You can thank Kickstarter for this fantastic, and fantastically terrifying invention. The Kickstarter project had an initial funding goal of $50,000, and exceeded that goal by nearly a factor of ten. That's huge, and a pretty clear indicator that there's a latent demand waiting to be fulfilled by the first person who can bring rocket powered skates to market. That company appears to be Acton RocketSkates, which plans to begin selling them October, 2014.
RocketSkates – Really?
If it sounds a bit terrifying, that's because it is. Although the RocketSkates have a maximum speed of a modest twelve miles per hour, that top speed can feel utterly terrifying when you strap the wheels directly to your feet and reach it in under two seconds, which is exactly what the device does.
Fortunately, they've got a number of safety features built in that makes it unlikely that you'll face plant onto the sidewalk the first time you put them on. It's such a cool technology that although it will take you several false starts to get a feel for them, you'll be almost compelled to keep trying until you get it right, and once you do, you'll find yourself in RocketSkate Nirvana, able to zip around and navigate in a whole new way. They are fantastic.
So, What Are They Like?
Individually, the skates look a bit ungainly, and weigh in at about seven pounds each. They are powered by a pair of 50W motors, one on each skate. All braking is handled either by rocking back on your heels, or rocking forward. The wheels are stationary when the motor is not engaged, meaning that you can actually navigate stairs and such to get yourself onto open ground where you can use them as they were intended.
The company has made a series of excellent decisions with regards to their product, the aforementioned safety features being but the first. The second one of note is that the maximum speed aligns well with the top speed of the Segway, and makes them safe for sidewalk use around pedestrians.
Three versions of RocketSkates will be available. “Rocket Red” will be the low end model, offering 45 minutes of use per charge and an estimated range of about six miles. The mid-range model will be “Terminator Chrome” that can roll for up to 70 minutes, and are good for about 8 miles, and the high end, “Deep Space Black” will be capable of providing an entertaining-if-terrifying form of human transport for up to 90 minutes on a charge, or about ten miles. Charging times will range from 60 to 150 minutes, which isn't awful, but it does mean that you'll need to plan ahead.
Pricing will be $500 for Rocket Red, $600 for Terminator Chrome, and $700 for Deep Space Black, so these skates are not designed for the casual user, but if you've got some money to spare for a good adrenaline rush, then you'd be hard pressed to find a better new toy to buy. This just might be the perfect Christmas gift for 2014. If you have an adrenaline junkie in your life who is in the market for a new thrill, this will have him all smiles. Or go on, buy a pair for yourself. You know you want to!
