Category: Apparel

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Apparel

BulletSafe Bulletproof Baseball Cap offers protection without provocation

Working in law enforcement or professions that require the transport of money or jewels can mean that one’s life is consistently on the line. While professions such as these often offer a bulletproof vest, protective head gear for daily, non-emergency activities often isn’t offered.

BulletSafe Bulletproof Baseball Cap offers people in dangerous vocations the benefit of protective headgear without the drawbacks of a ballistic helmet. The cap is made of the same material as the repurposed military helmets, but it is more lightweight and easier to wear. The six-panel twill product offers a flexible fit in small, medium and large. Though a ballistic helmet seems to offer better protection for the side and back of the head, the baseball cap looks less intimidating or hostile to the average person.

As a safety option for daily wear, this may be an ideal product, but a baseball cap hardly looks professional in a law enforcement setting. While protective headgear may be in demand, something styled like a deputy’s hat may have a more professional appearance. This campaign seeks to raise $3,500. Backers get one BulletSafe Bulletproof Baseball Cap for $99, with an expected delivery of December 2015.

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Apparel

Lume sunglasses glow in the dark for those who wear their sunglasses at night

Made from Swiss watch technology and balanced titanium the Lume is a pair of extremely durable sunglasses that do not break easily and combine fashion with firmness. The logo of the glasses is white during the day and will glow teal in the dark. Most people wear their sunglasses during the day but maybe the glow-in-the-dark feature will help a user find them at night during spring cleaning.

Features of the Lume include: “DarkShine Glow Technology,” titanium arms, matte black protective armor coating (and claims to be as strong as a titanium drill bit), rear weighted balance, light lenses, polarization, hydrophobic technology (which means they are water-repellant), laser etching, acetate frames, and a protective hard case.

Lume sunglasses look great and are hard to break. Some users may enjoy the glow-in-the-dark feature. However, it seems a little odd to add a night only feature to something usually only used during daytime. Backers that pledge $90 get a pair. Lume is looking to raise $3,000 in its campaign.

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Apparel

Powerlace laces shoes for you, saves time and bunny ears method

When prompted to think about the amount of time spent in a lifetime tying up footwear, most people would shudder. It takes a thought like that to really understand how much time these seemingly insignificant actions take, but it takes innovations like the PowerLacing system invented by the Powerteam to truly do something about it.

The Powerlace auto-lacing sneakers take advantage of this technology. The slim-profiled sneakers feature a heel presser attached to a lacing system connected to the tongue. As a user presses down on the heel, the high-quality laces lock into place and ensure a snug fit every time, and are rated to be good for over 200,000 lacing cycles. To disengage the laces, a small lever on the back of each sneaker is pressed down. True innovation is found within the Powerlaces as there isn’t a single battery, motor, spring, or gear to be found, minimizing the risk of malfunction. In addition, the sneakers are breathable, waterproof, and washable, and also come in grey, orange, green or blue. A pair of Powerlaces costs $175 CAD (~$154), and provided the campaign reaches their $650,000 (~$571,700) goal, backers should expect their own by May 2015.

The Powerlace auto-lacing sneakers are the result of extremely smart thinking. Without a single moving part, the technology manages to do such a simple task effectively to the marvel of people everywhere. It’s surprising another more established company hasn’t thought of this first, but after this gains attention, they sure will.

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Apparel

Neck Warmer keeps winter chill away so you can build more snowmen

Outdoor winter activities are always much more enjoyable when one is warm and comfortable. And there’s something about a handmade hat or scarf that typically makes it more effective and durable than a mass produced product.

Neck Warmer is a scarf is made of micro fleece on the inside, so it’s wonderfully warm. The fabric on the outside is stretchable, so it will fit pretty much anyone. There are many design options available, as well as fabric options such as stretchable velour, polyester, lycra, and polycotton.

There have been several scarf project campaigns in the past like the Cartesian. Backers who enjoy outdoor winter activities may also be interested in Lovemebloncho and Funnell. This campaign seeks to raise $1,000 CAD (~$860 USD). Backers get one product for $30 CAD (~$26 USD) with an expected delivery of January 2015.

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Apparel Travel

Nubrella keeps you dry and in the hood at all times

We’ve all been there. Stuck outside walking on a windy rainy night with a flimsy Dollar Store umbrella. Then, a gust of wind surges through, soaking us to the bone and annihilating that cheap umbrella. After that, only a soggy newspaper can provide relief.

Introducing Nubrella. A wearable inversion proof, hands-free umbrella designed to never fail. Worn like a backpack, the umbrella goes up and down much like a hood would. The back part is black, while the front is clear. The front part comes down to cover the face for full protection against the rain, or any other liquid for that matter. Reinforced to withstand strong winds, the canopy is also designed in such a way that wind can’t get underneath it to invert.

While this product looks absolutely ridiculous, it is still a great idea. The typical umbrella model is definitely flawed and it’s about time someone tried to improve it. Complete with a Steve Jobs quote, the Indiegogo campaign is seeking to raise $10,000. Backers can have their very own Nubrella for $49 with estimated delivery just in time for April showers.

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Apparel Winter Sports

Dahu ski boots can be worn on and off the slopes

Clomping around in ski boots after hitting the slopes is one of the most uncomfortable parts of skiing. Not only do the boots hold your legs in a funny position, but they’re also made from plastic which can be slippery on the wet tile floors that most chalets have. DAHU ski boots will get you up and down the slopes just fine. After that, the outer shell opens and is removed to reveal a regular boot underneath with rubber soles. This boot is made of lightweight, waterproof material so it’s perfect for transitioning from the slopes to flat ground. DAHU comes in five colors with options for men’s, women’s, or unisex boots.

DAHU is a convenient way for skiers to get around once they’re done skiing. There’s always that awkward transition when you take off your snow boots to put on ski boots in the cold and wet chalet. The folks at DAHU may want to consider providing some kind of carrying case for the exoskeleton to make it easier to carry around. Still, this product is a welcome addition to the ski market, provided the campaign can reach its exorbitant €500,000 (~$620,400) goal. One pair will cost backers a €590 (~$730) donation for estimated delivery in November 2015.

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Apparel Running

JogTog+ wrap holds the phone, covers buns for women on runs

Running is a favorite activity for fitness enthusiasts. It requires no expensive gym membership and is a great way to stay in shape. Just leave the house and go. The only thing is that it’s hard to store keys, music players and other accessories in those tight workout clothes that are all the rage nowadays.

JogTog+ is like a personal mud flap for runners. This wrap fits around the waist and hips and ties at the front, so it fits all sizes and comes in different colors. It has reflective pieces on the back for maximum visibility. With three pockets, you can store snacks, a wallet, music player and keys conveniently and securely. JogTog+ also features a small hole for earbuds to fit through.

JogTog+ elaborates upon existing exercise clothes that have pockets. With multiple pockets, it spreads out the weight of accessories so that nothing is bouncing up and down too heavily. If it just ties, however, the creators may want to consider a stronger method of security. One will cost backers $30 for estimated delivery in March 2015. JogTog+ is hoping to raise $10,000 on Kickstarter.

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Apparel

QCLIP fits the bill for keeping your baseball hat brim flat

Walk down the streets of pretty much any big city and you’ll notice the scores of fitted hats that people are wearing these days. Adorned with everything from team logos to colorful characters, wearing fitted hats today is a strong fashion statement. But trends, like everything else, don’t stay stagnant. This one in particular has evolved to favor flat, straight brims over the curved brims we’d see in a baseball game, requiring constant care and vigilance to maintain that shape. The QCLIP is a straight, wooden mold that fits over the brim of most hats to maintain that flat shape. The device does is straightforward, light, and can protect a hat even in transportation as well, adding to its versatility. There are many people, like those who sprang for a Live Lid, who would find this simple product to be an extremely useful tool, but they may be turned off by its $50 non-early bird price, especially being that most could MacGuyver themselves a similar solution. The QCLIP campaign is looking for $60,000 to have the device into backer’s hand by January 2015.

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Apparel

With Funnell, a rain-protecting poncho has your back

Hiking, cycling and basically being outdoors can mean sometimes getting caught off guard when the clouds and rain roll in. Those who love to be outside and travel will likely appreciate Funnell. The backpack rain jacket combo includes a parachute-like rip cord for quick and easy access to the jacket (or poncho) that covers both user and the backpack and, get this, does so without the backpack having to be removed!  Taking it off and putting it back together once the rain has stopped is another matter. No rip cord for that move. Nevertheless, the jacket is lightweight, made of polyester and comes in both men’s and women’s sizes. The backpack is 12.5 liters and includes a place for a laptop and pockets for several other essentials. Urban dwellers might be interested to check out the Movpak campaign, which blends skateboard and backpack. This campaign seeks to raise $25,980 by November 22, 2014. For $149, backers get one rain poncho and an expected delivery of March 2015.

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Apparel

Zubits keep your laces in magnetically held places

Shoe-tying is learned early on in life… for the fortunate. For those who don’t like laces, slip-on shoes and Velcro are always options. Zubits lets sneaker enthusiasts use magnets to secure their shoes. The laces are woven through two small magnets that secure together in the middle. The magnets used are extremely strong for maximum security. Zubits are compatible with many different types of sneakers as long as they have laces. One pair will cost backers $20 with choice of color and size for estimated delivery in January 2015. These sneaker fasteners hope to raise $29,000 on Kickstarter.

People love anyway to make their lives easier. ZIPPED uses the same concept, but turns laces into zippers rather than magnets. Zubits are easier to use and less gaudy-looking than ZIPPED. Although, Zubits will need to over more color and design choices to really excite backers. Still, the alternative fastening technique’s convenience may prove too much for backers to resist.