The RACKITx is a simple 3D printed fixture that allows you to get your skateboards, surfboards, snowboards and wakeboards off the floor and hang them on your walls, either as decoration or as a storage solution.
The RACKITx was just launched on Kickstarter with a rather modest and attainable goal of $10,000. The 3D printing aspect is being used heavily in the Kickstarter campaign, most likely due to how well 3D printing projects tend to be received by the general crowdfunding population — for now at least. In addition to 3D printing the prototypes, the first RACKITx batch will be entirely 3D printed, while subsequent batches will be traditionally manufactured using the injection molding machine that will be purchased with the successful funding of their Kickstarter campaign.
The RACKITx fixture itself is a pretty simple device. It’s basically just a small plastic knob that affixes to your wall and can be easily measured to perfectly fit any flat sporting board and hold it in place. The shape was designed to hold the board on the wall without causing any damage or distortions to it. This allows you to display your boards with pride, or simply to keep them out from under your feet or piled up in corners.
You can learn more about the RACKITx from their Kickstarter video:
It may be a simple knob that sticks on your wall, but even the most simple of products needs to be prototyped, and that’s where 3D printing came in. The creators detail prototyping several versions of the RACKITx before settling on the final design, and you can see how each iteration of it evolved to become the product that it is. While the design process of a small wall knob may not be exciting, it’s pretty evident that they would never have been able to do so many design tweaks and adjustments had they not used 3D printing to prototype it.
The product is an easy sell, frankly. Not that it’s especially revolutionary, but it’s a product with an obvious need, a simple and catchy name, and would package very well. Although the price will probably need to drop a bit, $15.00 for a pair of plastic knobs seems a little steep to me. Still, I could easily see this sold at Target or in a sporting goods store.
You can learn more about the RACKITx on their Kickstarter campaign. They’ve also set up a Facebook page and an Instagram where you can check out a ton more pictures of the product.
