Indiegogo staffers are putting crowdfunded products to the test in our new series of honest reviews. In this review, our very own content creator Dane Elliott provides a review of SHOCK CLOCK 3, a new alarm clock that wakes you up with an electric zap. Does it live up to the hype? Read on!
Ever since quarantine created an era of no-morning commitments, waking up has become increasingly difficult. In the past year, I have missed 10 days of school, 3 dates, 1 concert, and 1 visit to grandma’s house all because I can’t get out of bed. As I grow older and naps are now my pleasure sport, it seems as though waking up from a nap feeling rejuvenated has become a rarity. Losing out on that post-nap refreshed feeling and making lifelong memories because I lack the motivation and courage to get out of bed is something I long to solve.
I initially tried out phone alarm apps with puzzles I had to complete before the alarm would shut off. But I found myself completing the puzzle in bed, checking my emails, then spending 30 minutes on TikTok. By then, I was already late for school and there was no reason for me to move. Phone-based alarm solutions were unable to grant me the necessary motivation and energy to start my day.
So when I found out Pavlok created a watch designed to wake you up feeling rejuvenated in the morning, I was immediately intrigued. I wanted to see if Pavlok’s reputation for creating long-lasting and innovative smart watches carried into their newest creation. Traditional alarm clocks left me feeling grumpy and disrupted every day; their dreadful sound had become a trigger of sorts. The Shock Clock 3’s promised ability to vibrate, zap, and coach you awake was my last hope of becoming a morning person and not missing any more important events.
First Impressions
The Shock Clock 3 arrived in a small, sustainable purple box. Pulling the watch out of the package was very satisfying; the packaging was very well presented and aesthetic. Since I have bent and broken many charging cords out of shape, I was happy to see a durable nylon woven cord that’s less susceptible to travel damage.
After removing the watch from the packaging, I was immediately struck by how light it was. Compared to my Apple Watch, the Shock Clock 3 was like a feather. Although I was initially concerned that the product’s lightweight design would mean it would feel cheap around my wrist, sleeping with the Shock Clock 3 is significantly more comfortable than my other smart device. While my Apple Watch feels as though it’s hugging my wrist, the Shock Clock 3 feels like it is merely resting on it. This makes for a much better sleeping experience, especially when sleeping on your stomach.
The Shock Clock came fully charged and ready to go, so I could immediately begin downloading the app and testing out all the gadget’s features.
Setup
Linking my iPhone to my Shock Clock was a straightforward and seamless process. The watch was immediately detected by the Pavlok app, meaning I could go right in and select what I was looking to gain from the app. From there, it was time to play with the various alarms and start sleeping. It’s very easy to navigate through and understand the in-app tabs.
Putting the Shock Clock 3 Alarm Types to the Test
- Jumping Jack Feature: After waking up groggy and unmotivated, getting myself to get up and do jumping jacks seemed like a daunting task. So I wanted to see if I could trick Pavlok into thinking I was doing jumping jacks when in reality I was just swinging my arms above my head in bed in a jumping jacks motion. Upon my mischievous attempts, the watch would not stop beeping even with the added motion! I actually had to get out of bed and do legitimate jumping jacks for the alarm to shut off.
- QR Code: Since getting off of social media and getting out of bed is the most difficult portion of my morning routine, I opted to place my printed QR code on the other side of my house. That way it would be practically impossible for me to hop back into bed after shutting off my morning alarm. This alarm setting had no technical issues, however, I recommend users place their QR code outside of bedside reach but not too far away. Having no way to shut off my alarm for 30 seconds was a little stressful, so from now on, I am placing my QR code closer to my bedroom.
- Zap: WOW! I initially assumed this electric shock feature to be relatively weak, so I decided to up the intensity via the Pavlok app to 75%. Upon my set alarm time, I was jolted out of bed wide awake. The zap feature did the job of getting me upright and awake, but the unexpected intensity left me paralyzed as I reflected on my life choices. The following night, I lowered the intensity to 40% which still woke me up but much more gently.
- Beep: The Shock Clock’s alarm sound is very similar to other generic alarm clocks on the market. The standard sound settings are effective; I wouldn’t recommend going any louder.
- Vibe: The vibration feature is light enough to where waking up isn’t a massive shock to your body. I like the “vibe, beep, zap” progression alarm as the vibration gently wakes you up from your sleep before the zap arrives.
Sleep Tracking
You know that feeling when you go to bed early but wake up feeling as though you barely slept at all? That’s how I felt on my first night of Shock Clock sleep tracking. My mind kept jumping from task to task, making it impossible for me to finally fall asleep.
When my alarm finally rang, it felt like I had barely slept at all. Despite achieving seven hours of sleep, I’ve felt better waking up on nights when I got three hours!
I knew the amount of time I slept deeply was next to nothing and was curious to see if the Pavlok app confirmed my inclination.
As you can see, my intuition was correct and I spent more time restless than deeply sleeping.
All in all, Shock Clock’s sleep tracking app interface is very easy to navigate and utilize. I am impressed with its accuracy and happy it rates my sleep out of 100. That way I can compare my high and low scores to determine what I did before bed and during sleep that affected my sleep outcome.
Pros List: Top Things I Love About the Shock Clock 3
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Diverse alarm settings and features
- The jumping jacks feature’s accountability
- Many wrist holes
- Fast charging
- Can be used for mindfulness
- Sleep Tracking
Cons List
- The band is a little difficult to attach and detach from the Pavlok unit
- App navigation – no app-specific to Shock Clock 3 but an app is in the works
- Currently unable to locate puzzle/game alarm function
Who is This For?
As a light sleeper who must have the room pitch black and white noise to fall asleep, I was initially skeptical about how wearing a watch to bed would affect my already bad sleep habits. But the watch’s lightweight design makes the watch practically unnoticeable, even when tossing and turning throughout the night.
Couples and Students
Sharing a bed with someone isn’t easy. Especially when you have two different work schedules. This is why the Shock Clock’s vibration and zap features are revolutionary! Instead of being forcibly awakened by your partner’s alarm clock, the vibration and zap features are strong enough to wake you up but light enough to not disrupt anyone else in the room.
Living in a dorm with two other boys, I was subjected to different sleeping patterns and irritating alarms every day. If my roommates and I all possessed Shock Clocks, we could have woken up for our 8 AMs without disturbing one another’s rest! When I move back into my dorm in the fall, I plan on gifting my roommate a Shock Clock as a welcoming present.
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Wishing you high sleep scores and lots of deep sleep,
Dane
