The Oru Kayak – our flexible friend
One of the great things about owning a kayak is the freedom to take off and explore rivers, lakes, canals, and oceans whenever you please, at your skill level. The drawback is that you have to transport the boat to the water and find space to store it between trips. Great if you have a car, live near water, and have plenty of storage space at home. Not everyone owns a vehicle, and there are often still logistical issues to deal with, such as carrying a heavy boat to the launch area after lifting it from a vehicle and portaging locks and other barriers.
So, what if your kayak was very lightweight and folded neatly into a convenient package when you need to carry it? You could own a kayak without owning or hiring a vehicle, and portaging would be much easier.
Oru Kayaks are a California company launched in 2012 on Kickstarter. A designer who loved kayaking applied origami principles to building a kayak which would fold up like origami paper models. Instead of paper, he used a type of very tough translucent corrugated plastic. The result is a range of very light kayaks which fold neatly for transport or storage. Since its launch, Oru has grown, expanded its range of kayaks and accessories, and refined its designs.
Active360 started up in 2011 with an initial aim to make SUP a popular sport in London. The founders and coaches were all experienced kayakers who had been involved in the sport at various levels for many years, with backgrounds in setting up and running canoe clubs, as well as expertise in whitewater, freestyle, surf, and racing. SUP was almost non-existent in London back then, and it was quite a challenge to be part of developing something with obvious potential, yet still regarded by most people in the paddlesports world as a quirky spin-off from surfing, not worth serious attention.
Over the years, that changed, and SUP became a very mainstream activity with high participation rates. After 11 years, we began to see the market mature. With cheap, often low-quality equipment dominating the market, there is lower demand for lessons. We have also been developing the environmental protection aspect of the company for over seven years. This includes organising Paddle and Pick plastic clean-ups and related work for a decade. So, 2024 felt like a turning point and a time to make new things happen.
Promotional event in Paddington
Then along came Oru… We received an email in summer 2024 asking us if we could help Oru organise and run a promotional event in Paddington, London, with media and retail buyers trying out the kayaks firsthand in an accessible London waterway. We set this up, and Dan, our Operations Director, organised from our side and met the Oru crew, including the founder and Chief Designer, Anton Willis, over from California.
Dan was impressed and liked the kayaks. With over 25 years of kayaking experience, starting at age nine and qualifying as a Level 2 coach at 18, he has tried many types and brands of kayaks. At Oru’s invitation, we began planning to offer a demonstration facility in London.
We primarily sell online, but we understand that some people would like to see and try the boats before making a purchase. We offer demo sessions on the Thames at Kew Bridge and from various canal locations. These include on-water time, showing the boats fold and unfold, as well as comparisons between different models.
The Oru range
The range begins with a simple 8kg basic open boat, suitable for beginners and occasional paddlers who cover distances of less than 10 km. At the top end, there’s a full sea kayak with good luggage storage capacity, and in between, there are the intermediate Inlet and Beach kayaks, which have more space and performance. There’s a double kayak – the Haven – which can easily accommodate a large dog or two kayakers and a smaller dog. At 4.9 m in length, it has a lot of carrying capacity. The Bay ST is a good all-round 3.7m long closed cockpit boat, and the top-end Coast XT is a fast sea kayak with good carrying capacity.
Each performs differently, and the basic types are simple, open-cockpit boats ideal for novice paddlers (including complete beginners). In contrast, the top-end, closed-cockpit boats are more suited to experienced kayakers seeking performance comparable to that of a good recreational or sea kayak. For example, closed-cockpit boats roll without taking in much water, depending on the type of roll used and how long it takes to set up.
The construction material is, as well as being lighter than carbon, very tough (the lightest carbon sea kayaks are 18-21kg compared with the Coast XT weighing 15kg). The Lake and Inlet models are just 8 and 9kg, respectively.
The outer skin
We haven’t damaged one yet, despite the Thames Tideway having very rocky beaches strewn with lumps of granite discarded from bridge and embankment repairs. On YouTube, you can find an Oru kayak withstanding repeated hammer blows. This results in minor marks on the outer skin of the OruplastTM hull but no significant damage. Oruplast is an interesting material. It’s 5mm thick and corrugated but with two smooth outer skins.
For water to get in, you would have to pierce both skins, which are repairable with a small repair kit sold by Oru. Damage to the outer skin is not a problem, as this is not designed to keep water out of the kayak. Puncturing the watertight inner skin would require a repair.
I’ve met two Oru owners on the Thames who have both had their kayaks for several years and used them regularly. Both were in good condition with no apparent signs of wear. The biggest concern we had before getting involved was concerning the folds weakening over time if the kayaks were used regularly. This isn’t an issue as Oru confidently claim that they can be folded 20,000 times.
Outliving most users
Assuming each use is an unfold followed by a fold, using a boat twice weekly throughout the year would mean that the folds would last approximately 192 years. Of course, there would be other wear and tear through general use, such as portaging, which would accumulate to shorten the lifespan. However, unless abused, the boat would probably outlive most users. If you have owned fibreglass and carbon kayaks, you will be accustomed to taking care of them, for example, avoiding contact with rocks and not paddling directly onto a stony or pebbly beach. However, if you have only owned (and abused) plastic kayaks, you will want to think differently about owning an Oru.
We would still take care getting in and out of rocky places, as sharp rocks or debris could potentially cause damage, although piercing both the inner and outer skin would take a fair degree of carelessness.
Assembly times
The folds are built into the material, making it relatively easy to determine how each model folds and unfolds (YouTube videos are available to guide you through the process). The assembly times given by Oru, ranging from two minutes to 15 minutes, should be achievable with some practice, regardless of the kayak model. The higher the spec, the longer the setup and fold-away time. If high performance and seaworthiness are not a concern but setting up quickly is important, the basic Lake and Inlet models would be the best choice.
So we were taken by the versatility and practicality. Most people living in cities don’t have the space to store a standard kayak or a car to transport it. Even if they do, they may find shuttle runs for one-way trips and portages with heavy boats to be a chore. Even taking a long, heavy kayak on a roof rack can present difficulties.
I have a shoulder injury which doesn’t stop me paddling but makes lifting a 30kg awkward load to shoulder/head height quite uncomfortable. Also, on trips away, there’s sometimes concern about whether it’s safe to leave boats on the roof rack overnight – a problem solved if you can fold them up and lock them away.
So, how did the Orus shape up on water? After a few 10km hops on the Upper Thames to get the feel of them, we were keen to take the Coast and Bay kayaks (both closed cockpit) through London. So Richard Dan and I jumped on a train from Kew Bridge and set off to Bermondsey, where there’s a nice launch beach not far downriver of Tower Bridge. We went at peak time on a Saturday afternoon when the river is busiest with Thames Clippers’ big passenger boats and fast ribs.
Stability and watertightness
The speed limit is 12 knots (approximately 14 mph), but boats are travelling faster, and some inefficient hull types create a significant amount of wash. This can be 1-1.5 metres in height, and as it bounces off the river embankments, it’s often hitting you from several directions. This was an ideal test of stability and watertightness. The boats all performed well, taking in an insignificant amount of water, and nobody capsized or even had to brace more than a few times.
Tracking was good and our main complaint was that the standard seats were not too comfortable after four hours paddling. This would be solved by buying the Oru gel seat upgrade. We felt they compared well with other sea kayaks we had used. Dan and Richard had both worked as professional coaches in central London guiding groups through town daily so had lots of experience to draw on.
The next outing was a three-hour night paddle on the Tideway. The Thames Tideway is less busy at night, but there were party boats and Thames Clippers out providing enough wash to make things entertaining. I was very tempted to surf the wash, and I was sure that with a few extra paddle strokes, the Coast XT would have taken off nicely on the bow wave. However, we were guiding a large group of paddleboarders and novice kayakers, so I decided to save that for another day.
Place lights inside the bow and stern
At night, we were able to utilise another aspect of the Oru construction. As the Oruplast hull is translucent, it works well to place lights inside the bow and stern, which gives a nice, diffused glow visible from 100 metres and beyond (depending on the lux of the lights you choose). This could be either a replacement for or an addition to waterproof navigation lights. It was easy to spot the glow from the Orus and tell them from other craft from a distance.
This time, we adjusted the seats and made the kayaks more comfortable. We also tried out the Oru gel seat, which is softer and more forgiving. We fitted thigh braces, which, strangely, are not supplied as standard but are an extra. This provides better control and confidence in rolling if a bow wave catches us off guard. I also feel that thigh braces have improved my sitting position, making it more upright, although that’s probably a psychological effect.
On the trip from Bermondsey upriver, we had banked on a push from the flood tide to help our trip upriver. However, this didn’t happen, as the heavy fluvial flow provided us with no upriver surface current, despite the tide being in flood. This happens most winters when rainfall has been heavy, but it is rare in early autumn.
Paddle cut short
The Oru kayaks were light and quick enough to push against the current for hours, but although we made good progress, night was falling, and we decided to cut the trip short and get off the river. With standard kayaks, this would have created a few logistical problems, including how to transport a vehicle with roof bars to a pickup point. With folding kayaks, we just had to find a pickup point and decide whether to return to base by train, bus, or cab. Within 30 minutes, we were packed up and on our way.
When packed up, Orus can be carried by its carry strap when folded, but this isn’t practical for taking them on trains. We had three Oru backpacks, which fit the boats neatly and make carrying them distances of up to a few kilometres easily manageable.
Rolling
Our latest test was to see how the Oru sea kayak rolls. We did this in a pool with thigh braces fitted. There were no problems, and the kayak took in only a few drops of water. Rolling could be easier, as with all kayaks, if the boat is padded to suit the paddler. The tighter the fit, the easier it is to use. We just used a standard kayak with no outfitting, which made it harder for me, as at 54kg, I’m pretty loose in the boat. Dan, weighing in at 20kg heavier, was a better fit and could roll reliably.
Active 360 and Oru Kayaks
Demo sessions in and around London – including opportunities for local canoe clubs to try boats on special demo days.
Oru Club. This will be a club open to anyone who owns an Oru offering trips, micro adventures and on-water meet-up events.
Oru skill sessions. We will offer skill sessions tailored to Oru owners, focusing on general kayaking skills and providing ideas on how to maximise the enjoyment of your kayak.
Stocking Oru accessories – (we will also supply boats via drop ship with a discount code).
