Is the new Owlet Smart Sock Plus worth the money? How does it differ from Smart Sock 3? You’ll find answers to these and many more questions in this review.
Owlet Smart Sock is one of the best baby monitors, that allows you to monitor your child vitals: heart rate and oxygen saturation. But the thing with that smart monitor is that you can only use it for newborns and small infants, from 5 to 30 lbs (approximately up to 12-18 months).
That’s why so many parents hesitate whether this baby monitor is splurge-worthy, if you are only going to use it during the first few months.
Owlet Smart Sock Plus is the solution for this issue – it comes with a third, larger size sock fabric that fits kids up to 55 lbs (approx. 5 years old)! This means that Owlet can be the only baby monitor you will even need.
This article is not a substitute for medical advice. It contains affiliate links.
Owlet Smack Sock Plus – Features
This new sock is basically the same as Smart Sock 3, but it’s bigger, therefore it’s suitable not up to 18 month, but even 5 years.
In case you’re not familiar with Owlet Sock features, here’s everything you need to know about this smart monitor.
What’s Included With The Owlet Smart Sock Plus?
- 3 sizes of sock fabrics for left and right feet – they fit babies from 5 to 55 pounds
- Sensor
- Base station
- Power adapter
- Charging cords
If you also need a video camera, the most cost-effective option would be to get this Owlet Monitor Duo Plus – which includes all items listed above and the Owlet Cam. Getting the full set instead of buying everything separately, allows you to save $59!
How Does The Smart Sock+ Work?
Owlet allows you to track your baby’s oxygen levels and heart rate when they sleep. This is a wearable monitor which means the child needs to wear it during the night.
The fabric wraps around baby’s foot and there’s a sensor that detects the heart beat and oxygen saturation.
The new Smart Sock Plus uses the same technology, as Smart Sock 3 – called pulse oximetry technology. It’s a clinically-proven and noninvasive technology so it won’t harm your baby.
How does this technology work? Without going into unnecessary details, there’s a beam of light that passes through the skin which allows to detect how much red light and infra-red light is absorbed under this skin. This way the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream and the number of heartbeats per minute are calculated.
The thing that I love most about Owlet is that I can use the Sock without the camera, in contrast to Nanit which requires the video monitor AND breathing sleepwear in order to monitor baby’s breathing. This is really convenient, especially if you travel a lot or your baby often spends nights at grandparents’ house. The Sock takes up a little space and it’s so convenient to travel with.
Pre-Set Safe Zones
You can always check your baby’s readings within the Owlet App. The Sock has pre-set safety zones for the heart rate and oxygen levels and alert you when something wrong is happening.
The pre-set zones are:
- High heart rate – above 220 BPM
- Low heart rate – below 60 BPM
- Low oxygen saturation – below 80%
The base station informs you when your baby’s readings leave pre-set zones by changing its color from green to red. By the way, the base doubles as a charger.
When baby’s heart rate or oxygen saturation are below/above safe levels, Owlet App will alert you as well.
Keep in mind that these pre-set zones cannot be changed.
How Accurate Is Owlet Smart Sock Plus?
First of all, you should keep in mind that Owlet is not a medical advice. Judging from other parents opinions, as well as a few comparison tests, it seems to be pretty accurate, especially once you learn how to put the sock on properly.
The previous version, Smart Sock 2 had some issues with false alarms, but the Smart Sock 3 has updated design and technology which makes it more accurate. Smart Sock Plus uses the same sensor and technology therefore we can assume it will be just as reliable as the smaller Owlet Sock.
Owlet App
This is a smart monitor and it uses WiFi. It sends all information about your baby’s wellbeing to your phone – in the Owlet App.
There’s one more feature that I need to mention – Owlet gathers information about your baby’s sleep patterns and quality. By reviewing your child’s sleep history data I was able to spot sleeping trends and adjust their schedule. It was really helpful during the sleep training, as well as the transition to the crib and then bigger bed.
Great thing about Owlet app is that there’s no subscription or monthly fee. You don’t have to pay extra to have access to all information about your child (in contrast to Nanit).
Battery & Charging
This is one of the things that I love about this smart monitor. It has wireless drop-and-go charging. It takes about 20 minutes to charge it for another 8 hours, and 90 minutes for a full charge and 16 hours of work.
Camera
As I briefly mentioned above, you can pair the Smart Sock Plus with Owlet Cam to receive alerts in the Owlet app, whenever your baby wakes up or starts crying.
Owlet Cam offers offers wide-angle view and getting the full view of the crib is not a problem – whether you use the wall mount or countertop mount (both included in the set).
The video is high-quality and there’s 4x zoom. Night vision mode is pretty awesome too, the image is much more clear than on traditional baby video monitors.
This cam has a built-in room temperature sensor. There’s also a two-way talk and background audio feature. This means that you can use other apps in your phone and hear your child at the same time.
The camera streams video and audio to your phone using AES 128-bit encryption and TLS connection to Wi-Fi. If you’re worried whether it can be hacked, I can tell you one thing – it is much safer than analog monitors. Owlet is one of the safest video baby monitors.
For me a huge advantage of this camera is super easy installation and its portability. It easily detaches from the wall mount and you can bring it with you when you travel or visit grandparents. It doesn’t take up a lot of space which is a big plus.
Keep in mind that you can get over $50 OFF if you decide to purchase the Smart Sock Plus with Camera included. Grab the discount here >>
Owlet Smart Sock Plus vs. Smart Sock 3 – Which One Should I Buy?
If you’re hesitating between Smart Sock+ and Smart Sock 3, consider how long would you like to use this baby monitor. If you’re looking for something that could grow with your child and serve you for a couple of years, then the new Smart Sock Plus is a better choice. If you only want to use the smart monitor during the first year or year and a half, Smart Sock 3 seems to be a better investment.
The good news is that Smart Sock Plus fabric is sold separately. If you already have the Owlet Smart Sock 3 and want to continue to monitor your little one’s vitals, but your child has outgrew the sock, you can simply order the Smart Sock Plus Extension Pack. It includes the larger sock fabrics that fit children from 30 to 55 lbs/ 5 years. This sock works with the same sensor as Smart Sock 3 (it’s interchangeable).
| PRO TIP: Getting the Owlet Smart Sock Plus is more cost-effective option than getting the Sock 3 and Extension Pack separately. Difference in price is not huge, but with baby items that are so pricey, I appreciate even small discounts. Check how much money you can save here >> |
Unsure whether to choose Owlet or other baby monitors? Check out my comparisons:
The purpose of this article is informative. It’s not a substitute for medical consultation or medical care. Remember: safety first! Consult your doctor/pediatrician in case of any doubts, and before you introduce tummy time. The author of this article does not accept any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from any information or advice contained here. The article contains affiliate links – your support helps us run this blog!
Source of pictures:
Pictures of Owlet Smart Socks belong to Owlet brand. Source: https://owletcare.com/
Hello Moms! I am Zooey. I am a wife and a mother of three amazing kids: almost 5-year-old Haley and 2-year-old twins Jesse and Matthew. I am a jogger, cooker and blogger.If you have a question or a comment, do not hesitate to write to me! 🙂