ResQ review: I wore a tracker in disguise

Diamonds may no longer be a girl’s best friend, with more women looking for ways to keep them safe, especially at night. One such way is wearing a piece of “safety” jewelry with a built-in tracking system.

I got my very first pepper spray when I was 19, after an encounter with a man who, to say the least, wasn’t in his right mind, when he followed me, asking where I live and threatening to “get me next time.”

While I wasn’t attacked, but rather was the victim of someone’s delusional, drug-induced verbal threats, the whole situation still got me scared, making me think that next time I might not be so lucky to escape someone.

While that incident happened 10 years ago, when a lot of our safety depended on whether we were coached on how to act in such situations or the kindness of others to help us out when someone is clearly making us uncomfortable, now there are more advanced ways to protect ourselves with family, friends, and even law enforcement able to figure out our location within seconds.

One of those ways now includes safety jewelry with a built-in panic button or emergency alert that discreetly notifies a wearer’s contact or 911.

While this type of technology emerged around 2018, I discovered it only last year while scrolling through TikTok, which showed me an ad for one of the brands that sells this type of jewelry (kudos to meaningless doomscrolling).

This year, I was lucky enough to travel more than usual, which prompted others to question whether I, as a woman, feel safe going on some of these trips alone. While I’m not easily scared, for safety and research purposes, I landed myself a safety pendant with a built-in panic button from ResQ.

Isn’t Apple AirTag enough to ensure safety?

For years, my friend and I have been raving about going on an extended hiking trip. Finally, this summer, we decided to spend three weeks walking across Lithuania, a 500-kilometer-long road known as Camino Lituano.

While I didn’t have my pendant at the time yet, my friend took an Apple AirTag with her, mostly to ease her husband, who wanted to make sure that he knew where we were in case of an emergency.

AirTag was originally designed to help people keep track of their items, such as wallets, bags, keys, etc., in case they lose them or have them stolen. However, this Apple device soon became infamous for being used in multiple stalking cases.

I soon found out for myself how Apple handled this situation. Every day of our trip, my iPhone would alert me that an unknown AirTag had been detected near me. For safety reasons, the feature also included the possibility of playing a sound to detect the device.

At first, I was pleasantly surprised by this new feature, but after a few days, I got quite annoyed because I couldn’t turn it off completely. So this is how I realized that AirTag isn’t the best choice when it comes to ensuring one’s safety.

I have to add that we also tried Stava’s location sharing, but it also turned out to be a temporary solution, as the link would either expire or just sometimes stop working.

First impression: ResQ design and capabilities

ResQ sells safety necklaces and bracelets made from stainless steel. I received a gold-colored necklace that I decided to test out during my 102-kilometer hike in Latvia, knowing that I’d be walking for a whole 24 hours in places that often don’t have service.

When I opened the box, the necklace came with an extra battery, as the device can’t be charged, but is powered by a battery.

I’ve also learned that the $140 device requires a paid subscription to work. I’ve got a three-year subscription that costs $150, but there are cheaper monthly and yearly options.

I’m a fan of minimalistic jewelry, so at first, I was quite surprised to find the necklace quite big for my liking. However, I soon realized that perhaps I should focus more on the fact that it was created to keep me protected, also taking into account that the device comes with a chip-sort-of-thing that may be hard to insert into a tiny little pendant.

While at first I thought the pendant was too big, I was surprised to find out how lightweight it felt during my hike. I sometimes even forgot that I was wearing it.

The necklace is also water-resistant and tough, so I wasn’t afraid that I would ruin it with all the sweat, rain, or even sand.

How does ResQ safety jewelry work?

Now, on to the main part: figuring out how ResQ jewelry can keep you somewhat safe.

The pendant that comes with the necklace or bracelet includes a “panic button,” which, once pressed, sends a text message to your contacts with a link that shows your location.

While ResQ's support explained that it works anywhere, I was curious to see if the feature works once you’re abroad and what happens when you lose your mobile signal.

There are two types of alerts: the audible and silent alarms. During my testing, I went for a silent alarm, which would then send a text to my contact with my whereabouts.

I could also use the app to activate or deactivate the alarm, which would then stop sharing my location.

What was interesting about the feature was that it would also allow me to send background voice recordings, so my contact could hear what’s going on in my surroundings.

Once I learned how the device works in “correct” conditions, with me being at least 400 kilometers away, I also put the pendant to the test when I noticed that I was walking along the shore with no service.

This is when I learned that in such a case, the necklace doesn’t work as it relies on the connection to use Bluetooth, GPS, and cellular data to send alerts and location information.

When it comes to user data safety, the ResQ representative told me that the company doesn’t store information in shared locations.

While we live in a world where sometimes it seems that staying off the grid is harder than staying online, places without service still exist. So, I wouldn’t rely too much on such devices if you’re a mountaineer or like to spend time in forests and at the seaside.

That said, I kept remembering that TikTok introduced me to the concept of safety jewelry. It showed a girl at the bar who was approached by a man she clearly had no interest in, but he kept harassing her. This is when the safety pendant came to the rescue, with her contact being pinged about something going on.

This made me realize that we should be more suspicious of other human beings in plain sight.

Taking all the help that we need, or ResQ pros and cons

As someone who watches a lot of true crime and knows that you have to stay cautious at all times, I understand that tools like safety necklaces can’t guarantee 100% safety. Nevertheless, having such a device can make you feel safer, at least to some extent.

Considering that it’s a quite new and unknown product in the market, is it something worth investing in?

ResQ safety necklace pros:

• Lightweight and durable;
• Doesn’t store shared data;
• Includes silent and audible alarm;
• Can send alerts to multiple contacts.

ResQ safety necklace cons:

• Requires paid subscription;
• Doesn’t work without a mobile signal;
• The design may not be to everyone’s taste.

While my first impression of the necklace was focused more on how it looked, which, to be honest, wouldn’t make the device my first choice if I were focusing solely on its design, I soon realized that perhaps it’s not why one wears it. Also, let’s remember there's no accounting for taste.

The ResQ jewelry alerts your close ones about your location, whether you’re out and about, coming home from a night shift, or spending time in places with a good signal.

So, while I can’t take it on my outdoor adventures, the pendant won’t be sitting in the drawer, as I’m handing it over to someone who enjoys nightlife, ensuring that their going out is at least a little safer.

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