Is This The 'Smartest' Bite Alarm

What do you see when you look at the picture above? If you just said “a bite alarm, obviously”, go directly to jail, do not pass Go, and do not collect £200. Okay, the Rippton Bitekeeper might look like a standard bite alarm, but what you actually have here is the world’s smartest bite alarm. Not only will it let you know if a carp so much as farts within 2ft of your rig, but it also connects up to your smartphone, tablet and/or smartwatch, meaning you can finally say goodbye to the old-school ‘multiple-button-press/hold combinations’ to charge LEDs, sensitivity, tones and such like!

These sound interesting! I want to start with the build: do they feel well made?
Yes. They feel solid in the hand, but light at the same time. Specs show each head weighs just 36.5 grams, with the receiver weighing even less at 30g—and that’s with the batteries included. Sizewise, think ATTS but with a speaker and you’ll almost be there. Waterproofing isn’t an issue either, with these being IP66 rated, which to the layman is only a couple of notches down from being submersible!

There are two models: the Bitekeeper and the Bitekeeper Pro, but what are the differences?
Both iterations are stacked with features, however, the main difference is the ‘Pro’ has Bluetooth built-in, which allows connectivity to the all-important ‘Bitekeeper Pro’ app. This allows easy customisation of both the alarm head and receiver from the familiar surroundings of your iOS or Android device. No combinations of button presses here!

So are they easy to use then?
Super easy! This is exactly how tech should be. Changing any of the settings—on both the Pro and Standard—is completed by simply pressing the relevant button. Want to change the volume? Cycle through by pressing the volume button, it’s as simple as that. However, if that seems like too much hard work, jump into the app (on the Pro version) and use the sliders to make your required adjustments from the comfort of your bedchair!

What are the other standout features?
Where do we start? Aside from the app within the ‘Pro’ version, there’s plenty to sink our teeth into. Firstly, the sensitivity is RIDICULOUS. Thanks to Ripptons newest chip, these alarms are 40% MORE sensitive than any of their counterparts on the market to date. Various tone, sensitivity and volume options are present, along with LED adjustability and to top it off… rechargeable batteries come as standard. Can you want much more?

I love that they are rechargeable!
It’s great, but what’s even better is the supplied charging cable. Rather than supply just one cable with one charging connector, Rippton’s has four connectors, meaning you can charge all the alarms and receiver at the same time! 

That’s a great idea! How good is the receiver? I’m not bothered if the range is 100m—I just want to know if it’ll work between thick foliage
Do you even need to ask? Yes, the range is 100m, but in real-world terms, there’s no concern that you’ll miss anything whilst sipping a brew in your mate’s swim.

And what’s this about a printing service for your name on the alarms?!
Yep, that’s a service which Rippton offer! Like Apple engraving your iPad or iPhone with your name, you can have the same done with your bite alarms! 

Finally, then, how does the price sheet read… 
There are multiple options available, but starting with the ‘Pro’ version, a single head is just £52 and the matching receiver is £72. Buy those two together and it’ll save you £3, costing you £121. 2+1 is £172, 3+1 is £222 and 4+1 is £273. For the ‘Standard’ model, 2+1 is £141, 3+1 is £182 and 4+1 is £223. For the combination of tech, features and build quality, we believe they represent outstanding value.