I consider myself to be “the adventurous type” but I’ve never once kayaked, thanks to two big hurdles: I live in the desert, and I drive a tiny Fiat that barely fits four grown humans in its cramped interior.
Water activities in these parts of Arizona require a gas-guzzling truck and a garage big enough to store your boats, putting kayaking out of reach for most urban dwellers. Oru Kayak destroys both those necessities with a foldable boat that’s strong enough to take on a lake or river, while also compacting into a box small enough to fit in your closet.
Before the Oru Kayak glided into my life, my go-to outdoor activity was hiking. Point me to a waterfall 15 miles away in the desert and even if that AZ ‘dry heat’ was boiling the tar on the highway, I was totally there. Now that there’s a boat that fits in my car, everything’s changed.
There’s something incredible about rolling up to a river in a tiny Fiat 500 and pulling a 12-foot kayak out of the back. It’s like a magic trick.
Few pieces of tech have wowed me this much since I picked up the first iPhone. It’s like instant adventure in a 26-pound box. Each time I’ve put the boat together a chorus of “Holy shit, this is amazing!” echoes through my frontal lobe as the single sheet of plastic folds into a kayak.
Oru Kayak is made out of corrugated plastic, the same stuff political lawn signs are made of, only its beefier and more durable. Everything you need to go from land to sea fits in the 33-inch by 29-inch carrying case that looks like an art portfolio, and it comes with a carrying strap so you can lug it comfortably from the parking lot to the water before assembly.
Assembling the kayak is ridiculously easy thanks to the origami-style folding. It compacts small enough to take it on the bus or train (or check it onto your next flight). Once you hit your destination, it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to go from box to fully assembled boat, depending on how adept you are at mastering all the folds.
I’m not an expert kayaker, so I can’t vouch for how well the Oru Kayak compares to non-folding options, but its speed is solid and it handles well on both lakes and gentle rivers. I didn’t take it out to the ocean or through any whitewater, but you can do pretty much anything in it you’d want to do in a regular kayak, including eskimo rolls.
The design of the kayak is striking, and each time I’ve assembled it crowds gathered to watch the magic show. Every fold and part has a purpose, with not a single square inch of superfluous plastic. Each part can be replaced quickly and cheaply. You can tell four years of deep thinking was poured into the beautiful vessel. The end result is a boat that transcends everything you thought you knew about hitting the open water.
At $1,200 a piece, the price is very attractive compared to competing collapsible kayaks that run closer to $4,000 a pop. With an estimated life span of 20,000 fold cycles, it will last just as long as rotomolded kayaks you have to tow around with a truck.
Adventurers looking to take Oru Kayak out for multiple days can stuff camping and fishing gear into the bow and stern storage compartments, and there’s an optional backpack carrying case if you want to haul it a few miles to your favorite spots.
Everything about Oru Kayak is both simple and magical. Hours I normally spend chasing waterfalls in the desert have been replaced with lake excursions, gliding though cool green waters hunting exclusive coves.
Having spent the better part of the afternoon paddling around Apache Lake, I slide up to the rocky shore, pull my boat out of the water, perform the magic trick in reverse order, and presto change-o, my kayak is back in my little car.
It’s as if everything I’ve been missing now folds into the back of my car. Can’t wait to paddle again.
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
7 responses to “Meet the origami kayak that makes adventure easy”
I’m sorry, but I think the thing is totally overpriced. $1200 is insane. Even their “introductory price” of $800 when it started was high. It’s corrugated plastic for God’s sake. How long will it last? How many times can you assemble and disassemble it? This thing isn’t gonna last for years.
I can go to REI and use a discount coupon and have a REAL kayak for $1200 or so… one that’s at least 12′ long, if not 14′ or even 17’… and longer is usually better. And it’ll carry just fine on that Fiat 500 with a proper roof carrier.
Now… if the thing folded up small enough and light enough to, say, carry on a motorcycle, my opinion of the thing would change completely. But it’s too big and too heavy.
But hey, if they can sell ’em for that, all power too them. I just won’t be one of the buyers.
You could carry it on a motorcycle just as easily as i could load a 14′ kayak on my Fiat’s roof. Easier actually, if you buy the backpack case.
I’ve had no problems with durability. The corrugated plastic is pretty tough, as shown in this video of them throwing it off a roof http://vimeo.com/93398140
$1200 might not be affordable for everyone, but considering you don’t need a truck, trailer, roof rack, or even a car, to get into the wild with this thing, i think it’s worth it.
They lost me at the price.
What does this have to do with Apple or Macs?? Nothing.
Wow what a wonderful piece of modern day technology, science and research has really made some of the impossible things possible in the past couple of years. It really amuses me that how much ability God has provided human beings with which they have done so much. But still we don’t follow the path which God wants us to follow so sad.
@John: perhaps a little off topic but who cares? It’s an interesting story nonetheless. Innovative thinking and the entrepreneurial pursuit- just like the founders of Apple; that’s how it’s related. What’s cool is this product was featured on Shark Tank where the inventors secured a deal with the sharks to build out this business. Yes a bit pricey, but so are Macs and we buy them for the ingenuity and functionality. BTW – the Salt River is a beautiful place to enjoy nature. Good article.
I got an Oru kayak because I couldn’t safely put my old kayak on top my new car (the car is too tall). I went from using my old kayak once or twice a season to using the Oru almost every weekend from April through October. Just throw it in the back of the car and you’re all set. It’s especially great when you’re visiting a friend or relative a few hundred miles away and you want to check out a lake or river nearby. No problem, bring the kayak along with zero hassles. It’s honestly one of my all-time favorite possessions. And no, I don’t work for Oru kayak.