Revolar is a multi-functional device that provides fitness tracking and safety for active individuals. Find out everything you need to know about Revolar today in our review.
What Is Revolar?
Revolar is a small tracking device that clips onto your clothing. The device uses GPS to track your location. You can send location data to family or friends to let them know you’re safe, scared, or in an emergency.
Other key features on Revolar include check-ins, step tracking, “Ring Me”, and more. The company was designed with the goal of helping everybody feel safe:
“You deserve to feel safe when you’re going out for a walk, a run, or a night on the town. That’s why we created Revolar.”
There are two versions of Revolar: the Revolar Original, and the new Revolar Instinct (which will start shipping in May 2017 after a successful Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.
During that latest crowdfunding campaign, the company raised over $125,000 – blasting past its $50,000 goal. Revolar was founded in 2013.
In 2015, the two founders graduated from Boulder, Colorado’s Techstars 2015 program, then received $3 million in funding.
Revolar Products
Revolar now offers two products: the Revolar Original and the Revolar Instinct.
Revolar Original
The company is best-known for its Revolar Original. It’s a small, keychain-based tracking system that’s water-resistant, rings your phone, sends custom messages, and allows you to check in.
You can also send yellow alerts (if you’re scared) or red alerts (if you’re in immediate danger).
The main difference between the Revolar Original and the Revolar Instinct is that there’s no Find My Revolar feature, nor does it have step tracking.
Revolar Original is priced at $59.99 USD. You can use it for one year on a single battery. Then, once the battery runs out, it’s easy to replace.
Revolar Instinct
The Revolar Instinct is the new and improved version of Revolar. The device debuted on Kickstarter earlier this year. It’s slightly smaller than the original and comes with more features – like step tracking, tactile feedback, and a “Find My Revolar” feature.
How To Use Revolar
Whatever version of Revolar you have, there are some common features.
You start by pressing a button. Revolar lets your loved ones know where you are and if you need help through customizable messages. Each customizable message includes your live location.
You can click once for a check-in when you’re home safe, twice for a yellow alert if you’re uneasy, and then click three times for a red alert if you’re in an emergency situation.
You can select up to 5 trusted contacts using the free Revolar app. Alerts are sent through your phone to your contacts. For yellow and red alerts, contacts receive notifications by text message and email.
Revolar connects to your smartphone using Bluetooth. Other key features include:
- Step Tracking (Only on Revolar Instinct): You can keep track of your step count, get motivated to move more, and stay safe at the same time.
- Tactile Feedback: You can know when your alerts are sent and opened through silent vibrations from your Instinct.
- Dating Safety: Instinct has a feature that lets you discreetly make your phone ring to get away from uncomfortable dates, meetings, and other situations.
- Custom Messaging: Personalize your check-in and alert messages for daily use. You can change your message to say you’re on a date, going out for a run, or traveling to your hotel in a foreign city, for example.
- Find My Revolar (Only on Revolar Instinct): This feature makes your Instinct beep so it’s easier to find.
- No Monthly Fees: Revolar is free to use on a monthly basis, although messaging and data rates may apply (through your phone carrier).
Who Uses Revolar?
Revolar is primarily marketed as a fitness tracking, personal safety device for young women. However, the makers of Revolar claim it can be used in all sorts of different situations, including:
- Out running
- On campus
- Living alone
- Living with a condition
- Walking at night
- Commuting places
- At parties
- Walking the dog
- Traveling abroad
- Staying independent and safe
The makers of Revolar put a big emphasis on instinct: when you feel something is “off”, it usually means something is off. You need to trust that instinct to stay safe. Here’s what they had to say about the power of instinct:
“While designing our safety devices, we spent hundreds of hours talking with assault survivors who said time and again of their experiences, “I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t call 911 based on a bad feeling.”
Revolar Pricing
Here’s how pricing breaks down for the two Revolar items available today:
- Revolar Original: $59.99
- Revolar Instinct: $79.99
You can purchase the Instinct for as little as $59 from Kickstarter today. The final retail MSRP will be $80. Your Kickstarter purchase comes with free shipping to the United States and Canada and a $5 flat fee for international shipping.
All purchases come with a case and battery.
Customers also get a 45 day money back guarantee and a 1 year limited warranty.
The first 10,000 Revolar Instinct units are shipping in May 2017.
There are no ongoing monthly fees for using Revolar. That’s different from other personal safety devices – which can cost between $10 and $15 per month to use.
The reason Revolar doesn’t have monthly fees is because it uses data from your cell phone (including GPS and messaging).
You also don’t have access to a 24/7 call center – you’re just messaging trusted friends and family, who can then choose whether or not to alert emergency services.
About Revolar
Revolar was founded by CEO Jacqueline Ros and CPO Andrea Perdomo in 2013. They created the company with the goal of building “empowering technology that helps people keep themselves and their loved ones safe”.
By 2015, they had raised over $80,000 on Kickstarter and graduated from Techstars 2015 in Boulder. They also received $3 million in funding from Foundry Group. Later, they took part in Techstars Retail 2016 in Minneapolis.
You can contact the company by email contact form.
Revolar Summary
Revolar is an innovative personal safety device used by thousands of people on a daily basis. Some people buy it for themselves, while others buy it for a loved one – like a daughter going away to college alone.
With Revolar, you can alert friends and family of a potentially problematic situation. You can’t call 911 because you have a “bad feeling”. Revolar lets you tap once for safety, tap twice for uneasiness, and tap three times for an emergency.
Alerts are sent to friends and family, who can then send emergency services to your location. Friends and family know your location because Revolar sends location data with every message.
Whether you’re buying it for yourself or a loved one, you can get peace of mind with Revolar. It’s available today for between $60 and $80 online.