I was at surefire and a friend was competing when she slipped on the old style armband. I asked her if she was going to switch to the bracelet and she said no. I asked why and she said not worth the money. The old arm band is basic, cheaper and does the job.
Wearing Road ID and love it. I agree with the above, it is stupid to have to be able to link to a site. My wristband contains all the pertinent and I didn’t get the one that links up. I will stuff my armband in my bra for awhile and see if anyone actually looks at the wrist band to see if it is the kind that links to a site. My RoadID says everything there is to know.
A question for SaraPony. did you check the bracelets to see if they were valid?
Fit, in am the years I’ve eventers I’ve only ever had my armband checked for validity once (besides at a 3 day). No different with bracelets, I would imagine.
Aijerene, I can assure you that your friend had been given misinformation. I can’t tell you how many Webex meetings I have run or attended off my iPad while parked at Waredaca - it’s a lifesaver when the farrier or vet is coming and I have a client meeting.
We get data and cell just fine all over the farm.
I don’t plan on switching to the bracelet. I don’t want to spend the money on one and I like my armband. It was cheap and the info card is easy to replace when something changes.
My friend has a bracelet and the loves it, but it’s not for me.
I don’t plan on solely switching to the bracelet, though I always have one on anyway (Medic alert for some serious medical issues) that is styled similarly to the road ID. But definitely not paying for online services…when its all on the ID anyway!
I wore my RoadID slim at the starter HT at Waredaca on June 8th (asterix, I think it was you I shouted my correct name/number to in showjumping!). No one said anything to me about it, other than a few people asking about it. That’s been most of the response I’ve gotten–people asking to see it, try it on, wanting to know how I like it, etc. Its unobtrusive to wear at other shows, and I’ve worn it at dressage and hunter shows, too.
Mine is not interactive. In addition to wearing it to ride regularly, I also wear it for hiking and traveling. In those cases, I want the information needed (which is really nothing other than contact info) to be readily accessible in a non-confusing, easy to find manner. With it printed right on the plate, it’s right there. If someone at a HT doesn’t like it, I can go back to the truck and get ye olde plasticy ID card out of the garment bag.
[QUOTE=JenEM;7636870]
Mine is not interactive. In addition to wearing it to ride regularly, I also wear it for hiking and traveling. In those cases, I want the information needed (which is really nothing other than contact info) to be readily accessible in a non-confusing, easy to find manner. With it printed right on the plate, it’s right there. If someone at a HT doesn’t like it, I can go back to the truck and get ye olde plasticy ID card out of the garment bag.[/QUOTE]
I think what MAY happen though is when you show up for your CC time (we walk up at the one minute mark) is if they check, you won’t have time to run and get it. If I show up at 9:51 for a 9:52 start, they won’t ask about my band until 9:51. I can go back to my trailer but the clock will start running at 9:52, probably resulting in a time fault…so I have heard.
I have the RideSafe bracelet which can be interactive if I get around to going online and adding information but being in Area 1 and the land of no cell service (vermont for the summer) I have all my pertinent information on the band (name, ICE #, my one medical problem) and the look up # is on the inside of the band anyway, which makes it rather hard to access… I keep my arm band for competing but I wear the bracelet every day since I hack out a lot of horses alone.
I’ve had a RideSafe basically since inception and have never bothered to put the info online. My ICE numbers are on it. Since I wear it for riding and cycling, I don’t see what else I could need. I wouldn’t mind a new one (the band is faded but the info is still readable. Just one of the ICEs is a little out of touch now) I would put NKA for “no known allergies” since that was asked 1 million times when I got hurt.
[QUOTE=asterix;7636668]
Fit, in am the years I’ve eventers I’ve only ever had my armband checked for validity once (besides at a 3 day). No different with bracelets, I would imagine.
Aijerene, I can assure you that your friend had been given misinformation. I can’t tell you how many Webex meetings I have run or attended off my iPad while parked at Waredaca - it’s a lifesaver when the farrier or vet is coming and I have a client meeting.
We get data and cell just fine all over the farm.[/QUOTE]
I will have to ask her who told her that next time I see her. It seemed odd at the time, but I figured Waredaca was just in a weird dead zone or something. One farm I kept my horse at I had trouble with reception despite the fact that it is near highly populated areas. It may have been a volunteer who misheard something and passed some bad information.
Not that it matters to me, because I likely won’t ever get one.
Agree on the online requirement being stupid - I would go bracelet if they would change the rule to say that you could “either” have all the information online database, or your bracelet could have the necessary information on it. Until then, my old armband works pretty well.
I wear the RideSafe bracelet most…when I’m driving the tractor, LOL. It at least has my allergy printed on it if they want to give me antibiotics while dragging me out from the ROPS. Well, and when I am trail riding alone. My phone does have my ICE info in big red letters, but knowing my luck, the leg that it is strapped to would bleed on it and short it out or something.
I agree, Reed – I’ve had mine for probably 2-3 years, although it took 2 years for the online part to even work, randomly got it through a friend as previously mentioned, to support her. I put the stuff in there, b/c I do have medication as well as an allergy, but I seriously doubt it will ever get looked at.
It’s more of a bright blue thing with a red cross on it that says “hey, just don’t give me this stuff that will kill me please” in all caps and BFF’s phone # so she can come pick up/feed the horse(s).
I do hate my armband, they will.not.stay on chicken arms. 
But I would not bother spending the money if I didn’t already have it, I’d just get a MedAlert and be done with it.
I know for a fact that GMHA and Mystic Valley Hunt Club said no bracelets due to lack of service. If you can’t wear them at every event, they are not worth the money and just create more hassle of having to worry whether you’re allowed to wear it at the event you’re at or not. I never understood the whole hatred of the armbands, put it with your watch/gloves/helmet/etc as to not forget it and you strap it on and you’re good to go.
As an update, I wrote the USEA about this matter and in particular about some event organizers not allowing bracelets owing to lack of internet access.
I don’t have absolute clarity yet, but so far I’m hearing from USEA officials that the rule should be followed as written and that lack of internet capability should not affect the allowability of bracelets in lieu of armbands.
The spirit of the rule is to allow EMTs quick access to critical information first and in-depth online info second.
Once I hear the final word on the matter from the organizing committee, I will update everyone.
Generally speaking, unless the rulebook says something about “at the discretion of the organizer”, organizer’s don’t get to choose which rules they are going to follow.
The can “discourage” bracelet, but they cannot ban them.
IMHO, of course.
[QUOTE=Fergs;7639256]
As an update, I wrote the USEA about this matter.[/QUOTE]
It s USEF, not USEA, that is responsible for interpretation and enforcement of the rules.
[QUOTE=Janet;7639274]
It s USEF, not USEA, that is responsible for interpretation and enforcement of the rules.[/QUOTE]
Yep. I’m waiting for the final word from them before it’s official, but so far it seems that the rule as written is sufficient. No need for event organizers to make their own.
[QUOTE=Janet;7639268]
Generally speaking, unless the rulebook says something about “at the discretion of the organizer”, organizer’s don’t get to choose which rules they are going to follow.
The can “discourage” bracelet, but they cannot ban them.
IMHO, of course.[/QUOTE]
That’s why I wrote the USEA about it, because if they can choose not to follow this rule, then what does that say about rules in general?
Well, but, the bracelets that are allowed do not HAVE the immediately necessary info unless you get 2 badges. Right? (not that any EMT is going to look at the darned things anyway–EMTs/medics are much more worried about what’s in front of them than what’s written on a piece of paper/online)
