Dave Kahng is a mechanical engineer who noticed a problem with umbrellas: they are far too disposable. He felt that if a person didn’t lose their umbrella first then it would quickly break and become useless in just a few outings. So he set out to create a better umbrella. The result is Davek.
Davek is a company that is serious about umbrellas. These are no cheap temporary accessories. Davek umbrellas are designed to have a high aesthetic and last for years. They also have a price tag to match. Davek umbrellas are priced anywhere from $99 to $350.
The company’s goal is to create products for consumers who would rather invest in one item of quality than cheaper options that will have to be quickly replaced. The company claims to have the strongest, most high-quality umbrellas on the market.
Now Davek has taken to Kickstarter to launch its newest umbrella, the Davek Alert.
For more information on Davek Alert, check out the Kickstarter campaign video below.
Davek Alert starts by being a well crafted umbrella. According to the campaign’s Kickstarter page, the frame is constructed with a combination of materials to supposedly create a balance between rigidity and flexibility. The microfiber canopy and one touch button handle are in keeping with Davek’s already established high standards.
But the most promising feature of this umbrella is the beacon tech that helps prevent loss.
A small Bluetooth based chip is hidden in the handle. This “proximity chip” syncs up to your smartphone with the use of an app. When you are on the go with your umbrella, it will stay connected to your smartphone and send you a message alerting you if it has been left behind. Hence the name Davek Alert.
The company says it’s like having an invisible leash on your umbrella. Walk about 30 feet away and your umbrella will let you know it’s not with you. It’s a convenient feature to have, if you’re spending this kind of money.
Davek states on the company’s Kickstarter page:
“Our love of design and devotion to craftsmanship is embedded within each umbrella that comes off our production line. Beacon technology is very new stuff, but some ideas are just too cool and timely to resist early development. This is one of them. It takes a useful, yet underappreciated device — an umbrella — and brings it into the realm of the internet, allowing you to interact with it, and it to you.”
It’s an intriguing idea. With this beacon technology, Davek is looking to include loss prevention into its line of luxury umbrellas. Davek already has experience in designing and producing their high end products. If anything, Kickstarter is a way for the company to promote their newest model.
Image: Kickstarter
Love the idea, but I’m not sure he can overcome the economics for most people. Personally, I only need an umbrella a couple times a year, so even a cheaply made, “disposable” umbrella can last me for a couple years (trust me, I still have one I bought for like $4 in Costa Rica). Even if I lose an umbrella every couple years and buy a new one for $20 it will take me 10 years to spend what I would on just 1 of these. That’s a tough sell unless you’re talking about a climate where someone is using an umbrella many time each year.
Tabby McFarland
I agree with you. Where I live I have almost no need for an umbrella at all. But the company is based in New York so I think there is more of a market for a high end umbrella there.