The Mercury Rocketeer keyboard brings you back to your roots

Old timey keyboards – the kind with huge keycaps and clicky mechanical switches – are surprisingly fashionable these days and this one, by Massdrop and Zslane – looks like something the Mercury Rocketeer.

Based on an old typewriter design, the reduced-sized keyboard features fat key caps – the buttons – and a unique angled style. From the site:

Done in a 60% form factor, the Rocketeer takes right after its predecessor in terms of portability. However, in terms of functionality, it drastically outdoes what came before. To start, the Rocketeer has a custom 60% PCB that can be programmed to your liking via QMK firmware. The switches, too, can be swapped out with ease thanks to the Kaihua hotswap switch sockets. That means you can change them on the fly if you want a different feel?all without any soldering necessary. Connect it to your computer via the dual USB-C connectors, which also have passthrough technology. Last but not least, the bottom of the case has removable feet for an even more angled feel.

The Mercury Rocketeer is based on the Swiss-made Hermes Rocket typewriter. Originally developed in the 1940s, the typewriter was known for its portability, build quality, and well-rounded features?all of which are on bold display here. Made with a tall, curved powder-coated aluminum case in soothing seafoam green, the Rocketeer evokes the nostalgic vibes of the classic original,” the team writes.

I’ve just put in my order for this beast and I hope it’s everything they promise. At $250 it’s sadly quite pricey but for a solid, heavy-duty keyboard with enough nerd features to choke a touch typist it might be worth it. You can check it out here.