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Medical ID bracelets are an old brand of jewelry. For years bracelets existed for seniors or someone with a condition, to assist first responders when they arrive on the scene of an emergency and find the victim unconscious. In recent years we’ve seen a push for ID bracelets designed for athletes – specifically designed for those people whose activity or training program often takes them hours and miles away from home. Now there is a new ID bracelet that not only provides your invaluable medical information for first responders, but also allows you to travel cash-free. Nathan Performance Gear and VITAband have teamed up in a long-term partnership to bring the Nathan VITAband to the masses. The Nathan VITAband is the first ID bracelet that combines the information needed by first responders and a debit card all electronically on your wrist.
The Nathan VITAband links you to an online emergency response profile (ERP) via a unique personal identification number (PIN) printed on each band. Once your ERP is set up by you online, a first responder can use the unique PIN to access all of your vital medical information needed when dealing with a medical emergency. Your ERP is accessible 24 hours a day, everyday of the year and provides any information you feel is pertinent if you become involved in a medical emergency. From as simple as your name and contact information to as detailed as your allergies and medical conditions – you can build your ERP with as little or as much as you think is important.
Along with providing the ERP information for first responders in an emergency, the Nathan VITAband also gives you the freedom to travel cash-free. This optional, contactless payment feature allows you to sign up for a debit account and receive a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip in the mail. This chip fits securely into the Nathan VITAband and acts like a Visa payWave or MasterCard PayPass debit card. Payments are easily made with retailers with the ability to accept contactless or “Tap and Go” payments; simply wave the band with the RFID debit chip over the terminal, enter your PIN (if needed, depending on the dollar amount), and the payment is processed. Since this feature is pre-paid, you can load as much or as little money as you think you need – all managed online by you. If you lose your wristband, your monetary loss is limited to the amount loaded onto the chip.
“Every athlete stashes cash or a card somewhere for that well-deserved drink, snack, or let’s get real – beer – after a long run or ride,” Bridgit Lombard, EVP of sales and strategy for Nathan. “This is the easiest, most secure way to stay safe and have money when you need it.
It should be noted that not every retailer has a contactless payment system or even a way to accept a credit card. For example if your bike ride takes you miles from an urban area, you will probably find retailers that only take cash – no checks and no cards. It is best to still carry a spare $20 bill along with the Nathan VITAband just incase your route takes you by one of these retailers and you need to stop.
As part of the long-term partnership with the developers of VITAband, Nathan will become the exclusive running and fitness accessory distributor of the identification and contactless payment system. The Nathan VITAband will hit retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods, The Sports Authority, REI, City Sports and independent specialty retailers starting Oct. 21.
Nathan VITAband will retail for $20 and will come in two sizes with five color options. A one-year subscription will cost $19.95, and a two-year subscription will cost $34.95. In early 2012, Nathan VITAband will be offered in kid-friendly sizes. Mediacal ID bracelets are a product that you will hopefully never have to use, but in the case of the Nathan VITAband, you never know when having cash on your wrist will become a lifesaver when you are bonking.