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 nood…

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 subscripti…

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 hil…

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…

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 throwi…

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! …

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 rem…

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 reco…

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 m…

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 w…

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 Smallpipe…

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 Chr…

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 supern…

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 a…

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 throug…

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…

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 …

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…

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…

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…

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 …