Stuff We Like: Xtreme Sports ID

I’m sure you’ve heard the good advice about always having your emergency contact info on you when you’re playing in the great outdoors. Like if you’re on a mountain bike ride, you just put your name and emergency contact number on a little card inside your saddle bag so that in case you have an accident the folks who come to your aid know how to help you and who to contact in an emergency.

Well, what do you do when you’re skateboarding? You could put the info in your wallet, if you’re carrying one. How about when you’re surfing? Or kayaking? You wouldn’t be carrying a wallet then, right? Well, this may be the answer.

Xtreme Sports ID ($8, xtremesportsid.com) is a rubber bracelet like those yellow Live Strong Lance Armstrong bracelets so many people wear. They come in all sorts of colors and patterns and each has its own unique registration number etched on the side. If you get injured, a first responder can simply call the toll-free number (which is also etched on the bracelet) and enter your registration number into the automated system to get access to your name, emergency contact info, any allergies, and other important info for getting you medical help quickly. You can manage your own Xtreme Sports ID info online and send out “Where Am I” emails to up to 3 contacts, telling your parents or friends where you are and when you expect to return. So it’d be something like this: “Mountain biking at Red Rock Trail. Back by 6 pm.”

Bracelets are $8 bucks and include one free year of service. Then it’s $5 per year after that to keep your registration up to date and active. That’s pretty cheap insurance if you ask me, but remember: it only works if you wear it.