Tap2Tag’s medical alert wristband is the life-saving device every triathlete should own

While medical ID bracelets aren’t new to the world of endurance sports, Tap2Tag has revolutionized the way a person’s medical history and associated info can be stored and delivered to medical professionals in the case of emergency. For triathletes and endurance athletes, a medical ID tag is one of the most important pieces of gear you can buy yourself — especially  as outdoor training picks up in the coming weeks. Tap2Tag has thought of every last detail with their devices (we tested their wristband) and made it easier than ever for athletes to protect themselves on the road this year. The wristband’s modest one-off price of $55 is a small price to pay for a device that could potentially save your life.

Here are the best features of the Tap2Tag wristband:

Light, waterproof and wearable device

Tap2Tag’s silicone wristband is perfect for endurance athletes because it’s light, easy to wear, and waterproof so it can easily transition with you between swim, bike and run all season long.. It comes in a variety of colours and looks like your average charity wristband.

It can also be worn through airport security, so you don’t ever need to take it off.

You can also get a fob and card which you can use on their own, or all three devices simultaneously.

Technology

Tap2Tag uses “NFC” technology — (near-field communication) — which is compatible with virtually every mobile phone in the world. If you’ve ever used a mobile pay app, you’ve used NFC technology. You can enable it on your smartphone (if it’s not automatically set-up) under “settings”. We did so with our Android phone and also tested it with an Apple device. Both worked perfectly.

The device will work anywhere in the world, as all that’s needed to access info is a mobile device that has internet access. You can rest assured that no matter what happens on the race course, if you’ve got your wristband on someone will be able to access your info in seconds if need be.

Users need to register their device online. Overall set-up takes just minutes. Once all the user’s info has been uploaded onto their device, it’s ready to go. When a mobile device simply taps a Tap2Tag wristband, all the info you’ve provided will quickly show up on their device. If you’re out on a long solo ride or run and have an emergency, EMS personnel can easily retrieve your medical info including any known conditions, before treating you.

The device goes beyond that, though. You can upload messages that a mobile device will read when it retrieves your information. For example, you could program your band to say “my medication is in my saddle bag” or “Call 911, I have a heart condition.”

Documents such as care plans, powers of attorney for personal care, living wills, copies of “do not resuscitate” letters can be uploaded as well.

You’ll be prompted to upload the following info, and you can provide as much as you want shared:

• full name
• allergies
• known medical conditions
• required medications
• organ donor status
• date of birth
• blood group
• provincial health insurance number
• a photograph

Additional features

Another great feature that sets Tap2Tag apart is its function that will automatically send an email or text message to friends and family when scanned. You can create multiple profiles on your account so that the important people in your life can be notified when you’re in a crisis and stay up-to-date. This info will remain confidential and only visible to the recipient it’s intended for.

Right now, Tap2Tag doesn’t have an exact date on the wristband’s life but it’s estimated your band will last five years and there’s a 12-month warranty on all their products.

After testing out Tap2Tag’s wristband, we’ll continue to use it as it’s an invaluable piece of gear for any triathlete. As it’s relatively new, we’re looking forward to seeing the brand expand in the endurance world.

Check out Tap2Tag on Twitter and Facebook.