Hey everyone! My name is Casey and I just launched Kimberlite on Kickstarter! I am 1 of 2 cofounders and we are based out of West Michigan. Both myself and the other founder are backpackers and tent campers, and we designed this product because we wished it existed. We have been doing some pitch competitions around Michigan and ended up at the Outdoor Summit in Traverse City, MI. While there, we had an overwhelming number of people tell us that they wanted to use this Bike Packing.
Robin and I are experienced outdoorsmen, hikers, campers, paddlers, among some other things. But we are not Bike Packers (yet!). So, we are looking for some feedback from this community to see what they like about it, what they don’t and most importantly, what accessories or features would you like to see that would make it more suitable for Bike Packing?
A little about it: The base product is our Tree Table. It weighs 1 lb. and packs up just larger than a Nalgene. We like to call it a compact modular ecosystem because there are 3 configurations and a suite of compatible accessories. The configurations are the Tree Table, the Ground Table, and a standalone surface for on your lap or just flat on the ground (this works well on the beach especially). These all use the same table surface and can be changed out in under 30 seconds. You can also hang a ton of weight from the strap itself, which is where I usually hang my backpack when I'm setting up camp.
The accessory ecosystem is my favorite part. All of the accessories lock directly into the table surface. Currently we have:
- Table legs (for the ground table)
- Stove canister attachment to lock in your camp stove and prevent spills. Works with both large and small canisters
- Cutting boards
- Fireproof windscreen
- Elevates hooks (works well for hanging a light while cooking at night)
- Table hooks to hang gear from
We have a bunch of new accessories in the hopper that will come out next year if we are successful with this launch, but so far for bike packing all we have is a lipped tray, maybe magnetic maybe not depending on weight (probably silicone to roll up), that would hold small bike parts and tools while making repairs.
I'd love any and all feedback, and if you have any other accessory ideas that you'd like to see, let us know! Like I mentioned, we just went live on Kickstarter and if we could be successful with this campaign, it would be lifechanging!
If you want to check us out:
Website/email list (get early access in the top right corner)
Thank you! Please let me know what you think!
by One-EyedLarry
11 Comments
Nice work. 🫡
This is amazing! Personally I don’t think I’d bring it backpacking but if you could figure out maybe an attachment to hang it from the side of a car when minimalistic car camping/boon docking … that be a interesting thought. Also for bike packing and especially touring Yes! 100%
This is so clever, and useful
Have you considered using ripes from the far end to the tree instead of the tripod on the tree side? A little more cumbersome but it feels like it could shed some weight and “bracketery” from the kit…
my first thought is – what impact does it have on trees? it makes me think of how hammocks have started becoming banned in some high traffic recreation areas. I’m not an expert, but I’m guessing it depends on the type of tree and how sensitive the bark is to having something strapped to it with a lot of force. I know some people might roll their eyes at this comment, but I think the hammocks have caused some real problems that people don’t realize.
Super awesome!
Love it. If you want me to show case it on a small Bikepacking YouTube Channel I’m willing to do so here in the Middle East! 😉🤔
Wonderfully ingenious! I like the little hooks to hang things and the upright piece to hang even more things! Plus the cutting board option.
Also ideal for boating with inflatables like packrafts and IKs.
I’ll post my question again. What’s the lightest I can get it? If all I want to do is attach a table to a tree and that’s it how light can I get?
This seems like a really solid idea tbh. Flat surfaces are one of the more annoying things to find but trees are plentiful.
Not too bad.
This is the one I use.
88gr total weight
Packs about 1mm thick + strap. I pack it in my “map” pocket on my frame bag.
$58 CAD / $44 US
[https://suluk46.com/product/orkso-tree-table/](https://suluk46.com/product/orkso-tree-table/)
https://preview.redd.it/locckxl7kb3g1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c6020c9fa7fecd67702338ec073d185fa92b33bc