Daily runner and don't like carrying much of anything while on the roads/trails. Wondered if the main key fob could be stored inside the exterior gear carrier (lunchbox), locked inside and then you could just carry the tiny gear carrier key (small, stowable in a pocket and waterproof)? Or would the signal from the key fob still be detectable by the vehicle and allow someone to touch the door handle button and unlock? If so, I wonder if you could put the key fob inside one of those little "Faraday" pouches inside your gear carrier to block any signal?

The Activity key would solve this but IMO looks cheap, awkward and limited.

Thanks for any experiences and thoughts.

 

not sure what the limits of the defender are, but i know that with my D5, the key fob needs to be *pretty close* to a door handle or tailgate to gain access to the car. for example, if the key is in my gym bag, which is on the floor by the tailgate- pulling on the driver's door handle won't unlock the vehicle. similarly, if the key is in my bigger backpack, and i reach for a door handle, i will often have to turn my body sideways so that the backpack gets close enough to the handle to connect. i do love the D5 activity key (older version with no watch face) for any watersport, running or hiking adventures! the lunchbox might not be far enough away from a lock to secure the defender.

 

I am starting to appreciate the new Activity Key, honestly. Yes, it looks kinda cheap, but the occasions I wear it are not those when I am trying to look fashionable. I did buy a softer and higher quality silicone band on Amazon for it, for comfort and to give it a little pizzazz.



Otherwise, it is great. No need to hide / carry the actual key anymore. It's true that the screen annoyingly goes blank 2 seconds after you touch it to save battery life, but you don't ever really need to access it for any features, unless you wish to sound the panic alarm or want to lock the car from a distance. With the proximity sensor, the car unlocks and locks with the buttons on the doors as you approach it, and the engine starts. That's all the regular fob does. I took it on a "test drive" in Death Valley, 4 days of dust, sweat, rock stacking, hot springs dipping and primitive camping. It didn't skip a beat and the battery was still almost full when I got back home. It even keeps great time, lol. I am wearing it every day now on my "other" wrist, it's really quite convenient.

 

Thanks for that honest opinion and review. You've made second guess the Activity Key! May have to consider having the dealer add it after the fact, and just get used to wearing something on the wrist opposite my Garmin.

Thanks again!

 

I had thought hard about installing the lunchbox, but I think it's a magnet for thieves, wetsuit would likely not fit and even if it did I wouldn't want sea water dripping down the car or if it was airtight just festering. +1 for activity key so handy when you are without pockets

 

I'm with Umbertob, I have come to really like mine and find myself wearing it more and more often. You just can't deny how handy it is. And you don't need to carry that massive fob, I mountain bike a lot and have a fear of losing my fob while riding, the activity key really fits my needs perfectly.

Yes, I wish it didn't look so damn cheap, but I dig that strap Umbertob put on! Going to have to grab that!

 

Can you confirm that when you lock your Defender with the Activity Key, are you able to leave the key-fob inside the vehicle (hidden, I'm sure) and the vehicle stays locked, alarmed and secure until you unlock with your A-key?

 

The Activity key completely replaces the traditional key fob, it doesn't disable it. It's like buying a third fob, except that it's weatherproof, it has a built-in digital watch and you wear it around your wrist. So, you don't want an extra key fob anywhere in or near the car. You just leave it home, and use the Activity Key instead to lock / unlock the car and start the engine.

The only potential drawbacks are that the battery of the watch itself may die (it lasts several weeks though, and comes with a USB cable to recharge it on the go) and you don't have an emergency physical key built into the watch to open the door mechanically - should the car battery ever die.

 

I run too and also don't want to carry the key fob while running. It sounds like we could take the straps off the activity key and treat it like a key fob, just taking care with the watch face? I already have a Garmin watch I use for running.