Park & Diamond: Foldable Bike Helmet

Mon Dec 28 '20 Announcement
almost 4 years ago – Mon, Dec 28, 2020 at 11:06:24 AM

Dear Backers, 

We know, we missed another self-imposed year-end deadline, and frankly, we are embarrassed and we are VERY SORRY! 

However, that doesn’t mean we’re not working our butts off to finish all the little details to begin shipping your helmets (e.g. a beautiful and stylish carrying case, legal manuals, packaging and shipping logistics).

Please allow us to clarify some false rumors coming from comments and questions:

• Despite what a small minority of backers are saying, we are HIGHLY COMMITTED and DEDICATED to begin shipping helmets in early 2021 (we’re now targeting the end of January). 
• The Park & Diamond helmet does exist and has easily passed all previous safety testing. Our final helmet design is currently going through extensive final global safety testing (this is not a simple or quick process, and you don’t want it to be). 
• Your helmet comes with and will fold into, a rectangular-shaped carrying case, which will be slightly longer than a water bottle, and much more stylish.
• Also, depending on the helmet size you ordered, your helmet will be within 7mm of the overall original total width (which is less than 1/2 the width of an index finger), of the helmet you’ve seen in the original video. The helmet length and other dimensions are within 1mm (or smaller) of the original prototype design. 
• The first shipments will include the most popular ordered sizes/colors (we will include more details in our next update on January 11th), and we will continue helmet production and shipping until all helmet sizes/colors are shipped (it will take a few months to ship them all). 

Our highly dedicated team is working 24/7, throughout all holidays and weekends, and we remain as committed as ever to delivering your helmet. The one thing we know — YOU WILL LOVE IT!

We wish ALL OF YOU a very safe and healthy holiday and look forward to all of our lives getting back to a better version of normal in 2021.

Thank you again for sticking with us — WE WILL DELIVER FOR YOU!

The Park & Diamond Team

Mon Oct 26 '20 Announcement
about 4 years ago – Mon, Oct 26, 2020 at 05:52:51 AM

Dear Backers, 

We are very fortunate and grateful for your continued support driving us forward during these unpredictable times. Here is our latest update:

We still plan on shipping our first helmets before the end of 2020 and we will continue shipping helmets through early 2021 to fulfill all of our Indiegogo pre-orders. Along with fine-tuning the manufacturing process in our new factory, we’re working on many of the very important little details (e.g. the case, packaging, user manual and quick set-up guides), as our helmet undergoes continual safety testing to comply with all global helmet testing standards.

While sourcing, sampling and testing various packaging, we are also being extremely vigilant to make sure there is as little waste as possible and to use biodegradable materials (where available and appropriate). Here is a video of our helmet being unpacked/packed in sample packaging (NOTE: this is not the final packaging with P&D artwork/graphics and this video does not show the case and other necessary user guide materials).

We appreciate your patience and we will continue to send periodic updates, photos and videos as we get nearer to our year-end ship date.

Please stay safe & healthy!

The Park & Diamond Team

Fri Aug 28 '20 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Fri, Aug 28, 2020 at 05:14:25 PM

Dear Backers, 

Thanks again -- we remain extremely grateful for your overwhelming support, which continues to drive us forward during these unprecedented times. Here is our latest update:

Since our last update, we’ve secured agreements with a new contract manufacturer, several new suppliers and we are firming up new shipping logistics, which keeps us on the right track for production and shipping. The production/shipping plan remains the same, we expect to begin shipping helmets before the end of December 2020 and we will send specific (individual Backer) shipping information once we have more details.

We know many of you have asked for photos to check our progress, so we’ve included a few sneak preview shots of our Yellow & Gray skins attached to our portable/foldable helmet. We’ve also listened to our backers who wanted reflective elements on our skins, so you’ll be happy to know the new Park Diamond word-mark and logo (on the back) will "Light Up the Night" when oncoming or trailing lights shine brightly on you and your new Park Diamond helmet.

We appreciate each and every one of our Backers and we will continue to send periodic updates and photos as we get nearer to our year-end ship date.

Please stay safe & healthy!

The Park & Diamond Team

Fri Jun 26 '20 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Fri, Jun 26, 2020 at 07:10:11 PM

Dear Backers, 

Thanks so much for your support and patience -- we’re incredibly grateful for the overwhelming majority of Backers who have remained by our side during these unprecedented times. Here is our latest update:

First, we want to assure all Backers that 100% of our company's efforts and focus is solely on manufacturing and delivering your helmet. As a young company, Covid-19 has forced us to deal with the additional uncertainty caused by limited factory staffing, the immediate need for redundant product material sourcing (and fast-shrinking global supplier pool), drastic changes to shipping logistics which is combined with restricted global travel. This has forced us to make some very important decisions. 

We’re listening to our Backers and have made the decision to close our Indiegogo InDemand campaign to new orders. What that means is, our Indiegogo campaign will say “Closed” and we will no longer advertise or accept new orders until after we’ve started shipping helmets to our current Backers. Helmet production and shipping priority will initially target our earliest backers and progress to our most recent Backers, until all helmets are shipped. Shipping is scheduled to begin in mid-December 2020 and we will send more detailed shipping information as we know it.

As we’ve mentioned in previous updates, our factory never recovered from their Covid-19 outbreak and continues to operate at far less than 50% capacity. Therefore, we’ve made the tough decision to cut ties with them and contract with a new factory. This new factory is currently operational and can accommodate our unique helmet design and safety requirements. In doing this, we’ve relied almost entirely on our recently hired China-based product manufacturing and sourcing team to get up-to-speed and contract with a new manufacturing plant. Please understand, working under these challenging “work-distanced” circumstances is not a quick or seamless process, but our combined China and US-based product team is making significant progress and will get it done.. 

Park & Diamond is 100% committed to begin shipping helmets before the end of 2020 and we will continue to send updates and new photos/videos once we have them. 

We sincerely apologize and take full responsibility for all previous delays. And unfortunately for our young company, the highly contagious nature and unpredictable recurring spread of this virus has added another layer of difficulty and slightly more delays. 

Please stay safe and well during these turbulent times, and please know we are working very hard to finish what we started and get you your Park & Diamond helmet. 

With gratitude,

The Park & Diamond Team

Mon May 11 '20 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Mon, May 11, 2020 at 07:33:29 PM

Dear Backers, 

We are truly grateful to our very loyal backers who have stuck with us and continue to share their confidence in Park & Diamond. We also understand some backers are very frustrated, and for that we Sincerely Apologize. We also send a special heartfelt thank you to all the backers who continue to write highly encouraging comments and emails. Your overwhelming positivity really helps keep staff morale high and makes the P&D Team even more dedicated to fulfilling our mission.

Park & Diamond remains very committed to delivering your helmet, and despite some general reports of Chinese factories being back to “business as usual”, that has not been our firsthand experience. 

Here is what we’ve been doing since the global shutdown—

Our primary factory continues to operate at much less than half staff capacity, and their limited staff is focused on higher priority customers. Therefore, we have taken the initiative to contract with another production facility and our expectation is to manufacture at both factories once they both fully come back online.

Over the past 4-6 weeks, we have made an additional investment in our Product Operations Team by adding three highly experienced new hires. We’ve added 40+ (combined) years’ industry experience to our China-based and US-based P&D Product Operations Team and we are already seeing great value from this added team strength. 

What this means for you — once our U.S.-based production team is able to return to China we will be able to produce more helmets at a faster rate (date TBD, based on U.S. and Chinese government travel restrictions being lifted AND greater health safety provisions being enacted). 

Current helmet delivery plan (based on what we know now, and subject to change, based on government travel restrictions being extended):

All pre-orders made by August 31, 2020 will be shipped by holiday 2020, and we will have exact order delivery details (i.e. order numbers/shipping dates) within three months after we return to China.

For all pre-orders made AFTER September 1, 2020, we expect to begin shipping your helmets in early 2021 (exact dates and order details, TBD). You will also notice we pushed back all new Indiegogo InDemand pre-orders to December 2020 (this does not affect current backers).

As always, Park & Diamond is 100% committed to delivering your helmet and we are confident the P&D helmet will make a big difference in your future cycling enjoyment. 

THANK YOU, from the ENTIRE Park & Diamond Team, we value each and every Backer!