Pebblebee’s aura watches my back and my possessions

I live in a part of Los Angeles where I feel safer using pepper spray while walking. The problem is that I don’t always remember to bring it with me, and it’s not legal to carry it everywhere I go. Pebblebee Halo is $59.99 The Bluetooth tracker struck me as a convenient alternative because it also doubles as a personal security device with a siren that I can bring anywhere.

A quick pull of the cover activates a host of safety features: a 130-decibel siren will sound, its LEDs will flash, and it will automatically alert up to five trusted contacts via text messages (Pebblebee’s Live alert service Share your location for 24 hours, or as a one-time location snapshot). Alert Live comes free for the first year, and after that it costs $24.99 per year. If you choose not to renew, the only features you’ll lose are real-time location sharing and the ability to alert more than one emergency contact at a time.

The Halo supports both Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find Hub, just like… Pebblebee Basic Clip #5one of Our favorite Bluetooth trackers. Tracking performance is very good, though neither offers the precise tracking you’ll get with Apple’s AirTags and other trackers that have an ultra-wide chip. The difference may not matter to you, or it may matter a lot.

Connecting the Halo to the Pebblebee app took seconds, though it wasn’t as quick to pair with Apple’s Find My network as the company claimed; Pebblebee says pressing five buttons should start the process, but it took a few more tries for me. Once I got it up and running, it was easy to incorporate the aura into my life. It’s larger than other Bluetooth trackers, but it stays out of the way while clipped to my bag.

I used the halo in a moment of panic during a recent evening walk when I heard some rustling behind me. Its light revealed a very confused and very cool raccoon in the bush, so I stopped being shy about sounding my loud halo siren. Fortunately, a false alarm this time, but I still appreciate how easy it is to feel safe in this moment.

I’d be happy to get the Halo instead of Pebblebee’s Clip 5 or another Bluetooth tracker in a scarier scenario. Its bright light and siren can deter any would-be attacker without the possibility of causing damage with pepper spray (or turning against me). The Clip 5 requires six presses of its button to trigger the siren, while the Halo simply grabs and disengages. It also makes Halo easy to recommend to less tech-savvy users, or those who have dexterity issues.

There’s also a silent alarm option, which I appreciate. A loud siren and flashing flash may be helpful in some situations, but quietly notifying trusted contacts and sharing your location without drawing attention may be safer in others.

At $59.99, the Halo costs twice as much as Bluetooth trackers like the Clip 5 or AirTag and even some personal safety devices like It’s Birdie 3.0. But it has a great design, is easy to use, and offers more features than most of its competitors.

I’ll still stick with the AirTag as my primary tracker for things like travel and tracking luggage at the airport. I’ll also probably keep the Halo strapped to my bag because it can do more, including make me feel safe during everyday activities around town. Having two Bluetooth trackers on my person is overkill, but I’d rather use it that way than resort to pepper spray—assuming I don’t forget it at home.