What's the story with KLAST?

What's the story with KLAST? I thought to myself, as I attempted to get my head around a brand I'd never heard of.

I'd just seen a short video depicting a product that down the line we will probably refer to as a 'no-brainer'

It's called the Klamp. 

So after a phone call & a few emails Jonte cruised past the shed to talk the Klamp, Klast & more.

The Klamp is what stole my attention - a twofold solution to a car ownership problem.

1. Isolating the battery easily to prevent it going flat.

2. Removing the battery in about half the time. 

You mighta heard about the time someone killed two birds with one stone? The Klamp is shaping up to be a similar stone.

So what's the story with Klast?

Well it starts with Jonte, and a chance encounter at work with a box of funny looking clips. Recognising the potential of the clips, he took em home and installed a set on his S14.

 - End of story?

Not quite. Over time the clips marketed themselves in front of his mates at drift events and he clued into the idea of them becoming a worthy product in a marketplace. So in 2025 he teamed up with biz-partner Reece to get the show on the road. Enter Klast. Inspired by the elongated country of manufacture, Sweden.

"We wanted something that would invoke that quality feel to it, but was also available, could get the domain and that."

Jonte explained Reece set the pace for the look; 

"What is it when a musician takes another... Interpolation? Interpolated."

So when it came to the aesthetic,

"Reece stole [interpolated] it from somewhere else and changed it to suit"

 "Art is theft." - Pablo Picasso

 

KLAST hits the nail on the head. Letter-wise a five-banger like the engines the swedes are famous for. Even better there's no direct translation, it's merely street speak for classy.

I asked Jonte where his car story began?

"My dad's brother's son. Eldest son. Growing up, yeah, didn't really see him all that often. At my grandma's place one day we got talking cars."

"I kind of already got into cars a little bit and whatnot."

"He was like, oh yeah, I've got like five s-thirteens, and got this one.. blah, blah, blah... you should come out to Mallala."

"So Dad took me there and then going out, seeing all the s-chassis's and stuff, and being like, what the fuck? This is fucking wicked."

"Seeing all these cars that I thought were really cool. Seeing people drifting Supras with the four tail-lights. I remember there was one on our street all the time, and used to think what is that?"

He paused for bit.   

"Seeing them out there, because that was back in the day when people did drift Supras and shit like that, because they were cheap enough. And, yeah, that was it."

"Bug bit, all attraction."

So while his old man had cool rides his cousin sparked the real attraction.

"His name is George."

"George is very well known in the scene. He was in that era where everything was just starting up. Like in Australia. And Mallala was definitely the [Oz] birthplace of drifting, for sure." 

MORE ON THAT HERE

Talking with Jonte TWO things became clear very early. Firstly, he understood people are what make cars great.

"I was in Corromandel Valley the other day, at the bakery, and there was an old dude, I reckon he was about 85. He had a red Tommy Mac with all the stickers and everything on it. Oh and he had the little disabled parking thing. So funny."

"I love that stuff. I had a chat with him, his name was Ian. He was like - Oh yeah, I was into rallyin, this n that. I had another one. I crashed that, so I don't do anything stupid in this one. Like how cool."

And the second thing, he likes driving. Actually likes driving. 

"George helped me buy a KE with a 4age innit with all AE86 front end and everything"

"Did a couple events in that and went this is really cool, but I'm not really good enough to drive this. Cause they're slow... you have to know what you're doing and be fully committed to it."

"So did that for a bit, liked the KE, didn't love it."

"Was it respectable or a missile?" I asked.

"Nah it was alright, it was okay - actually the side of it was graffiti mural."

"Damn that's sick." I remarked.

"Hahaha, took all that shit off, got so sick of it. It was a nice bluey silver colour underneath so it was okay."

"Good motor & they sound sick, but got rid of that."

"Found the S14, it came up for sale, the guy I bought it off, his name is Ben Snell. He does the commentating for drifting SA. Drives Commodores and stuff, really good driver - sick driver, really good."

"But he'd bought it, bolted a seat to the floor and put king springs innit. It was so standard."

"Was it a fresh import for him?"

"No. No it was a AUSDM one, delivered. He took it to one Mallala event, there's photos of it doin turn one on like 16-inch stockies and some buddy clubs on the front."

"And yeah he didn't like it. Had it up on facebook - heaps of comments. Three & a half grand."

"And when I got there he was like, you're the only person who asked to come and have a look at it."

Jonte added before going to look at the car.

"I called Dad, I was like - I'm GOING to buy this S14. He was like, just hold your horses, settle down."

"Went there the next day with my mate and did a compression test, like one6five across all cyclinders - wicked."

"Had a look round it, like yeah sick, the buddy clubs come with it?"

Our faces cracked past smiles and we laughed thinking about it.

"tryna haggle him down from three and half grand hahaha"

"So George's mate came round and picked it up with the trailer, and he already knew Ben so the whole thing was just awesome." 

"I was working at Hobby Habit at the time."

"Scalextrics?!" My dumbarse couldn't help but interrupt.

"Yeahp, model kits, RC cars and stuff. And any extra cash went to the S14 to do that up. But every weekend I was working so couldn't do events. So eventually quit."

"But the S14 is good... SO good, and reliable compared to my other friends cars."

"Love it."

Jonte & George

It was good fun listening to Jonte passionately talk about wanting to really offer something beneficial to all kinds of car owners. But to offer my ten cents on Klast I needed to talk to the head on the other side of the coin.

So I gave Reece a call.

"Thanks again for taking the time to talk"

"That's all good"

"Straight out the gate, are you into cars?

"heh heh"

Bit of a pause. 

"Yeah Jonte is definitely more into cars."

Reece definitely undersells his interest in cars a bit. And is currently doin a light resto on his 4WD.

"I've got a mutual mate which is how we'd been put together. But yeah I like cars, just not as much."

So what did Jonte pitch Reece to make em band together?

"So I guess I'll start, kinda back at the beginning. As I said I had a mutual friend, who's also very into cars. He was like - I've got a friend who's looking for a website, I'll flick him your number."

"Yeah cool, sounds good. Jonte called up and we were just having a chat and I was instantly with the idea. I was like fu#$, this just makes sense."

"It makes your life that much easier.. almost surprised you don't get this on cars from stock, or just something that is better than the current system."

"But honestly, it was just a product that I kinda just had ah, like ah.. no brainer moment." 

I smirked n' smiled knowing the first half of this write up was done a week before the call.

I asked Reece about the feel and nature of Klast including it's choice to represent its Adelaide roots.

"I grew up in Adelaide. Lived there like my whole life, then moved to Canada doin the winter working thing with some mates."

"So what's your background? University?"

"Honestly no. I was enrolled in business marketing. I went for like the induction day and was like ah I don't think I'm ready for this, or wasn't even sure it's what I wanted to do."

"Went into a trade for a year or two and then went to Canada. Fast forward and now I'm here."

"I've always kinda been into marketing, startin off with my own stuff and then started slowly picking up some clients and it grew from there."

Reece now lives up in the Sunshine Coast. Outside of Klast he is the CMO for another Adelaide based company, works freelance and is an all round busy bloke.  

I decided to ask Reece what kinda goals based direction he would like for the company?

"Yeah well I guess, look, I definitely want Klast to grow into a community, of people like Jonte, and like us. I want the business to be more than just a transaction." 

"I think... it's.. there's so much more to a company, especially branding and there's so much more to having an audience and an actual fun community of people that get around it. It's more than just a single product that someone buys once and then forgets about us."

"That would ideally be the shared goal with Klast." 

I'll forfeit, when I first discovered the product I was attracted to it. As I talked to the headz bringing it to the marketplace, the more I became sold on the brand.  

I also took notice of the Klamps being manufactured in Sweden, and the emphasis on the fact they're TÜV certified. A web search explains TÜV is a independent German standard of manufacturing for safety and quality. But I wanted to hear Reece's take. 

How would you explain the TÜV certification to a Klast consumer?

"A quick way to break it down, and this is the understanding I have. I should probably be all over it.. but basically having that certification means lets just say tomorrow if Toyota or Volkswagen wanted to put the Klamps in their car, the TÜV cert is what they need to do it."

TÜV signs off on the quality of the Klamp. 

"Going back to the first call I had with Jonte, I was like this is such a great product, I love it - but are they shit?"

"And he said, no. I've run these personally for years. No problems. And then after learning about the TÜV and the product more, I was just thinking, you know what? This is exactly what you'd want."

And no kidding I did want it.  

I paid full price for a set, to excessively play with, and figure out for myself if they really are as good a solution as they seem.

Back in 2021 I'd taken a punt and bought a set of Lurpiv skateboard trucks. A brand new Swedish skateboard company, with a new innovative design, manufactured in Sweden. Unfortunately as an early adopter my batch suffered from a tolerance/design issue. Lurpiv corrected the problem but was definitely set back as brand by the fiasco.

I bought the Klamps so that if my set broke, or I discovered an issue, even if they were just kinda shit I was free to discuss. So are they any good, and what do I think?

Well after some time & thought, I am more than happy to stand behind the product. 

I tried to fault them. I thought maybe they stop you from fitting jumper leads easy? Nope. Flipped up you can still fit leads no problem.

Maybe the plastic part won't last? so I made sure to grip it every morning for over a week in stupid ways, over extend it, lift from the weakest points. Nothing. 

So far the only issue the Klamp does face is the difference in battery terminal size. Some terminals are too small such as the ones on my battery, but lucky me I have lead terminal sleeves to adapt it.

Reece did explain to me this potential issue is highlighted on the website as well as Klast looking at potentially offering the solution with the Klamp in the future. 

So final thoughts?  

All of my cars should have these. Every car enthusiast should have these. Maybe everyone with a car should have these? (pushin it a little).

Christmas is coming up. Support SA business, improve a car, make life easier, and look after your stuff, because stuff lasting longer is better environmentally. 

Jonte and Reece are clearly good dudes, and giving me their time just because I was interested only proves this further.

So in other words, I fuck with Klast. WATCH this space... 

Klast.com.au