Review: iSafe bags
by Lynn
If you read this blog, you know that our focus is almost 100% on green and eco-issues, but we do make exceptions and our review of the iSafe bag line is one of them. Why?
We believe whole-heartedly in supporting eco-friendly choices and companies. But as we like to say, you have to start somewhere and when someone comes up with an idea we think can help families, we are willing to start where they are and strongly encourage them to move in a more earth-friendly direction.
So when we were asked to test out the iSafe bag, even though it has absolutely nothing to do with environmental issues, we thought it was worth sharing our opinion. We were offered a bag in exchange to review so we could try it out ourselves.
Years ago I worked at a hospital. Occasionally I didn’t leave until dark and had to cross a huge, empty parking lot. I’d ask one of the security guards to escort me, but they weren’t supposed to leave the hospital proper. One told me, “I’ll stand here at the doorway. Get ready to scream if anyone approaches and I’ll come running.”
Since I’ve always assumed that if anyone approached me in a menacing way, I’d have a heart attack and die on the spot, his offer was not reassuring.
The idea of iSafe bags is that you don’t need to scream. Instead, you tug on a cord in the strap that pulls a pin from the built-in alarm and an ear-piercing (it is–I tested it) siren shrieks and a strobe light flashes until the pin is reinserted. (The siren can screech for up to two hours. But hopefully long before that the police will easily track down your would-be attacker–he’ll be the guy with fingers stuck in his ears.)
I tested the iSafe Sling backpack which has one shoulder strap and can be worn across the chest. ISafe offers a number of styles for school age children as well as laptop backpacks and a messenger bag.
The bag I received is exceedingly well made. The fabric is similar to something that might be used for luggage, a heavyweight ripstop nylon. The company offers 50% off the cost of a new pack if yours becomes unsightly, but the slingback fabric appears likely to give the average person many years of wear. The bags are water resistant (you can bet Seattleites require this feature), and the alarm adds only 1/2 pound to their weight.
It was simple to install the batteries and the alarm cord is well placed in the strap and takes no strength to pull it (again, I tested this). So, if I were about to be assaulted and I did have a heart attack while wearing the pack, I could probably yank the cord in my last moment of consciousness before crashing to the pavement!
Seriously, for kids who might be facing bullies or traveling anywhere they could become separated from their parents or for anyone who must be in a less-than-safe situation (college kids crossing the campus at night?), it appears these bags will do the trick in calling attention to the situation.
I think $60 is reasonable for a bag of this quality with an alarm system.
Now, for the bad news. Unfortunately, there is nothing about this bag that is eco-friendly with the possible exception of their taking the bags back when they wear out. (But I don’t know what they do with the bags. They will reinsert the alarm in the new bag you choose.) I won’t go over all the points where they might improve, let’s just say that everything from the fabric, to packaging, to instruction pamphlets could use an eco-makeover.
You never know. Maybe this review will start the company thinking in a more sustainable direction. And if you’re reading this and you care about the Earth, it wouldn’t hurt if you let iSafe know how much more likely it would be that you’d purchase a bag if only it were environmentally friendly.
Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.
