Is it a backpack? Is it a vest? No, it's an iVest!

Like many of us San Leandro entrepreneur Sanderson Broudy wearied of toting around his computer in a bag. Longing to have his hands free, he thought there must be a better way to safely and securely carry his electronic devices.

Now he and his business partner Michael Butler of Oakland believe they have invented a hands-free way to transport technology or other belongings.

The duo have designed, patented and manufactured an ergonomic, all-weather, garment that is part vest, part backpack. They call it the iVest.  

Their new company, MyKeyno LLC, (which translated from Italian means computer bag) held a test launch of their product in November. It was warmly received with 1,700 Facebook users liking their product. They tested it at colleges, giving samples away, and were met with rave reviews.

“It started out as a vest with a backpack or a backpack that keeps you warm to hold your computer,” said Butler, “but it has become sought after as a much more general use product.”

During their test marketing the duo learned that the iVest didn’t just appeal to students and business people hauling laptops around.

It also got high ratings from mothers with babies who saw its potential as a hands-free diaper bag. Parents of elementary school children also figured their youngsters were less likely to lose their backpacks if they were part of their clothing.

Motorcyclists have approached the two men about developing a leather version of the iVest and the military has talked to them about coming up with a Kevlar model, according to Butler.

The inventors have also patented their cantaliever shoulder assembly into a jacket and may develop a version with a waist strap to further distribute the backpack’s weight around the wearer’s body. 

The iVest is waterproof, green and made in the United States. The products are manufactured from 100% recycled and recyclable polyester fibers. Butler estimates it will retail in the $150 price range for men's and women's adult sizes and about half of that for children's versions.

The owners came from the corporate universe. Butler said the creation of the iVest is their attempt to “do their own thing” and create something green, functionable and fashionable at the same time.

Broudy, who lives in the vicinity of Dutton and Pala has operated a human resources staffing firm with clients that have included Apple, Visa, Nokia and Genentech among others.  

Butler’s background is in software engineering. He has worked for Sybase, Data General, Sun, Intuit and was most recently a Cisco engineering vice president.

They are in the process of a fundraising cycle for MyKeyno and expect to stage a full-blown launch of their products in March.

The products will be manufactured at a company called Choices in Los Angeles and will use all U.S. made materials, except for one component that is 100 percent recycled and recyclable that they have only been able to so far source from Japan.

The company will be headquartered here in San Leandro and their plan is to employ 3 to 5 people locally. Butler said they currently have some people blogging for them and are using local models for their advertising. 

“We definitely will be interested in hiring locally, whenever  we can,” said Butler.

Even though they have not done a full product launch yet, Butler said they are already looking for the next new thing beyond the iVest .

They are considering how to include a flexible battery to the product so you can charge your electronics while you’re wearing it. They are also experimenting with the design for a sports coat with a backpack pocket that can hold a tablet computer.

“The sports coat would look virtually like any other,” said Butler, “the only difference would be that when you took it off and put it on the back of your chair you could discreetly pull out your tablet computer from the back of it.”

You can see samples of the iVest product line here.