Category: Sports

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Sports

Wingboard lets you capture air in a wild new way

Thrill seekers can’t get enough of skydiving, bungee jumping and wingsuit flying. Now, they can up the ante with the WingBoard. This product combines wake boarding with sky diving. The user stands atop the WingBoard which is attached to a plane. YES, a plane. Okay, one of those little planes, but still. It has wheels on the bottom for take off and, in the sky, the rider holds onto a rope much like when water skiing. One will cost extreme backers basically $600 for only the kit and manual to create a 1/16 scale version of the product. WingBoard hopes to raise $32,000 on Kickstarter to continue developing their product.

Thus far, the creators of WingBoard are still in the very early stages of development. They’re slowly scaling their product up to ensure safety. Speaking of which, it’s unclear what happens to the rider if they let go of the rope or lose their balance. Those water skiing can just float around in the water, but do WingBoarders just fall to the ground? Or do they perhaps wear a parachute? Either way this sport seems like it could require exceptional safety controls with wind and cold altitudes making it downright unpleasant. It will be interesting to see if this product ever fully develops with the approval of all the necessary acronymed organizations.

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Sports

Deftown protective baseball cap protects noggins without nerdiness

7fef7aea27e64c812696c95eeb5cabd2_largeA huge danger for any pitcher is the possibility of being hit with a line drive. Although the chance is low, the possible consequences are dangerous enough that considerations must be made when it comes to protection. The Deftown Baseball Cap by inventor Dennis Kuhnel is filling that gap. It’s slimmer and more effective than current protections, traits the inventor hopes will earn him MLB and NOSCAE certifications. Baseball enthusiasts will love the extra protection without the extra weight. For $35, interested backers get a cap, with the inventor hoping to garner support enough to raise $45,000 by October 20, 2014.

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Sports

Bowling Thumb Sock offers better spins for your pins

Bowling Thumb SockThere is little that compares with the excitement of being at the bowling alley and the challenge of remaining calm and experiencing the best game possible. At the same time, thumb issues can ruin strategic throws and kill a bowler’s score. That’s why Bowling Thumb Sock was created. The slick Lycra and cotton/poly mix won’t fall off while bowling, and it also offers a four way stretch that’s durable, comfortable, and alleviates most thumb related problems. This product will likely have great appeal to its niche market of professional and aspiring professional bowlers, but those who are in it just for fun will probably be passing this by. Enthusiastic bowling backers can get three double packs for $20, with an expected delivery of October 2014.

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Games Sports

Oche Pong elevates a beer pong setup to the classiness of a dartboard

28cbd33d4ea10eae4df00764eaab3e8f_largeBeer pong isn’t just a frat bro’s claim to fame anymore. Phinneas Innovations LLC wants to get the storied game out from college campuses and into the livers of those everywhere with their Oche Pong, a modified version that tilts the cups at a 45° angle, hangs them on the nearest wall, and transforms the game. It also has feet for those places without walls, like the beach, or tailgating parties. $35 is the asking price for the novelty, while the company is looking for $34,000 to it into homes by February 2015 the latest.

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Home Sports

CorkNet trivet lets you serve dishes, ping pong balls

CorkNetWhen families get together, it seems that most everyone ends up in the kitchen. Maybe it’s because that’s where the food is, but CorkNet will give people another reason to gather there — especially if table tennis is the family passion. The cork wedges work as a heat absorption item for hot pots and pans, and when the meal is over, doubles as the net for table tennis right at the kitchen table. While a person can choose to easily store it or transport it anywhere, a cork net may mean more effort to retrieve those “net balls.” But then that’s what kids are for, right? Backers can get theirs for £20, with an expected delivery of October 2014.

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Connected Objects Sensors/IoT Sports

The Holy Pie smart racket adds divine feedback to your game

smartracketTrying to learn proper technique in racketsports such as tennis and badminton can be tough. Having an aid like the strangely named Holy Pie Smart Racket, though, can help curb a newcomer’s mistakes or refine a more seasoned player. A microsensor in the handle tracks stats like hitting position and power. The product then connects with a PC or a smartphone to display 3D-models of your performance for your scrutiny. Whether the racket will also analyze that data to give you tips remains to be The raw data could be helpful, but it seems as though the product could benefit from some expert interpretation of the data. That would be particularly welcome considering the badminton version is expected at $240 and the tennis version is expected at $600. Those who know the flow and have cash to blow can improve their chances of bashing a birdie with units shipped in November 2014.

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Sports Tools

SpinGen puts its spin on tennis racquet strings

The Premise. The best tennis technique involves not only a firm grip and good racket, but also a spin on the ball itself. This spin allows the ball to move in an arc, which makes it easier to get over the net. It also can push the ball to the opposite side when it hits the net itself. Tightly wound rackets get this spinning effect, but it lasts for only a short time.

The Product. SpinGen is a device that gets the best use out of your tennis racquet. It creates a rougher quality in the strings so that they produce more spin. The product is a plier-like tool that one clamps around the strings in the “sweet spot” of the racket. It roughens some of the strings, while others remain smooth so that the strings themselves can easily slide against each other creating spin and flexibility at the same time. One must simply clamp around the string in question and apply pressure until the string is a bit rougher. 

The Pitch. SpinGen’s campaign video features epic music along with the basic physics involved in the game of tennis. For the rest, the creator displays lots of up close photos of tennis racquets and strings. SpinGen needs to raise $18,000 for a successful run on Kickstarter.

The Perks. One of these tennis-centric clamps goes for $35 with an estimated delivery date of September 2014. Higher reward tiers offer several SpinGens at discounted rates and climb up to $280.

The Potential. SpinGen is one of those products that solves a problem that few know about. There are tennis strings out there that are already rough. The creator argues, however, that it’s best to have a combination of rough and soft strings for the best game. SpinGen is a great way to produce such an effect, but will probably be useful only to pro tennis players. While an interesting product, the SpinGen needs to find a place in the very niche tennis market for success. 

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Sports Video

The AirDog drone takes amazing videos of action sports

airdogThe GoPro camera revolutionized the way extreme sports enthusiasts captured footage of their stunts and amazing feats, but the camera angles were limited, required someone to follow the action separately, or came out too shaky and jarring. AirDog is a remote-controlled quadcopter drone that can be programmed via smartphone or that can simply follow the action by tracking a bracelet and keeping it in frame, recording it through a GoPro. The finished product is remarkably smooth, and examples of what the AirDog can do make up the vast majority of the product’s introduction video. AirDog takes flight in November 2014 for $1,195.

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Sports

PractiGOAL converts from part of soccer to solar blocker

PractiGOALSoccer is a great sport that is enjoyed by many all over the world. However, running around on a piping hot field can get pretty sweaty. The PractiGOAL is a typical soccer goal that converts easily into a shady spot for players and parents alike. This 65 lb heavyweight goal comes with seats to rest out of the sun. It is made out of aluminum and folds up for portability. One of these goal/shades will set backers back a whopping $400 for delivery in February 2015. PractiGOAL is looking to raise $35,000 in its 45-day run on Kickstarter.

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Smartwatches/Bands Sports

Smash serves up tennis advice to turn you into an ace

The Premise. Anyone who has ever tried to simply hit the ball both over the net and within bounds knows that tennis is a lot harder than it looks. Mastering the game can take years and the specialized advice of a professional coach that knows what needs fixing.

The Product. Smash is a wristband that circumvents the coach almost entirely by analyzing every detail of the hitting motion on each swing of the racket. From velocity of serves to follow-through form and even hitting strategies, the Smash records all data during a match silently and without breaking up the action. Afterwards, the Smash syncs easily to its proprietary app, crunching all of that data into something easier to understand, with precise metrics and analysis that provides simple tips on how to improve one’s game immediately. Smash also features social functions that allow players to challenge one another and determine who has the best skill in local or national areas.

The Pitch. Smash inventor Rob Crowder clearly has the tennis bug, which makes Smash all the better for its attention to detail and ability to improve one’s play. The presentation and the app user interface is clean, modern, and bright, motivating players to do better each and every time. Crowder and his team need $200,000 AUD to produce and test the device for durability, weather, and general quality.

The Perks. For $129 AUD, a Smash wristband will arrive at any tennis enthusiast’s doorstep in February 2015. Anyone that wants to help refine the device before it becomes available via retail can do so with the Alpha Testing Edition for $299 AUD, available in December 2014. Those who prefer the personal touch can get a Smash engraved with production number and backer’s name for $399 AUD.

The Potential. For people who want to learn the game of tennis, Smash could be a fantastic aid to everyone without the budget to hire a personal coach. Perhaps the last thing the world needs is another athletic tracker on everyone’s wrist before the gym starts looking like a group of people trying to sell watches in a back alley. Still, Smash belongs there to analyze every bit of movement from every hit of the ball and provide helpful tips to improve one’s game each and every time. Don’t expect to see these popping up at Wimbledon any time soon, but younger players who need to learn the tiny differences that separate the good from the best will be served well by using Smash.