July 30, 2015, Updated August 2, 2015

The game of matkot – a vigorous Israeli version of paddleball – may have court advantage on the country’s beaches for now.

But a crowdfunding venture in support of a new game, Kapau, could soon silence the annoying whacking sound of the back-and-forth ball-to-paddle thud.

An Israeli inventor and a high-tech entrepreneur are trying to raise €40,000 to fulfill their three-year dream of introducing “the ultimate outdoor racket game” to the market.

In truth, it’s a quieter mashup of matkot and tennis.

The Kapau rackets have carbon-fiber frames, pro tennis strings and an ergonomic grip. They’re smaller than a tennis racket and a bit bigger than the standard wooden matkot paddle.

 

The carbon racket is smaller than a tennis racket and a bit bigger than the standard wooden matkot paddle. Photo: courtesy
The carbon racket is smaller than a tennis racket and a bit bigger than the standard wooden matkot paddle. Photo: courtesy

The Kapau creators – childhood friends Amit Sharon, a high-tech entrepreneur with a passion for kayaking and trekking, and Guy Shapira, a serial inventor who works with troubled youth — say the hybrid sport they created allows for a faster-paced game “and the play enables multiple stroke techniques.”

Perhaps best of all, the game is “crowd friendly — does not make noise” (although there is still the chance of being hit in the head by an errant ball).

Scroll down the Kickstarter campaign page and you can have a look at the evolution of the racket prototypes. Sharon and Shapira say the working prototypes are ready for market, and they even created a new ball for the game. In addition to selling piecemeal to the crowdfunding community, they’re looking for vendors as well.

“We are working with a leading design company, with vast experience in turnkey projects such as ours, that helps us all the way from concept to full production,” they write on the crowdfunding site.

The complete Kapau set includes a stylish bag with room for two rackets, two balls (one for spare), and space for your car keys and smartphone.

Beach soccer, Frisbee, matkot and beach volleyball have already carved out their niches in the sandy sports marketplace. Now the question remains: is beach culture ready for another game?

More on Life

More on matkot