Got something you need to hide or keep out of reach of prying eyes or tiny hands? Let’s be honest, kids are better sleuths than most and they will also go through your stuff just for fun. If you need to keep things like jewelry, money, medications or your stash safe and secure, where can you put it?
Review: Trova Go biometric lockbox for cash, jewelry, stash
Trova is a small locking storage case that doesn’t need a key. Instead, you use your smartphone, and a password or biometric ID like Face ID that means only you can unlock it. More than just functional it’s also designed to look good too. I received a gold Trova Go case to test out and review. I’ll show you how it works, what it can hold, and tell you whether I thin it’s a good idea for your personal, recreational or otherwise private stuff.
Trova Go measures about 6” by 3” by just over 1”. It’s smooth and sleek and without anything to grasp, it’s pretty much impossible to pry open with your hands. Trova Go is designed to easily fit in a jacket pocket, back pocket or be carried in hand with your phone. It could even double as an evening clutch, keeping your ID, cash and anything else you might take along with you safe.
Inside is a silicone lined tray, and there’s an optional pillbox you can slide in there too that will also hold small things like earrings. On the lid is an elastic holder for watches or cash, and a ring strap to keep jewelry in place.
The box is designed to seal tightly as well, meaning if you opt to store pot in here, the scent shouldn’t alert anyone.
I also received the Trova Sleeve which is a buttery soft leather cover designed to protect your Trova.
Trova Go in the leather Sleeve.
Perhaps worth pointing out is that there’s a 60% fatter version Called Trova Go + too that’s geared at holding bulkier mens watches and more other stuff. There’s also the big Trova Home.
Trova says Trova Go it is designed to hide your valuables in plain sight. The discrete case might catch someone’s eye because of its good looks, but people might also think it’s a simple battery pack too.
How do you access Trova?
You can get into Trova only using the free app and a Bluetooth connection, which gets set up with a numeric passcode or your phone’s biometric security option; in my case Apple’s Face ID, but whatever your phone has, it can adapt to including a fingerprint, or retina scan. A tap on the app will open the box. Once it’s closed, it locks automatically. There are no keys to lose, and no additional passcodes to remember if you opt for the biometric option.
The app will notify you if the Trova becomes disconnected from your phone, or if it’s left open.
Battery & Charging
You can also check its battery status inside the app. In my testing a full battery lasted about 3-4 weeks. Recharge your case by plugging it in with the included USB-C cable.
How fast does Trova Go unlock?
Once the app is open it unlock in a split second; as soon as you touch the unlock button, it’s open. I found the app and the box to be fast and very responsive in my testing.
Can you break into Trova Go?
When I posted about Trova on my Instagram, some folks wanted to know if it was easy to break into Trova.
You can get your fingernails in there any pry, but the latch feels pretty sturdy. Next up I tried forcing it with a butter knife. You can definitely get one in there, but I’m not sure it would actually open the box, and I didn’t want to force it since I wasn’t done with my review. In my opinion, someone with enough determination could probably get in here, so this is best meant to hide in plain sight and not make somethings too easy to access. It’s not a safe and not really meant to be one.
What will fit inside Trova Go?
This is the smallest of the Trova devices. In it you can easily fit some credit cards, a small to medium wad of cash, a watch or two, some rings, and whatever you can get in the pillbox too. Something like a passport, though, will definitely not fit in here, which is too bad. I also could not fit my Fitbit Sense smartwatch inside.
It’s also not quite big enough for a lipstick though… If you need more space, you could upgrade to the bigger Trova Go +.
Can I grant other users permission/access to my Trova Go?
Can I grant other users permission/access to my Trova Go?Trova Go only allows for one user, but a single user can have multiple Trova boxes. In my opinion it would be nice if you could share access with a spouse or partner, but that’s not an option.. yet. The bigger Trova Home does allow for multi-user access.
Trova Manual Bypass option
Trova also has a manual Bypass option, which if you did need to have others get access to the box, this would work.
If you should need it, you can set the app to bypass the security codes or biometrics, and have the device open with a double-press of the multifunction button. While that cuts way back on the security, the person trying to access it would need to know to use the double tap feature, which I guess they could Google, since the Trova name is on the bottom of the box.
I found this feature didn’t actually work most of the time. There was no detail supplied on exactly how to make it work, and it would take me about 20 random tries before I could get it to open once.
How to find a missing Trova
If you Trova has gone missing, you can hunt it down. The “never lost” feature taps your phone’s GPS to mark the last known location at the time the connection is lost. Nice if it jogs your memory, but you can’t GEO locate where it’s gone since the last connection with your phone.
Overall review: Trova Go
I think Trova is a great idea, and there’s no doubt its beautifully designed. The craftsmanship is ultra high quality and this would make a really great gift too. The box feels durable and I like the silicone lining, which keeps things from slipping around. The butter-soft sleeve is also a must-have addition to the Trova Go. I do like the hide in plain sight concept; I think someone might be inclined to think your Trova is just a power bank and leave it at that.
Those are the pros; when it comes to the cons: I do have some concerns about how easily you could break into this box. I think someone with enough determination and a screwdriver could force it open. Also on the downside, the Trova Go is quite small; it’s really meant only for the essentials or a very small stash. As I noted earlier though, you can upgrade to one of the larger size Trovas if you think space will be an issue or you don’t need it to be portable. I also had trouble with the manual bypass feature.
Overall I really like Trova and I can recommend it if you’ve got a few things to hide in plain sight. Trova Go sells for about $199 USD (Trova Go+ is $229) and you can get it from Trova’s website.
