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When you have multiple things to keep track of while out on the go, it’s easy to forget things. It’s really a surprise that we get back home with as many of our belongings as we currently do! You are trying to keep track of your backpack, their coat, the YakTrax, the nature journals, etc.
What if you could locate them with the press of a button? Let’s chat about Tiles!
What is a Tile?
A Tile is a Bluetooth device that connects to an app on your phone. When you are in range, it will show up on your phone and you can “ring” the device. You can name and set custom ringtones for different items you’ve attached to a Tile. This means you can tile everything!
What is “everything”?
I’m serious, anything with a loop you can attach a Tile to it. Water bottles, jackets, backpacks, shoes, hats, hiking sticks, keys, wallets, the dog, the kid.. everything!
Take time to identify what disappears the most and start there. For us, it was the water bottles. Every time we left the house, went hiking, headed to bed, etc. the water bottles were nowhere to be found! Time to attach some Tiles.
We got each kid a different color (black or white) and allowed them to pick their own “tune” for their Tile.
Tile Mate or Tile Pro?
- 200 foot range
- Water-resistant
- Replaceable battery
- White only
- $25 (1), $48 (2), $65 (4)
- 400 foot range
- Water-resistant
- Replaceable battery
- Black and white
- Loudest ring
- $35 (1), $60 (2), $99 (4)
Additional Features
If it is out of range, there is an anonymous “network” you can ping! This means that if anyone else has the Tile app and walks near your lost item, then you get a message! The other person never knows unless you use the app to “Thank” them. This has found my lost wallet before when I left it at a gas station!
There is also a “last known location” for when it is out of range. That is how we realized Pip’s missing water bottle had gone downstream until the “water resistance” gave up and we’re guessing it sunk.
You can get “covers” for the Tiles like this one. It helps protect the Tile and it can help you keep them apart with the limited color options.
And my favorite – When you double click the Tile logo, it will ring your connected phone! Because heaven knows, I’m always losing mine! Remind me to tell you about the time I lost it… at the bottom of a river. Oy!
Bonus Tip: Zip Ties!
We tried a few attachment methods and learned a few lessons along the way. Don’t make the same *coughcoughEXPENSIVEcoughcough* mistakes as us!
Our first try was a small carabiner – but curious fingers kept taking it off. this could be a great option if little kids aren’t a problem for you! Thicker ones will need a keyring too.
Speaking of keyrings, we tried a few included the swing door kind and the traditional “twist” style. The swing door style pop open way too easily. The traditional style works fantastic on items you don’t want to remove the Tile from regularly. For example, wallets, backpacks, hiking poles, etc. But they are a beast to take on and off, so don’t put it on items that need to be washed!
For water bottles, which we wash often, we tried a threaded quick link. But we discovered that the swinging causes it to open up and drop your Tile – ouch, what an expensive lesson!
In the end, our favorite method is the good old zip tie was the best bet! You can snip it off when it’s time to wash the bottle, jacket, or backpack and re-attach them to the clean ones. They are extremely cheap to purchase and take up very little storage space.
Let us know if you use Tile and what items you used to track your things!
❤ Tara
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