![Bevie Pro 1da31537b7fa50dbcb8abbc1fd7e587b_large[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Bevie-Pro-1da31537b7fa50dbcb8abbc1fd7e587b_large1-300x152.jpg)
For those of you who didn’t have the foresight to buy a patriotic (or at least Texan) lawn chair with a built in drink holder, Bevie Pro offers you the opportunity to redeem yourself. The drink holder product is compatible with soft drink and beer cans, bottles, most coffee mugs, and offers attachments for stemware, seamless glasses, lawn chairs without arms, and even lawn peg attachments. Its biggest competition might be the Universal Drink Holder, unless backers take a liking to Morella’s multitasking-drink-holding umbrella. But for those who prefer the Bevie Pro concept, backers get a complete product for $35 with an expected delivery of June 2014
![Nilly Bands a44306de8b94315e8b1d45643874362c_large[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Nilly-Bands-a44306de8b94315e8b1d45643874362c_large1-300x200.jpg)
Dude, what’s that strange circular glow emanating from your wrist? Well, if you happen to be out at night, Nilly Bands might be a good conversation starter. But by day, it’s a bit more obvious that the mild mannered silicone watch-like wrist band holds meds, vitamins, or other really small items that you want to tote hassle-free. Choose from a flat or rounded lid, and if glow-in-the-dark seems too over the top, there’s always black, white, blue, orange or turquoise instead. They’ll eventually come in three sizes so that you can make your ankles glow, too. For $8, backers get the Nilly Band of their color choice and an expected delivery of May 2014.
The Premise. In major cities around the world, bike-sharing programs are popping up allowing residents or tourists to borrow a bike and get where they’re going more quickly, but what if making use of this program involved less physical exertion and more fun?
The Product. The ShareRoller is a smaller motor that attaches to any bike or scooter whether it’s borrowed or not and allows riders to enjoy a smoother ride with motored assistance or no pedaling at all. The motor is designed to allow for 12 miles of range and offers 1 HP to get some speed going. The motor includes LED headlights to add visibility while riding in the dark, and also has a USB port to charge phones or tablets while commuting.
The Pitch. Inventor Jeff Guida shows off his love for sharebikes in his native New York City and demonstrates how a ShareRoller can speed up the heavier shared bikes. The product supports New York’s Citibike program, but also similar products in many other cities. With plenty of example photos on how to attach the motor and a convincing video, it’s easy to tell how much passion has gone into the development of this device. Guida and his team need $100,000 for injection moulding and to set up assembly facilities for the ShareRoller.
The Perks. Kickstarter supporters can get a ShareRoller for a pledge of $995, saving a whole $350 off the retail launch price, and should be riding in style by June of this year. An extended range battery which will add an extra eight miles of powered riding is available at the $1,295 tier, and New York City residents can get a beta ShareRoller in April for $1,995, which will be swapped out for the production model when it becomes available.
The Potential. The ShareRoller is a cleverly designed fantastic idea for urbanites who have access to bike shares or can commute using bikes or scooters easily, but there are some hurdles to overcome. First, the price point is steep for what it offers, meaning that making owning a ShareRoller economical involves a lot of two-wheeled commuting. Second, the weight of the device at between 6-7 pounds, plus an additional half pound for the extended range battery, is a little heavy unless there’s no walking to be done from the bike to the destination. There’s also the question of whether using the ShareRoller will be legal in the cities that offer the bikes it suports. This could be used by cities themselves to offer bike shares for people who are unable to propel themselves on a bicycle, but for the average consumer the ShareRoller still has a ways to go before becoming a crucial accessory.
The Premise. It’s the perfect summer day and you’ve invited some friends over for a pool party and to show off your grilling skills extraordinaire. The lengthy warm days with weekend cookouts and friends are supposed to be relaxing and fun. But the preparation for those grilled delights can be the pits!
The Product. Brochette Express allows you put that pit back in its place and reclaim your territory as master chef of fine outdoor edible fare. Like so many other important things in life, it all begins in the kitchen. The product was inspired because of how long it takes to cut up meat, veggies, fruit and then put each piece on a skewer. Looking something like an illusionist’s chamber for driving swords through a person, the slatted, rectangular container is placed on its base and holds meat, veggies or fruit. Layer as desired, and once filled, a lid with 16 skewer holes is placed on top. Bamboo or stainless steel skewers are inserted through the holes, cut along the slats, and voila! Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings and grill, baby, grill.
The Pitch. The video for the $30,000 campaign doesn’t explain what type of material the rectangular container is made of, though it appears to be some form of plastic. Gender war aficionados will appreciate the video in which of the lady of the house skewers her kabumbling male cohabitant. After showing him how to do brochettes the express way, she lets him save his masculine face by carting them out to the grill for testosterone-tinged heating.
The Perks. There are seven tiers from which backers may choose. For $25, backers get a complete product plus 16 bamboo skewers. $50 gets stainless steel skewers rather than bamboo. The estimated delivery is May 2014.
The Potential. Brochette Express is ideal for adults those who really enjoy entertaining and grilling, no matter what their age or gender. While it’s quite easy to find skewers, there doesn’t seem to be anything out there that aides with a quick and easy preparation process for those who enjoy cooking and dining on kabobs. Brochette Express appears to make the cut.
![ThinkBook 9697903696fb89405f4e644f40e3aacb_large[1]](http://www.backerjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ThinkBook-9697903696fb89405f4e644f40e3aacb_large1-300x225.jpg)
So you’re out at a restaurant and this really great idea pops into your head. Alas, you will imminently need that napkin for the sauce-doused pasta and any attempt to wrest the iPad back from your child will meet with vociferous protest. The creator of ThinkBook can sympathize. Hence, the idea for the 5×7 dry erase notebook was born. It comes with 15 pages and a dry erase marker, much to the relief of every waiter and waitress. Of course, with the pages a scarce commodity, you’ll need to find alternative means to sharing your idea rather than ripping out a sheet. Maybe you can borrow that iPad — or at least its camera — for a moment, after all. For $25 backers get a complete product and expected delivery of June 2014.
The Premise. Origami is beautiful and fun to make with paper. Usually it is used as décor or a fun hobby, but never really found in the functional parts of life.
The Product. The Bloom Blanket is the best of art and geometry inspired by origami. Bianca Cheng Costanzo, Bloom’s creator and well-traveled Barcelona guitarist and designer, was inspired by a tessellation to come up with the idea for the Bloom Blanket. She uses Italian wool cashmere to make the blankets. Bloom comes in either white or gray, or a mixture of both. Costanzo also offers backers customization in the size of the tetrahedrons that make up the blanket’s pattern.
The Pitch. Bloom Blanket’s Kickstarter video features Costanzo talking about the evolution of her product, waxing on the intersection of math and design and tossing in the occasional smile and giggle. Her slow, soft voice mixed with the pastel colors of her apartment and the fairy-like music are all hypnotizing and reminiscent of a spa. The video also shows slow-moving footage of the blanket, but lacks any sort of shot of the blanket laid out anywhere, which would be helpful to see. The rest of the campaign shows different versions of the blanket and the prototyping process. Costanzo hopes to raise $14,000 in her 30-day run on Kickstarter in order to make the minimum factory order.
The Perks. Backers looking to get all cozy with the Bloom Blanket must donate $249 in order to do so. This tier comes with a choice of color for the blanket. The next and highest reward tier goes for $2,000 and offers complete customization of the blanket including color, size, and arrangement of tetrahedrons. Estimated delivery is currently set for October 2014.
The Potential. Everyone loves to cuddle up on a cold night with a blanket. The luxury material of the wool/cashmere blend is especially pleasing. However, geometry nerds may not be willing to shell out $249 for blanket, despite how many tetrahedrons it may have. The Bloom Blanket is certainly an artisan novelty in the elusive luxury home goods/geometry geek market. If the blanket could actually fold into a triangle or if the geometry had some heat-retention benefits, it would be an easier sell.
![Mogics 0c4e8274d6edc88917be6df441b9758a_large[1]](http://www.backerjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Mogics-0c4e8274d6edc88917be6df441b9758a_large1-300x199.jpg)
Mogics Light fits in your pocket or purse and may very well be a tri-functional luminary legend in the making. Your choice of a bright light for bike rides by moonlight, red signal for added rear-wheel safety, or a flickering candle-like light for romantic encounters upon arrival. Enjoy for up to 20 hours. But all won’t be lost in the end because it can be recharged with the accompanying USB cable. The magnet on the back of the light allows you to attach it to any magnetic surface, and it’s also waterproof. On the other hand, sinking is also an option. Just hold the button down while it’s in a body of water for underwater illumination. For $18 backers get a complete product with an expected delivery of May 2014
Welcome to The Back-Off, where Backerjack contributors weigh in on two or more products being crowdfunded concurrently.
What. Night visibility for pedestrians isn’t just for Halloween anymore. Whether it’s a bicyclist coming home from a night out or just a pedestrian out for a midnight stroll, it can be life-threatening if a motorist doesn’t notice them under cover of night. Enter the Halo Belt 2.0 and Adamas Light, two products designed to combine sci-fi fashion and modern day safety.
Why. While the Halo Belt 2.0 presents its personal light as a strap that can be attached around any surface, the Adamas Light is more of a vest that is worn around the upper torso. Adamas has a large glowing green diamond on the back with four reflective strips framed by utility pockets. The Halo Belt is a little more fashion-forward with a single strip of light the length and width of one half of the strap’s circumference. The Halo Belt light is available in several colors, can be set to blink, and is USB rechargeable. On the other hand, the Adamas runs on 3 AAA batteries, offering longer usage time at the cost of requiring external batteries. The Halo Belt 2.0 is sent to backers pledging a minimum of $35, $10 less than the minimum pledge for the Adamas. Neither campaign offers much more in the way of more extravagant reward tiers or stretch goals.
When. The Adamas Light vest beat the Halo Belt 2.0 to Kickstarter by just a day. Adamas is running a 35-day campaign slated to end April 1st, while the Halo Belt will be raising money until April 27th. Even though they were second to the party, Halo Belt 2.0s are scheduled to ship in July, one month before the Adamas Light.
Winner. There’s something to be said for the consistency of the Adamas vest, However, in terms of style, versatility, convenience, and even price, the Halo Belt 2.0 seems to be smarter choice. The strap design looks less intrusive than the Adamas vest, and the team also has the experience of running a successful Kickstarter campaign with the previous Halo Belt model, which should put any fear of a mismanaged project to rest.
The Premise. As the eco-movement continues to grow, cyclists become more an more numerous, opting to travel in an environmentally-friendly way instead of using their cars all the time. The only problem is that the safety-movement hasn’t really stepped up to this new influx of cyclists. As a result, drivers and cyclists in the U.S. are still not very adept at sharing the road, which can result in accidents.
The Product. Revolights offers up one more way to improve the safety of cyclists and drivers alike. Instead of dinky blinky lights that most cyclists use, Revolights are long lights that act as the front and back fender to a bike. This current campaign is only for the taillight. If the bike already has fenders, there is a special mount that can be used to attach the arc light to the fender. By detecting the rotating speed of the wheel, an additional brake light is activated when the cyclist’s speed slows suddenly. The Revolights arc light comes with different modes, blinking or not, with a red taillight. The arc light runs on a battery that has eight hours of life and charges in a USB port.
The Pitch. This campaign marks a third go at Kickstarter for Revolights, the Bay Area creators of which show off its product in a video featuring different cyclists riding around at night. It’s especially interesting to see how the brake light comes in when necessary. In addition, the video shows newer features that will be offered soon, including turn signals. Revolights hopes to raise $100,000 in its 54-day campaign.
The Perks. Backers can enjoy the Revolights Arc taillight for $69 at the early-bird price. Regularly priced, the taillight will go for $79 and the light which includes its own fender goes for $109. Reward tiers go up to $629 with an estimated delivery date of October 2014. Revolights talks about having stretch goals in the future for turn signals, but have not actually set them yet.
The Potential. Bike taillights as they exist now are easily mistaken for other things. Most bike headlights and taillights are mismatched, offering a huge headlight with an inadequately sized taillight. This large arced light is much safer because of its size and position partially outlining the wheel, signaling to drivers that they are approaching a bike. The closest product to Revolights right now is the Serfas Thunderbolt USB Taillight, simply because it charges with a USB, but compared to the arc light, the Thunderbolt looks much too small. All in all, while the price of Revolights is rather high, the safety that it offers is worth ponying up for.
![Nostalgic Mobile Clothesline d1cd4ae0d604a2d21ac1d65d232092b2_large[1]](http://www.backerjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Nostalgic-Mobile-Clothesline-d1cd4ae0d604a2d21ac1d65d232092b2_large1-300x201.jpg)
A long time ago in a world not so distant from this one, they used clotheslines to dry wet clothes. Why? Dryers didn’t exist yet. Nevertheless, some people like the smell and feel of sundried clothes, and for them, a Mobile Clothesline that holds an entire load of laundry might be just the thing. But for those of us who don’t have the time, we’ll stick with our dryer – low heat for delicates and minimal shrinkage. There are multiple options out there for mobile drying racks and mobile clothes racks which can be just as easily placed outside and moved around with the sunlight. It doesn’t appear that any of the tiers in this campaign offer The Mobile Clothesline product, but for at least $20 a backer gets a tee-shirt with an estimated delivery of June 2014.