Following a recent successful $25,000 Kickstarter campaign, a Portland-based outdoor apparel and equipment company that markets to stand-up paddle boarders and surfers will soon launch its brand, co-founded by Cape Elizabeth resident and product designer Yona Belfort.

It will also begin to develop a second iteration of a dry glove that aims to keep coldwater athletes warmer, longer by using air as an insulator rather than water. Belfort and his team of designers and developers raised $26,156 through a 30-day Kickstarter campaign on April 24.

According to Belfort, 244 people supported the project, which launched on March 25.

“It has been a wild ride,” said Belfort, a surfer who also founded a Portland-based product design consultancy, Vital Innovation. “This is where the fundraising ends and the production, development and procurement begins.”

Established in 2013, Furnace designs and creates performance products for people who surf and paddle in colder weather. Frustrated with neoprene wetsuit gloves, Furnace set out to develop “response dry gloves,” which are lighter, warmer and last twice as long as neoprene gloves, Belfort said.

In January 2014 the company launched its first product, the first generation dry glove, which can be purchased at local brick-and-mortar retailers, including the Maine Surfers Union in Portland, Black Point Surf Shop in Scarborough, Aquaholics in Kennebunkport and Liquid Dreams in Ogunquit.

In addition to Maine surf shops, both the first- and second-generation gloves can also be found at Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co. in Hampton, N.H. Furnace is only offering the second-generation gloves in men’s size large.

“It’s expensive to offer it in multiple sizes,” said Belfort. “With (about) $25,000, which is actually an exceptionally small amount of money for any product development, we can’t afford to do that yet.”

Like the first-generation glove, the new and improved second-generation dry glove is made out of rubber and includes a Polartec fleece liner glove, which will also be improved using campaign funds. The main difference is that the second-generation glove incorporates patent-pending bite valve technology that lets cool air out while allowing the wearer to blow warm air in.

Among other reasons, Furnace’s gloves are more durable and provide more grip than neoprene gloves, and use air as insulation rather than water, Belfort said.

As an incentive, campaign backers will receive a variety of rewards, including Furnace products, such as stickers, sweatshirts, dry gloves, surf lessons and much more, depending on how much money they contributed. Donations range from $5 to $550.

Furnace will rake in about 90 percent of the Kickstarter funds, or $23,541. Kickstarter will take its cut of 5 percent, and the credit card companies will receive the remaining 5 percent, according to Belfort.

In part, campaign funds will support the creation of second-generation response dry glove molds, the bite valves and sourcing and purchasing higher-quality fleece liner gloves. The second-generation dry glove will be available in September.

“It’s a pretty overwhelming experience,” said Belfort. Especially in the last two days of the campaign, “it was incredible. People came out of the woodwork to support the effort. It’s heartwarming.”

Belfort said he was glad Furnace turned to Kickstarter to help launch the brand.

It “was a really good use of Kickstarter because Furnace needed to kick-start,” he said. “It really is a boost to a small unknown brand that is trying to make waves. It’s really helped the brand grow.”

Miles Spadone, a local product designer, carries a surfboard wearing Furnace’s second-generation response dry glove off the coast of Cape Elizabeth.Courtesy photoA second-generation response dry glove, created by designers from Portland-based outdoor equipment and apparel company, Furnace, is more durable than neoprene wetsuit gloves and includes one-of-a-kind bite valve technology.Yona Belfort, of Cape Elizabeth, is the co-founder of Portland-based coldwater equipment company Furnace, which is working on developing the company’s second-generation response dry glove for stand-up paddle boarders, surfers and kayakers. Courtesy photos