Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be another way to mount your GoPro, you were wrong. The Swivit Pro offers 360 degree rotation for filming, impact resistance, weather resistance and stabilized footage. Swivit Pro joins the hoards of other GoPro mounts including the GoBall and GoRigit that claim to offer the best of stability and protection. It’s unclear how the Swivit Pro is any different, but at $25 it’s not too expensive for extreme backers. For the niche market of those looking to document their daredevil activities, the Swivit Pro fits right in. Swivit hopes to raise $10,000 with the help of Indiegogo.
Author: Julia Herrick
For those who wear eyeglasses, it’s important to have them at the ready when driving. Most eyeglasses clips for the car live on the visor and, when the clip is released, come crashing down right on the driver. SpexGrip holds your glasses in the car, but attaches to the center console instead. The glasses slide into the product so they’re easy to remove without incident. One SpexGrip will cost backers a donation of $5, with an extra one thrown in. This is one of those incredible simple and cheap products that could actually be quite convenient. SpexGrip is looking to raise $3,600 on Indiegogo.
Cycling at night can be dangerous and it’s imperative to have forward- and back-facing lights for your ride. AquaLight is a water bottle with built-in lights. The back light is red and faces back while the forward light is white. Obviously, the bottle also holds water and sits in the beverage cage. The creators claim that the lights are bright enough for safety, but it’s hard to tell, especially since they sit so low in between the bike frame and wheels. In addition, not all bikes have beverage cages, so the light is impractical for bikes without this feature. Still, for interested backers, AquaLight will cost $40 with choice of color. This lit-up water bottle hopes to raise $17,000 on Kickstarter.
The Premise. Outdoor activities are always hankered by the sunlight. While sunny days are desirable, too much vitamin D can result in burns and headaches. Most opt for expensive tents or flimsy umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun, but neither of these options are ideal.
The Product. CoolCabanas is a foldable tent perfect for the outdoors. It’s a simple, four-legged design with white material to reflect the sunlight and a pole in the middle. With a bag for carrying around, the tent folds up easily for maximum portability. Its versatile design makes it perfect for using on the sand or grass.
The Pitch. CoolCabanas’s campaign video shows the product being assembled and disassembled easily. In addition, the video explains that CoolCabanas has already had a successful Kickstarter campaign. The product’s creator says that he’d really like backers to make a pledge and couldn’t be more straightforward on that point. This Australian product is hoping to raise $2,560 AUD on Kickstarter for success.
The Perks. Early backers will receive the CoolCabanas for $99 AUD with a regular price of $109 AUD. Higher tiers offer multiple packs of the product up to 8 for $699 AUD. Estimated delivery is set for December 2014, perfect for Aussies enjoying the summer, but not quite so for Americans stuck in the winter.
The Potential. CoolCabanas doesn’t necessarily do anything new with the notion of an outdoor tent. Its assembly looks easy enough and it has pockets for phones, wallets, and other accessories. We’ve seen other tents for the beach, such as the Neso Tent, which boast stability as well. It would be great if CoolCabanas could tilt so that it’s not just useful for shade around noontime. Still, it has a simple design and CoolCabanas is versatile in terms of where it can be used. All in all, not a bad option for someone looking for this time of outdoor accoutrement.
The Premise. Commuting to and from work in a car is bad for the environment. Those who can opt to use public transportation. However, this isn’t always the most convenient way, and some are stuck walking quite a bit to get to where they need to go. For those who are a bit lazier, driving becomes the more attractive option even if public transportation is available.
The Product. Movpak is a combination backpack and electric skateboard. What? Yes. It functions as a normal backpack, but when some help is needed to get somewhere, a foldable skateboard is released. Running on a battery, the skateboard goes up to 15mph with a range of about 9 miles. It’s rechargeable and takes two hours to juice up. With its battery, the backpack can also charge your devices on the go. The power for the board is controlled through a wireless remote. In terms of appearance, the backpack looks like any normal backpack, as does the skateboard.
The Pitch. Movpak’s campaign video shows commuters using the product in different settings. Some hop on after getting off the subway, while others putter around campus. Different riders in the video show how easily the skateboard attachment pops in and out of the backpack. This Kickstarter Staff Pick hopes to raise $100,000 in a 38-day campaign.
The Perks. Early birdies can get the Movpak for either $999 or $1,190. At a regular price of, $1,340 backers get the Movpak along with an extra backpack with choice of color. Movpak’s are expected to be delivered by May 2015.
The Potential. Personal transportation devices have become all the rage, especially electric ones. Many are rethinking the bicycle model for something a bit smaller and more portable. Scooters like the Halfbike and Me-Mover think that stand-up trikes are the solution, while others like Marbel prefer the electric skateboard model. Other products, like the Commute-Case combination scooter and briefcase, have kept the commuter in mind and combined cargo with transportation as the Movpak has done. One of the great things about Movpak is its sleek look and portability. The campaign fails to mention how heavy the Movpak is exactly, but carrying it on one’s back makes a heavier weight easier to tote around. Some may feel unsteady on a skateboard with no handle for balance, however, for college students and young professionals, Movpak is a great way to get around with lots of stuff.
Traditional levels are apart of every household and workman’s toolbox. The bubble that shows evenness, however, can be frustrating at times because it’s never quite in the right place. The Next Level uses a different method for measuring flat surfaces. Instead of the bubble, the Next Level uses two pointers that, when lined up, signal a level surface. While this is definitely an interesting way to redesign the traditional level, it doesn’t seem as if it’s really that much more innovative. However, improvements on a traditional product are always welcome and the Next Level has a pretty awesome name as well. One Next Level will cost backers $49 with a Kickstarter campaign goal of $49,550.
To set the mood, it’s necessary to combine sound and good lighting for that special someone. Now you can control both with one easy product: LumaPlay Speakers. These speakers allow you to play HD music as well as control light shows from your smartphone. The LED lights can change color and always go along with the beat of the song. For $399, backers can enjoy these decked out speakers. For diehard music and lighting fans, these speakers may just be the way to go, if you’re willing to spend the money. LumaPlay hopes to raise $75,000 on Kickstarter.
The Premise. Large gaming companies can make a game out of anything. Whether it’s becoming a princess, going to war or even living life, gaming companies love to make light of anything mundane or even depressing.
The Product. Divorce! The Game is a card came based on, you guessed it, divorce. With two players, this game takes only about 20-40 minutes. Divorce! centers around the splitting of assets, custody battles and lawyer involvement that most divorces entail. To play, one player draws two cards, one which they keep and another that they must give to their opponent, soon-to-be-ex. The cards either gain the player money or loses them money. The goal of Divorce! is to finish the game with the most stuff. Cards include winning custody of a child, worth $80,000, winning the house, or getting the boat. Other cards include lawyer involvement which allows the player to move assets off-shore, burn down the house just won by an opponent or even steal stuff back.
The Pitch. The campaign video shows couples playing Divorce! while swearing and yelling at one another in a strangely gleeful way. It really makes the game look like good, dark fun. The creators then explain the game, different cards included and call divorce “America’s pastime”. The rest of the campaign shows examples of cards in the game. Divorce! The Game hopes to raise $5,000 on Kickstarter.
The Perks. For only $20, you can get a Divorce!, quite the bargain. Higher tiers offer couple sets and the highest at $10,000 will get the backer a trip to NYC and a chance to repossess one item from the creator’s house. Totally weird, but in good keeping with the theme of the game. Estimated delivery for Divorce! is set for January 2015.
The Potential. We all know the old favorites like the game of Life and Monopoly that deal with the mundanities of everyday life and make them fun. It’s much more thrilling to lose money in the game world than it is in real life. Divorce! is a fabulous addition to this tradition. The campaign video alone will make you want to own this game. It’s too bad that only two players can enjoy this at once, however, the rules are nice and simple unlike other popular games. The game makes light of a typically serious issue and its cheeky, over-the-top scenarios are guaranteed to make you laugh.
The Premise. With rising gas prices and a suffering environment, people are looking to new ways of transportation. Many choose bicycles or public transport, but for those who need a little power and privacy behind their ride, electric is the way to go.
The Product. The Arctrike is a recumbent three-wheel vehicle. The rider sits back and relaxes while he cruises down the road. It’s electric for extra power with pedals as well. A handle makes steering a breeze and front suspension ensures a smooth ride. Behind the back of the rider, the motor stays out of the way and is concealed. The trike itself looks sleek and rugged at the same time.
The Pitch. In the campaign video, the creators explain the advantages of a trike over a moped or car. It shows a man cruising around in the trike and his ride really does look quite smooth. The rest of the campaign goes into the trike’s specs along with the prototyping process. Arctrike’s creators really pushed their product to the limit in testing to ensure a great ride for all. This recumbent bike hopes to raise $65,000 CAD on Kickstarter.
The Perks. For $1,800 CAD, backers will receive the frame kit which includes most of the materials to assemble the trike by oneself, leaving out the battery, motor and other items. For $2,950 CAD, backers get the kit again, but including more materials, though still leaving out any kind of power. For $5,000 CAD, backers get the Arctrike and for $5,400 the better quality version of the trike.
The Potential. This recumbent bike seems like a blast to ride. It’s great for those looking for a fun and unique way to get around, at least in the warmer months. The creators claim that it’s safe, but stress that a helmet is needed to ride. One would also think that, being so low to the ground, being run over by a Mack truck might not be out of the realm of possibility. We’ve seen other trikes like this, such as the Horizon, which is designed to be a bit more accessible to people of all levels of ability than Arctrike. Still, Arctrike is a cool, fun, energy-efficient way to zip around town.
The Premise. Outdoor activities at parties, in the park or at the beach usually involve frisbee, badminton or simply throwing around a football. While all of these staple games are fun, it would be nice to expand what games people can play outdoors.
The Product. The Moonshot Ring Launcher is a toy for those who like to play catch. Coming in three different sizes, the launcher shoots lightweight rings either far, really far, or really really far. The rings come in different colors and the launcher seems easy to use. The rings are 9 inches in diameter with a dog-friendly version that’s only 7 inches.
The Pitch. While a little long, the campaign video does a good job of showing the launcher in action and really displaying just how far these rings can travel. They seem to defy gravity as they float through the air. Passersby in the video ooh and ahh at what the Moonshot Ring Launcher can do. The rest of the campaign goes through the prototyping process as well as why the creator needs more funds. He hopes to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter.
The Perks. Various reward tiers offer just the rings for backup. For $65, backers will receive the entire set, including the launcher and two 9 inch rings. A seemingly mislabeled tier for $80 offers the same as the $65 level at an early bird price. Estimated delivery is currently set for February 2015.
The Potential. New lawn games come onto the market all the time, but the ones that stick around have that addictive quality like Cornhole does. The Moonshot Ring Launcher looks like a lot of fun too. The only drawback is that it would be necessary to purchase two in order to shoot the rings back and forth between two people. Still, the distance that the rings can travel is incredible and this game is perfect for those who have access to large spaces to play in.