Successfully funded on Kickstarter, the Travel Line is now available for pre-order here on BackerKit.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
1 week 'till survey lockdown!
over 7 years ago
– Fri, Oct 26, 2018 at 02:10:54 AM
Heyo!
In the greater New York City area? Come by the Photoplus Expo and get a hands-on demo of the Travel Line from one of our eager (maybe a little too eager) team members!
We're writing to let you know that survey lockdown will happen 1 week from now, on Thursday November 1st, 10am Pacific Time. At that time, all completed surveys will be "locked" so we can begin processing reward fulfillment with our warehouses. If your survey is not complete, it cannot be locked down.
If you have already completed your survey, you have 1 week to add on additional products at the Kickstarter-exclusive price. So, consider this your final opportunity to nab extra gear for your friends and family. After November 1st, we'll begin processing final shipments.
WHERE IS MY SURVEY? I WANT TO ADD STUFF OR CHANGE SOMETHING.
BackerKit, our Kickstarter survey tool, has a fun new feature that lets us send backers a survey completion update report. So, we'll be sending those out in the near future. You'll get to see things like the most popular add-on products and how many other backers there were from your town.
WHEN WILL STUFF SHIP?
Knock on wood. Production is going swimmingly and final goods are already being shipped en masse to our 5 global warehouses. If all continues to go to plan, we expect shipments to begin leaving our warehouses in mid November. It may take a month or longer for all shipments to go out, since each warehouse will be receiving several restocking shipments between now and the end of the year. Long story short, we're on-pace to meet our December shipping goal, and we may even beat it for a majority of customers. We still cannot guarantee a receive-by date, but we do expect a vast majority of backers to get their rewards before x-mas.
NOT READY TO COMPLETE YOUR SURVEY? NO RUSH.
12,086 backers have filled out their surveys so far. To the 1662 backers still holding out, you can complete your survey here, ensuring your reward shipment is processed as quickly as possible. But, if for some reason you're not ready to fill out your survey, there is no rush. You can wait as long as you like. Here are 2 reasons why you might not be ready:
1. You're not sure what add-on products you want. Maybe you're awaiting more info on the Duffel or Duffelpack. Or perhaps you're not in a rush to get your rewards, and instead would like to prolong the amount of time you have to order more items at the Kickstarter discount. If you don't complete your survey, it won't be locked down on November 1st, and you'll have as much time as you want to decide.
2. You're in the middle of a move and you don't know what your address will be in the November/December shipping timeframe. If this is the case, don't fill out the survey until you have a definite shipping address.
WHAT'S UP WITH DUFFEL AND DUFFELPACK?
We promised you updates, and by gosh, we'll have 'em soon. The latest round of prototyping is nearing completion. We should have our next round of Travel Duffel within a few days. We'll have our next round of Travel Duffelpack within a couple weeks. As we get those products in we'll share pictures and details out the wazoo. We also plan to hold a focus group in San Francisco, and send a feedback survey to folks who can't attend the focus group. More to come on all this, we promise!
We've all got something we wish we did everyday...flossing, exercising, wearing pants, the list goes on. The Every Day Calendar is an artistic, tactile motivational tool to help you achieve any once-a-day goal.
You may know Simone Giertz from her wildly entertaining Youtube channel where she builds weird robots that do comically inane things and swears a bunch. We know her as our new neighbor in San Francisco. If you don't know her, you should head on over to her Kickstarter project right now and get to know her, cause she's rad.
Surveys: Adding stuff to your reward + A La Carte FAQ
over 7 years ago
– Sat, Oct 13, 2018 at 01:25:30 AM
What up!
Before we delve in, we just released the first video in our Peak Design's Video Guide to San Francisco series. It's jam-packed with fascinating insider info on our beloved hometown, or as Frank Sinatra called it, "The City With The Stars."
SURVEYS ARE SENT!
100% of surveys have been sent! If you can't find or haven't received yours, check the Kickstarter survey FAQ & recovery steps in our previous update.
ADD-ON + A LA CARTE FAQ
We've been fielding a number of questions about surveys and add-ons, so we wanted to provide some detailed answers.
I PLEDGED THE A LA CARTE REWARD. HOW DO I ADD THE TRAVEL BACKPACK, DUFFEL, OR DUFFELPACK?
If you pledged the A La Carte reward, you will not see the Travel Backpack, Travel Duffel, or Travel Duffelpack in the Add-On section at the end of the survey. But don't worry, you can still add these to your reward. To do that, you have to upgrade your reward level to one of these higher rewards:
$95 - Travel Duffel (pick this if you want to add the Travel Duffel)
$165 - Travel Duffelpack (pick this if you want to add the Travel Duffelpack)
$235 - Travel Backpack (pick this if you want to add the Travel Backpack)
If you want to add more than one bag to your reward, just pick a reward that contains at least one of the bags you want to add.
To upgrade your reward, follow the steps below. Once you upgrade, you can add-on the same items you wanted to add-on before, as well as any number of additional Travel Duffels, Duffelpacks, Backpacks.
HOW DO I CHANGE/UPGRADE MY REWARD LEVEL
Go to https://travel-line.backerkit.com/backer/welcome. From there, follow the screenshots/arrows below. Note that mobile experience for this process will look a little different, but it's still the same steps.
Click the linked text that is the title of your pledge level.
Click the "Switch Pledge Levels?" call to action.
Select your new pledge level.
There are 2 reasons why you'd want to change/upgrade your reward level:
1. You picked the A La Carte reward but want to add on a Travel Backpack, Duffelpack, or Duffel (see first FAQ on this page).
2. You decided that you want one of the bundle rewards. The bundle rewards have a price discount above and beyond what you'll get if you add products on in a piecemeal fashion.
WHY DO I HAVE TO UPGRADE MY REWARD FROM A LA CARTE IF I WANT TO ADD A BACKPACK/DUFFEL?
In short, shipping costs and Kickstarter limitations. In Kickstarter, every reward can have a single shipping cost per geographic region. For the A La Carte reward, we kept our shipping cost lower, since many folks are just using the A La Carte to order a handful of smaller products:
A La Carte Shipping: $15 (US, Canada) / $20 (EU) / $17 (Australia) / $25 (Other)
Once you throw a backpack/duffel into the mix, shipping costs go up significantly. Hence, the Backpack/Duffelpack rewards have higher shipping costs:
Those seem like small differences, but multiply them across a few thousand backers and it becomes significant. Also note that the shipping cost we charge in most cases is below what it costs us to pick, pack, and ship the items to you.
We do realize that this whole thing is a bit confusing and convoluted. It's the result of trying to launch a whole line of products on Kickstarter at once. Kickstarter is optimized for creators who are launching a single thing. It is not designed to work like a standard online shopping cart. Hence, we've had to adopt some workarounds to support the diverse needs of our backers. We'll work on making this easier in the future.
CAN I GET MULTIPLE BUNDLE REWARDS?
Unfortunately no. Due to technical limitations of both Kickstarter and BackerKit, we're unable to allow people to get multiple bundle rewards. You can, however, add unlimited additional items onto your reward at exclusive Kickstarter discount prices.
WAIT, I CAN STILL GET THE KICKSTARTER PRICE ON STUFF?
Yep! That is the beauty of being a Kickstarter backer...even if you just pledged $1 during the campaign, you still have the ability to purchase anything in our Travel Line at exclusive Kickstarter prices. Want to buy a Travel Backpack for a friend? Or maybe some Tech Pouches to give out as holiday gifts? Whatever the case, you can purchase additional items at Kickstarter price in your fulfillment survey. And you'll be able to continue to do so until we begin locking survey responses down (we'll give you at least a week's warning).
Surveys are a-comin' and here's what you need to know.
over 7 years ago
– Tue, Oct 09, 2018 at 09:16:00 PM
It's survey time!
Fun fact: Art, Joey, and Rachel from the PD design team started a pop group called Pre Production.
We're stoked to announce that your official Kickstarter fulfillment surveys will be sent out over the next 48 hours! We're sending them out in small batches so we can ensure there are no technical issues. The survey will be sent to the email address associated with your Kickstarter account. The email subject will say "Response Needed -- Get your reward for Peak Design Travel Line: 45L Travel Backpack + Packing Tools" and will be from [email protected].
In your survey, you'll be asked for the following info:
Your final shipping address
Your final color choices (if applicable)
Your add-on products (if applicable)
Feedback to help us improve future campaigns (optional)
You will also have the ability to change your reward, or buy additional items (at exclusive Kickstarter prices) that will be shipped alongside your reward.
We often get a bajillion questions around survey time, so we've gone ahead and laid out all the answers we can think of below. If you've got a question, we kindly ask that you start by reviewing the FAQ below. If that fails, email [email protected] and let them know you're asking about the Peak Design campaign.
KICKSTARTER SURVEY FAQ
WHEN WILL STUFF SHIP?
As messaged on our Kickstarter page, FAQ, and previous updates, we have every intention of rewards leaving our warehouses by early December. That means about 95% of backers (who fill out their fulfillment surveys correctly and on time) should get their new products before Christmas. Note that the Travel Duffel and Travel Duffelpack are expected to ship in April. If you add those to your reward, they will ship in a separate fulfillment.
Please understand that this is our goal—we'll do everything we can to make it happen—but it is by no means a guarantee. We cannot guarantee that packages will be at your doorstep before Christmas, or in the month of December for that matter. December is an exceptionally busy month for post services worldwide, and delays happen on a regular basis due to inclement weather, port congestion, or high volume. We can also not guarantee that our manufacturing schedule will hold. If a machine breaks or a shipment is lost, our schedule can be impacted in certain areas. We always build our schedules with ample wiggle room for these unforeseen circumstance, but in the words of our dads, sh*t happens.
CAN I PICK UP MY REWARD EARLY OR PAY TO EXPEDITE IT?
We unfortunately can’t do that. In order to fulfill 13,000+ shipments of brand new products worldwide in a timely manner, we have important processes in place that can't be broken. Products will be manufactured, packaged, put on pallets and in containers, placed on boats, and shipped to 5 different global warehouses. There they'll be received, organized, picked and packed, and shipped to you via carriers that are automatically selected by our fulfillment vendor for speed, reliability, and cost. It's a logistical beast, and the goal is to provide the best possible speed and experience for everyone.
WHEN WILL YOU HAVE MORE INFO ON THE DUFFELS?
Per our note in a previous update, we're actively working on our next round of prototypes, and will post Kickstarter updates on our progress. We also plan to have a survey and focus group, both of which we'll invite our backers to be a part of. We're excited to have you along for the ride!
Everyone who backed this project still has the chance to add Travel Duffel and/or Travel Duffelpack to their reward...that is something you can do in your survey!
WHAT IS BACKERKIT?
BackerKit is a 3rd party service that helps project creators like us make our backers happy by sending out easy-to-use surveys and giving them another chance to take advantage of our Kickstarter discount. We've worked with BackerKit for our past 6 Kickstarter projects, and their services just keep getting better and better. So, please don't be alarmed by the backerkit.com URL or the BackerKit logo at the top of the survey...you're in very trusted hands.
WHERE'S MY SURVEY? I CAN'T FIND IT.
1. Hold tight, surveys are sent in batches to ensure there are no technical issues. Check your email periodically between now and the end of the week.
2. The fastest way to get to your survey is to go to the following site and enter your Kickstarter email address: https://travel-line.backerkit.com
3. Maybe you're checking the wrong email account. Your survey was sent to the email address that is associated with your Kickstarter profile. Not sure what email that is? Login to Kickstarter, click on the icon in the upper right of the screen, and go to Settings > Account.
4. Search your inbox and SPAM folder for "Travel Line" or "Response Needed."
5. If all else fails, go to https://travel-line.backerkit.com, click the FAQ link, and then click the Contact tab. The kind folks at BackerKit are here to help!
CAN I BUY MORE STUFF AT THE KICKSTARTER PRICE?
Yes, and this survey is your last chance to do it. When you finish your survey questions you'll be presented with a screen that looks like a web store, and it includes nearly every product Peak Design makes. Here you can add whatever products you want to your reward at an exclusive discount ranging from 10% to 28% off.
HOW DOES THE ADD-ON THING WORK?
It's actually very straightforward. You can add on whatever items you want to your reward. If the cost of those items exceeds what you pledged, you can pay the difference via credit card in your BackerKit survey.
If you pledged more money than the value of your award+shipping, you'll see a credit when you get to the Add-On screen in the survey. As you add things to your reward, that credit will decrease. If your credit hits $0 and you keep adding things, then you will owe additional funds. Once you are finished adding stuff you can pay those additional funds via credit card in the next step.
DO I HAVE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS?
Yes, and no. You must provide a response to every single survey question, but for the marketing-type questions, you may choose the "Opt Out" option if you choose to not give a response. Unfortunately we do not have the technical capability to let you skip those questions.
WHY SO MANY GOSH DARN QUESTIONS?
We want to know what makes you tick, so we can continue to design great products that solve your needs. We also pour tons of effort into these Kickstarter campaigns...not just in the design and development of our new products, but also in reaching new people who we think would dig our gear. We want to get a sense for what efforts paid off and where we can improve moving forward.
We really, really appreciate your responses!
MY PAYMENT FAILED. WHAT DO I DO NOW?
If your payment failed via Kickstarter, there's still a chance for you to get your same rewards for the same Kickstarter price. You will still have a survey emailed to you, but it will show that you pledged $0. You will be able to pick whichever reward and add-ons you want, and then pay with a credit card.
Some international payment methods (particularly international bank cards) might not work with BackerKit's payment system. So, you may have to use a credit card for the payment to go through.
I'M MOVING SOON! WHAT SHOULD I LIST AS MY SHIPPING ADDRESS?
Give us your expected shipping address for the month of December. If you don't know what your address will be during that time we recommend not filling out your address yet. We'll let you know when we're ready to start shipping bags, and at that time you can go in and enter your correct address.
WILL I BE ABLE TO CHANGE MY SURVEY AFTER SUBMITTING IT?
Yes, you'll be able to change anything—your address, add-ons and even pledge level—up until we are ready to start shipping. When we're ready we will "lock down" all completed surveys, load your info into our shipping software and begin shipping your stuff. We'll tell you before we lock down surveys so you have time to make one last pass at them.
Note that we cannot lock down surveys that are incomplete. You must fill out your survey in full in order for us to ship you your rewards.
WHAT DO I DO AFTER FILLING OUT MY SURVEY?
Whatever you want, really. Our official recommendation would be to make an origami crane, place it on your friend's head, take a picture, Instagram it with the hashtag #findyourbeak, and then post a link to said Insta pic in the comments below.
WE DONE MADE A FILM!
We're proud to announce Grizzly Country, a film we produced with the uber-talented Ben Moon about the legendary eco-warrior Doug Peacock. If you've read any Edward Abbey novels, you may know his famous character George Hayduke...that character is based on Doug. The film premeires at Banff Mountain Film Festival in early November. Until then, here's a lil' trailer to wet your whistle:
This film project was spurred by a few things. First and foremost, there was the US Department of the Interior's decision to drop the protected status of the Yellowstone grizzly bear last year, a move that many outdoor brands and environmental organizations (us included) opposed. Recently a federal judge overturned the DOI's move, citing it "disingenuous" and "illogical" in a massive 48-page decision. We and many others are excited to see things move in this direction, but equally aware that this decision will surely face appeal in coming months.
But this film is about more than protecting bears. It's about the relationship between humans and nature, as told from the perspective of a man whose life was saved by it, and who has dedicated his life to protecting it. From the words of Doug, "the grizzly bear on this continent is the one animal capable of reminding the most arrogant species on earth it's true place in the world. And that's homosapien."
We're really stoked to launch the full version of this short film in January. In the meantime, go to grizzlycountryfilm.com to find screenings and take action.
KICKSTARTER LOVE
As always, we're signing off with crowdfunding projects and partners we know and love.
We love to cook at Peak Design...from Dave with his vegan salads...to Molly with her vegan stir fries...to Ryan with his famous vegan superfood antioxidant-rich breakfast hash. That's one reason we love Misen. The other is that they continue to use crowdfunding to bring gorgeous, high-quality cookware to life, and at a super-approachable price.
For the past few campaigns, we've worked with a Kickstarter marketing partner called Jellop to help get the word out. You may have seen their banner at the bottom of our page. Among the many things they do is their First Backer Newsletter - a growing community of KS fanatics who want to be first in line to access early-bird offers to new Kickstarter projects. Click here or the banner below to subscribe...you can unsubscribe at any time.
As the dust settles...
over 7 years ago
– Tue, Sep 25, 2018 at 10:41:46 PM
We done did it again, folks.
59 days, 13,752 backers, $5,206,611 raised.
Thanks to your support Peak Design is the most crowdfunded active company in the world. Thanks to your support we can continue to focus our time and energy on designing great products, guided by your feedback. Thanks to your support we can continue pursuing our mission of leaving this world better than how we found it.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
SO, WHAT NOW?
The messages and comments board are abuzz with questions regarding next steps. When will stuff ship? When do I pick my colors? When do I select Add-Ons? For those who have backed previous Peak Design projects, you probably know the drill. For the uninitiated, here's our comprehensive post-campaign FAQ:
WHEN/WHERE DO I PICK COLORS AND ADD-ONS?
In the coming weeks we'll send out a Kickstarter fulfillment survey. In that survey you'll pick colors and Add-Ons. You'll also provide your shipping info. And, you'll have a chance to add additional items to your reward at Kickstarter prices. You'll also be able to add other Peak Design products to your reward at a discount. Lastly, we'll have a few additional questions in that survey that help us better understand you.
That survey should go out within the next 2 weeks. When it does, you'll get an email notification (to the email associated with your Kickstarter account). We'll also post an update here.
WHEN THE SURVEY GOES OUT, HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE IT?
We recommend completing your survey right away, because the faster we get your responses the more time we have to adjust our inventory planning accordingly. But there's no hard time limit to surveys...if you don't know what Add-Ons you want, or are unsure what your shipping address will be come December, you can wait and complete your survey later. Obviously we can't ship your reward until you fill out your survey. After we send out the surveys, we'll let you know when we plan to start "locking down" responses and processing our first rewards shipments.
WHEN WILL MY REWARD SHIP?
As messaged on our Kickstarter page and in our FAQ, we have every intention of rewards leaving our warehouses by early December. That means about 95% of backers (who fill out their fulfillment surveys correctly and on time) should get their new products before Christmas. Note that the Travel Duffel and Travel Duffelpack are expected to ship in April. If you add those to your reward, they will ship in a separate fulfillment.
Please understand that this is our goal—we'll do everything we can to make it happen—but it is by no means a guarantee. We cannot guarantee that packages will be at your doorstep before Christmas, or in the month of December for that matter. December is an exceptionally busy month for post services worldwide, and delays happen on a regular basis due to inclement weather, port congestion, or high volume. We can also not guarantee that our manufacturing schedule will hold. If a machine breaks or a shipment is lost, our schedule can be impacted in certain areas. We always build our schedules with ample wiggle room for these unforeseen circumstance, but in the words of our dads, sh*t happens.
CAN I PICK UP MY REWARD EARLY OR PAY TO EXPEDITE IT?
We unfortunately can’t do that. In order to fulfill 13,000+ shipments of brand new products worldwide in a timely manner, we have important processes in place that can't be broken. Products will be manufactured, packaged, put on pallets and in containers, placed on boats, and shipped to 5 different global warehouses. There they'll be received, organized, picked and packed, and shipped to you via carriers that are automatically selected by our fulfillment vendor for speed, reliability, and cost. It's a logistical beast, and the goal is to provide the best possible speed and experience for everyone.
WHEN WILL YOU HAVE MORE INFO ON THE DUFFELS?
We're not quite sure, but you'll be the first to know. We're actively working on our next round of prototypes, and will post Kickstarter updates on our progress. We're excited to have you along for the ride!
Everyone who backed this project still has the chance to add Travel Duffel and/or Travel Duffelpack to their reward...that is something you'll be able to do in your survey.
PRODUCTION PICS!
All those bags we've been harping about for the past 2 months? We're makin' em. Right now. As we type. Production is in full swing!
Fig. 1: Bags n bags n bags n bags.
Fig. 2: Zips n zips n zips n zips.
To be more specific, we're working with our contract manufacturers (CMs) in Vietnam to produce a total of over 300,000 individual items in our first Travel Line production run. 23,000 items have already been made and are on boats. 59,000 more are in some form of packaging or cartonizing. These are the most complex bags we've ever made, and our daily quality control reports show that production is happening at a higher quality than ever before.
To produce new and complex soft goods on this scale and with this level of precision is a thing of manufacturing beauty and rarity. Our soft goods manufacturers are quite literally among the best in the world, and we couldn't be prouder to call them our partners.
Peak Design employs 36 full-time people. Right now in Vietnam there are 1500 people across 6 different factories working full-time to produce Peak Design products. These folks are not direct employees, but they contribute immensely to the satisfaction of our customers and the success of Peak Design. We work closely with our CMs to ensure safe conditions and adequate pay. We hold our facilities to a code of conduct, and invest in third-party audits and trainings to support our factories in meeting these standards. We also spend a ton of time on the factory floor (several months annually) to perfect our processes and develop face-to-face relationships with those whose hard work literally creates our products.
KICKSTARTER LOVE
As always, we like to sign off with a nod to the vast community of creators out there who are bringing their own ideas to life via crowdfunding.
THE BOBCAT: KAMMOK'S PACKABLE, VERSATILE TRAIL QUILT
Like us, Kammok launched their first Kickstarter in 2011. Now on their 6th campaign, they've made a name for themselves as innovators in minimalist, versatile gear perfectly suited for the city-to-trail lifestyle. Their new Bobcat trail quilt is made from responsibly sourced down and has a variety of configurations for different camping/lounging scenarios. Funded in just 5 hours!
Join us for the final countdown!
over 7 years ago
– Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 09:49:13 PM
At the time of writing this, there's just 5 hours left in our 8th Kickstarter campaign. We're inching our way to $5 million and we'd love your help in making one final push to end this project with a bang. If you know folks who might be interested, please share our project and let 'em know this is their last chance to pre-order the Travel Line.
NEW DUFFELS
If you missed our last update, you're in for a treat. We've got 2 new duffels, both available for pre-order in this Kickstarter project! Watch this video for the full download:
To get the Travel Duffel 35L, add $95 to your pledge. To get the Travel Dufflepack 65L, add $165. These bags will ship separately, likely in April 2019. More details in Update #10.
THE COUNTDOWN
This project ends today at 5pm Pacific. Per tradition, we're inviting all backers to join us for a countdown hangout. We'll be coming online at about 4:55pm, beers in hand, and we'd love for you to do the same. To join, just head on over to the Kickstarter page around 4:55pm PT.
LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS
We've got an immensely busy day ahead of us and a lot of last-minute loose-ends to tie up to ensure a smooth transition from Kickstarter to website pre-sales, so we won't be doing a normal Q&A hangout today. We are, however, doing our very best to stay on top of comments and messages. If you have last minute questions, answers likely exist in the FAQs so look there first!
If you're on the fence about which reward or Add-On Menu items you want, don't worry too much. After our campaign ends you'll still have the opportunity to add things at Kickstarter prices in our BackerKit survey. Those surveys will be sent out a couple weeks after the campaign ends, and you'll have at least a couple weeks to fill them out. So, if you're not sure if you want to add one of our new duffels, or an extra Tech Pouch, or whatever it may be...no rush!
COME CELEBRATE
A bit last minute, but if you're in the San Francisco Bay Area we cordially invite you to join the Peak Design team at our favorite awkwardly-named Mission dive bar tonight to celebrate the finale of our 8th Kickstarter project. We'll be heading there around 6:30pm. Details and RSVP here. Beers on us. And for you comments board enthusiasts, the one and only Stu will be there!
As we wind down, our friends over at Coalatree are just starting to heat up their 5th Kickstarter campaign. We're big-time puffy jacket enthusiasts, and we can't wait to get ourselves in their versatile new camper hoodie.
