Category: Sports

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Sports

Soccer fans will get a kick out of Futchi Net soccer goal that spits balls back

Soccer is arguably one of the most popular sports in the world. To improve their skills, players must usually find a team to help them better their game.

Futchi Net is a soccer training tool that doesn’t require a team to use. This taut net ties in between two trees, poles or any other secure post. Kick the ball to the net and get ready for it to come right back out at you. This is sort of like any golf putting tool that spits the ball back out. Futchi Net is also a game for two players with a soccer ball. Much like squash, one player kicks the ball to the net and the other person must kick it back when it gets to them.

Futchi Net looks like fun and good if you’re trying to hone your soccer game. It’s a little inconvenient that the net requires trees or other such things to get it to stay up. Still, for children and adults who like playing soccer the net and game that comes with it will surely provide entertainment. One will cost backers $225 for estimated delivery in April 2015, provided it can reach its $20,000 Kickstarter goal.

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Safety Sports

Rockochet makes sure debris doesn’t rock your skateboard’s world

A skateboarder’s biggest nemeses are the many rocks and random other debris that litter the floors of our cities. Unlike when we ride bikes and other modes of transports, rocks can be possible death knells for skateboarders. It completely and suddenly stops transportation, and the rider more than likely violently flies forward, sometimes into greater danger like a busy street.

The Rockochet is a small, lightweight attachment that connects to the trucks of a skateboard and acts as a miniature plow that deflects those dastardly, unforeseen rocks out of the way. The Rockochet is perfect for beginners and for those who simply cruise along rather than busting out hardcore tricks. The company stresses how out of the way its subtle design is, but pros probably wouldn’t want to add something like this on their board. For everyone else, the Rockochet deflector can be had for $15 to be delivered by March 2015. The campaign is looking for an infusion of $20,000 for production costs.

 

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Sports

CaddyLok tubes secures clubs in the bag from knocking around

Diehard golfers know that their only option is buying clubs, renting them just doesn’t make sense. It’s a costly investment, but worth it in the end if golfing is a common weekend activity.

In order to protect those expensive golf clubs, try CaddyLok. This system works with any golf bag to keep clubs secure. This product consists of magnetic tubes that keeps clubs in place and locks them using magnets. As an added perk, it also keeps clubs from rattling around cutting down on noise. Using fabric hooks, the tubes affix to the bag itself.

It’s most likely that the golfer’s caddie more than the golfer will rejoice at seeing this product. For them, it means a bag that’s easier to carry and clubs that are more organized to choose from. The price isn’t bad either. A $100 donation will get any golfer a full set by February 2015. Considering what everything else golf costs, that’s a bargain. CaddyLok is looking to raise $20,000 on Kickstarter.

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Sports Virtual Reality

Eon Sports uses virtual reality to teach real football

Breeding the next crop of NFL superstars takes a ton of hard work and dedication both on the field and off. The development of an athlete’s skills is a delicate balance between repetition and on-field immersion, both of which are in short supply for those who are absolutely serious about the game of football. The EON Sports virtual reality simulator offers players the opportunity to practice anywhere at all and still get the immersion necessary to effectively train their on-field intelligence.

The EON Sports virtual reality simulator is the type of advance both players and coaches were waiting for, erasing the limits regarding where and how training can be accomplished. The simulator utilizes a modified version of Shoogee’s DIVE handsfree VR headset with an iOS, Android, or Windows smartphone loaded in. When combined, the headset provides players an authentic viewpoint from which to sharpen their ability to pick apart defenses or make snap decisions. EON Sports has not only created the system itself, but partnered with legendary coaches like Mike Ditka and Terry Shea to offer training sessions exclusive to the platform so players will learn from the best when they strap themselves in. The headset will cost $99 during the $50,000 campaign, after which it will go up to $129. Backers can expect their own simulator in May of 2015.

The EON Sports virtual reality simulator is a fantastic idea, but instead of assisting in the mastery of physical movement like Virtual Knockout or the Shoot Natural Glove, it only focuses on IQ through the use of a gaming controller. Although football intelligence is a vital part of the game, the option to train physical movements just isn’t present, a huge missed opportunity for true innovation rather than settling for what Google could have done with cardboard. What EON Sports has really done is provide valuable strategy from coaching legends and make it widely available, but wouldn’t making such useful advice widely know degrade its quality?

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Sports

Raptor football weds a football to a glider for prolonged passes

Memories of those football hero days can be relived with this product. Raptor football may not look like the football used in high school, but it will allow the user to throw like they are in high school again. The aerodynamic design of this football will allow it to glide over 100 yards, and its aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame means it is crash resistant for those times when the other guy fumbles – or just flat out misses. Polymer wings add to the gliding fun, and the foam body means nobody gets hurt – unless somebody tries to relive those old tackling memories. Now if they could just come up with a cheerleading uniform that would make a middle-aged woman look good to complete this fantasy. Right ladies?

Closely resembling a NURF ball, it’s unclear if Raptor really brings anything new to the table. Still, if it can really be thrown as far as its creators say, it’ll be great fun for those who have big fields to play in. This campaign seeks to raise a whopping $193,000 by December 30, 2014. For $29, backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.

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Sports

Fan-Hand takes on the sticky with mini-dry erase boards

Here’s an item for sports enthusiasts who want more than just to be seen. They want to have their words seen too. Fan-Hand is a dry erase board that has a Velcro strip attached so that the user can wear it on their hand and hold their message high for all to see. There are also slots for dry erase markers so that the message can be changed during commercial breaks. So comments like, “The umpire is blind,” or “My grandma can throw a football better than you,” can be adequately displayed. Of course, this could also be used at rock concerts by surly fans: “You messed up the third chord in the second line of your song and we all heard it.” Or maybe college students in a large lecture hall: “Hey Prof, your delivery is dry, dull and dusty. Please do us all a favor and step down.” This campaign seeks to raise $27,000 by December 13, 2014. Early bird backers get one 8×10 size Fan-Hand for $20 with an expected delivery of January 2015.

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Sports

LoadUp Pro gets physical to produce tight baseball bat swings

All sports demand tight, consistent form, which takes a whole lot of time and practice to properly master. A big problem when learning these techniques is that it’s hard to know when you’re not doing it right. This means leading some down the wrong path and forcing them to correct themselves when someone clues them in on their mistakes.

The folks at LoadUp Pro think that time would be better spent learning correctly from the get go. They’ve built their batting aid to teach players how to correctly load up power and swing while still keeping balance. The Pro does this with two bars that work in tandem to create physical cues to teach, improve, or refine form, eventually leading to improved muscle memory and an overall better swing. The company’s approach is novel as it shies away from a sensor-centric design like the Zepp which forces players to analyze their swing after the fact. In contrast, the LoadUp Pro offers instant feedback the same way the Jump Shot Pro does for basketball — an invaluable trait in the sports world. The LoadUp Pro can be had for $75 with an estimated delivery date of January 2015. The campaign is looking to raise $5,000 for success.

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Sports

Alligator Arms gets players ready to catch the winning touchdown

Football is a game in which a variety of skills are not only required, but players are trained to a level where they’re practically second nature. In particular, there are a few aspects of pass receiving that are absolutely vital to get down. One of the most important skills is to avoid catching the ball with the body by extending the arms as far as possible. Although it sounds simple, the level of efficacy expected requires a lot time, discipline, and occasionally something to help nudge you down the right path. Alligator Arms aims to help budding pass receivers nurture solid fundamentals, compelling them to always extend their arms when engaging in the process of catching the pass. The product comes in the form of a belt worn around the waist that attaches to a user’s wrists with cords. It’s a simple, low-tech aid similar to the Shoot Natural Glove that, with enough use, seems like it can breed positive habits. Since the product was conceived at a fitness seminar, there must be some truth to the claim, although more analysis use would be necessary to see if it actually works over the long run. In the meantime, one Alligator Arms is going for $100 with an estimated delivery date of December 2014. The campaign is looking for $10,000 to help players everywhere.

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Chargers/Batteries Sports

Chargeboard is a rolling generator for a skater

Say what?! A skateboard that charges stuff? Yup. Chargeboard rolls around, generating its own power, and uses that energy to charge your devices. It delivers 5 Volt power to your iPhone by way of a convenient dock with enough juice to charge the phone up to eight times. Not only does it charge the phone while you’re just chilling, man, but it also lets you play music with an audio jack through Chargeboard’s speakers. An additional external USB port is compatible with lots of other devices as well, we’re talking to you Android. The skateboard itself is a sleek-looking wooden longboard. One will cost backers €380 or €360 if they’re early enough. This cool product from the Netherlands is hoping to raise €50,000 on Kickstarter. While Chargeboard is only really relevant to people who enjoy boarding, it’s still a cool product. Yes, it can play music and all that jazz, but it’s also an example of how easy it is to use renewable energy to power simple things. All in all, a fun product for boarders and a great example of sustainability in action.

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Sports

Chute trainer improves your golf shots by adding lag

Golf is one of those sports that seems none too stimulating. Untrue. There’s a lot involved in perfecting one’s stroke to get that ball close to or in the hole. Chute Trainer is designed to perfect your swing. Essentially a little parachute, it attaches to the bottom of your club to teach you the dynamics of lag. This helps to strengthen the golfers’ arms so that they shoot with more force, leading to drives up to 20 to 30 yards longer. Chute Trainer is small, folds up in your pocket and is completely detachable from the club. One will cost backers $35 with a Kickstarter campaign goal of $25,000.

Golf trainers are many and short between. Most, however, focus on putting, like GreenPlay, X Ball and Zen Bloodhound covered on Backerjack. This is one of the few that aims to improve a golfer’s drive, the first and most important step in getting par. While really only appropriate for serious golfers, Chute Trainer is a good tool for those who find themselves on the green most days, if it actually works.