NEWS – This week I have four crowdfunding campaigns that are currently running on Kickstarter or Indiegogo that I thought would be of interest to anyone who likes carbon fiber and wearable tech.
Praetor Pocketblade | Rethinking the Utility Knife
What is it?
The Praetor Pocketblade is a futuristic/sci-fi style utility knife that has a handle and sheath made of carbon fiber.
Why is it cool?
Why is the Praetor Pocketblade cool? Just look at it… It looks like a prop from the latest Star Wars flick. And it uses magnets so I have to love it. They sent me a pre-production sample of both styles and I have to say that I love them. They are light weight and once you know the “trick”, it’s easy to remove the knife from the sheath and it’s also easy to replace the blades without needing any tools like most utility knives. The blades are held in place by magnets which is a genius design!
Where can I find more info?
The Praetor Pocketblade campaign ends on 1/31/19 they have already passed their funding goal of $3,703. You can pre-order a Praetor Pocketblade starting at $33. After the Praetor Pocketblade campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in May 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
Padrone Ring: Coolest Mouse Ever
What is it?
Padrone Ring is a wireless mouse that you wear on your index finger.
Why is it cool?
I think the Padrone Ring is cool because it’s a wireless mouse that you wear on your finger. GOSH!
Things to consider before pledging
The price is crazy. $199 for a mouse? Even though you can wear it on your finger, that’s extremely spendy. The price might be justified if this ring could do more than function as a mouse. If it was an activity tracker, NFC ring, or had other features, it might make it worth the price.
Another thing to consider is that rewards aren’t estimated to ship until July of next year. That’s a really long time to wait.
Where can I find more info?
The Padrone Ring campaign ends on 1/21/19 they are close to meeting their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order a Padrone Ring starting at $199. After the Padrone Ring campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2019. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.
CARBONARA pencil
What is it?
The CARBONARA pencil is lead holder made of carbon fiber
Why is it cool?
I think the CARBONARA pencil is cool because you can squeeze it to change the length of the lead tip. I also like the way it looks.
Things to consider before pledging
Very expensive for a lead holder.
Where can I find more info?
The CARBONARA pencil campaign ends on 1/7/19 they have already passed their funding goal of $7,970. You can pre-order a CARBONARA pencil starting at $74. After the CARBONARA pencil campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
Kistler: The warmest jacket that uses aerospace technology
What is it?
Kistler is a brand of jackets that use aerogel for insulation.
Why is it cool?
I think Kistler jackets are cool (not literaly) because they are the warmest and thinnest jacket on on this planet and can keep you warm in temperatures as low as -320°F Things to consider before pledging
A lot of money to pay for a jacket although you may never need to buy another one.
Where can I find more info?
The Kistler campaign ends on 1/22/19 they have already passed their funding goal of $25,000. You can pre-order a Kistler starting at $199. After the Kistler campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
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Buyer beware on that Kistler jacket: If you look in the comments, it appears that several other sites (mostly Asian sites) appear to be selling identical gear. Speculation is there may be a scam involved somewhere, including the KS campaign itself.
Thanks for the headsup. I’ll ask them about this…