“Ever since Buck Rogers” first strapped on a jetpack in the comics, gravity-bound dreamers have longed for a backpack rocket. The Thunderbolt R2G2 promises to fulfill such dreams. “The question is whether any normal person”—or at least any sane one—would dare to fly this apparatus. “The packs can be dangerous for self-taught pilots,” and even the well-trained ones who have flown the prototype tend to remain tethered. The pack’s maker so far has obtained four deposits, but needs more to complete production.
Price: At least $90,000; Contact: Thunderman.net
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