Equipment Watch 4: Launch Skates

I had written about the Launch Skates on a number of occasions before, but it seems more than likely that these skates will hit the market soon. I had introduced them here on HBIC, followed up with Mr. David Blois who is the creator of the skates, found a review of them in Popular Science where they won an award, and finally added a piece where Discovery Channel had spoken to Mr. Blois about Launch Skates. Needless to say, I'm following this product! So it is with optimism that I want to present the next phase of the Launch Skates: the Kickstarter phase!

Let me just say that any project on Kickstarter can and should be thoroughly reviewed before spending any of your hard-earned money on it. In this case, Launch Skates is looking for $29,000 by November 29 at 7am ET in order to get funding. This is a lofty goal, I admit, but one that should be attainable if the right people kick in some cash.

Mr. Blois has posted a vast amount of information on the Kickstarter page for the project, and there are some very interesting facts and photos on the page. This $29,000 goal appears to be the initial amount necessary for the Launch Skates to get off the ground. This will cover the final few months required for Mr. Blois to get the final designs to the injection moulding stage followed by the production launch and shipping by March 2014.

In an effort to re-affirm the good things that Launch Skates do, here is a video about the new skates. Honestly, it looks pretty solid.

Personally, using the same chassis that current skates employ is a genius idea. There's no additional pieces or fixes needed when one wants to upgrade to Launch Skates. Instead, it's just a visit to your local skate repair shop, and they can fit the boot with the new chassis quite easily. If one wants to use Launch Skates, there is no re-invention of the wheel.

If you're interested in helping Launch Skates make it to the market, they are taking Kickstarter donations as small as $1. Believe me, after running through the UMFM Pledge-O-Rama campaign a week ago, every single donation counts! And don't think that you're just giving away your cash. No, Launch Skates has various incentive levels to give back to those who help them attain their goal. Pretty cool, right?

So let's get cracking here, hockey fans. If you believe in innovation and technology, this Kickstarter project might be the greatest thing hockey fans will get to support this year or in the coming years. And once you donate, you can say you were a part of Launch Skates before they hit it big!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!