That saidGood God Fi. I originally bought a Findster Duo + which had a huge selling point: it was non-subscription based. Ive been waiting for Black Friday to try one of these but your very candid review is making me have second thoughts. Thats hard to say for a dog and differs pretty wildly across breeds and individuals. At first, I laughed at the step-count feature, but now it's one of my favorites. We bought and began testing Fis Series1 collar in November 2020 just before Fi released a Series 2 collar. Input 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Fi Series 2 is built on our original value: empowering parents to give their dogs their best lives. TLDR: The Series 2 does what it HAS to do which is drop a pin where your dog is if he runs off or gets stolen. Like most dog trackers, the initial outlay of money$149isn't all there is to it, as you need a GPS Plan for location tracking and data storage. What is a Fi Collar? In their view, battery life was a major pain point for similar devices, and it would offer a meaningful improvement over existing items on the market. Why Does My Fi Base Always Need to Remain Online? When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. This facilitates more accurate and quicker location tracking. Most of the time, the Fi gathers location information via Bluetooth from the included base unit or from a connected mobile device, rather than constantly searching for GPS points, which rapidly consumes the battery charge. We LOVED the series 2 and when we had a problem customer service got right back to us and helped troubleshoot the issue. Your subscription has been confirmed. Fi was released in spring 2019, and the company continues to upgrade both its hardware and software. The series 3 has be an extreme disappointment. It features an armored aluminum faceplate and reinforced internal metal, so it should hold up to scuffles and even bites. SAD. Each Fi Collar has a one-year warranty, and a two-week trial period for full returns. Things we like: The battery life is impressive. To view the location on a map, just tap the Live card. Having purchased the Series 1 collar, and with our review of its major competitors already in print, we asked Fi if theyd send us a Series 2 for review. The Fi Smart Dog Collar almost seems like an example of over data-fication of fixing, or more accurately adding on to, whats not broken. Expect the battery to last two days with GPS. Thus, we werent able to get our hands on a Series 2 in time for this review. Sounds AWESOME, right? The collar is tough enough to survive dogs like mine who routinely bend their metal tags. That was the real reason I was personally interested in a smart collar. When in Lost Pet Setting, the collar's battery life is limited to just 2 days as it's sounding updates frequently. My one small gripe about the profile-creation process is that the app doesn't differentiate between birthday and adoption date, though it says to input the latter if you don't know the former. Fi is probably the best-known pet tech right now on the market. And while it still requires a subscription for GPS/LTE functionality, it costs $20 less than the original upfront. LTE-M signal reaches about 30% farther than 3G/4G/5G/LTE networks." Im keeping it for lost dog purpose since I run a dog adventure hiking business and I can put it on my new dogs when they start with me. The tracker is connected to an app on your phone, which lets you know your dog's location even from far away. It's the first dog collar to use the LTE-M cellular network, which reaches 30% farther than 3G/4G/5G/LTE. Appreciate! Nevertheless, very energetic pet dogs that take place regular walks or journeys outside the residence might need their collar billed every three weeks to 2 months. In reality, according to his vet, he was around 1.5 years old when I adopted him, which makes him about 3.5 years old now. When successfully activated, you'll see a check mark in the app. The base is constantly offline. Our walks, hikes and outings arent being tracked. Since then, the tracker has been draining about 5% per day, which would give us around 20 days of juice. This represents a significant improvement in response times compared with the original, which took at least 3.5 minutes in testing. In the beginning glance, the Fi collar looks much like any various other dog collar. We are constantly exposed to wifi stuff and it makes us unhealthy (you can research out there but dont use google because they will censor the info about the health effects on people). I looked in the app; it had her at her doggy daycare from the previous day. But my renewal would be just the $99. The app shows that Bradley ranks among the top 41% among American Pit Bull Terriers and the top 42% of all dogs in Florida. Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox. Im sure my escapee will put it to the test someone relatively soon lol @Gabriel. It does a good job of letting you know you need to start searching at all. It isn't perfect with some of the other stuff it says it does but in my opinion it's not a deal-breaker. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. I still can't believe they did that because that 100% eliminated any chance of tracking him if he ran off before you "started-a-walk" or if he ran off without you knowing (jumping a backyard fence). Then an hour later I get a notification she is out without an owner?! Their $149 Fi Smart Dog Collar (plus the $100/year GPS+LTE plan) still does the regular analog collar things, but it also connects to the internet to make your dogs life a little safer, smarter, and healthier. That brings the total two-year cost to $335, compared with $266.75 for the Whistle 3. I understand my situation is very niche and not many will agree with me but the Fi Series 2 does what I NEED it to. If your dog is wandering alone, the Fi connects to the LTE-M network. It's starting to pick and choose when it wants to actually charge. According to Fi, a collar that is always connected to its home base will last roughly three months before a charge, better than other smart collars. However, as they collect more data, the system improves. Activity tracking on the Fi is basic step counts. Upgraded to series 2 and have had nothing but headaches. I am pretty disappointed that with all the wifi stuff out there like phones and 5g that we continued to think it is healthy to share that with our pets. You can also add multiple pets each gets a profile, and you can invite other "owners" via Fi's app (iOS/Android). As I write this, I am visualizing strength and a return to health for Buster, a dog who just turned three years old, and Belvoir Media Group, LLC. While you may not be able to clarify to your pup why you require to leave everyday, there is a simple method for you to keep tabs on things while you're gone. Fi says you need to recharge it every three months if the dog is always home, every two months if you go on walks, and every three weeks if your dog is quite active. BUT. Create your pet's profile, select its breed (pure or mixed), weight, and age, and set a daily step goal. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Sensors in the collar track your dogs step count as well as their sleep habits and time. Select your network, then enter password 7. When dogs wander, it can create a lot of anxiety for their owners. When the collar is close enough to pair with that base, the system knows our pup is at home. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The smart collar also tracks sleep, something I think is even a little less useful. Enable Location Services: Why Does Fi Ask Me To Keep My Phone Location "Always On" vs. "When Using the App"? Fi does not. On the other hand, tracking devices have very different constraints. All rights reserved. This allows for use cases where a receiver can go to sleep for a period of time, and come back alive on the network (and only then use its battery) when it needs to. In the Live tab, you'll see a card at the top showing your dog's current location, along with the tracker's battery level. How to Stop a Dog From Running Out the Door, Why Does My Dog Have So Much Energy? When a GPS receiver tries to acquire a GPS location, it powers its GPS antenna and waits for signals from the satellites to come through (these move at the speed of light so come through pretty fast!). The power consumption of this operation depends entirely on the amount of time that the antenna needs to stay on in order to collect enough data to be confident that its location is accurate. Dont get me wrong: Dogs have been living fine for eons without ever even thinking about their step count. Use the collar without a subscription and it's functional when you're with the dog or when the dog is home, but not when your dog is lost or you're separated. See: How Can I Test Fi Base Coverage? 1. I got this collar so I'd always know where my dogs are. But Ive heard, Im this thread and others, that they will not refund the plan any point after the trial. All Rights Reserved. The Series 2 can now withstand 300 lbs of pull force and directly connects to any Wifi Network - which saves energy and extends battery life. It hasn't been perfect, of course. Click it and the collar starts connecting to the LTE-M towers every minute so you're getting much quicker updates. Discussion concerning use of Fi GPS- enabled dog activity and location tracking collar and app, Press J to jump to the feed. It definitely helped, but it also appeared to draw a significant amount of my phones battery. In the Activity/Sleep tab, it shows your dog's progress toward its daily activity goal at the top, including its current step count and distance traveled that day. The advantage, says a Fi representative, is that when the tracker is connected to a base unit or associated mobile device, it doesnt need to access GPS location data via the tracker, which improves overall battery performance. The latest version also supports Wi-Fi (with the ability to connect to up to six networks at a time), so it can track your dog when it's indoors but out of Bluetooth range, making it a better option for large homes and for those who send their pups to daycare facilities. The goal of the Safe Zone is for Fi to notify you as soon as your dog exits the area without you. I've seen that goal is easy for them in the summer. Here we dive into the logic behind these location reports, as well as how the collar is able to achieve its incredible battery life. The Series 2 collar has a new GPS antenna, which Fi says offers a 400% improvement in signal sensitivity, for better location tracking in remote areas. These satellites regularly beam their locations down to earth, where GPS receivers (such as the Fi Collar!) The Fi collar has phenomenal battery life, so before you dread having to keep in mind to charge it every evening we believed we would discuss it. It uses the LTE-M network to provide 24/7 GPS location tracking. Also loaded into the Fi Smart Dog Collar are a couple of what Ill call bonus features. Here, you can scroll through a feed of dog photos uploaded by other Fi users, like and comment on your favorites, and add your own. This company is a scam, Im not surprised about the taking of money and not following through with orders. Once they did that I started shopping around and found the Fi Series 2 Collar. Nowadays, though, advanced GPS tracking collars offer pet owners reassurance and help ensure the safety of their pets. The ability to monitor their step count to ensure they get sufficient exercise every day is a big bonus, and it gets me out the door too. "Sleep is incredibly important for dogs and an early indicator of issues, such as if your dog is getting up throughout the night to drink more, Fi veterinary consultant Dr. Jeff Werber said in a statement. The Fi Smart Dog Collar is a GPS-enabled, Wi-Fi, and cellular-connected lost dog tracker, pedometer, sleep tracker, and more. Please note: The position accuracy of this location report depends on a couple of factors, including the number of satellites that the receiver can see and grab a signal from. To add your own, tap the camera icon in the top right corner, select a photo from your library or snap a new one, add a filter and caption, and press Share. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. I have 3 dogs with Fi collars and I'm very happy with the tracking. To use the collar, download the Fi app, create a profile for your dog, and designate his or her safe zones. Unique to Fi is the use of a small base unit that doubles as a charger and connects to the tracker using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. and will often rebound on hard surfaces, meaning indoor positionings are much more difficult to report. The collar costs $149 and tracks steps, sleep, and location. I cannot find a series 1 replacement anywhere, Im definitely canceling my subscription. Input may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article. I do see that tracking walks isn't perfect, sometimes it'll start late or just cut a straight line on the map if it missed an update. It even activates an LED flashing light on the dog collar itself. Emerging Variants of Coronavirus May Affect Pets More Severely, Gabapentin For Dogs: What You Should Know, https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-colman/, Read this if you and your dog visit wetlands. The $14/m plan was the three year plan. And connect to an owner's phone?? You can pinch-zoom in or out to increase or decrease a zone's area. Youve successfully signed in. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. Im just hoping the collar I have keeps breathing another 6 months, otherwise that cell plan is wasted money. Fi Smart Dog Collar Series 2 Review - Dog Endorsed For instance - if the receiver was on for 45 seconds and does not have enough data yet to send an accurate reportwould an extra 25 seconds make enough of a difference?Weve optimized the Fi Collar for these exact operations - Fi uses GPS (US satellites) as well as GALILEO (EU satellites) and GLONASS (Russian satellites) to try to infer its own location as fast as possible and help your find your pup. Under those circumstances, we'd expect similar if not better results from the Series 2. Fi Collar Series 1 Smart Dog Collar Review 2023. The signals of the LTE-M network reach about 30% farther than 3G, 4G, 5G, and LTE networks. Broudy's passion for telling great stories grew from climbing six thousand meter Andean peaks, mountain biking the world, skiing Norwegian fjords and exploring the woods behind her home in Vermont with her rescue dogs. Does He Have. Next, the app asks for permission to use your phone's location data, and has you create a Safe Zone(Opens in a new window) where your dog is allowed to roam freely. Its also designed with an armored aluminum face plate and reinforced internal metal armor to help protect against gnashing teeth during bitey-face play. The $129 Fi Series 2 features the same streamlined design that helped earn its predecessor our Editors' Choice award, along with better performance thanks to improved GPS and LTE antennas for more precise location tracking and faster escape detection, as well as Wi-Fi support to help extend battery life. So if battery life is one of you biggest concerns when it comes to tracking your pet, the Fi joins the Whistle 3 to share our Editors' Choice. As mentioned, the Fi base helps extend the collar's battery life, but it needs to be plugged in all the time. Although the unit continued to function perfectly, the company still offered to replace it. The humble dog collar is a staple of pooches everywhere and is about as simple as it gets in terms of the accessories it takes to keep a living breathing creature, like a dog, alive. The Fi Smart Collar comes in four sizes (S, M, L, and XL); the smallest Fi fits a neck circumference as small as 111/2 inches (and is not recommended for tiny breeds). But the app alerts you as soon as they wander back into range. The Fi app also offers fun community features such as photo sharing with other Fi users, as well as activity rankings including overall, by breed, and within your state and city. Thats how the Fi Collar achieves its incredible battery life. I never cared for the ability to track our walks to the exact inch or cared about how many steps he's taking. For nighttime walks, owners activate a light for added visibility; you choose the light color (red, green, or blue). It's a bummer, but I'm not paying for a year's worth of subpar GPS service when all I want is to see steps. Like its predecessor, the Series 2 can last up to three months on a charge, but that's only if your dog stays at home all the time, or with you on walks when you have your phone, and never gets lost. The Fi Smart Dog Collar has a nicer, more streamlined design than much of the competition, with a slightly high $149 price to match. The company claims one charge can keep Fi going for up to three months. You can set up multiple dog profiles, but that assumes you have multiple Fi Collars; you can't switch one Fi Collar easily from one pet to another. How Do I Set Up My Fi Collar? - Fi Help Center Introducing Fi, the world's first LTE smart dog collar. The downside to this system for folks like us who spend a lot of time in the mountains is that it relies on a cellular network that may not always be around. Everyone's orders keep getting bounced due to supply chain issues, yet, everyone has been charged. That said, once you know your dog is on the loose, the Fi's Lost mode activates with a red button right on the map. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. It comes in four colors and sizes. Also, you can keep a check on your dog when you're away. Then Bluetooth connects the collar to your smartphone and you connect the base to your Wi-Fi. At the end of the day, despite all the fancy technology packed inside it, the Fi Smart Dog Collar still does all the basic things you expect from a collar. We loved the series 1. For some reason you packaged the price of the collar into the subscription price which means yes, it's a cheaper initial payment for the first year but after that it's DOUBLE the price of the Series 2 and you have to pay that every year or else it becomes a paperweight! The big deal breaker was when they decided to update their app and make it to where you had to "start-a-walk" in order to turn on tracking instead of the old "always-on-tracking" it had previously.