According to the World Health Organization, one out of every three women has experienced physical or sexual assault at some point in their lives. When you’re in trouble, picking up your phone and dialing 911 isn’t always an option, but what if you could transmit a distress signal from a little gadget on your person? The $129 Flare smart safety bracelet is built on this idea. It looks like any other bracelet, but it links to your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing you to make a fake call, message your emergency contacts, or send your location to 911 dispatchers by pressing a secret button. It never needs to be charged, and depending on how often you use it, the battery should last one to two years. The Flare has a few flaws, the most notable of which being that it must be within Bluetooth range of your phone—roughly 30 to 50 feet away—in order to work. It’s only compatible with iPhones as of this writing, but the business aims to expand to Android in the near future. Despite these drawbacks, the Flare is a strong safety item that may provide peace of mind—and potentially save your life.
Flare
- Several attractive patterns are available
- a safety switch that is hidden
- This is an excellent companion app
- It’s simple to set up and utilize
- Only works with iOS devices
- The battery cannot be recharged
- To work, it must be within Bluetooth range of your phone
Safety and Fashion
When you think of safety jewelry, you typically think of medical alert devices, which aren’t exactly fashionable. The Flare is smart jewelry you’ll actually want to wear and show off, with three nickel-free styles and a variety of appealing finishes and metal hues.
You can choose from bead, metal, or vegan leather cuffs, all of which are the same price of $129. Flare currently only ships within the United States, and shipping is $5 fixed rate no matter where you are.
The adjustable metal cuff type suits wrists up to 6 inches in circumference. The beaded version has a stretchy elastic cord and is available in two sizes: XS/S (for wrists under 6 inches) and M/L (for wrists above 6 inches) (for wrists larger than 6 inches). The leather design features a 9-hole watch-like band that adjusts to fit wrists ranging from 5 to 8 inches in size.
The cuff is composed of brass with a protective coating to prevent tarnish and is plated in 12K gold, rose gold, or sterling silver. Both the beaded and leather designs have a geometric pattern and an anti-tarnish coating on a metal bar composed of sterling silver, imitation gold-plated brass, or hematite (the Slate color option).
Flare sent me the gold cuff bracelet for this evaluation. It’s a little too dressy for everyday wear (considering that I spend most of my time in yoga pants), but it’s excellent for nights out. You can dress up or down the braided and leather styles.
In the two months after I initially started wearing it, the gold cuff has become a little scratched, but you can’t tell until you look closely. That’s definitely my fault; I’ve left the bracelet in my handbag rattling around unprotected on multiple occasions. It comes with a cute tin carrying case, which I intend to use more frequently to avoid more scratching.
Although flare bracelets are water resistant and can withstand splashes and rain, they should not be worn in the shower or while swimming.
A little black module with a secret safety button is placed inside each Flare bracelet, allowing you to create a diversion or call for help without touching your phone. The battery doesn’t need to be charged and should last for at least a year, depending on how often you use it. Flare keeps track of your battery and sends you notifications through email and SMS when it gets low. You’ll have the option of purchasing a replacement, in the same or a different style, for $89 at that time.
Flare’s Mechanism of Action
The Flare’s secret button can do three things: ring your phone, SMS an alert to your emergency contacts, and send your GPS location to 911 first responders.
“Flare will help in pretty much every case where you want to be in control or require backup,” according to the business. “This covers new places and scenarios, such as wandering alone at night, or if a date goes too far, or your Uber driver becomes weird, or after you’ve had too much to drink, or a random person approaches you, or a stranger sits next to you on an empty bus… you get the idea.”
Because the bracelet lacks cellular or Wi-Fi capabilities, it must be connected to your smartphone over Bluetooth to function. Furthermore, your phone must have access to Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity.
Because the bracelet relies on Bluetooth, it functions best when it’s within 10 feet or fewer of your phone. In other words, it should be fine if your phone is in your purse on the other side of the car or room. The Bluetooth connection will drop after about 50 feet, rendering the wristband worthless.
The Flare is straightforward to set up; its user-friendly companion software leads you through the entire process of creating an account, connecting the bracelet to your phone, assigning emergency contacts, and testing it to understand how to use it and make sure it works.
To begin, go to the Apple App Store and download the Get Flare app, then accept the Bluetooth request. To establish an account, enter your full name, email address, and phone number, then complete the setup process by following the on-screen directions. You must give the Get Flare app permission to access your location “Always.” When you activate the bracelet, it can communicate your location to your emergency contacts and/or 911, even if the app isn’t open. To pair the bracelet with your phone for the first time, press the safety button repeatedly until the app prompts you to enter the last three digits of the serial number on the inside of the bracelet. I had no trouble linking my bracelet to the Get Flare app throughout my testing.
The app then walks you through a quick demonstration on how to utilize the bracelet. It keeps you interested with stunning, vibrant artwork during the onboarding process by giving you samples of circumstances in which you might wish to use it.
Activating a Flare
Simply press and release the safety button once to make a false call to your phone. This feature can be used to create a distraction in order to get out of a dangerous situation. The call will always come from the same number, which you may add to your contacts and preserve under any name.
You’ll hear a recording of your choice when you pick up the phone. You forgot to be somewhere; a friend left their wallet in your room; a friend got dumped; your girlfriend or boyfriend is checking in; you’re late for a meeting; a pet emergency; a problem in the apartment; or your roommate needs help are just a few of the fake phone call themes available in the Get Flare app.
You can also create a Crew of up to five friends or family members that you can contact from the bracelet using the app. Flare will text them to let them know you’ve added them to your Crew. Hold the safety button for three seconds to text your Crew for assistance. This will send them a message containing your GPS coordinates.
You’ll receive a push notification on your phone when your message is successfully delivered to your Crew. The notice defaults to saying “You sent a message to your crew,” but you may change it to say anything you like, such as “Paper due tonight,” to keep it hidden. Your Crew’s text responses will appear in the Get Flare app, so they won’t ring your phone.
When you push and hold the safety button for three seconds and have the 911 feature enabled, Flare will inform emergency dispatchers as well as your Crew. The dispatcher will be able to see your current location at that point. The dispatcher will SMS and phone you to confirm your safety within one minute of your button hold for help. Until help arrives, you can send a message and/or speak with the dispatcher. Simply notify the dispatcher if you mistakenly activated the 911 option. The dispatcher will send emergency responders to your area if you do not respond.
One of my favorite features of Flare is that its accompanying app pushes you to test the bracelet, especially the 911 feature, so you’re familiar with how to use it in real life. Flare says the 911 feature is handled by a third-party called Noonlight, so you won’t be wasting emergency services while testing the wristband.
Fortunately, I’ve never had to send a Flare in the real world, but it’s performed flawlessly in testing. When I hit the safety button, my phone rings immediately. The phony phone recordings are realistic-sounding and feature pauses to give you time to answer.
When I press the safety button, my Crew and Noonlight are dependably notified. The people at Noonlight respond swiftly to texts and phone calls and are pleasant to speak with.
Armor incognito
To say the least, I’m a big admirer of the Flare. Its beautiful design drew me in at first, but its user-friendly companion app made me like it even more. And the peace of mind it provides is invaluable. The Flare stands out among smart safety jewelry for its unobtrusive, elegant appearance and straightforward app, whether you’re online dating, have a toxic ex, or just want to feel safer when Ubering or walking outside alone. Most importantly, it’s simple to use and does exactly what it says it will, allowing you to make a phony phone call, text your emergency contacts, or share your location with 911 first responders at the touch of a button. The Flare is now only compatible with Apple’s iOS platform, but if you’re an iPhone user, it’s a worthwhile and perhaps life-saving buy.
Flare
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