Entertainment

'Shark Tank's Acton Rocketskates Sound Pretty Fun

by Rosie Narasaki

So, what are ACTON RocketSkates? Well, the latest invention to be featured on the season premiere of Shark Tank are pretty much exactly what they sound like: Mini rockets for your feet, catapulting us straight into the future we've always daydreamed of. (You know, the one with jetpacks, hover cars, and robot butlers.) Now, the RocketSkates don't hover, per se, but they're still pretty darn awesome: Think Segway scooters for each foot (or Heelys, brought into the 21st century) — except with a fun, smart phone-friendly twist. So, how do they work and — perhaps more importantly — where can you buy ACTON RocketSkates?

The ACTON RocketSkates happen to have a lot of things going for them — the coolest of which, is probably the fact that they're remote-free. You power them by leaning forward, and brake by leaning back — again, like a segway, or the ever-more popular IO Hawk. They're also pretty user-friendly; at seven pounds apiece, they're fairly lightweight, and you can conveniently strap them over your shoes, and/or walk around inside with them on. Whatever strikes your fancy. You can also pick up some serious speed in them, as they can travel at up to 12 mph.

They've got some cool tech going for them: Each skate is powered by two battery-run motors which will last from 45-90 minutes, depending on which model you decide to purchase. Plus, the accompanying app comes with mileage tracking, as well as maps to connect you with other RocketSkaters, and fun little games (as if having rockets on your feet wasn't already exciting enough).

The RocketSkates been getting pretty good press so far. They even raised over $500,000 on Kickstarter, which is no mean feat. (It definitely shows a certain enthusiasm for the product that the Sharks might be intrigued by.) On top of that, the lone four Amazon reviews range from "I've been having so much fun" to "These things are a freakin' disability maker" (followed by the word "dangerous" written three times in a row).

Ready to take the plunge? They're currently available for sale online, with models ranging from $599 to $699 — so, if you have some disposable income burning a hole in your pocket, you might just want to take them out for a spin.

What do you think? Will the Sharks decide to invest? At the very least, I'm expecting the RocketSkates to pique the interest of race car enthusiast, Robert Herjavec.

Images: ABC/Tyler Golden