Restube wins ISPO Award 2023 with the Swim Buoy

The enthusiasm for long-distance swimming or swimming in open water such as the sea increases year by year. Therefore, good visibility of the swimmers is all the more important, for example, to be seen in waves by passing boats. The company Restube has incorporated years of experience and feedback from its more than 300,000 customers into the development of the “Swim Buoy”, a swimming buoy that has now been awarded an ISPO Award.

“Anyone who goes swimming knows how important it can be to be seen by others or to have extra buoyancy. Whether for oneself or for others,” describes Christopher Fuhrhop, inventor and CEO of Restube. “Our swimming buoy is suitable for all people in the water who want additional buoyancy, permanent visibility and/or a dry bag.” The managing director of Restube speaks from personal experience. A few years ago, he found himself in a precarious situation in the water. At that time, he wished he had a backup. Since then, he and his team have been pursuing a goal: to make water sports safer for everyone. As an aspiring engineer, he developed the idea of a compact safety product for water sports enthusiasts. In 2012, the founding of Restube took place near Karlsruhe. The plan succeeded, and numerous awards followed.

The company relies on its own experience as well as the exchange with its numerous customers in the development of new products. “We are open to valuable feedback from our customers,” confirms Managing Director Fuhrhop regarding direct communication with customers. The company’s customers include a wide range of people: fathers, kitesurfers, police officers, firefighters, and professional water rescuers. Fuhrhop expresses great delight over the expertise of his customers: "We continuously gather feedback from people who use Restube products daily, including professional athletes and event organizers. Their testimonials significantly contribute to the continuous improvement of our products and the introduction of new products to the market.

The swim buoy is manufactured without PFCs. Only high-quality nylon-TPU material is used. The materials used have also received positive evaluations from Luisa Smith, the ISPO sustainability expert. “This makes the product more durable. The production is moving in the right direction.”

Speaking of dry bags: In addition to the option of transporting dry clothes, a large variety of add-ons can be attached to the “Swim Buoy”. Clever solutions such as a transparent waterproof phone case, a mount for an action cam, or a signal whistle add value to the product. An integrated breaking point, developed at the request of the Swiss Federal Institute for Accident Prevention, provides additional safety. At a load of 15 kg, the buoy separates from the strap. “This makes it the safest and most sustainable swimming buoy on the market,” says Fuhrhop. The breaking point is particularly important in flowing waters.

The main safety system of the company Restube has been awarded, among others, with the German Founder’s Prize “Deutscher Gründerpreis” and already five ISPO Awards. With the development of the Swim Buoy, the next ISPO Award is now following. A series that is worth seeing.

• PFC-free manufacturing
• Predetermined breaking point (effective from 15 kg load)
• Numerous add-ons: waterproof cell phone pocket, action camera mount, signal whistle …