Easily one of the best health and fitness related purchases I’ve ever made has been a ROAD iD (the Stretch Band version).
Not only because it will help first responders quickly identify the body if something horrible happens while I’m out exercising (lol), but because the entire process was kinda fun.
They kept surprising me with whimsical status updates from the moment I ordered it to the day it arrived in my mailbox (which was both amusing and reassuring). It was basically the most fun that I’ve ever had purchasing a rubber band.
A brutally honest review of my ROAD iD (Stretch Band)
For the record, this was the second ROAD iD that I’ve purchased over the past 10 years. I lost my first one a few months ago, so I had no choice bust out my credit card and order a replacement. I’m glad I did, because the entire process reminded me of how great of a company this is. And no, they are not paying me to say that.
The folks at ROAD iD are basically marketing geniuses. Every part of the process (from configuring my band, to placing the order, to receiving it in the mail) was filled with pleasant little surprises.
Unboxing
Instead of showing up in a generic box with nothing but the stretch band inside, it was nice to see how far the folks at ROAD iD went out of their way to make the unboxing process a fun and engaging experience.
Not only were the graphics on the box fun and whimsical, I really appreciate the fact that they sent me all three sizes of bands – even though I had specified only one. Thanks guys (and gals)!
Fit and comfort
I’ll be honest: I wish that the band itself was a little more stretchy. Yes, it’ll stretch really far if you get aggressive with it. The problem is that I’ve got small wrists and big hands, so getting the small band to fit over my pudgy paws was a little difficult.
That’s why I decided to use the largest band and accept the fact that it won’t fit tight on my wrist. Oh well. At least I know it’s not going fall off.
I also like the fact that it’s really light weight. Once I get it on, I forget that it’s even there.
Durability
The ROAD iD Stretch Band is extremely strong. This will become evident when you first get it and struggle to fit the metal ID plaque over the band. You really have to stretch that sucker out – to the point where you’ll feel like it’s going to snap. But it won’t. It’s really tough, and you’ll never have to worry about it coming apart on you.
For what it’s worth, my first ROAD iD Stretch Band lasted 10 years without a single rip or tear. The only reason why I had to replace it was because I lost it.
Pros and cons
Trying to come up with a list of things that I like about my ROAD iD Stretch Band is extremely easy. Trying to come up with things I don’t like about it is a lot more challenging. No, it’s not perfect, but for the price, it’s the best identification wristband on the market.
Pros
- It’s extremely lightweight. You’ll likely not even notice that you’re wearing it.
- It’s very strong. You’re not going to rip it, and It’s not going to come apart on you. It’ll basically last forever.
- Customer support is next-level fantastic. I had to contact them and ask how to clamp the metal plaque onto the band (because I’m an idiot), and they responded within 24 hours with a detailed explanation.
Cons
- The band isn’t quite as stretchy as I would like. Yes, it does stretch, but being a little more flexible would be nice.
- Getting the metal ID plaque to fit over the band was a mother******. The patience of a saint will be required to get that bad boy into place.
