Simprella – Umbrella Reimagined Kickstarter Review

Intro

Welcome to KickstartNew! Today, I’d like to highlight a fresh Kickstarter campaign that caught my attention: Simprella – Umbrella Reimagined by Simp Design & Tech.

In short, Simprella is a 3rd generation pocket umbrella designed to be ultra-compact, lightweight, and durable — so compact that when folded, it claims to be smaller than your phone.

In this post, I’ll walk you through why this project is worth backing, what risks you should watch out for, how credible the creators are, and whether I’d personally back it. Use this as a guide to decide whether Simprella is the right Kickstarter for you.

Why should I back this project?

1. Truly pocket-sized design
   Simprella claims to fold so compactly that it can slip into shirt pockets or pants pockets, with a folded thickness of around 2 cm.
   It weighs only ~173.9 g, which is remarkably light for an umbrella.

2. Innovative fold-flat frame and materials
   The umbrella uses a “fold flat” frame design intended to reduce bulk and improve portability.
   The fabric is custom developed, with over 80% recycled content, water repellency, and a UPF 50+ coating for sun protection.

3. Sustainability & material choice
   The use of recycled aluminum / alloy and recycled fabric shows an effort toward more sustainable design.

4. Strong crowdfunding momentum
   The campaign has already seen robust backing: as tracked on BackerKit / BackerTracker, it has exceeded its goal by a large margin (thousands of percent over).
   That suggests there’s significant interest, and more backers can help boost economies of scale and credibility.

5. Established brand / prior product experience
   Simp Design has already launched other products (for example, the Flexy PRO backpack) and has an existing brand presence.
   That experience lowers the risk compared to a first-time creator.

What are the potential drawbacks you should consider when you back it?

1. Size vs. coverage trade-off
   The canopy when open is around 90 × 52 cm (i.e. 35.4 × 20.7 in) in a non-round shape (somewhat rectangle).
   That is smaller than many standard umbrellas (which often open to ~37 in or more in diameter). Some reviewers note that in heavy rain or strong wind, coverage might be marginal for tall or broad users.

2. Structural stress & durability
   Miniature and ultra-compact umbrellas tend to have weaker joints, thinner ribs, and are more prone to mechanical failure under wind.
   Even with improved materials and frame, these stresses remain a core challenge for any compact umbrella.

3. Prototype vs mass production risk
   As with many crowdfunded ideas, the final product might deviate from the prototype — in weight, materials, color options, or performance.
   Also, scaling the fold-flat mechanism reliably in large quantities could introduce unexpected manufacturing defects.

4. Shipping delays / fulfillment risk
   Crowdfunded projects often suffer from delays in manufacturing, shipping, customs, or quality control.
   If you back it, be prepared for possible delays, especially if you are outside major markets.

The reliability of the project

1. Track record & brand presence
   Simp Design already operates its own store and product line (e.g. their backpacks) and appears to maintain a consistent design philosophy.
   Having an existing product ecosystem (rather than launching from zero) lends credibility.

2. Transparent campaign and materials
   The Kickstarter page provides detailed material specs (recycled fabric content, frame design, canopy dimensions) and shows comparisons to prior versions.
   They also highlight sustainability and design features (e.g. UPF coating, swappable patch design) to show they are thinking through user usage.

3. Strong backing metrics
   The project has far surpassed its funding goal (thousands of percent over) and amassed thousands of backers.
   This suggests the market finds it compelling and provides more “skin in the game” for the team to perform.

4. Use of BackerKit / pledge management
   The project is tracked by BackerKit, which many Kickstarter campaigns use for managing surveys, fulfillment, and communication.
   Use of established pledge tools is a positive sign (versus ad hoc or homegrown management).

Conclusion