When heading out on the bike there are several must-have pieces of kit we all remember to carry, from tubes to nutrition, but it's surprising how many of us leave home without emergency identification and contact details for next of kin should the unthinkable happen.

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Personal identification comes in all shapes and sizes, but the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification, as worn by Luke Rowe at this years Tour de France, offers not only the standard ability to amend and include more personal information via the innovative online profile that comes with all products, but the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification also comes with a unique fabric wrist strap.

>>> Buy the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification now from £20.99

There are several options in the OneLife iD personal identification range for how best to carry your ICE (In Case of Emergency) information with its newest product the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification. OneLife iD says it was born after requests for more choice over the standard silicone wrist strap options.

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Construction.

Made from nylon, known for its strong and durable properties, OneLife iD says that the new strap is based on a military watch-strap design and includes a simple silver closure buckle.

The ID tag element of the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification is available in black or stainless, with a choice of up to to five lines of emergency information or limited text and inclusion of a QR code. The clever thing about OneLife iD is the ability to add additional information via your online profile, with a link to your profile included on the tag.

A nice touch by the OneLife iD team is the personal ICE mobile phone wallpaper, allowing you to turn your phone into identification. The packaging that the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification comes in turns into a helpful waterproof phone case, as well as providing a couple of ICE information carrier stickers to alert responders to look for personal identification.

There are 12 colour options in total, including Luke Rowe's Team Sky colours, discreet black or even high-vis orange.

Ride

On arrival of the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification, I needed to register with the online eportal as well as updating my personal profile with things like my home address, allergies etc. One thing I found really helpful was the space to include additional information, which I think would be perfect for including a temporary address such as a hotel etc. Before any 'personal data sharing' klaxon sounds, you'll be pleased to know that all this information is held very securely and before anyone can look up your personal profile online they also need a PIN number (which is found on the underside of your wrist band).

By selecting minimal information to be displayed on the tag of the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification, the whole thing weighs in at a flyweight 18g. Opting for the the bigger QR code or more text, the weight goes up by 4g. This means that once on it's barely noticeable, much less than a watch would be.

As someone whose wrists are often swamped by watches due to their incredibly skinniness – they measure 15cm in circumference – I was impressed that the watch-style strap of the OneLife iD NATO 10 fitted without reams of strap left hanging out, although reassuringly for those with more sensible wrist measurements it can fit up to 22cm.

When out on a wetter ride, the strap did soak up the rain, but didn't become noticeably uncomfortable and was swift to dry.

Value

With prices starting from £20.99, the OneLife iD NATO 10 personal identification is at the upper end of the ICE options, although many of the alternatives are just stickers and as far as I'm aware don't have a supporting online portal, making this a really innovative product.

With the unique ability to add additional information, it's really appealing for riders who travel a lot and need to amend address information, or even just for the annual training camp.

Coming with a comfortable non-silicone, robust strap is just the icing on the cake, and with 12 coloured straps to choose from you can even buy additional straps for just £9.99, allowing you to truly colour coordinate with your kit.

If you find yourself getting a bit uncomfortable at the end of a long ride, it might be worth trying 2Toms Butt Shield on your next excursion. Its main ingredient is dimethicone, a silicone oil also found in high-end cosmetics. It’s mixed with shea butter, a trendy skin smoother, and a range of other plant extracts.

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Unlike other chamois creams, which come in tubs or tubes, 2Toms sells Butt Shield as a 45ml roll-on and also as single use wipes sealed in sachets. Both are clever modifications to the usual packaging. The roll-on is really convenient and easy to use, as you don’t get the product all over your hands and it’s easy to carry around.

You just apply the product to any area where you might get chafing or irritation and it forms a smooth, thin transparent film over the skin. Butt Shield reduces friction and rubbing between your rear end and saddle and also between layers of skin.

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There’s no need to reapply during a ride, as it will stay put and keep working for the duration. It’s also waterproof, although it can be washed off with soap and water after a ride. It feels very smooth on the skin: something between olive oil and Vaseline (don’t ask).

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I’ve used Butt Shield on longer rides of six hours plus, wet as well as hot, and it definitely helps keep things more comfortable. It’s easier to apply than a traditional chamois cream too.

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The single-use sachets are very useful if you’re travelling to an event or are planning a multi-day trip, although at £1.70 each they’re quite pricey.

Price for the roll-on is comparable to many other chamois creams. The low mess factor and easy application are big advantages. Since you only need a thin film, Butt Shield should prove reasonably economical too.

Getting the miles in can be hard work, but it’s not always our legs that let us down. Having issues with saddle sores and chaffing when riding lots can be a big problem for cyclist. Many brands make specific creams for dealing with this type of discomfort, we tried Assos’s Chamois Crème to see how it fared.

Assos encourage applying the cream in freshly washed chamois, as this helps keep the chamois soft and lubricated. This enables the chamois to stay supple and reduces chaffing on longer rides. Alongside this the cream can be used in the traditional way of applying to the skin – watch out for those sensitive areas though. An initial cooling effect, which comes from the menthol in the cream, is refreshing but on a cold day isn’t a brilliant feeling. That said this soon subsides and just a small amount is enough to keep you comfortable on rides of a few hours.

With cleansing and softening properties this cream is sure to keep your undercarriage in check when riding lots. The one big issue we did have was the pot. This style of container encourages double dipping, which isn’t particularly hygienic, it’d be much better if it came in a tube.

Containing shea butter, Udderly SMOOth, developed in the USA, is thick and non-greasy when applied. The consistency is excellent for long distances and helps prevent chafing even on the hottest days and the longest rides.

It washes out of Lycra easily, leaving no stains, and the price is great.