Author: Elizabeth Delaney

Categories
Camping

CaraClaw keeps campers, hikers sharp when it matters most

Hiking and camping excursions always seem to go better when one knows that the right tools are available. Whether it’s to make setting up camp easier, or make hiking safer and more enjoyable, there are certain tools that one should always have on hand.

A quality knife is one such item. CaraClaw is a knife option that shows some potential. The blade is made of stainless steel, locks out, and has a side release button. The handle is textured rubber for easy griping.

While this product has a very sleek look, nice design, and seems very ideal for camping and hiking enthusiasts, it will find some pretty heavy competition among the many Carabiner knives that are already out there. Interested backers might also like to check out Loopy, Redtail Slackline Set, and WakaWaka. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000 in funding. For $26, backers get one product with an expected delivery of March of this year.

Categories
Camping

Intra-nets form a web of supersized elevation in the wilderness

While camping in the great outdoors can be a wonderfully relaxing experience, the bumpy, hard ground under a tent and sleeping bag can sometimes provide a not-so-subtle reminder to the notion of roughing it. One alternative to an air mattress is an Intra-net.

The product weighs about seven pounds. It could be considered a super-sized hammock in that it can comfortably sleep two. However, if one’s camping excursion includes the kids, there is plenty of room for them as well. Intra-net can expand to about seven feet by seven feet for the heavy duty version and can hold about 450 pounds total. It can also function as a platform that elevates a pup tent. String it between a couple trees at dinner time and it can provide seating as an air couch.

An interesting idea, to be sure, with lots of versatility. However, one only really appealing to avid campers. Camping loving backers might also like to check out Adventurers Hammock, Air Hammock, and Bungalow Beach Chair. This campaign seeks to raise $12,000 on Kickstarter. For $470, backers get one product with an expected delivery of July 2015.

Categories
Pets

Puppy Wand helps defend owner and pet while taking a walk

A dog is often the most faithful and loyal friend that a person can have. Pets cheer their owners when they are feeling down, rejoice with them when they are happy, and protect them when they believe their owners need it. Puppy Wand was invented by a boy whose beloved dog gave his life for his grandma while they were walking.

According to his story on the video, another dog tried to attack the elderly woman. While the precious family dog was successful in his rescue efforts, he ended up dying from dog bites in the end. The amazing young inventor decided to take the emotional pain of that experience and focus it in a positive way that would benefit others. The leash he created doubles as a means for dog owners to defend themselves and their pet if necessary. It instantly comes apart to form a long stick-like tube that can be used to fend off an attacking dog with one hand, while keeping owner and pet secure with the other.

If the product doesn’t really garner much excitement, the story is certainly enough to pull at the heartstrings of backers. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000 on Kickstarter. Backers get one product for $45 with an expected delivery of June 2015.

Categories
Fashion

BÆNDIT glasses will twist and color your fashion world

If variety is the spice of life, then BÆNDIT has a lot going for it. Not only will these sunglasses reduce the glare on a sunny day, but they also allow people to show their true colors and encourage creativity. The silicone frames are bendable into pretty much any shape, which makes them easy to store when not in use, or something convenient with which to play when one is just bored. In addition, they can be used to hold onto stuff like money or earbuds. The pieces are also interchangeable so that users can create their own color style or fashion statement. As for the lenses, not only do they come in some fun colors, but they also filter out 100% of any harmful UVA, UVB and UVC.

This seems like a fairly quality product with some fashionable and fun potential. Backers who enjoy products with interchangeable options might also like to check out Mod-to-Order interchangeable watchbands and Interchangeable Flip Flops This product seeks to raise $20,000 by February 10, 2015. Backers get one pair of sunglasses for $35 with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Music

Jack offers live guitarists option of Wi-Fi rather than cables

Every musician that enjoys doing live gigs dreams of one day having roadies for setup and teardown. In the meantime, affordable Wi-Fi options are often much coveted.

Jack is one such possibility. It allows for real time streaming over a secure Wi-Fi connection, eliminating the need for cables. In order to work, the Jack requires both guitar and amp. The Jack app is supposed to allow the user to connect the Jacks through any Wi-Fi enabled device. The app also allows users to record on their instrument, edit their music, and/or upload it to their Web site or social media profiles.

One downside here is that trying to run this through a phone or tablet is really going to put a drain on the battery. And normal use for your average laptop only offers about two –four hours of life without being plugged into an outlet. Nevertheless, as much of a pain in the butt as cords can be to lug to live gigs, this is actually a pretty exciting invention and seems worth checking into further. This project seeks to raise £20,000 (~$30,300) by early February. Early bird backers get one Jack for £95 (~$144).

Categories
Cooking

Rotissa-Fry cooks, bakes, fries, roasts your dinner on the fly

The hurried pace of life often makes cooking meals that are tasty but still healthy a challenge. So the more multitasking a kitchen cooking gadget can do, the more attractive it often looks to those who want to have good food fast.

Rotissa-Fry offers a variety of cooking options all in one device.  The small but effective energy-efficient cooker uses 360°F heating to make certain that things are cooked evenly and in half the time of other options such as an oven, grill or fryer. Since it doesn’t require any oil and is made of non-stick material, foods are lower in fat. Some of its capabilities include frying bacon and eggs, baking breads and cakes, steaming fish and veggies, grilling sandwiches and burgers, cooking stir fry, roasting chicken, beef, pork and lamb, rotisserie cooking and defrosting. Since Rotissa-Fry is portable, food can be cooked anywhere that there is a power source to plug it into.

Certainly anyone who enjoys entertaining, is a cooking enthusiast, or sees cooking as a hobby will enjoy this product. There doesn’t appear to be any assembly necessary, nor any special tools for switching it from one type of cooking to another, although that is not clearly indicated. Other fun kitchen gadgets in which backers may have an interest include GrillOven and MasterPan, and those looking for a way to cut fat and still have some flavor may like to check out Fab. This campaign seeks to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter. For $150, backers get one product with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Home

Kubonets creates magnetic organization space for keys, lots of other little things

Car keys, sunglasses, and mobile phones are just a few of the little things in life that always seem to disappear. Being consistent with where they are stored can be helpful for keeping track of where they are. Kubonets offers a magnetic mount as one solution to keeping items at arm’s reach and at one’s fingertips.

The magnets are set in wood blocks for easy mounting. Backers can choose from mahogany, padauk, and walnut settings, and the wooden mounts can be attached to a wall, refrigerator, tool shed, or wherever else some organization is needed. The product is easily mounted with either an adhesive tape or glue. It appears that each mount comes with adhesive tape, though this is not specifically stated.

Kubonets may be most useful in the kitchen with metal cooking utensils or in a tool shed.  The individual blocks are a little small, however. Kubonets’ creators may want to consider adding larger units to their product line. Backers may also be interested in Elevation Rack and Bench. This campaign seeks to raise $500 on Kickstarter. Backers get one set of nine Kubonets for $30 with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Kids/Babies

WetHeads spew water to amuse kids into washing hands

It’s almost like a daily wrestling match: in one corner, there’s mom or dad and in the other is little Johnny or Suzy. The bell is the sound of mom or dad’s voice saying, “Go wash your hands.” And it’s all downhill from there. The one hope in all of this is that maybe a secret weapon such as WetHeads can help pin kids to the “mat” of the bathroom sink. Thankfully, this battle will not be complicated with any special tools for installation. WetHeads pretty much just screws onto the faucet, though it’s not clear whether or not it’s compatible with the majority of bathroom sinks out there. WetHeads also controls soap usage since there isn’t a dispenser to press down on, kids just rub the bubble mechanism instead.

The idea seems to have potential for persuading kids to wash their hands for maybe a few weeks or so, but kids tend to get bored with new things pretty quickly, so it may not be lasting.  This campaign is looking to raise $33,000 CAD (~$29,000 USD) by mid January 2015. For $20 CAD (~$18 USD), backers get WetHeads with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Home

Pizza Bed: is it real or is it a pizza dream?

This product gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “rolling in dough.” Okay, bad puns aside (for the moment), pizza lovers and those with an eccentric sense of humor can’t help but love the idea of a comfort food…er…comforter set that looks like pizza. Too bad the creator of Pizza Bed didn’t think of making it take on the smell and feel of pizza too. Imagine not only the look, but even the smell of pizza wafting through one’s bedroom with sauce and cheese oozing between one’s weary toes. It would be enough to make a person have pizza dreams! Or maybe that was thought about and then considered to be a little too over the top.

Amused backers may also enjoy checking out the, ShotGunR, Wobbly Baron chair, Fan-Hand and Raptor football campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $125,848. Early bird backers get a bed set complete with fitted sheet, flat sheet, duvet cover and two standard sized pillowcases for $75 with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Cooking

FAB cuts cooking fat, lets you control taste

When people see or hear ‘reduced fat’, it often translates as reduced taste. FAB (Fat Absorber) reduces the fat in the skillet as the food is cooking and the fat is hot, and gives the user control of how much fat gets absorbed, impacting the taste of the food. The triangular device is made of FDA approved cotton that soaks up the fat and works with most any meat. FAB can absorb a whopping 20-25 grams of fat (equivalent to 150-200 calories), and works best when moved around in the skillet and dabbed on the meat to absorb excess fat. Another nice benefit to this is that it saves cleanup since there’s less fat left in the skillet. Once food is cooked, the item can be pitched in the trash.

In all of its eco-friendliness, too bad it’s not reusable. One will also really have to use this product in order to see if it really works, but the description sounds a little dicey. This campaign seeks to raise £45,000 (~$70,500). For £10 (~$16 USD), backers get two packs of 10 FABs and an expected delivery of March 2015.