Note: We were provided with a Sharkbanz 2 for review at no charge. The opinions below are our own. Should you decide to purchase a Sharkbanz through the links to Amazon in our article, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Are you the sort of person who dreads going in the water because of what might get you? Or maybe you are a surfer who is constantly in the water and want to reduce the risk of a shark bite? Or maybe you simply watched Jaws one too many times?
No matter the reasoning, there’s no doubt that there is a huge interest among beach-goers in shark attacks… and how to prevent them. From putting up nets to keep areas of water shark-free to helicopter lookouts to deterrents and repellents, there are a lot of things done to lower the risk and incidence of an attack.
Truth is, the number of shark attacks occurring worldwide is relatively low. According to records from the University of Florida, 2017 saw 88 unprovoked attacks around the world. Globally, the number of fatal unprovoked attacks was just five.
In other words, the saying about you being more likely to hit the lottery than to be bitten by a shark are the truth.
Still, there is something to be said for having peace of mind. After all, our odds of getting in a car accident are pretty low, but we still have car insurance. If you’re worried about shark attacks, then it makes sense to take steps to reduce the risk.
That’s where the Sharkbanz shark deterrent bracelet comes in. This relatively new invention uses “magnetic technology researched and tested by marine biologists” to deter sharks from getting too close.
With cruising, there are tons of opportunity to get in the water, and sharks are a common fear of many people. That’s why we recently tested one of the bands out to see if it’s worth your money.
Sharkbanz Overview
First things first, if you aren’t familiar with the Sharkbanz then you are likely wondering exactly what it is.
The Sharkbanz is a waterproof band designed to be worn around your wrist or ankle. Inside the housing are powerful magnets. Since sharks use electrical signals to navigate their world — including finding prey — these magnets are supposed to create a disturbance when close to the sharks. The result? Sharks are supposed bothered (but not hurt) by the magnetic field and find somewhere else to swim.
If you are a bit skeptical, the company has some pretty compelling marketing videos that show the band in action:
In fact, doing some research on the Sharkbanz for this review, we were impressed with the science that seems to back the band. Sharkbanz uses patented technology, has several PhD’s serve on its team, and has consulted numerous research studies to create their product.
But what does all that mean for people that purchase a Shankbanz? We were provided a Sharkbanz 2 (the latest model) for review. Here’s what we thought…
Sharkbanz Unboxing and Build
Our first impression when we received the Sharkbanz 2 was that while there seemed to be a lot of science behind the band, there was also a lot of marketing and product design behind Sharkbanz as well.
The box itself is attractively designed — looking similar to the box your latest cell phone came in.
Opening up the box, the first thing you’ll see are two cards. The first is an instruction card for sizing the band. You can wear the band on your wrist or your ankle. Feel really scared of sharks? You can wear one on both your arm and your leg. As you’ll see, the band is long; it measures 14 inches tip to tip. Most likely you will need to trim the band even if you put it on your ankle.
Along with the instruction card is also a disclaimer that spells out clearly that Sharkbanz is meant to reduce the risk of an attack, but users shouldn’t expect to be 100% protected against any shark attack.
From the disclaimer:
“All Sharkbanz users should be aware that sharks are wild animals and unpredictable. Sharkbanz have not been tested on all species of sharks. Sharkbanz will reduce the risk of shark interactions but there is no 100% guarantee that interactions will not take place.”
The disclaimer continues with details of their tests, and also a notice that the band contains strong magnets and shouldn’t be kept near anything that might be disturbed by magnets, including computers, pacemakers, cell phones, and credit cards.
Inside the box, you can see the face of the Sharkbanz, along with padding protecting the sides. One thing we found out later in our review that this isn’t just decorative padding to keep the band from getting scratched. It actually serves to limit the magnetic field of the band when it’s in the box. So if you are worried about the band coming in contact with things like your computer or phone, you can keep it stored in the box.
Sharkbanz Build
We mentioned before how the box feels like a well-designed package you’d expect a cell phone to come in. That analogy continues with the Sharkbanz itself.
The Sharkbanz 2 looks and feels extremely well made. The band is thick rubber and even includes small raised logos on the inside. The actual housing for the magnet has a face that’s about 1.5″ x 2″ and features a hard plastic cover. Meanwhile, the Sharkbanz has a nice weight — it’s not too heavy, but has heft.
The best analogy we can come up with is that it feels like something designed by Apple. It’s smooth and sleek. It just feels like it is one solid piece and would stand up to years of use.
With the band out of the box, it easily stuck and held itself to our refrigerator and even the box itself.
Wearing the Sharkbanz
We recently took the Sharkbanz with us on a cruise to Mexico to test it in the real world.
The first thing that most people will notice is that the band takes a little getting used to wearing. If you are a surfer, then it’s not too different from wearing a leash. If you are not a surfer, then having the extra weight of the Sharkbanz on your ankle is noticeable. It’s comfortable, but noticeable. If you aren’t in the water and worried about your tan, then you’ll want to take it off so that you don’t get a tan line.
As for being noticeable, you will definitely get looks if you wear it, along with a lot of questions about what it is. The band comes in a lot of different colors, but nothing that will blend in with your skin tone. And given the decent size of the product, it stands out on your ankle. Other reviews have mentioned that it looks like you are under house arrest with an ankle monitor.
When it comes to wearing the band in the water, you have two choices. First, you can wear the band comfortably loose around your ankle or wrist. This is what we would choose to do. It feels nice and comfy, and after a bit you begin to forget you are wearing the device. However, at first you will likely feel it moving around on your ankle in the water.
The alternative is to wear the band tightly on your body. In that case, we think that the discomfort of wearing something too tight would be worse than feeling some movement of the band for a few minutes until you get used to it.
What’s Inside the Sharkbanz
After our test, we wanted to show readers what’s actually inside the Sharkbanz. For that, we did what most people would never do — we cut the band in half.
Cutting the Sharkbanz in half took more work than we thought, which we think speaks to the quality of the build. We first started with a hacksaw. It cut part of the way through before it just wouldn’t cut any more.
Then, we had to use an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel. It eventually made its way through the band, but it still took some time. In other words, the Sharkbanz is made heavy duty.
Inside, you can see why it took so long to cut. First, the band is pretty thick. As well, inside you see the thick layer of the plastic nameplate, followed by a thick metal bar that’s surrounded by magnets. All of this is encased in the rubber of the band and still didn’t come apart even when cut in half.
In other words, there is no doubt that the Sharkbanz could take some abuse. It is submersible up to 100 meters and also has a one year warranty.
Do Sharkbanz Really Work?
The most important question — does this device actually help deter sharks?
We will be the first to admit that we did not go actively looking for sharks during our test. Instead, we looked into the research, reviews, and test videos to give you a better idea of what people are experiencing with the band.
Frankly, we’re not scientists but the rationale behind the technology seems to make sense. With sharks using electroreception (basically sensing disturbances in electrical stimuli), we can see how magnets might disrupt this and cause a powerful force that the sharks don’t like.
There are a number of videos on YouTube and reviews on Amazon that seem to back this up:
If that was all there was to it, then we would be happy to call the Sharkbanz a success. However, there are other videos and some experts that put the effectiveness into question.
For example, here is one video of a shark showing no problem eating bait that’s right near one of the bands.
(Before you get too spooked, keep in mind that this test purposely attracted sharks using bait — not something you’d do if you were out enjoying the water. Most people who go swimming aren’t as attractive a meal as an open fish.)
Most notably, a surfer was recently bitten while wearing a Sharkbanz device.
As mentioned, we aren’t experts when it comes to sharks and why they bite. Judging from what we’ve seen, however, there is little doubt that Sharkbanz won’t protect you 100% from sharks (even the company says that in its disclaimer). It’s not as if you will wear an invisible shark force field when you are in the water.
Still, in our opinion, even if the device were only 50% effective — or even less — that is still a considerable improvement over entering the water without any protection.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we were extremely impressed with the build quality of the Sharkbanz 2. It has the look and feel of an expensive device (at around $70, it’s certainly not cheap) that will last for years.
It comes in several different color schemes and has a universal fit, even for kids and teenagers (although it will be large on smaller arms and legs). And keep in mind that you will likely get some questions about what it is and how it works should you have it on when you hit the beach.
Of course, the biggest concern for most people is if the Sharkbanz really deters sharks. We’ve seen footage of cases where it appears to work perfectly and other footage where it doesn’t seem to work at all.
Our opinion is that the Sharkbanz likely works in some cases to deter sharks, but it is like wearing a helmet. It may help you in many cases, but not in every case.
Still, even if the band was only slightly effective, that extra protection — and peace of mind — is better than nothing for those worried about shark attacks. Many people would take even a small reduction in risk of a shark attack over no extra protection any day.
You can purchase the Sharkbanz 2 on Amazon.
Note: Should you decide to purchase a Sharkbanz through the links to Amazon in our article, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
what is the lifespan of a sharkbanz 1 and 2 before replacement is recomended.
bought 2 sharkbanz one for me one for wife. we were in Baharona dominican republic on a shark feeding dive. in 30 ft of water with a dozen divers kneeling on the botton . approx ten or more sharks showed up. i recognized the tiger but not being able to identify more. the sharks weaved in and around the other divers making them nervous. funny thing is all these sharks gave the wife and i a wide berth. she wore her banz on her ankle, me i wore it on wrist. to me it seems that those who did not have a banz, got some up close and personal attention, but all the sharks including the tiger stayed away from us. for us it works
That was one leg w it. What if the other leg was in the water. Looks they get really close before they change their mind. Do you have to wear sharkbands on both legs?
you basically told us it looks cool but you don’t know how effective it would be at repelling sharks….
Did a bit more than that. Explained why it’s supposed to work and what exactly is inside, along with details about the actual scientific research behind it. Sorry, but we’re not going to hunt down sharks to test it on.
I wear an orca suit when I swim in the ocean, sharks think I am a mentally impaired whale and leave the vicinity.
Well, yeah we all do. Who would go swimming without their orca suit?
I just opened the box to my Sharkbandz only to find out that it will not work against GREAT WHITES which is why I bought it as I live in an areas that is heavily populated with this species. THERE IS NO INFO REGARDING THIS ANYWHERE ON THEIR WEBSITE, only INSIDE THE BOX! THE RETURN POLICY SAYS THEY WILL NOT REFUND FOR OPENED BOXES! This is ridiculous and false advertising in my opinion.
I will fight for my money to be returned. $84 is not something to dismiss.
Thanks for mentioning this for other readers. We checked their site and it is mentioned in their FAQs page here (https://www.sharkbanz.com/pages/faqs). See below:
Do Sharkbanz prevent Great White Shark attacks?
Much like other safety devices, such as a bike lights, Sharkbanz reduce the risk — they do not eliminate the risk altogether. That said, customers in Australia and California have used our products to deter investigative Great Whites. You can read these testimonials on our Reviews page, and here.
Great Whites rely heavily on their electroreception when swimming in open water, and Sharkbanz could effectively deter an investigating Great White.
However, it’s important to note that Great Whites are unique in that they are the only shark that acts as an ambush predator, attacking from a long distance at high speed. There is no effective way to prevent this type of ambush attack.
By purchasing Sharkbanz, buyer acknowledges that Sharkbanz are a deterrent to shark interactions and that there is NO GUARANTEE of no shark interactions. We liken Sharkbanz to other safety devices, such as bike helmets and seat belts. They’re intended to reduce the risk of harm, but they cannot protect someone fully, all the time. Instead, they add protection when previously there was none.
what megahertz frequency does it give off
We’re not sure. We’re not the inventors — just a consumer that tested it. Seems very well made, but we don’t know if it repels sharks.
so a sharkbanz is basically just a maget covered in plastic? how does that repel the sharks? I don’t need to spend $100 on this product when i could just find a few magnets and tape them to my body.
LOL, well I doubt they would stay on your way. OR be large enough to even hold with tape. It’s explained everywhere with videos if you even do light research. Sharks don’t like the magnetic field scooter, so they typically swim away. Just like you may typically walk outside perfectly fine, until it snows with ice & you fall on your ###. It happens. Or your car door gets dinged in a parking lot. Anyhow, it IMPROVES safety, so I’ll buy one being close to the beach. If it helps 80%, 60, 40, or heck even just 20%, that’s better than I was without one! Right?