Below is a copy of the press release from Montie Design that was released on December 2012.
MORRISVILLE, N.C.– Innovation and commercialization firm Montie Design is helping to introduce a new product to the cold weather motorsports marketplace to solve an irritating and dangerous aspect of snowmobiling.
Fog Thief is a new invention produced and distributed by Montie Design that keeps a snowmobile helmet’s face shield from fogging up and interfering with the wearer’s vision.
“When you exhale within your helmet, the moisture will fog up and ultimately freeze, making your see-thru visor dangerous for you or other riders,” said John Younts, the creator of Fog Thief.
According to Younts, an avid snowmobiler for the past 15 years, the combination of temperatures and wind chill in the teens as well as riders getting a workout creates the perfect storm for a visor that fogs over or even freezes.
“When your helmet fogs-up, you have to pull over because you can’t see and then you pray that no one hits you,” he said.
The only non-spray solution of its kind, the Fog Thief is a soft, comfortable mouthpiece that channels the user’s breath outside their helmet, keeping the warm, moist air out. Made from an advanced polymer, the Fog Thief remains flexible even under extreme conditions of minus-50 degrees F temperatures and is compatible with all helmets.
The popularity and economic impact of snowmobiling are significant, with 129,087 snowmobiles sold worldwide in 2012 contributing to an estimated $23 billion industry in the U.S. alone. With over a million registered snowmobiles here in the U.S. and a half million in Canada, the Fog Thief is positioned to have a positive impact on a lot of people, said Montie Design President Montie Roland.
“We’re excited to help provide a unique solution to a problem plaguing a major market sector,” he said.
Younts approached Montie Design with a sketch of the Fog Thief concept. After several iterations, the design firm came up with a final version meeting the standards set forth in the initial concept and using materials and processes to ensure the product is made in the USA. Roland said his company will be producing the Fog Thief and processing online orders for the product, which retails for $34.95.
Utilizing creative approaches to product design and production – such as purposeful wondering, making a product’s current features more valuable by considering a wide variety of options – Montie Design identifies and applies cutting-edge solutions to keep manufacturing costs low while satisfying end-user requirements.
For more information on Montie Design, visit www.montie.com.
To order the Fog Thief, visit www.fogthief.com.
About Montie Design
Montie Design is an innovation and commercialization firm with core competencies in mechanical engineering and industrial design. Active in the product design, defense, and technology sectors, we leverage years of industry leadership and extensive technical capabilities to help clients take products from concept to marketplace that are economical to manufacture, elegant and robust. Montie Design is a North Carolina company headquartered in the Research Triangle region with clients across the country and overseas. We are dedicated to economic development throughout our home state and furthering excellence in design and engineering. For more information, visit www.montie.com.