Whether it’s the apex flex or the flexDF or whatever dangerous things used to sell, I’m curious where y’all decided to implant and how you feel about the decision. Is it convenient? Do you wish it was on the other side of your body?
I’m trying to decide where to put mine and I’d love to hear the community’s thoughts on the issue.
I have and have had a number, but to answer your question, it is important to know what implant you are referring to and how you plan to use it.
Eg, My custom payment was in P4 Right, this was great for pay terminals
My FlexM1 is in P1 Right I use a lot for hotel doors etc. and works well
My ApexFlex is P1 Left, I find this convenient to read with my Phone, as I am right handed, so naturally easy to tap with my phone.
Whatever you have, or plan to get, I would recommend you accompany it with a MFGC
I’m most interested in the apex flex, but by no means committed. A custom payment implant and a magic mifare chip is also of interest to me.
Unlocking my car sounds fun, and the most slick option would be to have the chip in my left hand and the reader in the handle; then as I reach to open the door it can read the chip and unlock the door. But if that isn’t feasible, it’d probably be better to put it in my right hand so I can put my right hand to the reader while I reach for the door handle with my left, and it doesn’t need to be in my hand at all, should I put it in my elbow? Am I overthinking this? I don’t know.
Another use is logging into my computer, or using U2F and similar type of apps, in which case I’d probably want it on P5 left (keyboard hand)?
I have a lot like this. So instead of dumping all that into a thread I figured I’d ask a broad, easy question and get broad answers.
To expand, I also have a couple in my Forearms, these are good for what they are, but they would not be a good placement for a hotel door or payment terminal but they are fine for reading with my phone
I have an Apex flex on my right arm, just far enough up that I can read it with a phone without any problems if I happen to be wearing something on that wrist. I chose that location in imitation of Amal’s dual arm-mounted Apex Flex’s, figuring if a placement like that was good enough for the pioneer of the movement and CEO of the company that makes them, then it’s good enough for me.
It was mildly inconvenient during the healing process since certain movements, like holding a toddler from underneath and placing it down into a crib, would twist my skin enough to cause pain. But that’s all gone now and nothing hurts it anymore. If I get a second one or a Flex Secure someday, I’d probably get it in the same place on the other arm. It’s easy to scan. I have FIDO2 configured on it, but I mostly find myself using it to generate 2FA codes for my most essential services, such as gmail and my password manager. I also have a vCard with my contact info saved on it for fun, but I can’t see myself ever trying to use it to share my contact (phone NFC antennas can be fiddly) except maybe as a demonstration.
My installer asked me what direction to go in from, which would affect where the scar was. I honestly had not thought about it so left it up to him. The scar is on the side farthest from my wrist. I got it installed early this year and I’ve been a bit more self-conscious about the scar than I thought it would be, but looking at it in the mirror confirms that it really isn’t that noticeable.
Sometimes I gently press down on the implant on one side so that the other side rises up, like a little subdermal seesaw. It’s weird and fun. That’s the real cyborg experience right there.
I have an Apex Flex in my forearm.
Works great for use with my phone.
Hitting the sweet spot for my reader on the underside of my desk is more difficult. Although I have not tried using a repeater sticker.
The only implant I have in my hand is an injectable.
The healing process was pretty annoying. Had shower one handed and do the dishes one handed for a bit.
So i am a little reluctant to get a flex implant in my hand. (I probably will at some point though.)
An X series should heal enough with a day or two for that not to be a problem. Although I’d still recommend keeping a waterproof bandaid on it for a bit longer.
Not sure about flex implants, yet…
same* after care, it just takes alittle longer
*some flex Installs have stitches so aftercare may be slightly different.
I have a FlexSecure (same form factor as the Apex Flex) in my left wrist / forearm: Flex Location help - #28 by MDT , Install Videos and Pictures 🩸 - #269 by StarGate01 . I had no issues with this placement for well over a year now. Scanning it is okay with a smartphone, for a desktop reader you have to rotate your hand. Coupling performance is okay. Still, I got a large implant in the top of my hand: Install Videos and Pictures 🩸 - #388 by StarGate01 which performs way better in terms of coupling due to the large antenna.
The FlexSecure was inserted with a needle, no stitches, no problems.
I have an apex flex in the meaty part of my forearm kind of in line with my thumb, about 2/3 of the way to my elbow joint, I figured it would be less likely to get banged up there than on the boney side. I really only read it with my phone but it’s conveniently, a fairly flat spot I can rest my phone on.
The only regret I have about this spot is if I carelessly let my bag slip off my shoulder and down my arm it will rub the implant and cause some irritation.
I have a flex in each forearm, and when I do the same with my backpack, ( I have done it more times than I care to remember ) I kick myself every time.
Then I check my FlexNT to make sure it hasn’t taken any damage, I have always thought the FlexNT was potentially a mechanically weaker implant with the foil antenna, but that mother fucker just keeps on ticking. Surprisingly robust !
Anyway, I haven’t had the irritation you have, so have been lucky.
I fully agree, the forearm is a great alternative to a hand for a flex implant ( not sure about an xSeries as I don’t have any there.)
The forearm opposite your “phone hand” is easy to read, so good for a 2FA type implant ( Apex , Flex Secure ), But I still chose P1 for my ApexFlex (any P1-4 would have been good), just incase the Payment function is ever approved, because the forearm would not be good for that option.
@shelvacu how is your decision making going
Implant?
Location?
Do you need more help/info?
I bought an apex flex and have an installer lined up. I’ll probably put it in P3 left, that seems the most generally accessible for the things I want. That hasn’t really changed, but making this thread I think I’ve learned there aren’t really any non-obvious considerations I need to worry about and that’s good.
Good choice 
It is a very powerful multi-use implant
2 days post install.
Getting solid reads on all my readers already. @Equipter is a real legend for his advice and comforting words!
Thank you to all for your advice and wisdom!
Apex Mega - right arm about where a watch would sit.
3 days post install and it reads pretty well (phone + medium/heavy case + MFGC repeater).
The location works for what I’ll be using it for. Phone reads are a bit more awkward than I had envisioned, but that is due to the placement of the NFC antenna on the Galaxy S23. It is low, about a third of the way from the bottom which is exactly where my hands are when holding the phone.
I hold my phone in my left hand and operate it with my right. To get consistent reads I have to either let the phone slide down so I’m gripping it underneath at the top, get the read, then push it back up so I’m holding the bottom and resume typing/tapping, etc. Or I can awkwardly grab it by the very bottom edges, kind of roll the chip across the back and get good but slightly less consistent reads, then move my hand back up to a normal grip.
If the app I’m using doesn’t close the “read” operation with an inadvertent touch, then I can grip the phone on its left side by the edge. That feels a lot quicker and smoother, but has about a 50/50 chance of accidentally tapping the left edge of the screen.
Works great for uses where you are prompted to present the chip to the reader, then the app does its thing.
But for apps that expect a smart card to already be present on the reader when the action is initiated, its kind of a PITA. For example, when unlocking a KeePassXC database, you can’t preselct the “password + yubikey” option like you do on Android. Instead, you have to have the card present on the reader, then click the refresh button to show it as an option, then click unlock.
With the chip on my dominate, mouse-using hand that is kind of impossible. Thankfully the app allows tab selection and space to press the refresh button. So the flow is type in password, hit tab to focus the refresh button, place mouse-using hand on the reader, press space with left hand to click the button, yubikey applet is found and selected automatically, then use same left hand to hit enter, opening the vault.
I got both wrists (apex and a flex one) and I can recommend the spot: comfortable coupling, easily accessible all seasons, sport friendly.
