The perfect gift for runners: the Kudos race medal coaster

If you’re one of those people who have never gotten around to displaying your race medals on one of those nifty racks, take heart–there’s another way to display and actually use your race medals in a way that’s utilitarian, eye-catching, and a great conversation starter: the Kudos Coaster Plus, introduced November 1.

RELATED: This creative use of race medals is brilliant

https://twitter.com/MaggieCNichols/status/1061365821434400769

Though the Kudos Coaster Plus can be used to display anything from artwork to photographs to seashells to anything else you can think of that you’d like to preserve and look at often, it was actually dreamed up in 2012 by a runner, Ryan DeBoer of Chicago, after finishing Califnoria’s Big Sur Marathon. DeBoer was proud of his finisher’s medal, which represented a lot of hard training and a tough goal accomplished, and although knew he couldn’t keep wearing it for long, he also didn’t want to just toss it on the kitchen counter or in a drawer. 

https://twitter.com/RyanGoRun/status/1047296220585254912

Product specs

The coaster idea went through various prototypes, styles and materials, finally landing on the current version, which is 10.2 cm in diameter and 2.2 cm high on the outside and 9.2 cm in diameter and 1.3 cm high on the inside (big enough to fit 80 to 90 per cent of race medals, according to the company’s website). The top is made of durable acrylic, with a beveled lip to keep any condensation from spilling over the side, and the objects inside are protected by the water-resistant seal between the lid and the base.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpnemEQB6Uz/

The coaster has a textured black base, so it won’t slide around on a polished surface. It’s fully customizable, with six coloured polyurethane foam inserts. One metal insert can stay in the bottom to stabilize the contents, and can be used to magnetize the coaster. The website has full instructions on how to install your race medal, and even on how to display your medal while leaving a bit of ribbon showing.

The coaster retails for $20 USD. The site notes that international shipping (i.e. to Canada) may take up to 28 days.