 Poster: A snowHead
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| Themasterpiece wrote: |
| @globalbagtag.com, so when can we buy it? |
Here is a direct link to the tracker: http://www.back2you.com/kid-tracker.html it is on offer at £125 but if you put the code SNOW it should give you an extra 10% discount.
Chris
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mentions on the website that battery life is two days. Seems rather short for what its doing but none the less is this the experience in mountain conditions where it could be searching for a signal?
Also how does it indicate its low on charge?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I see the advantage over a phone for a young child, the obvious one being the ability to operate it with gloves on, plus as parent / career you can text to find the location, you're not waiting for them to answer it etc. Seems well thought out. Tempted to get on for my cat to find out where it goes 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I took delivery and tested the device last weekend in London and in Suffolk.
Device was preloaded with 15 quid of phone credit. After an overnight charge I started the set up. Instructions very straight forward, you need to add your mobile number to the device so it knows who to call in an emergency. Easy.
You can call the device and speak directly to your child or text the device "loc" and it will send you a google map link with the location. Finally if your child holds down the main button for a few seconds it wil text you.
First test in London in the house didn't allow for a location due to no GPS signal but it did allow me to call the device.
Outside I allowed a few mins for GPS to connect (takes ages on my Garmin running watch) and then sent the "loc" text to the device. Within 60 seconds I received a text with a google map link showing the location. It wac accurate to about 20 metres.
Testing over the weekend in the country it was quick and easy to locate although accuracy was slightly worse at 30-50 metres. Always responded within 60 seconds or less.
I should add that I always had good phone signal (3G or 4 G).
So far quite impressed. Very easy to set up. Kids like it and easy to wear around neck or in the pocket.
Next need to test it in an area with poor reception before buying a second device for kid #2.
It has other features including being able to call the device and listen without alerting your child or activating a "fall alert" so if it is not moving it can alert you. I haven't tried these features yet.
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I guess there are quite a few of that type of application.
I'd guess it's all a tough sell against Android Device Manager out of the box, assuming (which the above doesn't I note) that you have radio available. I suppose it depends precisely what you're trying to achieve with it.
The SPOT device solved that one (sat comms) ... but personally I'd rather just have a sat phone for those places: more versatile, less stuff to carry.
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[quote="philwig"]
| davidof wrote: |
I'd guess it's all a tough sell against Android Device Manager out of the box, assuming (which the above doesn't I note) that you have radio available. I suppose it depends precisely what you're trying to achieve with it.
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It's free so it doesn't really matter to me whether anyone downloads or not, if they find it useful that's great; but yes, I think any app these days is a hard sell given the competition. Best thing I've downloaded recently is Navigator to replace my TomTom GPS.
I wrote RaTa for myself really. It works over SMS - in the mountains this is the most reliable way of getting a message (and a lot of contracts have free SMS) as it only requires a few ms of contact with a mast.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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These seem a great idea but I am not sure on the price. Think for me with a 7 and 9yr old I would be tempted to buy a cheap smart phone for them to use with a decent app. Would like to know others thoughts who have tried both methods. The kids will only be in ski-school for a couple of hours so I cant see battery time being much of an issue.
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@bluedusty, I think the reason I prefer this gadget is that a phone is tough to handle with gloves and easier to drop. This is small and can be warn on a ribbon/cord around the child's neck and it is activated (by child) with the push of one button (similar to an old people's accident/fall alarm). But yes a phone will be cheaper. Even for my 7 year old I think it's better. But maybe by 9 the phone is better 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yea I must admit I liked the fact it could go around the child's neck and had a push button. I think if my kids had a phone they would be more interested in the phone than their lessons ha ha. It does look a good bit of kit, is it worth paying the extra £50 for the extra's not that I can remember what that was now.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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For my 5 year old yes but for a 9 year old? I would think about the mobile phone
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Was thinking about this kind of thing for upcoming family trip. This will be first one where kids will be a bit more independent hence a desire to be able to find them. Downside of all of the options on here is faff and battery life. I did find this one http://yepzon.com/product/yepzon/ which doesn't even have an off switch and reckons it gets 7 days battery life. No features apart from location, and claims to work out of box in most countries. Anybody seen these before?
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Poster: A snowHead
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@bluedusty,
My two were about 7 & 9 when I got them phones for use on the slopes. Kids that age are plenty old enough to use a phone, and it gives them something to play with at lunch time. Also provides a camera to capture embarrassing moments 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I used an old Android phone and "real-time GPS tracker" from www.greenalp.com which was either free or nominal cost. This is pretty nifty software which enables you to send/receive data over SMS or 2.5/3G so even in areas of poor signal you can get a location. You can also start/stop the software, turn on realtime tracking etc. all over SMS.
My then-8 yr old was fine with this and pleased to have a phone so he could fit in with all the teenagers in his class. He'd text me at breaks to let me know what he'd been up to. The teenager classes didn't always finish in the same place/time, they were trusting the kids to get themselves home, which I was slightly nervous of at my son's age.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@musher, Thanks I was just wondering what software you used as I am more thinking of going down the phone and app route. I will check out greenalp also @snowdave. Does anyone have a preference on sim card as I was thinking gifgaff or Tesco mobile (Not sure how good abroad though).
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@globalbagtag.com Is there VAT on these? I ask since this looked like a good way to keep track of a wandering oldie and presumably would be VAT free if sold for that purpose.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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People all over the planet have been trying GPS trackers for children and seniors for the past ~20 years and none has taken off.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@bluedusty, I used Three as it was free roaming so useful if lots of data transmission (e.g. when you try live tracking which is an easy way to time them down runs!).
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@bluedusty,
I just gave them a simple PAYG phone. They were more than capable of using it. That was about 2 seasons ago when they were about 7 and 9.
The smart phones/watches and clever apps that are available now I would probably have chosen one of those in preference, but now they are old enough to trust/look after themselves if we are separated.
If you are thinking cheap smart phone then davidof's app might be all you need.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yea that looks great. I forgot about three having free roaming as that is who I use now. Might see what deals they will give me ha ha. Last year when we went to Chamrousse the kids were fine so probably just getting it as more of a gadget really but is quite nice knowing they can get hold of us if needed.
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Check the device supports 3G or you won't be able to use Three in the UK. I'm not sure if you have to register the SIM in the UK before you use it abroad.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm interested in buying two of these, but I can't find them for 125 each... £300 for two is a little out of my price range. Might you do a sale on them for two?
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@globalbagtag.com I was all set to order two now that I have been paid... but have they just gone up in price by £25 each? if so they are now out of price bracket. Might they come down again after xmas? I really want to buy two... but thought I was going toget them for £125 with 10% discount. Cant believe I missed out by a few weeks!
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi @Bunches this was last years post and the price has gone up I will make the Snowheads discount code SNOW to 25% so you can get one for £112.50 dont forget if you are comparing back2you trackers come with an active SIM with £15 credit included and no ongoing subscriptions just pay for the call/text you actually use at the same rate throughout the EU (5p/text 15p/min Voice) Here is a link that will add the discount for you: https://back2you.com/coupon/snow
Any questions just ask.
Chris
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@globalbagtag.com, Hi Chris. Thanks for the link. Am interested in getting this with your discount. Practical question. Where is best to place the tracker on a young child? I'm worried about it falling out of pockets etc. Cheers
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi my Daughter has hers on a lanyard (with a safety breakaway) round her neck tucked in under he jacket but it can also go in a zip up pocket where the lift pass goes. The tracker do come with lanyard and belt type clip.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| globalbagtag.com wrote: |
| ... it can also go in a zip up pocket where the lift pass goes. ... |
Does that work? In my experience the one thing guaranteed to make a lift pass fail is to put it in the same pocket as a smartphone. Not checked to see if basic phones / trackers are different.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We bought these trackers last year for our children (6 & and they were brilliant and well worth the peace of mind. We often pinged it to see where they were in their lessons, and called it see what they were up to. They didn't know we were listening in! It meant so much to me to know that in the very worst case senario, would could actively locate them, rather than having to reply on the rather more hit and miss method of tryign to track them down.
They were super reliable, and accurate and I thoroughly rate them.
Nia
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We bought these trackers last year for our children (6 & and they were brilliant and well worth the peace of mind. We often pinged it to see where they were in their lessons, and called it see what they were up to. They didn't know we were listening in! It meant so much to me to know that in the very worst case senario, would could actively locate them, rather than having to reply on the rather more hit and miss method of tryign to track them down.
They were super reliable, and accurate and I thoroughly rate them.
Nia
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Have now bought one for my trip next month. Will report back on my experience.
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SO as an update to this thread and for anyone else who may have purchased these. we havent used them since our ski trip last year, luckily for us we have dug them out a month before we need them at easter. SOOO... giffgaff have disabled our sims and cancelled our credit because we have not used them for 6 months. we have had to order new sims, and have had to pay for new credit as we have lost the £25 we had on each tracker. we will need to unscrew the tracker and put a new sim in them and activate them.
ALL of this could have been avoided if we had know to send a text or test them every 5 months or so, so I am warning anyone else who has these... also to check them properly a good few weeks before you need them, if we had just tested these the night before when packing, we wouldn't have been able to get replacement sims and would have been livid.....
still a great piece of kit, but this information is would have helped avoid the palaver we have ended dup in
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@globalbagtag.com, Thanks for your help with the credit on the Sim and the discount code. I used the tracker for my son in Grand Massif lats week. It worked really well, especially the silent listen in function to check all was well with him. The location pinged up in less than 15 seconds when I requested it. I did not pay for the continuous tracking asI was worried about battery life and it's not something I need at his age. I'm not sure if you can add this function on at a later stage. @Bunches, thanks for the heads up with the Sim. I'll put a reminder in my diary to text the device every now and again. @globalbagtag.com, do you know how long the credit lasts for? The Back2You device is a robust piece of kit so I would recommend it to others.
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I put SpyTec in their pocket to make sure it doesn't fall out because of the children's activity. Mobile phones are inconvenient for them, and they need something that can tell us about it and ask for help in time. This GPS is sufficient for the situation we have encountered.
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FAQ
