A prototype is a preliminary model of something. Projects that offer physical products need to show backers documentation of a working prototype. This gallery features photos, videos, and other visual documentation that will give backers a sense of what’s been accomplished so far and what’s left to do. Though the development process can vary for each project, these are the stages we typically see:

In Brief

It’s armor, it looks awesome, it’s comfortable, and it keeps score in a sword-fight.

Prototype Shoulder Armor

Who We Are – Really really really enthusiastic swordfighters

As rambunctious brothers growing up in Alaska, we were frustrated by toy swords that would break too easily, that were too hard, too soft, or just plain way out of our price range. In the end we took matters into our own hands and WhomBatz was born. Since its inception, the WhomBatz Padded Sword Co. has focused on making real swordplay a safe and affordable reality. We’ve spent years perfecting the materials for our swords and now we’re happy to report that our WhomBatz line offers the best bang-for-buck boffers on the market! They’re super-safe and ridiculously durable, which means that during a battle you can focus on what really matters, i.e. your opponent’s blade whizzing towards you!

WhomBatz Padded Sword Line

Our Project – Ninja Tag

From there we realized that the inherent difficulty of score-keeping during a swordfight distracts and detracts from the fun of the game. No one enjoys bickering over glancing blows, flesh wounds and light touches when what you really want to be doing is parrying, thrusting, and moving on to the next opponent or round. Why not make some awesome looking armor that not only protects you but provides a way to keep score? Our Ninja Tag armor does just that. Now you can duel, berserk, melee, and generally battle to your heart’s content. Here’s how it works.

Electronic module – LED lights, speakers, and sensor

Our patent-pending module is equipped with a sensor that registers each strike from an opponent’s sword.

Patent-pending score keeping module

With each strike, it lights up and beeps, alerting all players that a blow was successfully landed. From green, the LED lights then flash orange, then red, and finally with the third blow a “Game Over” buzzer sounds and the lights stay red, meaning that that limb or player is now out until the next round. The module acts as the “brains” of the armor.

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Armor Styles

The module is embedded into the durable foam of our armor, which the player then wears. We have a couple different options in terms of design, but the idea behind them both is the same – aim for your opponent’s sensor and protect your own! For this first run (we plan on releasing more designs soon!!) the options are either a breastplate or a pair of shoulder pads. They can also be worn together for an ultimate Ninja Tag experience, with the option of putting a breastplate on your back and strapping ‘shoulder’ pads to your legs as well!

Armor and Breastplate

How is it powered?

The modules have a simple on/off switch and are powered with AAA batteries for convenience in even the most remote game-play scenario.

What about sizes?

Our adjustable straps make both the Breastplate and the Shoulder Armor options one-size-fits-most, from young ninjas all the way on up to big kids and adults.

What you get when you pledge

First and foremost, you get the satisfaction of knowing that you have been instrumental in making what we think is the first step towards a revolution in swordplay a reality. We love getting the opportunity to get outside to play with our friends, and we hope that Ninja Tag will be an incentive for everyone to set aside their smart phones for a few minutes to engage in some good old-fashioned (hi-tech score-keeping) fun.

Almost all of our reward options also include a set of Ninja Tag armor, with lots of choices between the Shoulder Armor and the Breastplate. There are also some options that include a Kickstarter-only limited edition of our WhomBatz Bolt, a 24” short sword, which equips you to play the game if you don’t already have one in your arsenal. We’ll follow up before we ship to ask which custom color you would like for the Ninja Tag armor and the sword.

Oh and group play with Ninja Tag is absolutely EPIC.

Armor + Short Sword Reward

Special edition sword colors

The Founders