Alpine Winter - 60% Alps DCS Keycaps
- njbair
- Main keyboard: Custom Alps 60%
- Main mouse: CST LaserTRAC
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
Hey DT. I want to let you all know about my group buy for Alps keycaps over on Geekhack. It's called Alpine Winter, and if successful it will be the first complete 60% set of Alps keycaps produced by the community.
The really great thing about this set is the huge number of 60% layouts it supports, including ISO and AEK II and Infinity Hacker spacebars! It's actually more compatible than most MX keycap sets.
GB thread: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=75515.0
Anyone can join, not just Geekhack members. So take a look if you're a fan of Alps!
I will be monitoring this thread as well as the main Geekhack thread, so feel free to reply with any questions. Thanks!
The really great thing about this set is the huge number of 60% layouts it supports, including ISO and AEK II and Infinity Hacker spacebars! It's actually more compatible than most MX keycap sets.
GB thread: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=75515.0
Anyone can join, not just Geekhack members. So take a look if you're a fan of Alps!
I will be monitoring this thread as well as the main Geekhack thread, so feel free to reply with any questions. Thanks!
- Spikebolt
- √(4) != -2
- Location: Portugal
- Main keyboard: HHKB2 Pro
- Main mouse: Roccat Kone Xtd
- Favorite switch: Topre (so far)
- DT Pro Member: -
Looks a lot like the TA set, which is a huge plus. Not a big fan on the "Alpine" keycap but other than that looks very solid.
Price is a bit steep for non-GMK ABS keycaps but considering this is the first custom alps set you're producing it's a good achievement.
Good luck!
Price is a bit steep for non-GMK ABS keycaps but considering this is the first custom alps set you're producing it's a good achievement.
Good luck!
- njbair
- Main keyboard: Custom Alps 60%
- Main mouse: CST LaserTRAC
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
The blue is similar to the teal in Triumph Adler, just without the green. I just received the color chips from SP today. It's exactly what I pictured--a pure, deep blue.
I actually did not choose the colors myself. I started an IC with a hideous purple/yellow mockup (it was very late) just because I wanted to see some custom Alps caps get made. Fortunately, some others in the thread had some good suggestions and we ended up with the colorway you see here.
I actually did not choose the colors myself. I started an IC with a hideous purple/yellow mockup (it was very late) just because I wanted to see some custom Alps caps get made. Fortunately, some others in the thread had some good suggestions and we ended up with the colorway you see here.
- Cherry1990
- Location: Italy
- Main keyboard: Filco Majestouch 2 TKL Multicam & PBT keycaps
- Main mouse: Logitech
- Favorite switch: MX Brown
- DT Pro Member: -
Nice colour set, would be nice to have it also for MX switches...
- njbair
- Main keyboard: Custom Alps 60%
- Main mouse: CST LaserTRAC
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
You poor Cherry MX folks with your limited keycap options...Cherry1990 wrote: ↑Nice colour set, would be nice to have it also for MX switches...
That's one of the things I'm most excited about with this set--that we Alps enthusiasts have a shot at something unique, not just a Cherry MX colorway clone.
- pyrelink
- Location: USA
- Main keyboard: HHKB 2
- Main mouse: CST L-Trac
- Favorite switch: Capacitive Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
Awesome, thanks for running this. Will look great in combo with Badwrenches infinity mods, on my Hasu 60%. Just to clarify on the order form, the add on space bars are only extras right? We are still getting all 3 in the picture?
- njbair
- Main keyboard: Custom Alps 60%
- Main mouse: CST LaserTRAC
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
Thanks! One of my stated goals from the start of the interest check was to choose colors which would complement Badwrench's modifiers.pyrelink wrote: ↑Awesome, thanks for running this. Will look great in combo with Badwrenches infinity mods, on my Hasu 60%. Just to clarify on the order form, the add on space bars are only extras right? We are still getting all 3 in the picture?
You're correct about the spacebars. The base kit includes 4 spacebars: 6U, 6.2U, 6.5U, and 7U. The add-on kits are just in case, because those 6 and 6.5 sizes are hard to come by.
I'm actually really impressed by the response to the spacebars so far. All three kits are already two-thirds to MOQ of 25 each.
- Redmaus
- Gotta start somewhere
- Location: Near Dallas, Texas
- Main keyboard: Unsaver | 3276 | Kingsaver
- Main mouse: Kensington Slimblade
- Favorite switch: Capacitative Buckling Spring
- DT Pro Member: -
- Contact:
Wow nice! Color scheme isn't my forte but I really hope its successful!
- t8c
- Location: Norway
- Main keyboard: F77
- Main mouse: Logitech G602
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
My thoughts exactly. It's a great step for Alps fans, and very promising for what is to come in the futureRedmaus wrote: ↑Wow nice! Color scheme isn't my forte but I really hope its successful!
- shreebles
- Finally 60%
- Location: Cologne, Germany
- Main keyboard: FaceW 45g Silent Red /NerD60 MX Red
- Main mouse: Logitech G303 / GPro (home) MX Anywhere 2 (work)
- Favorite switch: Silent Red, Old Browns, Buckling Spring,
- DT Pro Member: 0094
While I use MX and Buckling spring keyboards, I'm happy to see that options for Alps users are popping up, which encourages the possibility for me to use Alps in the future.
After being quite disappointed with old SKCM black Alps I am looking forward to trying a Matias switch soon.
After being quite disappointed with old SKCM black Alps I am looking forward to trying a Matias switch soon.
- njbair
- Main keyboard: Custom Alps 60%
- Main mouse: CST LaserTRAC
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
I've got some Matias Quiet Click switches in an Infinity keyboard, and I like them a lot. I actually prefer them to tactile MX switches. Genuine Alps have their own charm, but I think Matias switches hold their own. And the company is committed to the enthusiast community. In fact, Edgar Matias is in China right now and one of his agenda items is to inspect their new tooling for replacement keycaps (PBT dyesub and blanks, AFAIK) which will be rolling out as soon as production details are finalized.shreebles wrote: ↑While I use MX and Buckling spring keyboards, I'm happy to see that options for Alps users are popping up, which encourages the possibility for me to use Alps in the future.
After being quite disappointed with old SKCM black Alps I am looking forward to trying a Matias switch soon.
- hammelgammler
- Vintage
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: IBM Model F Unsaver
- Main mouse: G-Wolves Skoll
- Favorite switch: Buckling Spring (Model F)
- DT Pro Member: -
Hopefully they come up with some nice PBT blanks in this year, that would be awesome!
I really need some blanks, but with my hands, ABS begins so shine kind of quickly...
I really need some blanks, but with my hands, ABS begins so shine kind of quickly...
- njbair
- Main keyboard: Custom Alps 60%
- Main mouse: CST LaserTRAC
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
Hey DT, it's been a while so I just wanted to share some updates on the Alpine Winter GB.
We clinched the 50 pcs. MOQ over the weekend, and since then we've gotten several more orders, so that we are now 86% of the way to 100 pcs.!!!
All of this while Massdrop is re-running their Tai Hao Alps doubleshots in WoB, Dolch, and Olivetti colorways for $20. That buy is currently at 85 sets out of 100 with 3 days left. I wrote a review of the Tai Hao doubleshots if you're interested. Now I know that you're thinking: this guy who's running an Alps keycap group buy writes a review of some other Alps keycaps. But my conclusion is that those caps are really impressive for under $30 shipped, and I'm glad I bought them.
Alpine Winter was never about being the cheapest, but about providing an original colorway and offering the broadest compatibility for Alps 60% keyboards. In that sense I don't necessarily view Massdrop's keycaps as direct competition, since they only offer support for standard ANSI 104-key layouts. Besides, as an Alps enthusiast, I love the fact that there are more Alps cap options available.
So anyway, if you haven't joined the buy yet, we'd love to have you on board! And there are still two weeks left to join, so I'm confident that we'll tip the 100 mark.
Finally, here's another cool 3D-rendered glamour shot:
We clinched the 50 pcs. MOQ over the weekend, and since then we've gotten several more orders, so that we are now 86% of the way to 100 pcs.!!!
All of this while Massdrop is re-running their Tai Hao Alps doubleshots in WoB, Dolch, and Olivetti colorways for $20. That buy is currently at 85 sets out of 100 with 3 days left. I wrote a review of the Tai Hao doubleshots if you're interested. Now I know that you're thinking: this guy who's running an Alps keycap group buy writes a review of some other Alps keycaps. But my conclusion is that those caps are really impressive for under $30 shipped, and I'm glad I bought them.
Alpine Winter was never about being the cheapest, but about providing an original colorway and offering the broadest compatibility for Alps 60% keyboards. In that sense I don't necessarily view Massdrop's keycaps as direct competition, since they only offer support for standard ANSI 104-key layouts. Besides, as an Alps enthusiast, I love the fact that there are more Alps cap options available.
So anyway, if you haven't joined the buy yet, we'd love to have you on board! And there are still two weeks left to join, so I'm confident that we'll tip the 100 mark.
Finally, here's another cool 3D-rendered glamour shot:
- njbair
- Main keyboard: Custom Alps 60%
- Main mouse: CST LaserTRAC
- Favorite switch: Orange Alps
- DT Pro Member: -
Hey, all. Big news! Alpine Winter has passed the 100 mark and tipped the $70 MOQ! This is happy news for Alps fans because it will be the most successful community-run Alps group buy to date.
Also, I'm going to put in a plug for the Monarch LHTK Alps keyboard, a really classy, extremely well-made custom keyboard based on the AEKII. The Monarch GB runs through this month and into early November. The cost is $250 USD.
I've been working closely with koalapear, the Monarch's creator, and a third party to secure Monarch compatibility for Alpine Winter. The add-on pack includes all the blank keycaps necessary to fill out the numpad cluster, and costs just $16 USD.
I'm super excited to be a part of this and just wanted to share the news with you all. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!
Also, I'm going to put in a plug for the Monarch LHTK Alps keyboard, a really classy, extremely well-made custom keyboard based on the AEKII. The Monarch GB runs through this month and into early November. The cost is $250 USD.
I've been working closely with koalapear, the Monarch's creator, and a third party to secure Monarch compatibility for Alpine Winter. The add-on pack includes all the blank keycaps necessary to fill out the numpad cluster, and costs just $16 USD.
I'm super excited to be a part of this and just wanted to share the news with you all. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!