Military couples who go months or years without seeing one another face to face. Couples with demanding careers that pull them across the Atlantic or the country several times a month. And so many others who face the struggle of a relationship that must battle the miles.
Twosomes always require compromise and work, but long-distance relationships are that much more difficult and demanding, since you don’t always have the option of physical touch to bring you together.
Bond Touch gives couples the ability to feel physically connected from almost any corner of the globe, thanks to the wonders of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and smartphones. This modern answer to an age-old relationship problem uses technology and innovation to — you guessed it — touch your partner from afar.
What is Bond Touch?
Each set comes with two bracelets. When you tap your bracelet, your partner will feel a vibration and see an LED glow – a signal that he or she is on your mind.
Founder Christoph Dressel and his team started working on this idea and project in 2013, but didn’t officially establish the company until 2017. He was looking for a meaningful and different way to let his partner know he was thinking of her on Valentine’s Day. What if there were a way to actually reach out to her – digitally?
“Bond Touch is a perfect gift for people in long-distance relationships, away at school, travel for business, deployed — really anyone for whom being apart is hard, whether it’s for hours, days or months,” Dressel says.
How does it work?
Once you receive your Bond Touch package — for $98, plus tax and shipping — you and your partner will give your bracelets a solid charge. Then, you install the free Bond Touch app, available for iOS and Google Play, and set up your profiles. You can see an image on your phone, add where you are in the world at the moment, and other facts. Then, basically, you’re done!
As long as the app is open in the background, you’ll stay synced to your partner. When you gently tap the button at the top, your partner’s wrist will feel a slight sensation and the bracelet will emit a brief glow. Then your partner can return the favor, or perhaps send you a sweet text or give you a quick ring. If you’re particular about style, you can purchase the bracelets in other color sets, as well as brown or black faux-leather, ranging in price.
What are customers saying?
While some naysayers aren’t sold on the concept of a vibrating bracelet, when picking up a smartphone may feel more natural, other couples are fans of the concept. In fact, when Bond Touch launched its presale campaign for Valentine’s Day in 2017, the company hit its margin in only two weeks. In early 2018, it had a bittersweet win, when it went viral and sold out of bracelets in less than a week. Bond Touch wasn’t able to restock in time for Valentine’s Day, but thousands of people joined the waitlist. This year, the company is on track for similar success, Dressel says.
What do couples think? Positive vibes (get it?) — if you consider the 4.3- out of 5-star rating on the iTunes store. One user said, “The battery lasts us the entire day … and we charge them when we sleep so they never die. … They have made my relationship with my partner 10x better because we feel closer.”
If you’re considering getting one, it’s worth looking into the different types of band, since some reviewers weren’t fans of the style, or complained that the bracelets irritated their wrists after they’d worn them for a while. And if urgency is of the essence for you, keep in mind your “touch” might not be instantaneous, according to some reviewers. For the touch to work, your phone is essential. “You have to be near your phone to send and receive touches which can get annoying when you or your partner are not close to their phone at the moment,” one reviewer said.
Bottom line? If you’re looking for a sweet way to enrich your long-distance love affair, this could be worth the investment. Even if nothing replaces the touch of the person you adore, this comes closer than a phone call.