Private Investigator Recommends Faraday Products
- Sam Spade
- Jun 6
- 9 min read
Among the tools we recommend to our clients are Faraday products—specialized enclosures and materials designed to block electromagnetic fields (EMF) and radio frequency (RF) signals. These products, ranging from bags and pouches to innovative items like hats, blankets, fabrics, and tents, are essential for safeguarding sensitive information, combating harassment, and addressing a variety of technical applications, ensuring peace of mind in an increasingly connected world.
In this article we recommend one specific company who we use and whose products we endorse to our clients and we receive a very small commission if you purchase from this link your faraday products.

Why Spade & Archer® Recommends Faraday Products
At Spade & Archer, we deeply understand the unique privacy challenges faced by San Francisco’s diverse population—from tech entrepreneurs protecting trade secrets to private individuals combating digital harassment. Faraday products, named after the 19th-century scientist Michael Faraday, work by creating a conductive barrier that prevents electromagnetic signals—such as Wi-Fi, cellular, GPS, Bluetooth, and RFID—from penetrating or escaping the enclosure. This technology, often referred to as a Faraday cage effect, is critical for maintaining confidentiality, especially in investigations involving sensitive data or intellectual property.
Our investigators frequently encounter cases where clients need to protect their devices from unauthorized access or tracking. For example, a client dealing with cyberstalking may suspect their phone is being remotely accessed or their location tracked via GPS. By placing their device in a Faraday bag, they can block all incoming and outgoing signals, ensuring their privacy while we investigate the source of the harassment. Similarly, for clients concerned about intellectual property theft—a common issue in San Francisco’s competitive tech landscape—Faraday products can prevent data leaks during transit or storage, safeguarding proprietary information from being intercepted by competitors or malicious actors. This dual role in protecting both personal privacy and business assets makes Faraday products a cornerstone of our security recommendations.
A Comprehensive Range of Faraday Products and Their Uses
Faraday products have evolved significantly, offering a variety of solutions to meet diverse needs. Spade & Archer recommends several types of Faraday products, each designed for specific purposes, from protecting personal devices to shielding entire environments. Below, we explore the applications of these products in detail, highlighting their role in investigations, privacy protection, and technical scenarios.
Faraday Bags and Pouches for Device Protection
Faraday bags and pouches are the most widely recognized Faraday products, designed to isolate devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and USB drives. These portable enclosures block signals such as GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular, preventing unauthorized access or tracking. For instance, a client experiencing cyberstalking can place their phone in a Faraday bag to stop it from communicating with a stalker’s systems, giving Spade & Archer time to investigate safely. These bags are also essential for businesses transporting devices containing intellectual property, ensuring data cannot be intercepted remotely. High-quality Faraday bags often feature multiple layers of conductive fabric and secure closures, providing up to 92.5 dB of signal attenuation across a wide frequency range (200 MHz to 40 GHz).
Faraday Hats for Personal EMF Protection
Faraday hats, typically lined with conductive materials like silver or copper mesh, are designed to shield the wearer’s head from RF and EMF exposure. While often marketed for health-conscious individuals concerned about long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation from cell towers, Wi-Fi routers, or 5G networks, these hats also serve a critical privacy function. In harassment cases, a Faraday hat can prevent wearable devices—like smart glasses, earbuds, or fitness trackers—from transmitting data if they’ve been compromised by hackers. For example, a client who suspects their smartwatch is being used to track their movements can wear a Faraday hat to block signals while Spade & Archer conducts a forensic analysis of the device. These hats are lightweight, adjustable, and stylish, blending seamlessly into San Francisco’s urban environment while offering discreet protection.
Faraday Blankets for Versatile Shielding
Faraday blankets are large, flexible sheets made of conductive materials that can block RF signals over a broader area. They are incredibly versatile, serving multiple purposes for both individuals and businesses. A client worried about eavesdropping during a sensitive meeting can drape a Faraday blanket over their devices—or even themselves—to block signals that might be used to activate microphones or cameras remotely. Faraday blankets are also useful for shielding larger electronics, such as servers or medical equipment, from electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) or electromagnetic interference (EMI). In a corporate espionage case, Spade & Archer might use a Faraday blanket to create a temporary signal-free zone during a client meeting, ensuring confidential discussions remain private. These blankets are portable, easy to store, and often made with durable, multi-layered conductive fabric for maximum shielding effectiveness.
Faraday Fabrics and Tents for Environmental Protection
Faraday fabrics, woven with conductive threads like silver or nickel, can be used to create custom enclosures such as curtains, clothing, or even entire rooms. Faraday tents, made from these fabrics, are portable solutions for creating a signal-free environment on the go. For example, a tech startup in San Francisco might use a Faraday tent during a product development meeting to prevent competitors from intercepting data via RF signals. These tents are also invaluable in harassment cases where a client needs a safe space to use their devices without fear of tracking or surveillance. Faraday fabrics can also be incorporated into everyday items, such as backpacks or clothing, offering discreet protection for on-the-go privacy. Spade & Archer often recommends Faraday tents for clients who need a scalable solution to protect their workspace or home environment from digital threats, especially in high-risk areas like San Francisco’s tech corridors.
Faraday Cages for Evidence Preservation and Infrastructure Protection
In investigations, Spade & Archer uses Faraday cages to isolate electronic evidence, such as seized phones or laptops, preventing remote wiping or data alteration. These cages, often larger enclosures made of conductive mesh or metal, are also used by businesses to protect critical infrastructure—like server rooms—from EMP threats. For individuals, smaller Faraday cages can safeguard key fobs or RFID-enabled cards, preventing skimming attacks that steal data wirelessly. In a recent case, we used a Faraday cage to preserve a client’s tablet containing sensitive intellectual property data, ensuring it remained untampered while we built a case against a competitor suspected of corporate espionage. Faraday cages are a vital tool for maintaining the integrity of evidence in legal proceedings, particularly in intellectual property disputes.
A typical style of bag that is used to shield small pieces of tech such as a cellphone.
How Faraday Products Assist in Harassment Cases
Digital harassment is a growing concern in San Francisco, where victims often feel vulnerable to cyberstalking, tracking, or unauthorized access to their devices. Faraday products provide a practical solution by creating a signal-free zone, offering immediate protection while Spade & Archer investigates. For instance, a client being harassed by an ex-partner who may have installed tracking software on their phone can use a Faraday bag to block all signals, preventing the device from communicating with the stalker’s systems. A Faraday hat can further protect wearable devices, such as fitness trackers, that might be transmitting location data. In more extreme cases, a client might use a Faraday blanket to shield themselves and their devices during a private conversation, ensuring no signals can be intercepted.
(Note we receive a small affiliate commision for recommending this product, but we also use Mission Darkness in our practice.
Faraday tents can create a safe haven for victims of harassment, allowing them to use their devices in a controlled environment without fear of surveillance. This is particularly useful for clients who need to communicate securely with our team or their legal counsel, ensuring their discussions remain private even in high-risk situations. In one case, a client used a Faraday tent in their home to conduct a video call with our investigators, confident that their location and conversation were protected from a stalker who had previously hacked their webcam. These tools not only provide physical protection but also empower clients with a sense of control over their digital security.
Technical Applications for Enhanced Security
Faraday products have broader technical applications that align with Spade & Archer’s commitment to secure operations. Faraday fabrics can be used to create shielded rooms or enclosures, protecting against corporate espionage by blocking signals that could be used to eavesdrop on sensitive meetings. In forensic investigations, Faraday cages ensure that seized devices remain isolated, preserving evidence integrity by preventing remote access or data deletion. For individuals, Faraday pouches and hats protect against identity theft by blocking RFID signals from credit cards, passports, or key fobs—a growing concern in crowded urban areas like San Francisco.
Faraday blankets can shield medical devices, such as pacemakers, from EMI, ensuring they function properly in environments with high RF activity. These products also provide peace of mind during travel, ensuring that personal devices aren’t compromised in high-risk environments like airports or hotels, where Wi-Fi networks may be insecure. In technical settings, Faraday tents can suppress ambient noise during electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing, ensuring accurate results for electronic devices. They also protect against EMP threats, such as those from solar flares, which could disrupt critical infrastructure in San Francisco—a city heavily reliant on technology.
Choosing the Right Faraday Product
Spade & Archer recommends selecting Faraday products that are lab-tested for shielding effectiveness, ideally meeting military standards like MIL-STD-188-125 for EMP protection. Look for products with high decibel (dB) ratings—such as 82-92.5 dB—indicating robust signal blocking across a wide range of frequencies (e.g., 200 MHz to 40 GHz). Durable materials, secure closures (like conductive Velcro), and water resistance are also important for long-term use. For hats and blankets, ensure the conductive fabric is lightweight and comfortable while still providing high shielding performance. Faraday tents and fabrics should be easy to set up and store, with reinforced stitching to prevent signal leakage at the seams.
When choosing Faraday hats, opt for designs that cover the entire head and neck for maximum protection, and ensure they are adjustable for a snug fit. Faraday blankets should be large enough to cover the intended area—whether a device, a person, or a small meeting space—and should be made of multiple layers of conductive material for enhanced shielding. Brands like Mission Darkness and Silent Pocket offer reliable options that Spade & Archer trusts for our clients. For those new to Faraday products, we recommend starting with a versatile bag or pouch, which can be used for a variety of devices and scenarios, before exploring more specialized items like hats or tents.
Real-World Scenarios: Faraday Products in Action
To illustrate the impact of Faraday products, consider a recent case handled by Spade & Archer. A San Francisco tech founder suspected their smartwatch was being used to track their movements as part of a corporate espionage scheme. Our team recommended a Faraday hat to block signals from the device while we conducted a forensic analysis, ultimately identifying the source of the tracking and providing evidence for legal action. In another case, a victim of cyberstalking used a Faraday bag to isolate their phone, preventing further tracking while we traced the stalker’s activities. During a high-stakes product demo, a startup used a Faraday tent to shield their prototype, ensuring competitors couldn’t intercept proprietary data via RF signals.
These scenarios highlight how Faraday products can be seamlessly integrated into daily life, offering both immediate protection and long-term security. They are particularly valuable in San Francisco, where the density of tech infrastructure—cell towers, Wi-Fi hotspots, and IoT devices—increases the risk of signal-based attacks.
Why Faraday Products Matter in San Francisco and Nationwide
San Francisco’s tech-driven environment makes it a hotspot for both innovation and digital threats. The city’s dense concentration of Wi-Fi networks, cell towers, and IoT devices increases the risk of signal-based attacks, from corporate espionage to personal harassment. California’s strict privacy laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), also emphasize the need for robust data protection measures, which Faraday products help achieve by preventing unauthorized access to devices and data.
Moreover, San Francisco’s role as a global tech hub means that intellectual property theft is a constant concern. Faraday products provide a proactive solution, allowing businesses to protect their innovations and individuals to safeguard their personal information. Whether you’re a startup founder transporting a prototype or a private citizen seeking relief from digital harassment, Faraday products offer a practical, accessible way to enhance your security in a city where technology and privacy risks intersect.
A Commitment to Privacy and Security
At Spade & Archer, client confidentiality is our highest priority, and Faraday products play a key role in our operations. Whether we’re shredding confidential paperwork after a case, using encrypted communications to protect digital data, or employing Faraday cages to preserve evidence, we ensure that sensitive information remains secure. Faraday products enhance these efforts by providing an additional layer of protection against digital threats, complementing our rigorous privacy protocols.
A Call to Action for Privacy-Conscious Individuals and Businesses
In a city like San Francisco, where technology and innovation intersect with privacy risks, Spade & Archer stands as a trusted partner. By recommending Faraday products—bags, hats, blankets, fabrics, and tents—we empower our clients to take control of their digital security, combat harassment, and protect their intellectual property. These tools are not just for investigators; they’re for anyone who values their privacy in an increasingly connected world.
For a confidential consultation, contact Spade & Archer today. Our team will assess your needs, recommend the right Faraday products, and provide expert guidance on securing your devices and data. Your privacy is our mission—always.
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