Water sports have grown past water skiing, wakeboarding and surfing. Now, people are exploring even more new ways, like paddleboarding, to get exercising while in a lake or ocean. The Aqua Elliptica offers one such way to enjoy cardio while out on the water. This product is basically a water-friendly elliptical machine, similar to one you’d find in the gym. One Aqua Elliptica costs backers $2,500 with an estimated delivery date of September 2014. This new water device hopes to raise $50,000 in a 33-day Kickstarter campaign.
Tag: water
K9 police squads and military units that use dogs need an easy way to give them water on the go. Most bowls that people use let water get hot and aren’t easily transportable. The K9 Unit Insulated Dog Water Bottle uses a unique design to fix these problems. It keeps water cool and has an attachment at the bottom that easily gives dogs water, but is also easy to put back onto the bottle when finished. One of these bottles costs backers $25 with an estimated delivery date of August 2014. The K9 bottle hopes to raise $20,000 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Premise. Runners, cyclists, hikers and other athletes require lots of hydration during their workouts. Unfortunately, water bottles and backpacks can be cumbersome to carry and difficult to access when needed.
The Product. The Hydras is a portable water system perfect for athletes. This product offers shirts with four water bladders and tubes sewn in. The bladders are located at the shoulders and lower back, which are supposed to be the areas least prone to sweating. With perfect balance, the water evens itself out in each pouch for maximum comfort. The main tube comes over the should to make it accessible for drinking. Currently, Hydras comes in short sleeve, long sleeve and sleeveless wear.
The Pitch. Hydras’ main campaign video offers testimonials from wearers of this product with little other detail of its conception or design. The prototyping process fills the rest of the campaign. However, there are no pictures of the different shirts available with this product; that would be helpful for interested backers to see. There is also no mention of whether or not the shirts are machine-washable. This cooling system hopes to raise a staggering $115,000 in its 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. Only backers with $150 will receive this hydrating shirt from the campaign. Lower tiers offer just the water bladders and tubes without a shirt or simply the chance to order the product before its official market release. Reward tiers go up to $10,000 with estimated delivery dates of November 2014.
The Potential. The Hydras shirts claim to offer more benefits than simply holding a water bottle or even using a CamelBak. The price seems a bit high, however, for one shirt, whether or not it holds water. Also, it seems likely that the water, while balanced in the shirt, may drag the fabric of the shirt down the back uncomfortably. Water temperature is also something to worry about because the water would most likely heat up during a workout. Still, the Hydras’ main benefit of evenly distributing the weight of the water across the back is essential for many athletes and the product may well appeal to fitness enthusiasts in need of a quick drink.
Cycling is a hot sport, made even more so by helmets. KoldRush is a cooling system that delivers water from a bottle directly to a cyclists head via their helmet at the touch of a button. It basically sweats more for you, so that you can ride to your heart’s content. Concerns that the extremely short-range rain could interfere with your vision are dismissed by noting a sweatband will keep the extra moisture form interfereing . This cool(ing) product goes for $200 with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. KoldRush is looking to raise $50,000 in a 45-day run on Kickstarter.
The Premise. Nothing quite compares to scuba diving, but it’s not without its challenges. Without a scuba license, underwater enthusiasts are limited to snorkeling. While a fun activity, snorkeling has its limits. It doesn’t allow for diving too far beneath the water’s surface and presents the constant risk of inhaling saltwater water into the tube. Perhaps the solution lies in removing the first two letters from “SCUBA.”
The Product. UBA offers a more evolved and versatile version of the traditional snorkel. The UBA looks like a traditional snorkel, except with a much more flexible tube that has a red fin attached to the top. Inspired by the anatomy of dolphins, UBA’s floating fin-like apparatus keeps the top of the tube above water no matter what position the diver is in and hides the top of the tube well enough so that water can’t get in. The fin on top also shuts the tube when underwater, giving the diver a little pocket of air for deeper diving. When resurfacing, the tube opens up again automatically. In addition, UBA includes a separate valve that allows for easy water purging if necessary, unlike traditional snorkels that need a big exhalation of air to clear out.
The Pitch. UBA’s Kickstarter campaign isn’t quite as cool as its product. UBA’s creators would benefit from including a better explanation of their product’s different features. The video showcases UBA in action, with swimmers on and below the surface of the water using UBA. UBA hopes to raise $50,000 in its campaign. More information can be found on the product’s Web site.
The Perks. UBA offers several early-bird reward tiers in addition to a regularly priced tier. For $55, $60, $65 (the early-bird prices), or $70 (regular price) backers get a UBA with travel bag from UBA’s first production run. The top tier goes for $1,000 and includes not only a UBA with travel bag, but also a chance to help UBA’s creators test new products as they come out. Estimated delivery is set at May, June, August, September and May 2014 respectively for the reward tiers listed above.
The Potential. There are no other well-known snorkel alternatives quite like UBA. UBA allows for range of motion and other conveniences that a traditional snorkel simply fails to provide. In addition, UBA presents a much cheaper alternative to divers who can’t afford or don’t have the time to get their scuba license. Its flexible tube and unique fin make it a must-have for water enthusiasts in summertime or on vacation.
The Premise. Batteries can die in the most inconvenient of times. During a power outage, car breakdown, or accident are the worst times to discover that your flashlight has run out of juice.
The Product. The H2Only Battery is a rechargeable battery that literally runs on juice, water or any other liquid. Currently, the H2Only Battery is being sold either as a flashlight or standard light. When it runs out, one simply needs to pour water or any other liquid over it and it will recharge again. Both the flashlight and light look like little more than regular LED flashlights or lights.with the exception of a ventilated exterior. If more power is needed, simply clip another battery onto the existing one. If less power is needed, take the extra battery away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u897H5Tf0ns
The Pitch. The H2Only Battery’s Indiegogo campaign features a refreshingly high-end video that shows the flashlight and light in action in various situations. The remainder of the campaign talks about when and where H2Only Battery would be helpful, the durability of the battery and which other products are will soon be manufactured with the H2Only Battery. The creators hope to raise $87,500 in order to fund the H2Only Battery. More information can be found on their Web site.
The Perks. For only $29, the early bird gets one H2Only Battery flashlight. The standard price for both the flashlight and light costs backers $69. From there, reward tiers go all the way up to $5,000 with a heavy emphasis on donations that will fund philanthropic projects in Africa. Current availability is set at June 2014.
The Potential. The H2Only Battery is a truly cool concept that demonstrates how simple innovation can produce sustainable products. Unfortunately, H2Only Battery isn’t the first liquid rechargeable battery to the watering hole. The NoPoPo Water Battery looks like a AA battery, but can be recharged with water and several other liquids, but the H2Only team notes that its approach is patented and that the other product peters out after only two or three recharges.
The H2Only Battery’s main claim to fame is that it is the only open type rechargeable battery out there. This means that it doesn’t need to be disassembled in order to recharge with water and that it can take advantage of oxygen as a catalyst. The H2Only Battery’s creators have big dreams for their product, including powering every house in the world with just water. Still, the H2Only Battery creators will have to start by coming out with some more versatile products than lights in order to compete with other water-fueled battery systems, especially if they plan on taking over the world.
There is a veritable ocean of Bluetooth speakers out there, but how many can be used in the ocean? If the creator of Drytunes has its way, you’ll be able to pack up your troubles, or at least a few of your valuables, in music-spewing suitcase enclosure and toss it straight into the water without worry about damage. Project creator Michael Applebaum uses his radio-friendly voice to tell the story for the submersible speaker system. This includes having people express surprise at how good it sounds, although such demonstrations are of course hard to appreciate through whatever speakers you may be using. Drytunes is being made offered to backers for $315, or $299 if you catch the early bird and should be available in March 2014.