Our Story
Floatsup™ the company and the patent pending "Floatsup Cup" drink holder was inspired while paddle boarding on the Whitefish River in Montana and later refined on some rivers and lakes in Oregon and Washington. When we bought paddle boards in 2020 (driven by Eric's love of kayaking and Paige's love of floating on the water) we quickly realized there wasn't a good drink and can holder on the market that was versatile in drink sizes and different paddle board styles. The suction cups didn't work well on our board pads and since you often have to choose between skinny and regular can size, we couldn't always bring a variety of drinks with us and use it with a water bottle.
The Beginning
We started trying to find a solution by drawing and carving some ideas into flower-arranging craft foam, did some very rudimentary diagrams, and had some early versions printed on a co-worker's 3D printer. We also researched other flexible products and cups on the market to determine the material and flexibility. At that point we felt we were on to something but needed help taking it to the next step. We found an awesome product designer (Liz Bentz Design) and set about refining our design, creating and integrating our logo, and creating what is now the Floatsup Cup.
Versatility and Ease of Use
The great thing about the Floatsup Cup is it attaches to almost any board (and most kayaks) with bungee cords. This allows for a cup to sit next to a cooler or on top of a dry bag. If your board or kayak does not come equipped with bungee cords they can easily be installed after market. The channel design in the base of the cup gives a flat place for the cup/can/bottle to sit, making it sturdy and secure. We also designed an attachment point on the side of the cup for use with a carabiner to attach the cup to a backpack or cooler when not in use. We never want a can, bottle, Floatsup Cup, or any other trash ending up in our waterways!
Materials and Details
The material for the Floatsup Cup is currently being finalized with our chosen factory but all signs point to it being made of recycled TPE, which is what a lot of common dog toys are made out of. It will be flexible and also tough enough to throw around or not get broken or damaged in transport. We also wanted it to flex just enough to accommodate slightly larger diameter cups and bottles when needed. It was also important to us to source/incorporate recycled material if at all possible and have a long-lasting product that doesn't need replacing.
Next Steps and Delivery
We have invested a lot of time (and money) to get to where we are today. As we finalize the material and the final mold with the factory, we look to our backers here to give us that confidence to place the first PO. If we do that at the end of our Kickstarter campaign then we hope to be able to have them in hand and begin shipping by April or May of 2023. We want to make sure our backers have these in hand and ready to use for the Summer 2023 paddle season.
Floatsup
A little about Floatsup. We love paddling, but we also love floating. Relaxing on a board surrounded by friends with a beverage in our hands is our slice of heaven. Paddle at your own pace, paddle with friends, and sometimes the best thing about paddling is not paddling at all so PADDLE YOUR WAY™. www.floatsupfun.com
