New gear Idea – Questions

[Hunt27er]

Hi everyone,

I have been here in the forums for a while, learned a lot and enjoyed it. I didn’t have a whole lot to share until today. I’m working on a simple product that I think is useful but wanted to get some feedback. I hope this is the right forum.

A little background on why I’m doing this. I’m eco conscious and want to make sure that I’m doing all I can to not pollute the only planet we have. I switched to a bamboo brush a few years ago. With all the traveling and backpacking I did in the past few months, I see that I can do better with a new product. So here I’m with a concept and spoke to a manufacturer. Before I jump head first, I wanted to get the opinions of the wise and experienced from here.

Would anyone be interested in a titanium toothbrush with the following features?

1. Titanium Handle (I know you’re already interested! lol ;P)

2. Bamboo head (replaceable) with biodegradable bristles

3. Handle will have a silicone tube insert which can be used to fill you own toothpaste.

4. Bottom of the handle will have a insert for dental floss

5. Brush “head” can be replaced with other “heads” like a spoon, fork, spork, etc making it more multi use.

Suggestions or questions welcome?

Thank you so much!! :)

[Sam C]

I am not an ultra lighter but I am a hippy.

1.  Not necessarily.  I would be more interested in durability and outer diameter.  If wall is too thin would this handle crush or bend?
2. I really do not see the point in replaceable heads, even if they are biodegradable.  This will likely be your biggest criticism aside from possibly size of handle, “if I gotta discard the head anyways…”  What’s the better option:  something that is biodegradable but otherwise still needs to be discarded or something that is buy one and done, for the the most part?  I’d be more interested in a silicone (to give you an idea) head/bristle similar to the ISSA brush.  Something that can easily be cleaned in addition to inhibiting bacterial growth and that lasts a really long time is better in book than what is ultimately a throw-away product no matter how biodegradable.  Something else to consider:  if hikers now the heads are biodegradable what odds do you think are there to litter the trail with discarded heads?  I know, no one around here would that of course.  Being biodegradable means that that the head would break down in a reasonable, but undefined, amount of time.  Typically, for plastics anyways, this is within 1, 000 years.  Biodegradation can still leave toxic residues behind.  If you are going this route, compostable would be the better option as this means the bristles would break down within 90 days and would leave no toxic residue.
3. For space-savings, this would be pretty cool.  Question remains, how much toothpaste would it hold?  You would also need to discard the original toothpaste tube.
4. Sounds cool, but how much floss would it store?
5. Honestly, I think it will be very difficult to sell an item that can be used to both eat your food and then to brush your teeth.  Multi-use, sure, but this is just another thing to fiddle with.  Ultra lighters love to complain about having to fuss over something as simple as load-lifters or side-compression straps.  You might have better luck marketing this to conventional backpackers, but I dunno.

Not saying it is a bad idea but keep in mind who you are asking here.  This is a group of people, mostly, who will still think, “it may be titanium but if I cut that sucker in half it will weigh even less!”

How much is this going to cost?   Replacement heads?  As it is we can all purchase a cheap brush for $1 or less and cut the handle for free.  So, how are you going to convince people to spend their money on this?  Potential weight savings aside, where’s the actual value?

Honestly, I don’t think that the Rambo knife of back-country toothbrushes will do well. I would suggest developing a thin, and short, titanium handle and still go with the replaceable bamboo head.

[Ken Thompson]

Bamboo biodegradable regular toothbrush retails at under a dollar a piece. Toothpaste dots are lighter than paste and toothpaste is not really necessary. Floss, I don’t bother. So no thanks.

[Edward John M]

The replaceable head toothbrush died in the market over 30 years ago, about the same time back that a lot of people started using electric rotary toothbrushes, I assume the patent has expired by now.

Personally I now use an electric toothbrush at home because they are more effective and a bamboo brush weighs so little I don’t see a market for it.

[Kathleen B.]

You’re up against stiff competition with the medieval style of tooth care:

 

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