AD What sort of parent are you? Are you a helicopter parent who is constantly watching your children or do you take a more relaxed approach and let them roam free? I guess like many mums I am somewhere in between. Of course I want my children to be safe at all times, but with three children who like to run off in different directions I can’t watch them constantly. In a busy place or somewhere with poor visibility my children can vanish in seconds. While I know my older children have the sense and communication skills to get back to me if they get lost, my youngest is more of a worry. Due to his speech delay if he needed to ask for help there is no guarantee he would be understood so for a while I have been thinking about getting a GPS tracker which would provide reassurance in situations where I might lose sight of him.

Review of the PAJ GPS Easy Finder 4G

Which PAJ GPS Device To Buy

PAJ GPS have a range of GPS tracking devices and I was offered the chance to review one. Two of their trackers in particular are currently suitable for use with children: Easy Finder 4G and Allround Finder. The key differences between the two are: the Allround Finder is slightly bigger and has a better battery life, but it only works with 2G where as the Easy Finder 4G works on the 4G network. I decide to try the Easy Finder 4G. If you are looking for a tracker device for vehicles or machinery then check out this review.

Inside the Easy Finder 4G box you get: the device (with a SIM card installed), a case for the device with a belt loop and loop for the enclosed lanyard, a charging cable, a plug (although ours was sent from Germany and was for European sockets, however the charging cable can plug into any USB charger) and an instruction booklet.

What you get in the box

Getting The PAJ GPS Easy Finder 4G Ready To Use

From the box the device needs charging and the instructions recommends leaving it for 8 to 12 hours for the initial charge, but it shows as fully charged before then. You also need to set up an account and activate the device. You can do this via the Finder Portal website or via the PAJ Portal app, I recommend you download the app because this will allow you to track the device when you are out and about. To use the tracker you need to pay a monthly subscription. The cost of this varies depending on how long you subscribe for. It might be worth paying for a month's subscription first to see how often you will use it and then changing to one of the longer plans if it will suit you better.

Pressing the SOS button which sends an alert to the app or an email address

Using The PAJ GPS Easy Finder 4G

This isn’t a tiny tracker that you can sneak into your child’s pocket and not be noticed. At 93g and roughly the size of a toy car you will need your child’s compliance to wear it, but my son loves the idea of it so that’s not a problem. 

Wearing it on a belt is probably the easiest option for your children or zipped into a jacket pocket. We put the lanyard around my son's neck and one shoulder, but it’s quite long on younger children so you might want to get a shorter lanyard with a quick release grip for safety.

Most children will like the idea that while wearing the tracker they can quickly be found if they get lost and that there is a SOS button which they can press to call for help if they need it.

The app provides lots of useful information which if you do lose sight of your child will help you find them again. It includes a route of where they have been and how fast they have been travelling, as well as hot spots so you can see areas that they have been for longer periods of time.

The tracker relies on the 2G and 4G signal so if you are a location that doesn’t have any signal you won’t be able to get reliable information, however the historical information might be enough for you to work out where they are. It is splash proof, but not designed to be submerged in water or to sustain significant knocks, but the case will provide some level of protection.

The tracker comes with a case which can be attached to a belt or strap

There are a few options in the app that confuse me and not everything is covered in the instructions, however I can work out enough to set it up, and check movement as well as to turn on SOS notifications. 

I would recommend that if using it on a day out you open the app and make sure the tracker is on and communicating before you put it on a child. If you haven’t used it for a few days I have found my app tends to log me out.

The tracker goes into standby mode when it's not moving to save battery, but if you want to turn it off you hold down the button on the top for a few seconds until it vibrates. When you turn it off it stays on for a minute to send it's current location before it turns off, it will do the same when it has a low battery so you can always find the last known location. The off button is a bit fiddly so you don't have to worry about it being turned off accidentally.

The devices battery can last up to 14 days in standby mode, but only 7 hours active use. This should be enough for a day out though if you ensure it is full charged before you go and you keep it off until you reach the destination.

Turning the tracker on and off

How Accurate is the Easy Finder 4G?

The accuracy depends on the strength of the signal. In a large open space like camping or at a park or festival you should be able to pin their location down to a small enough location (around 5 metres) that you can call out to them or check the area manually to find them. In buildings accuracy is reduced. I like that you can see their route or turn on an alert if they leave a defined area. 

The idea of losing your child when you are out is a nightmare and a GPS tracker seems like a good way to provide some reassurance that you could find them more easily. Obviously all devices are only as effective as the signal and if it is kept on the person and charged. The PAJ GPS trackers provide a way to help prevent this worry.