Tundra Labs will launch a Vive Tracker alternative on Kickstarter

Today, Tundra Labs revealed the Tundra Tracker, a more compact, more affordable alternative to HTC's Vive Tracker puck. The Tundra Trackers will be available for pre-order on Kickstarter next month. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the Tundra Trackers are supposed to be cheaper than Vive Trackers, and you'll get better pricing if you buy them as a set.

The Tundra Trackers use Valve's open-source Steam VR platform, which enables them to work with any Steam VR compatible device, including Valve's Index, HTC's Vive headsets, and the Pimax 5K and 8K lineups. Tundra Labs even said the Tundra Trackers would work alongside Vive Trackers.

Tundra Trackers are significantly smaller than the Vive Trackers, making them lighter and easier to mount in new ways. Luke Beno, the founder of Tundra Labs, told Road to VR that Tundra Trackers are 60% smaller and weigh 50% less than Vive Trackers. Tundra Trackers also consume 50% less power, giving them twice the battery life of HTC's version.

The Tundra Trackers have looks built into them to support things like belts and wrist straps. You can also attach them to your shoelaces to give you foot tracking. The final version may also include magnets in the base for mounting to metal objects.=

Beno is also working on something called a "multi-port dongle," which would enable you to pair three, five, or even seven trackers. The dongles would also be compatible with other Steam VR devices, such as the Vive Trackers, Vive controllers, and Valve Index controllers.

Details about the Kickstarter are still in the works. Tundra Labs intends to launch the campaign in the new year.