A soft comparison
KinTag and Road ID do different jobs.
Road ID is a medical ID many athletes and families already know — typically engraved or printed so a helper can read it on the spot. KinTag, from Next to Kin (nexttokin.ca), is a different tool: a passive NFC emergency-contact tag. A helper holds a smartphone to it and a contact page opens with who to call. No app for the helper, no battery, no GPS tracking, no subscription. Next to Kin is a Métis-owned, Saskatchewan-based project founded by Thom Hamilton in Regina.
Some families use both. A readable ID can show a name or a medical note at a glance. A KinTag is for the moment the helper has a phone and needs the next call. KinTag does not replace Road ID, medical jewellery, or 911. $11.95 CAD per tag, plus $2.95 CAD shipping. For sourced news and official mentions, see /press. To order a KinTag, go to /order.
Side by side, without the dunk
| KinTag | Road ID (typical) | |
|---|---|---|
| What a helper does | Taps with a phone | Reads the ID |
| What appears | A contact page you chose | Engraved or printed text |
| GPS / tracking | None | None (as a classic medical ID) |
| App for the helper | No | No |
| Common job | Who to call | Who this is / medical note |
Road ID is a third-party product. This page describes the usual medical-ID form people mean by the name. It is not a review, and it is not a claim about every Road ID product.