Have you ever had something with a digital signal get hacked, tracked, skimmed, boosted, or wiped clean? If you haven’t, you’re lucky! This is the new face of theft. Passports, bank cards, building key cards, and cell phones can be wirelessly copied and then used for identity theft.

New cars now have smart keys, which will unlock a car when the owner gets close to the vehicle. Car thieves have learned how to boost the signal to a car’s smart key so that when the driver is at a restaurant, hotel, or at home they boost the signal and drive away with the car. Watch the video below to see how you might be vulnerable. Continue reading to find out how faraday bags work?

Another threat to electronic devices is a short burst of electromagnetic energy which can damage devices beyond repair.  The average American spends 9 1/2 hours on electronic devices each day. They educate, entertain, and connect most of us. Many people would truly be lost without smart technology. Which is why it’s become more of a target for criminals. Luckily for us, there are companies that have developed faraday and privacy bags that can protect our mobile devices.

Not all faraday bags offer the same protection, many only shield against electromagnetic pulses (EMP). A popular brand is Mission Darkness bags. Mission Darkness Faraday Bags protect against multiple threats. They are designed to block Cell, WIFI, GPS, Bluetooth, RFID signals, and shield electronics from an EMP. Mission Darkness Faraday Bags offer high-grade signal protection that is used by the military, law enforcement, and government officials to protect forensic evidence and other important electronic information.

Do Faraday Bags Work?

I’ve tested mylar faraday bags in a previous review which didn’t offer much protection. After researching faraday bags, privacy bags, and signal blocking bags there was one brand that stood above the rest. My first impression of Mission Darkness Faraday Bags was that they look TOUGH!  Each bag is constructed with at least two layers of high-quality shielding material. The outer layer is a thick water-resistant nylon and the inner layer is a thin material texture mixed with conductive metals such as copper, nickel, and silver. The opening of each bag is designed to be rolled, velcroed, and then zipped shut offering double protection to block signals from the weaker part of any bag.

Two Mission Darkness Faraday Bags I Wanted To Test:

X2 Faraday Duffel Bag

The X2 Faraday Duffel Bag will be used as a bug out bag for my favorite electronics. It fits my professional camera gear, laptop, tablet, solar led lights, emergency radio, and a solar battery charger. When filled with items and closed, its size is approximately 26″ x 13″ x 13″ The duffel bag comes with a detachable faraday molle pouch. It’s a perfect fit for my Ham Radio Kit. The pouch’s dimensions are approximately 6″ x 8″ x 2″.

The Mojave Faraday Phone Bag

The Mojave Faraday Phone Bag would be great for traveling. It easily stores my passport, bank cards, phone, external hard drive, and smart car key. When filled with items and closed, its size is approximately 6″ x 8.75″ x 1.75″ approximately the size of a Hunger Games novel. It fits in a glove box or handbag.

The Test

I ran six basic signal tests to see how well Faraday Bags blocked signals.

Test 1 – I used two smartphones, one to call and one placed in the Faraday bag.

Test 2 – I used a smartphone connected to WiFi playing Pandora music.

Test 3 – I used a Garmin GPS Watch.

Test 4 – I used my car’s Bluetooth Radio System to connect to an audiobook on my smartphone. I also tested my smartwatch “Find My Phone” feature.

Test 5 – (RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification) I tested my car smart key and it blocked the signal. I was unable to lock or unlock my car as I pushed the buttons on the key fob while it was sealed in the bag. Next, I place a hand-held radio that was playing music inside the Faraday bag. It turned to static as soon as it was placed in the bag. Lastly, using three walkie-talkies, I placed a walkie inside each of the Faraday bags and sealed them. Then holding the third walkie I was able to CALL and transmit to both bags. Note: I tried to purchase an RFID phone tracking tag only to find out that it uses Bluetooth. Since it blocked my car smart key, I feel that it would protect my passport and bank cards.

Test 6 – I used an app called MD Faraday Bag Tester. It’s a product that you can download for free. Once you press the “Start Test” wait 10 seconds then place the phone in your Faraday Bag and seal it. Wait two minutes then open the bag and read the test results to see if signals can reach your phone from inside the sealed Faraday Bag. Anything above 60dB is considered very good EMP shielding protection. According to the app, the bags offered 70dB.

Additional Info

• Each bag comes with a unique serial number used by law enforcement to track the chain of custody for electronic evidence.
• 80% of products are made in the USA. Each bag is examined and tested after having been manufactured.
• Mission Darkness Faraday Bags should NOT be soaked or washed in water to protect the shielding materials from damage. They offer three bags as part of their Dry Shield product line that are waterproof.
• “All MOS Equipment products are backed by our ironclad shielding guarantee. If any of our products fail to shield due to a manufacturing defect, we will return, exchange, or repair the item free of charge within 30 days of purchase. All products are warrantied for 3 months after purchase, at the discretion of MOS Equipment. Product life is dependant on customer usage and MOS Equipment reserves the right to accept or deny refunds accordingly”.

Final Verdict

Whether you get a small or large Mission Faraday Bag, they work and offer high-grade signal protection against multiple threats! These bags are designed durable and look superior in quality to any Faraday bag I’ve come across.