BOTE, a Florida-based company that markets standup paddle boards (SUPs), kayaks, skiffs, coolers, floating docks and loungers and more has added two new products to its extensive lineup of top-quality outdoor gear – the all-new Highwater Hitchhiker carry bag and three models of MAGNEBoom Bluetooth speakers.
Both new product lines feature BOTE’s patent-pending MAGNEPOD Magnetic System which utilizes neo-magnet technology integrated seamlessly into the company’s SUPs, kayaks, floats and docks, so all can be secured to any BOTE product that offers a MAGNEPOD attachment point.
The Highwater Hitchhiker attaches to the BOTE Travelink Carry Sling – or anything else – with two velcro attachment straps. This paired with MAGNEPOD compatibility allows for multi-wear, hands-free carrying. The patented TRU Zip zipper is fully waterproof, dustproof, airtight and submersible. it comes in seven different styles and colors.
One Hitchhiker buyer wrote, “Best bag!! Adorable bag that keeps my phone safe! I even wear it sometimes when I’m not on the water. The zipper is high quality and I trust my items being protected from water at all time!”
The new, ultra-rugged MAGNEBoom portable Bluetooth speakers come in three variations – the Swell, Wake and Surge. All three float, are waterproof to three meters and offer AUX compatibility. They feature dual-pairing capability and, of course, are MAGNEPOD compatible, so you never have to worry about them falling overboard.
The mid-sized Swell is equipped with two 5-watt, 43mm speakers, 1,800 mAh battery capacity and six hours of play time. The smaller Wake has one 5-watt speaker with 800 mAh battery capacity. The flagship Surge comes with two 6-watt, 45mm speakers and one 18W, 66mm speaker. Its 2,500-mAh lithium-ion battery provides eight hours of playtime.
A Wake owner notes, “Perfect on-the-go speaker for short trips. Small and compact and the sound is good. I wish it had the micro SD slot like the Swell, but not a deal breaker. The MAGNEPOD feature is great, as it is with all the MAGNEPOD capable products. Attaches easily and secure. The size and shape of the wake allows me to keep it floating on the water next to me when I go away from my board and still play my music, which is nice.”
About BOTE
BOTE was founded in 2009 by Corey Cooper and his wife Magda, who both grew up with a love of water and the outdoors – she a 3-time collegiate champion swimmer and he an avid angler, swimmer skier and hunter. They moved to Destin, Fla. where Corey worked as mechanical engineer and Magda as a financial advisor.
Corey describes Destin as “not your typical ‘Florida.’ It’s a smaller town, more connected to Alabama than Miami and with a slower pace. The local culture has influences from all over, but it definitely has its own style and flavor. Old school charter fishing boats, kayaking, water-skiing, surfing; water is the epicenter of the Destin lifestyle, which fit us perfectly.”
They tried standup paddle boarding in late 2008 and Corey notes, “We loved the ‘idea’ …but hated the product; both form and function. All of the boards we tried were the same thing but with a different name. They were all basically giant, unstable surfboards. It was around that time that I looked at Magda and said, ‘We can make this better; we can make a board that stands apart.’
“I wanted a board that was stable enough to fish from, yet paddled efficiently. A board that could hold a cooler for my beer. A board that was simple, fresh and fit our lifestyle. A board that virtually anybody at any age could paddle with ease. It needed the capabilities of a boat with the simplicity of a board. And, it needed to look good … really good.
“So, we left our successful careers and started making our boats, or what we decided to call “BOTE”. All we had for funding was a cashed in 401K worth about 7 Grand, a pocket full of credit cards and a shit-ton of hard work ahead of us.
Today, the company has grown to a nationwide brand with a flagship showroom in St. Petersburg, Fla. Throughout the company’s existence and still today, Corey says BOTE is guided by its mission to “stand apart through industry-shaping innovation, fresh ideas and simplicity to create a product that defines a lifestyle.”
