This week on Kickstarter: Oru Kayaks, Alcohol Stoves, Goodday Bikes, and Rugged Smartphones.
Oru Kayak is back with another widely successful Kickstarter. Designed to be the most accessible kayak on the market, the Inlet is 10 feet long (when extended), weighs just 20lbs, and takes 5 minutes to set up. Built for use on flat water, its 42″ by 19″ storage size makes it easy to hide anywhere. $749 and it’s yours.
We wanted to push all the main features of the Oru- portability, weight, collapsibility- to the absolute maximum. Instead of a suitcase-sized box, how about a bag-sized one? Can we get it under 20 pounds? How many steps can we cut through the assembly process?
And of course, it had to be a blast from the water – strong, stable and alive. Oh, and it had to be nice and sleek- we think a 10 meter kayak should have nice lines and curves.
To do all this, we had to go back to the basics of origami- and develop SHINY. NEW. COLLECT THE PATTERN. Every crease was designed from scratch, using dozens of paper and cardboard models. All the folds had to be designed to fit and fit perfectly, eliminating wasted space and creating a much smaller box.
Check out Oru Inlet on Kickstarter!
A new take on the classic brew stove. Weighing less than 1oz and boiling water at the rate of 2 cups every 4:30 minutes, once the stove has burned all the alcohol from the outer thread, it automatically starts to burn the alcohol from the inner thread. This creates a simmering effect to keep your food warm while you wait to eat. Made of titanium and based in Idaho, there are many support packages that include the addition of their new SHART trowel (Single-Handed Advanced Refuse Trowel)
It is very difficult to design the lightest, most efficient, fastest boiling yet longest lasting, tunable, ultralight titanium stove in the world with all the features backpackers want when you are competing with all the major manufacturers and their unlimited tools and capabilities; but the kids have to go to college this fall and that’s like spending money, so… we did it!
- The complete stove system weighs less than one ounce at only 25 grams!
- It can boil 2 cups of water in just 4:35 seconds and Auto-Miles for an *extra* minute 15 to 20 minutes… with only 1 oz of fuel!
- It can be simmered or Hot and Auto-Simmer, with no extra parts!
Check out the CORE PUK stove on Kickstarter
A small custom company that wants to start creating bikes and bags for “bikepacking, casual travel, and everyday fun.” Perhaps not your typical Kickstarter project, the main purpose of this campaign is to launch its brand. Although you don’t focus too much on one product, the Goodday campaign allows you to choose between a variety of customized products.
Bicycles today are safer, easier and more fun to ride. Despite this though old bikes are still in demand. Why do we still feel such strong desire when we see a schwinn or an old klunker? Classic bicycles were created in an analogue world where designers used pencil and paper to create beautiful shapes and flowing lines.
Goodday Bikes and Curiosity Bags are purposefully designed this way but using modern technology. Our bikes have axles, revised geometry, and butted chromoly tubes. Bike bags are made of PU coated polyester canvas, which is incredibly durable and waterproof but still maintains a retro aesthetic.
Check out Goodday Bikes on Kickstarter!
Although this Kickstarter campaign was shrouded in bad communication and backer frustration (see the comment section if you’d like to support), I’ve included this Kickstarter in our collection because I’m glad that this Kickstarter decided to direct its message (at least in part) to “outdoor enthusiasts.” While it’s neat that it’s rugged and waterproof, I wouldn’t hold my breath for a phone designed specifically for the mundane needs of the outdoor community. However, I would like to be able to see more legitimate efforts.
Unfortunately for keyboard fans, there are only a few smartphones with keyboards to choose from and those tend to be older brands that lack the style, features and comfort that modern digital lifestyles require.
That’s why we, Unihertz, created the all new, Titan. After two successful Kickstarter campaigns with over 20,000 backers, we’re back with the latest launch – Titan is the ultimate QWERTY phone for doers! Titan is an unbreakable and flexible smartphone for working professionals, outdoor enthusiasts and QWERTY lovers.
Check out Titan on Kickstarter