Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor Review

Baby monitors are a must-have tool for any parent, but what if they could be taken a step further?

The Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor is the ideal companion for the parent who not only wants to be alerted of when their child wakes up crying, but also of their heart rate and breathing patterns.

Thanks to the subtle monitoring system, you can keep an eye on your child without disrupting their sleep, and the great alert structure of both the base system and the app will keep you up-to-date at all times.

However, no product is without faults. Because the monitor is placed on the child, excessive movements can muddle the information transmitted.

Parents with an unruly sleeper may find this influences data and will likely panic a bit more than necessary.

Nonetheless, is that enough to pass this device by? Here we break down all the good and the bad, so you can make an ideal buying decision.

Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor: the Details

Specs

• Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 3.5 x 0.7 inches.
• Product Weight: 14.9 ounces.
• Product Type: Smart baby monitor.
• Compatible with: Wi-Fi.
• Batteries: One (1) Lithium Metal battery, which is included.

How Does it Work

This baby monitor consists of a base station and a Smart Sock, one of which can be carried with you while the other is wrapped around your baby’s cute little foot.

Using a Bluetooth connection, the sock gathers information through its contact with your baby’s foot and sends it to the base station.

As time goes on, if there is a fluctuation from this established “safe zone,” such as if your child’s heartbeat becomes more rapid or their oxygen levels drop, you’ll be alerted through sound and lights on the base station.

As this happens, you will also be notified through your phone via the Owlet app.

Since the connection works within a 100-foot radius, you can be sure of the device notifying you accurately, whether you’re in the living room, the bedroom, or popped out to get the mail.

However, be sure to alternate the Smart Sock between the left and right foot every night, so the data can be kept as up-to-date as possible.

Scientific Preset Baselines

The Owlet leverages scientific research on the average baselines for all babies.

This ensures the readings your smart baby monitor gathers is exceptionally accurate, so there’s no chance of an alert-worthy problem falling between the cracks.

As long as your baby’s heart rate and breathing manage to stay within pre-set parameters, you won’t hear a beep.

Once a certain minimum or maximum has been crossed, you’ll find the base station doing its best to attract your attention.

Three Socks Included

Some companies reel you in by promising a great product and, while they may deliver on that promise, they cheat you by supplying too-few items and forcing you to buy more.

Owlet knows better than to play with the emotions of parents and has included three socks.

Since your child only has to wear one during the night, that leaves the other two free to be washed or stored for later.

Smart Phone App

Thanks to the smartphone app, you can be aware of how your child is doing no matter where you are in the house.

While the distance between the base station and the sock should be a maximum of 100 feet, the app can send you alerts no matter where you are.

No Harmful Materials

All items or materials that come into contact with your child should be safe. As such, Owlet has made sure that lead or other nasty materials have no place in their products.

The Smart Sock is soft, comfortable, and entirely baby-friendly.

Owlet: The Brand

Looking at the Owlet company, it’s easy to see why their baby monitor has managed to win three awards in 2018.

The co-founders were overcome with love for their newborn children and wanted to find the best way to guarantee they were safe, especially while they rested.

After five years, their Owlet baby monitor has found its way into millions of homes, all of which enjoy the comfort that comes with knowing your child is happy and secure.

Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor Review

The Positives

A More Accurate Baby Monitor

The Owlet Smart Sock overtakes the traditional baby monitor in leaps and bounds, by not just recording the sounds of your nursery but transmitting accurate data about your baby’s condition right to you.

No more waiting to overhear your baby crying through the monitor; the Smart Sock lets you know if they’re moving around and awake, or if their heart-rate has jumped because of a nightmare.

This allows you to be more in tune with your baby, as if they’re cradled in your arms at night rather than sleeping in their own bed.

Great for Babies with Weaker Health

If your baby is sadly ill or suffers from a condition that puts them in weaker health, then nighttime can be frightening. What’s happening while you’re asleep? Can you be sure they’ll cry if they’re in trouble?

Aside from staying awake at all hours with them in your arms, there isn’t much you can do. Or – there wasn’t. The Smart Sock ensures you’re constantly informed.

No matter the time of day or night, if there are signs of trouble (such as if your baby’s oxygen levels decrease unnaturally, or if their heartbeat becomes too fast or too slow), you will be alerted with both sounds and lights from the base station, as well as through your phone’s app.

Never again do you have to worry about sleeping through a moment where your child needs you. The Smart Sock will keep watch when you can’t.

Get Notified Anywhere

Thanks to the smartphone app, as well as the base station’s reach, you can keep in tune with your baby’s condition no matter where you are.

Even if you’re out for the night while the babysitter is taking care of your little one, it’s easy to check in with the app and confirm that all is happy and fine with your child.

While the app and the device work together like a normal baby monitor, you’ll see much more information displayed on your screen when checking the Owlet Smart Sock app, and it will be less daunting to carry around.

A traditional baby monitor may not be heavy, but it is another thing you have to remember to take with you from room to room to ensure your baby’s sounds are in earshot.

With the Smart Sock 2, you won’t have to be bothered with juggling devices since it all goes to one place – your smartphone.

Unobtrusive and Comfortable for Baby

While this device requires that it be physically on the baby unlike with traditional monitors, some could worry that their little ones may not approve.

Fortunately, many customers have noticed that the Smart Sock doesn’t get in the way of their baby’s sleep or nap time, and found no signs of their baby finding it uncomfortable.

If you have a stylish baby who might be concerned about the color of their Smart Sock, you won’t have to worry about that either.

Fashionista parents (and babies) have a choice of colorful Smart Socks available on the Owlet online store to add some extra style to their slumber.

No Subscription Necessary

Many smart products offer a base service but end up charging extra for connectivity, inflating what seems to be a lower cost.

The Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor doesn’t see the need for such charges, making the price straightforward and honest.

45-Day Return Policy

Should you test out the Smart Sock and find it doesn’t suit your needs, Owlet understands the need for new parents to be thrifty.

They offer a 45-day return policy, so you can test out their product without worry of being locked into a commitment.

After the 45-day return period, Owlet grants a 1-year warranty on the Smart Sock 2. This warranty covers any damages caused by manufacturing, so should you find a fault with your device, Owlet will be in charge of getting it handled.

The Negatives

Motion Cancels Readings

If your baby happens to lie perfectly still while sleeping, there will be no cause for worry. However, parents of a more unruly baby may have problems.

The Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor is extremely sensitive to movement, making it likely to consider any shifting around as ‘awake’ time.

This can throw off the readings, making it less suitable as a baby monitor.

Customer Service

While it definitely seems that Owlet has your baby in mind, some users think that they tend to forget about their customers.

Customers found that contacting customer service was unreliable, often leading to unanswered questions and unhelpful solutions.

While it’s great to see that this company offers a return policy, this may make some users wary to use it.

Here’s a video showing how the Owlet Smart Sock 2 looks out of the package and on baby’s foot.

Overall Verdict

The Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor is a great device for parents who need to keep a closer eye on their baby.

Thanks to the many features and its small size, it’s easy to carry around with you and stay up-to-date.

However, if your child tends to move often when sleeping, it might not be an ideal product for you. Otherwise, it comes highly recommended.

Where to Buy the Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor

It’s clear the Owlet brand has a specialty with their Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor.

While this seems to be the only product by this company, it’s quite an innovative one that combines the security features of the past with modern influences.

This unique piece of technology has unsurprisingly gained a ton of attention from enthusiasts, parents, and customers. And their popularity allows the Smart Sock 2 to be available around the globe through various retailers.

It’s usually best to check baby, home department, and specialty stores, but you can kick-start your search with the following online outlets.

• Babies R Us (from $399)
• buybuyBABY (from $239)
• Wal-Mart (from $215)

And of course, you can also find this smart baby monitor on Amazon.

That’s all for our Owlet Smart Sock 2 review. Tempted to give this a try?