Backers

This episode finds the Backers exploring the deceptively easy theme of "The Great Outdoors". How hard could it be to dig through some 4,000 Kickstarter campaigns and locate one that both meets the criteria and tickles the endorphins just right? Apparently very. Some might say too hard. Join us for a fascinating look into the satisfying land of noodles and a Backer's regret over a particularly filling serving, an Aeropress-related campaign seemingly created solely for the Backers, and a scintillating discussion of the discomforts of camping. Finally, listen in as, with great soul-searching and lamentation, the Backers throw in the towel on the Backers podcast. Yes listeners, this is the final episode of Backers. As mentioned in the episode you may very well hear us behind the mics for a different topic but the luster of endlessly delving the depths of crowdfunding has worn off. Thank you to all our loyal listeners -- love you Kitt (the first 't' is silent)! -- for taking this journey with us and putting up with our brand of nuttiness. Until we find our next thing, please remember to  back responsibly. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/s2e06-the-great-outdoors

Pencils down! School's out! With a brief interruption to Brian's vacation schedule, the Backers carve out time for a quick episode to share their recently backed picks now that the dog days of summer are creeping up on us. Hear about PicoBrew postponing plans for the Pico U and the latest with the Coolest Cooler fiasco. Chris joins a new subscription box economy to facilitate family experiences in the kitchen, and Brian plans to gather his family around the table for a new traveling gaming experience. Next time on Backers: The great outdoors. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/s2e05-schools-out-for-summer

Brian and Chris put their ignorance of British Royalty on full display in this special episode honoring the wedded union of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Before revealing their backed projects that are fit for royalty, the Backers discuss why women get funded more often on Kickstarter and then learn about Flopstarter, the crowdfunding land of hilariously bad ideas. Brian yearns for affordable, pocketable drones. Chris yearns for another fountain pen. They also discuss an enamel pin project that probably infringes on Disney's IP. But hey, they're not lawyers. In the end, the Backers both find tabletop campaigns worthy of royal approval. Let the games begin. Next time on Backers: School's out for summer. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/s2e04-fit-for-royalty

Steve Perry is never far from the Backers' minds, so what better than a Be Good To Yourself theme to power us further into Season 2? Current events point the opening discussion to new badges for projects in the Kickstarter Hardware Studio and a timely story about a Nintendo Switch related product that probably could have used them. We also touch on ways that Kickstarter is being used in entrepreneural education. A disparate soup of campaigns are highlighted this week: jackalopes, cyberpunk stories, stabby orcs, drones, and carbolicious ramen. Brian finds an elegant solution for carrying his currency, and Chris adds to his dungeon mastering arsenal. A mea culpa: It had to happen sometime... we screwed up the recording a bit in this episode. Well, Brian did. Please forgive us our foibles and Brian swears that it'll never happen again. Next time on Backers: In order to make up for our lack of discussion on the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle, our theme for next time will be "Fit for Royalty". For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/s2e03-be-good-to-yourself/

This episode finds the Backers ruminating on the theme "Spring is Sprung". There's palpable excitement as PAKA sweaters, backed in season 1, have arrived. Chris drinks a gose which affords Brian space to pronounce his profound disgust in a choice of beverage that is "spoiled beer". The Backers discuss the news that a Kickstarter executive is throwing shade at Indiegogo for fudging their numbers. Brian puts spring in his step with a campaign that will disincentivize sock demons from carrying his garments to the Land of Orphan Socks. Chris bends this fortnight's theme to his will with a very literal interpretation of "spring" to back a new clicky pen, while also backing a once in a lifetime record by a couple that has been performing together for two decades. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2018/05/06/s2e02-spring-is-sprung

After a well-deserved -- if slightly longer than anticipated -- vacation, the Backers return to the microphones for the first episode of Season 2. Eschewing the format of Season 1, slaves to a particular category come hell or high water, the Backers explore new and exciting formats, eventually settling on a theme per episode. This week: lifehacks! In this episode, the Backers take to Kickstarter to back projects that will make a task in their lives more efficient. Chris surprises Brian and himself, going all in and finding excitement in a surprising place while Brian solves a truly first world problem in an elegant way. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2018/4/22/s2e1-lifehacks

The Backers finish off Season 1 a little punch drunk, belting out show tunes and classic funk. They discuss ultimately disappointing aspects of some performing arts categories in crowdfunding sites but still find the power in themselves to keep the faith with their listeners and complete the mission. Unkar Plutt makes a triumphant return, Chris reminisces about the pure joy of a particular DS game, and Brian workshops his drunken half-orc character voice for the inevitable D&D podcast they do in what may be the most meandering (yet strangely endearing!) episode yet. Join us as we finish up Backers, Season 1 with style. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2018/3/12/s1e15-theater

In the penultimate episode of Season 1 the Backers are excited to explore the various landscapes of a seemingly perfect category, Technology, rife with fresh takes on nascent technologies and novel rehashes of mature ones. Join us this week as Chris conjugates verbs creatively, Brian makes catchy mouth sounds, and a common theme arises as they recount their adventures navigating the rather surprisingly expensive campaigns that catch their eyes and finally find success in ways neither of them expect. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2018/2/24/s1e14-technology

With only 3 episodes left in season 1, the Backers are cruising and Chris isn't going to let the pathogens multiplying in his sinus cavities keep him from gushing and fanboy-squeeing over a campaign seemingly tailor-made for him. Brian's still daydreaming about flying the cutest drone ever constructed yet still has the wherewithal to complete the mission and explore a campaign based on a topic dear to his heart. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2018/2/11/s1e13-publishing

This episode contains some reminiscing about 1970s sci-fi TV when the Backers experienced prepubescent forces beyond all comprehension. They regather themselves to the present to talk about the torture of Kickstarter exclusives. Brian makes a decisive click of the mouse to back some bespoke cocktail glassware. There's talk about a light bulb that went to space and back, and a VR project that has been aggravating its backers for almost half a decade. Finally, the Backers find themselves scanning through the pictorial Photography campaigns. Therein, they discover a couple projects that have unique approaches to breathing life into images that have been buried in national archives… and along the way they learn that maybe NASA has no idea how people drink. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2018/1/28/s1e12-photography

In this episode, the Backers train their ears on the Music category and find that the sounds of these projects stimulate sense memories of experiences from their pasts. They each share some of the influences that guided their personal relationships with music. Chris rekindles his enjoyment of the ska genre, gets a crash course in Scottish Smallpipes and gains motivation to 3D print his own Qwistle. Brian flashes his metal horns only to find himself swept away by images of naked lovers, battle wounds of love, wandering desert vagabonds and ships lost at sea. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2018/1/14/s1e11-music

The Journalism category feels suspiciously like a rehash of the painful early days of the podcast, when the Backers struggled to find the precious nuggets of quality among a smattering of "lifestyle" campaigns and ill-conceived attempts to extract money from the virtual cash machine that is -- in some eyes, clearly -- Kickstarter. We'll hear of Chris's  love of cycling related items and Brian's naked yearning for drones and, just maybe, two worthy campaigns that allow them to complete the mission. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/12/30/s1e10-journalism

The Backers finally reach nirvana after a fortnight of meditation on the Games category. Chris considers backing gamer flair in the face of certain derision from Brian. As they explore the Games projects, they're delighted by an abundance of creative ideas that promise to entertain in analog and digital mediums. Come with us to the worlds of supernatural plushies, exotic landscapes, social deduction, ambitious puzzles, mysteries, unicorn farts and fiddly bits. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/12/17/s1e09-games

This week finds the Backers ruminating on Kickstarter's new site redesign and feasting on the offerings in the Food category. They'll learn vital information about the depletion of atmospheric oxygen and prepare to capitalize on the nascent animal comfort-based hospitality industry. Brian is delighted by new serving technology for ethnic cuisines and Chris goes vegan, paleo, keto, whole-30, and kosher. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/12/02/s1e08-food

The Backers focus their lenses on the Film & Vidéo category. Chris and Brian are feeling classy, drinking red wine and, yes, we're putting the e-acute on vidéo. A couple rewards from previously backed campaigns come to fruition and we discuss the reintroduction of the Drip platform. Then we move on to the world of moving pictures and sojourn through self-made footwear, a cursed ColecoVision, the hidden stories of software, a single dad in a unique situation, and critical thought technologies. We wrap up with creative sci-fi and animation projects that are finding support on Kickstarter because network suits just don't get it. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/11/18/s1e07-film-video

This week finds the Backers swept up in the hysteria of a new iPhone release and caught within the Fashion category which may be the nexus of enamel pin projects. The Fashion category presents its own distinct and sizable milieu which leads the Backers down many paths, but also results in some surprising commonalities. Join Chris and Brian in their urbane safari, during which it's entirely possible that someone disrobes for an obscure ritual. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/11/05/s1e06-fashion

The Backers find a new, seemingly welcome issue in the Design category with literally hundreds of campaigns to choose from, including several that aren't even enamel pins. Will the sheer number of choices produce catatonia or rapture? Jump into the world of wallets, watches, fussy coffee mechanisms and, yes, enamel pins in this episode. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/10/21/s1e05-design

The Dance category has been a source of worry and angst to the Backers since the podcast's inception. Does it live up to their disquieted expectations? Can our intrepid duo overcome their creeping dread and find something that appeals to them? Find out the answer to these burning questions and learn everything you ever wanted to know about headless robotic animals in this week's episode. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/10/06/s1e04-dance-why-did-it-have-to-be-dance/

The Crafts category throws the Backers into disarray, somehow affecting even their internet connections in a fit of pique. They soldier on, finish the task at hand, and come away chastened and humbled wondering what furries, craft breweries, and boutique hotels have to do with crafts. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/09/24/s1e03-crafts-wherein-hope-is-lost/

In this episode, the Backers hit their stride and find a vibrant crop of campaigns in the rich loam of the Comics category. Chris has rotgut, Brian is out of his element, but both find solace in the talent on display. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/09/10/s1e02-comics-our-cup-runneth-over/

We're back, and this time we actually backed things! This is a discussion about the Backers' first assignment, to back a project from the Art category on Kickstarter. Brian and Chris grapple with the expectations they had before examining approximately 300 art campaigns and how that tracked with what they found once they dived in. We are introduced to the vibrant economy of enamel pins, naked money grabs, lost Michael Jackson heads, and an ode to Marcel Duchamp. For episode links visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/08/28/s1e01-lets-back-some-art/.

Welcome to the pilot episode of Backers, a periodic podcast where we explore the most compelling campaigns in a random category on Kickstarter and each pick a campaign to back. I'm Brian Dupuis (@coldforged) and together with my cohost, Chris Rumpf (@rumpfy), we aim to inform and entertain... and hopefully back some cool things. In this episode, we talk a bit about our intentions, define expectations and limits, and figure out what the heck we're doing. Spoiler alert: we don't actually back anything in this episode. For episode links, visit the episode post on our website at https://backerspodcast.com/2017/08/28/s1e00-pilot-what-are-we-doing-here/.