Here’s an idea that gives a whole new meaning to floating on a breeze. Air Hammock takes the idea of an air mattress and ties it between two trees. It offers single and double wide options, but perhaps the coolest selection is the tent hammock. This item includes a removable rain cover and insect netting for those who like to take their hammock camping. All of the hammocks are light weight, tear proof, nylon cotton blends that breathe, are easy to clean and water resistant. This seems like a great improvement on a popular classic, especially in regard to the tent hammock. $30 gets a backer the single person option with an expected delivery of August 2014.
Category: Relaxation
The Premise. Activity trackers are popular for good reason, evolving far beyond the original concept of a smart pedometer. From physical activity to heart rate, these wearable devices can seemingly track whatever anyone might need. Now, there’s one to keep track of breathing as well.
The Product. Spire is a tiny tracker that can be clipped onto any piece of tight fitting clothing and monitors breathing in order to make an assessment about a person’s state of mind. From anxiety to extreme focus, each emotion comes with its own breathing patterns, which Spire can identify and send alerts to a phone to keep the wearer calm and collected. Additionally, Spire can track time spent sitting, standing, lying down, or walking, providing additional balance to daily life. Spire also charges wirelessly with its own charging pad or any Qi charging pad.
The Pitch. The introductory video for Spire is empowering, artistic, and strongly filmed, while also managing to say almost nothing about the product itself. Aside from a few screenshots of the app and a glimpse of the device’s clip tucked into a waistband, it’s hard to determine what the device does or how it’s used. The website makes up for this by offering an exhaustive FAQ section that covers everything from what the device does to where the name “Spire” comes from. The website is otherwise what backers have come to expect from a proprietary pre-order site, with big full-size graphics that are fixed to the background.
The Perks. Spire is available for $119, comes with a charging pad for the device, and ships in September.
The Potential. Spire is a great concept, especially for people who suffer from respiratory problems or anxiety and aren’t accustomed to breathing normally in certain situations. Unfortunately, the device feels a little one-note in terms of its function and cost, and so it’s hard to see consumers opting for this over other wearable activity trackers. Whether Spire rolls more functionality into their device or a similar breath tracker appears as a feature in a different tracker, a more complete package needs to be made available to make these functions worth wearing every day, everywhere. Add to this the fact the device is currently only supported on iOS devices (Android compatibility is being worked on), and Spire seems like a niche product carved into an even smaller niche.
The problem of rest while in transit is a doozy. For those who have trouble falling asleep on the move, traveling can be extremely uncomfortable. The JQ Headrest aims at helping weary passengers get some rest. It comprises of an adjustable pole that rests on the forehead and chest to let passengers sleep leaning forward. Despite its awkward look, it claims to be effective, much like the Forward Front Face Pillow Cushion. If backers think they can get it past security, they only have to pay $36 (if they live in China and have a lung disease) for delivery in August 2014. Healthy, non-Chinese backers must donate $99. JQ hopes to raise a huge $386,000 goal in a 27-day Kickstarter campaign.
For those times when you’re stuck between standing and a seat-place, try Purrch. Purrch is essentially a little stool to lean on when seats are scarce. It looks like an angled cane with a bike seat on top. The shaft of Purrch is made out of lightweight aluminum and designed to hold up to 400 pounds. Purrch’s Indiegogo campaign has a goal of $75,000 in 60 days and features an early-bird price of $70 and a regular price of $77 (which includes a ‘Strrap’). Purrch is for people who either spend too much time sitting or standing or people who need to take a load of at inconvenient times. An alternative to canes with integrated seats, Purrch is not recommended to use if weight loss is desired; fortunately, it can sustain up to 400 lbs. of backward-leaning girth. Purrch currently has not specified an estimated delivery date.
A bunch of golf lovers led by “Dirty Larry” Feiistel (who seems like quite the clean-cut fellow) got together to develop a product to help other people learn how to golf. This training aid helps new golfers improve their putting game. It involves an attachment to a putter that helps the golfer realize the alignment of the base of the putter, which in turn, determines the direction that the ball will go. They say that it improves the swing after just 15 minutes of use; that might be a tall order, but it’s not impossible. The developers are asking for $60 to get the first run of the Navigator, which seems to be a big step up for an idea that was borne out of pipe cleaners. It is due to navigate its way to backers in April 2014.