Member of the Month

PartyBullshiit
March, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Goodbye to saying goodbye to your gear

profile picture
AaronJ
Posts: 3 - Karma: 15
Click for larger image Hey guys,
I'm Aaron & I work as COO at AKKA USA. I wanted to take a minute to introduce everyone at NS to a device that we are currently working on for the snow world. The AKKA Ski Retriever is our answer to the problem of ski and gear loss on the mountain. We have started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for this concept. I'm hoping to get some feedback from you all on this idea. If you like the concept and think it would be something that you'd like to use in the future, then please pledge at any level and share with your fiends. Thanks!

-Aaron

AKKA's Kickstarter - http://kck.st/TRjRMp

AKKA's Website - http://akkausa.com
AKKA's FB -http://facebook.com/akkaskiretriever
AKKA's Twitter - http://twitter.com/akkausa

Jan 11 2013 8:41PM
2 0
profile picture
NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Looks and sounds dope! Looks like basically a baby version of an Avy Beacon. Does the AKKA system interfere with any beacons set to search, and give them false readings or have you guys worked around that issue already?
Jan 11 2013 8:48PM
0 0
profile picture
NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Dub post but here is an embed of the kickstarter page's video for anyone who is too lazy:


Jan 11 2013 8:50PM
0 0
profile picture
Urban.
Posts: 655 - Karma: 261
I believe the cost to consumer must be low just because people in their mind think they will never lose a ski or gear. but i dont think anyine would want to spend 500 on such a device. It looks like it clips on to your ski in the picture but what if your skis cross or overlap or just plain wack-it couldn't that damage the product. Also if its going to be expensive no one would want the risk of breaking it. Again if its going to cost like $500 the gear they are skiing on or have the device attached too must be over that because if they lose it they could go out and buy another one lower than the price it costs for the device. hope this made sense best wishes!!!!!
Jan 11 2013 9:18PM
0 0
profile picture
AaronJ
Posts: 3 - Karma: 15
Thanks, man! That's a very common concern and one we have definitely thought of and worked around from day 1. We operate on a frequency independent of those used by beacons to ensure that we do not interfere with them and they do not interfere with us. Glad you like!
Jan 11 2013 9:38PM
0 0
profile picture
AaronJ
Posts: 3 - Karma: 15
I'm not sure where you are seeing a $500 price tag? The complete system will cost $200 and we are offering an Earlybird pre-order of the whole system for $125 via Kickstarter. We will also have additional tags for much less so that you can mount them to your poles, cameras, or whatever! We feel this cost is justified if it can save you just 1 lost ski or GoPro.
Jan 11 2013 9:47PM
0 0
profile picture
jmasterp
Posts: 1976 - Karma: 233
This idea has been thrown around a lot in here through the years, glad to see it's becoming a reality.
Jan 11 2013 9:59PM
0 0
profile picture
Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
I really wish I had an extra 125 right now. After almost losing my ski this weekend, it seems like a good investment.
Jan 11 2013 10:31PM
0 0
profile picture
Urban.
Posts: 655 - Karma: 261
sorry man i was just guessing the price because i didnt see it anywhere with that $200 and the 150 early bird i think this might do very well. good luck again!
Jan 11 2013 10:34PM
0 0
profile picture
Poikenz
Posts: 1406 - Karma: 3,131
I would like to see it in use, how do you know what tag you are tracking and how do you keep others from interfering? If you have a go pro on your head and you are looking for a ski would the tag on the go pro constantly set off the radar? I don't want to take all my gear with tags on them off before I can start looking for something.
Jan 11 2013 11:43PM
0 0
profile picture
AaronJ
Posts: 3 - Karma: 15
You "pair" each tag to your handset. Each tag has a completely unique internal ID. As far as the handset is concerned, the tags all have individual labels in the interface once they've been paired up (ie: tag "1" for left ski, tag "2" for right ski, tag "3" for GoPro, etc.) When trying to locate a ski or piece of gear, you simply select the tag on the handset that you'd like to track down and search mode is enabled for that tag only. There is also a universal tag search to find tags that are not mated to your handset (in the event that a buddy or random mountain stranger loses a piece of gear).
Jan 12 2013 2:05PM
0 0
profile picture
Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
waterproof to what depth
Jan 12 2013 2:13PM
0 0
profile picture
~Gotama~
Posts: 821 - Karma: 3,160
could one of these be used effectively as a beacon? so someone just puts one of the tabs in their jacket pocket and someone else uses their receiver to find him? i assuming that there is a reason avalanche beacons are more reliable, but im not expert so can someone fill me in?
Jan 12 2013 2:44PM
0 0
profile picture
remster
Posts: 898 - Karma: 261
So sick man. Props on getting this idea working. Would definitely purchase if I had the dough. Good luck with the whole project!
Jan 13 2013 4:34AM
0 0
profile picture
Pudge
Posts: 3718 - Karma: 3,117
Also curious
Jan 13 2013 12:18PM
0 0
profile picture
NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Bump. Long way to get to that goal, very short amount of time, and the idea and responses from OP sound promising.
Jan 18 2013 1:14AM
0 0
profile picture
momentz
Posts: 875 - Karma: 285
100,000 for this seems very steep considering the amount of time remaining, I wish you the best this idea is incredible and revolutionary. I will for sure be be buying one.
Jan 18 2013 12:48PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4)