said I would, but I have yet to find myself pulling it out of my wallet and tucking it into my shorts pocket before a run. 

I am also very impressed with the quality of the wristband.  They are made with a high quality silicone that appears to be tough enough to withstand many miles of running, biking, hiking, and any other outdoor adventure.  Plus, if one band wears out, I have two backups to which I can easily transfer my ID and badge. The Road ID just makes sense to me – it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for, and I plan to where mine at all times.

Disclaimer: I received a Road ID Slim for free to do this review, I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions in this review are mine and mine alone and they have not been controlled or influenced by Road ID or anyone else. 

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