Another big bonus, that you only touched on, is storage. I live in an apartment and have NO place for a hard shell kayak. That's one of the things I love about my Oru Beach--it fits in a closet.
The dock entry method you exhibited is the best I've seen. Thank you for doing this. I recently purchased 2 Oru kayaks for my wife and myself and we're awaiting their arrival. 🙂
You are a lucky guy to be able to get out with your son, and on such y beautiful lake. Thanks for another thing to look at. BTW, Ethan is a natural in front of and probably behind the camera! Thanks
Your review was right on. My main kayak has been a 10+ year old Eddyline Skylark that I love. But new, larger car and age makes self loading impossible. I got the Oru kayak Inlet on a Kickstarter campaign. This does what I need most, which is just being able to get on the water! When I want. Without any help. At 19lb it is really portable. Definitely not my Eddyline but I really do like it. Have used just about weekly without any issues. Takes me under 3min to set up. Under 5min to take down. Wiping down takes the extra time.
You have a mini-me! Your son looks just like you and I can tell he has learned well from your instruction. Thanks for sharing Dan. Live the beautiful scenery.
Just bought a Beach Lt.....first got a concussion and totaled my 2011 Fit.....then bought a Fit...first Fit out of having FITS for years with roof racks....first time this year DID NOT WANT A ROOF RACK on this one....with a moon roof..... Had been looking for a lighter weight kayak or canoe for several years because no way can I lift even the 35 lbs. I used to years ago....when I got the boat....so no roof rack....time to look into an Oru.....Also have lived on a river about 8 ft above the river for almost 12 years....always wanted to take my kayak out on the river but Never could I manage bringing my kayak down to the river and I live alone.....so I bought the Beach LT... Thought that I would have alot of trouble putting it together just because I am 70 years old and never really did alot of things I used to think might be challenging....but really....once I opened the box and figured out how to handle the accordian top fold......I was smooth sailing.....boy oh boy!!!!! what fun...!!!! I have never been so happy.....don't have to ask someone else to help me put my kayak on top of a car because this one fits in my FIT without the roof rack.....thought I might keep my other boat just in case I want to go to the ocean because its a hybrid but thinking....maybe if I get some more money next year......maybe....maybe I will even buy another ORU set for the ocean...... I really really love this boat....and I am very grateful I got it.....Thank Heaven I got an ORU!!!!! Rosie, 70, Shelburne Falls, Ma 8/20/2021
There was a lake I used to love to fish back in AZ that was TOUGH to get to. It was a rocky hike down, and back up. This would be perfect for that paddle.
Great review Dan! I’ve never considered a foldable kayak but there’s definitely a Time and a place for them. Thanks again for the honest work! 26lbs is incredible...
@@kimeva_civa honestly, it took a while. 5.5 weeks, and then another week for shipping. Well worth it though. 3 trips in, I’m very satisfied with my purchase!
I love seeing the little boys review. My boys are about the same age. 😊 i hope my kiddos can fit in with me like u did- i bought the lake but it hasn’t arrived yet
Oru kayaks are the least trade off for portability I've seen so far. They have done a really good job. The Oru kayak is the closest a foldable gets to a hardshell kayak. Most other portable kayaks tend to sacrifice too much in terms of comfort, capacity and handling in exchange for portability.
Thanks for the review! I had looked at this or the Eddyline Sky 10 simply for ease of transport. There are still very few available in my area so waiting a few months then will be buying. I have room to store so will probably go with hardshell.
Pleasantly surprised. I was just researching this kayak YESTERDAY (Wednesday) after I heard of it and first came here to see if you reviewed it. Thanks for sharing!
Great review...I am seriously considering this for my wife as the prospect of putting it up and down on top of a car by herself would probably hinder her getting out more often. For me, I have back and hip issues (one already replaced), so hoping to figure out the practicality and possibility of upgrading the seat.
I needed a portable kayak and decided to get the sea eagle razor light 393. Very good performance for what it is, quite fast. Would make a good review for your channel. A pain is keeping it dry before packing it up. Same for the Oru range I’d bet? Only downside is it isn’t easy to carry once inflated.
Thanks for the review, The only reason I'm contemplating in getting one is because of lack of storage( I live in an small apartment) and easy portability from apt to car and car to the lake.
I’ve been waiting on your review of this and it did not disappoint. I think I’m going for the small inlet to do some recreational paddling. Do you have an Affiliate link with Oru? I’d be happy to give you guys the credit.
Dan, thanks for all your work, your videos are awesome and I've learned a ton. I'd love to hear your thoughts on entry level kayaks for kids. My son is almost 10 and It would be nice to see some comparisons or suggestions if you're up for it.
Would like to have seen you disassemble it. I just got mine, and it will not fold up. After 3 hrs and many youtube instx vids and a few tears, I gave up. I've never done origami, and did not know you'd need to be well-versed in the art if you ever wanted to fold your oru back up.
Right so here's my take on this same model that I bought. First of all, I knew nothing about boats beyond the fact that they're big and heavy as Kayaks. So I figured voila here's a solution, a portable kayak. Saw the sharktank episode and I was sold. So here's my honest ed's review. I bought this back in 2018/2019. My first surprise was that even after forking over 1500 CAD (at that time), I had to fork over another 300-500 (I can't remember the exact amount but it was high) in VAT or whatever the heck that was because its an American company. Kind of felt that the company should have included it in the total because it does change how financially feasible such a boat is. My next issue was that I felt like I got shipped a return from another customer, because it had a huge scratch down the middle on the bottom, along with a dent down below under the hull upwards. But was I going to bother returning it at this point when I had just paid an extra 300 at least for it to be delivered to me, then have to pay shipping back to the company for an exchange? Hell no. While the scratch was purely cosmetic, it doesn't reflect well on quality control for this Kayak. Quality control wise, another issue with this is that bar between the backseat and the rear bulkhead. That is metal (thank god) but the interlocking piece it fit into is plastic and doesn't hold it securely. It does pop off and out after repeated use. And the high price of REPLACEMENT parts is just another kick in the proverbial balls and depends on supply. Their items that are featured on their store are typically out of stock, or unavailable. Lastly performance wise it is meh, it doesn't track as well as a real solid Kayak, it could be the dent- but I don't believe it actually has enough presence. This Kayak is really a fair weather canoe because of its open cockpit-water easily comes in if you're a heavy person, and there's no self bailing option. You really don't want to use this model anywhere near waves, just protected inlets. When I used it at full speed, it would keep edging to the left/right. And finally back to the real reason I bought the boat, unless you buy the backpack option to carry it...it's actually heavy by the strap. You won't notice it for a minute. But if you're going down and up stairs to the beach or have a hike to the water...its bloody murder. It's better you buy a cart to carry it even though everyone will hate how much space it takes up on narrow walkways and how slow you will be walking with it. Which is a downer. I wanted to buy the backpack that lets you place it perfectly on your back to avoid this problem, and contacted customer service for it, but yes you guessed it--out of stock. Nowadays there are better Kayaks that have wheels on the back built in that you can lift with one hand without damaging the bottom. Be advised that I have used this boat a total of 8 times during those last few years because of its weight and issues with its construction. I feel like a lot of quality and control was sacrificed for the sake of portability.
These kayaks look great. The only thing I don't like is I feel the price is just a tad bit too high for what they are and offer. If they came down a about $200-250 I could see these really reaching a wider market.
I'm not sure, but this kayak seemed to make more noise. Is it that much noisier than regular kayaks? I don't think that would be much of an issue for a kayak you could always keep in the trunk, available for a paddle whenever you want, or get an opportunity. It definitely looks like a viable watercraft, Thanks for the video.
so on the topic of more budget friendly kayaks, i have been in the market for a while and just stumbled into this gem of a website. On the surface it looks good, but i was wondering if you knew anything about these kayaks. Thanks!
@@HeadwatersKayak Well, that is great for you guys, not so good for me. hahaha. I have been doing a lot of research on decently priced pedal kayaks. A lot of my research has come from viewing your channel so keep up the good work! Do you ever list your pre Owned Kayaks on your website when you do have some in stock?
Bought it, destroyed it on my first week out. If you paddle still water aka lakes and no rivers, no wind, no fishing gear, yeah it's for you. Overpriced plastic.
This is what i was worried about especially at that price the durability of the plastic using it for pack in fishing on remote Oregon lakes. Probably won’t last long.
Another big bonus, that you only touched on, is storage. I live in an apartment and have NO place for a hard shell kayak. That's one of the things I love about my Oru Beach--it fits in a closet.
The dock entry method you exhibited is the best I've seen. Thank you for doing this. I recently purchased 2 Oru kayaks for my wife and myself and we're awaiting their arrival. 🙂
One of the coolest things ever! Father and son doing it right.
Thanks 🙏
You are a lucky guy to be able to get out with your son, and on such y beautiful lake. Thanks for another thing to look at. BTW, Ethan is a natural in front of and probably behind the camera! Thanks
He’s a special kid no doubt. Always ready for an adventure.
Your review was right on. My main kayak has been a 10+ year old Eddyline Skylark that I love. But new, larger car and age makes self loading impossible. I got the Oru kayak Inlet on a Kickstarter campaign. This does what I need most, which is just being able to get on the water! When I want. Without any help. At 19lb it is really portable. Definitely not my Eddyline but I really do like it. Have used just about weekly without any issues. Takes me under 3min to set up. Under 5min to take down. Wiping down takes the extra time.
You have a mini-me! Your son looks just like you and I can tell he has learned well from your instruction. Thanks for sharing Dan. Live the beautiful scenery.
I agree! His mannerisms are identical to his Father!
Agreed! I lol’d when he did the balance test, so like his dad.
Just bought a Beach Lt.....first got a concussion and totaled my 2011 Fit.....then bought a Fit...first Fit out of having FITS for years with roof racks....first time this year DID NOT WANT A ROOF RACK on this one....with a moon roof.....
Had been looking for a lighter weight kayak or canoe for several years because no way can I lift even the 35 lbs. I used to years ago....when I got the boat....so no roof rack....time to look into an Oru.....Also have lived on a river about 8 ft above the river for almost 12 years....always wanted to take my kayak out on the river but Never could I manage bringing my kayak down to the river and I live alone.....so I bought the Beach LT...
Thought that I would have alot of trouble putting it together just because I am 70 years old and never really did alot of things I used to think might be challenging....but really....once I opened the box and figured out how to handle the accordian top fold......I was smooth sailing.....boy oh boy!!!!! what fun...!!!! I have never been so happy.....don't have to ask someone else to help me put my kayak on top of a car because this one fits in my FIT without the roof rack.....thought I might keep my other boat just in case I want to go to the ocean because its a hybrid but thinking....maybe if I get some more money next year......maybe....maybe I will even buy another ORU set for the ocean......
I really really love this boat....and I am very grateful I got it.....Thank Heaven I got an ORU!!!!!
Rosie, 70, Shelburne Falls, Ma 8/20/2021
Great review! I am getting a Bay St. for next spring and your writing is very helpful….thanks
Genius!! Thank you for the in/out demo! I nearly face planted getting out of my Beach LT.
Really cool test and wonderful idea to include your lovely son too :)
That kid is smart and very much the ultimate outdoors man. Very impressed...
Your relationship with your son is so cool to see. My son is turning 5 and I hope we keep having adventures like this together.
There was a lake I used to love to fish back in AZ that was TOUGH to get to. It was a rocky hike down, and back up. This would be perfect for that paddle.
Great review Dan! I’ve never considered a foldable kayak but there’s definitely a Time and a place for them. Thanks again for the honest work! 26lbs is incredible...
Mine is coming in Tuesday... can’t wait to come back to this in a year and let you know how it holds up!
@@kimeva_civa honestly, it took a while. 5.5 weeks, and then another week for shipping. Well worth it though. 3 trips in, I’m very satisfied with my purchase!
@@codysoots1520 Thank you for the details. I think it will be perfect timing for me to get it right before Christmas if I'm lucky. Happy thanksgiving
Just placed my order for one beach and one inlet. Can’t wait to get them.
First lake i ever camped at as a child! I also have seen adds for this kayak! Some websites have fakes though^^
Excellent review man! I’ve been looking for a beach review. The inlet gets all the attention but I feel like this one better fits what I want
This definitely is interesting. Like others I live in an apartment AND have no roof rack so this is something I'd actually be able to use
I bought the Bay ST…cant wait to use it.
I love seeing the little boys review. My boys are about the same age. 😊 i hope my kiddos can fit in with me like u did- i bought the lake but it hasn’t arrived yet
I saw people out on Percy Priest lake in Nashville this past summer. They gave it great reviews! Awesome video man!
Oru kayaks are the least trade off for portability I've seen so far. They have done a really good job. The Oru kayak is the closest a foldable gets to a hardshell kayak. Most other portable kayaks tend to sacrifice too much in terms of comfort, capacity and handling in exchange for portability.
I loved your video. You did a lot better than I did but I had fun in my Oru Lake Kayak too.
Thanks for the review! I had looked at this or the Eddyline Sky 10 simply for ease of transport. There are still very few available in my area so waiting a few months then will be buying. I have room to store so will probably go with hardshell.
I’m in love! Just ordered the Inlet! So excited it’s light enough for me to handle. 👍🏻👍🏻
Pleasantly surprised. I was just researching this kayak YESTERDAY (Wednesday) after I heard of it and first came here to see if you reviewed it. Thanks for sharing!
This looks great for an apartment or senior living
Great review, I see a class B RV in my future and this could be the kayak for that adventure
Merci!!! Was not considering this....but i now know it would be an option....that lake is gorgeous!! Winter is going to be so long here.
10:24 is when it starts to get dicey!!!
🤣
Great video. I was on edge when ya'll started swapping spots. I could see this being a great investment for RV trips.
You are a great team! Thanks for the review.
Love the transfer part! Lol
I would absolutely love your review of the Oru Bay ST if you can get a hold of one
Definetley your mini me.Looks strokes all Way to groom Dad
Нет лучше отдыха, чем отдых на воде!
I have a fishing Kayak and wife and daughter want to go sometimes. Wish they had a 2 for one deal. lol
Great review...I am seriously considering this for my wife as the prospect of putting it up and down on top of a car by herself would probably hinder her getting out more often. For me, I have back and hip issues (one already replaced), so hoping to figure out the practicality and possibility of upgrading the seat.
Oru sells padded seat wedges that might work for you. I saw them on their site when I was looking at package deals.
Good seeing you again.
Can you please review the Bote Lono Kayak? Love your advice and videos.
I needed a portable kayak and decided to get the sea eagle razor light 393. Very good performance for what it is, quite fast. Would make a good review for your channel. A pain is keeping it dry before packing it up. Same for the Oru range I’d bet? Only downside is it isn’t easy to carry once inflated.
Thanks for the review, The only reason I'm contemplating in getting one is because of lack of storage( I live in an small apartment) and easy portability from apt to car and car to the lake.
smart kid. great video!
Wow hahahah very thorough review! Good job !
I’ve been waiting on your review of this and it did not disappoint. I think I’m going for the small inlet to do some recreational paddling. Do you have an Affiliate link with Oru? I’d be happy to give you guys the credit.
Link in bio! Thanks so much.
Great review, thanks!
Dan, thanks for all your work, your videos are awesome and I've learned a ton. I'd love to hear your thoughts on entry level kayaks for kids. My son is almost 10 and It would be nice to see some comparisons or suggestions if you're up for it.
Would like to have seen you disassemble it. I just got mine, and it will not fold up. After 3 hrs and many youtube instx vids and a few tears, I gave up. I've never done origami, and did not know you'd need to be well-versed in the art if you ever wanted to fold your oru back up.
I like the trick using the paddle to stabilize the kayak for getting in.
Works like a charm.
Yes great tip on getting in Kayak using Paddle 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🛶🛶🛶
Cool!
Right so here's my take on this same model that I bought. First of all, I knew nothing about boats beyond the fact that they're big and heavy as Kayaks. So I figured voila here's a solution, a portable kayak. Saw the sharktank episode and I was sold. So here's my honest ed's review.
I bought this back in 2018/2019. My first surprise was that even after forking over 1500 CAD (at that time), I had to fork over another 300-500 (I can't remember the exact amount but it was high) in VAT or whatever the heck that was because its an American company. Kind of felt that the company should have included it in the total because it does change how financially feasible such a boat is.
My next issue was that I felt like I got shipped a return from another customer, because it had a huge scratch down the middle on the bottom, along with a dent down below under the hull upwards. But was I going to bother returning it at this point when I had just paid an extra 300 at least for it to be delivered to me, then have to pay shipping back to the company for an exchange? Hell no. While the scratch was purely cosmetic, it doesn't reflect well on quality control for this Kayak.
Quality control wise, another issue with this is that bar between the backseat and the rear bulkhead. That is metal (thank god) but the interlocking piece it fit into is plastic and doesn't hold it securely. It does pop off and out after repeated use. And the high price of REPLACEMENT parts is just another kick in the proverbial balls and depends on supply. Their items that are featured on their store are typically out of stock, or unavailable.
Lastly performance wise it is meh, it doesn't track as well as a real solid Kayak, it could be the dent- but I don't believe it actually has enough presence. This Kayak is really a fair weather canoe because of its open cockpit-water easily comes in if you're a heavy person, and there's no self bailing option. You really don't want to use this model anywhere near waves, just protected inlets. When I used it at full speed, it would keep edging to the left/right.
And finally back to the real reason I bought the boat, unless you buy the backpack option to carry it...it's actually heavy by the strap. You won't notice it for a minute. But if you're going down and up stairs to the beach or have a hike to the water...its bloody murder. It's better you buy a cart to carry it even though everyone will hate how much space it takes up on narrow walkways and how slow you will be walking with it. Which is a downer. I wanted to buy the backpack that lets you place it perfectly on your back to avoid this problem, and contacted customer service for it, but yes you guessed it--out of stock. Nowadays there are better Kayaks that have wheels on the back built in that you can lift with one hand without damaging the bottom. Be advised that I have used this boat a total of 8 times during those last few years because of its weight and issues with its construction. I feel like a lot of quality and control was sacrificed for the sake of portability.
These kayaks look great. The only thing I don't like is I feel the price is just a tad bit too high for what they are and offer. If they came down a about $200-250 I could see these really reaching a wider market.
I agree. A little steep for the quality.
I'm not sure, but this kayak seemed to make more noise. Is it that much noisier than regular kayaks? I don't think that would be much of an issue for a kayak you could always keep in the trunk, available for a paddle whenever you want, or get an opportunity. It definitely looks like a viable watercraft,
Thanks for the video.
I agree is is loud.
so on the topic of more budget friendly kayaks, i have been in the market for a while and just stumbled into this gem of a website. On the surface it looks good, but i was wondering if you knew anything about these kayaks. Thanks!
Would you recomend thise over the inlet ? Inheard the inlet is wider and cheaper, that mini orange half paddle you had? What are those for?
The boy paddles just like u
Great review, I want to come check out your shop someday. Does your shop ever have used Kayaks for sale? I want to get into a pedal kayak.
Our Redding shop is still open but Lodi closed. No used kayaks currently. This year we got cleaned out!
@@HeadwatersKayak Well, that is great for you guys, not so good for me. hahaha. I have been doing a lot of research on decently priced pedal kayaks. A lot of my research has come from viewing your channel so keep up the good work! Do you ever list your pre Owned Kayaks on your website when you do have some in stock?
How does your accent paddle NOT drip water into the boat?
Yeah I think you almost forgot something really important omg I laughed so hard
itiwit x500 собирается за 3.5 минуты! И в остальном гораздо серьёзнее!)
hey how is the kayak holding up so far?
It’s been OK. They wear a lot faster than a regular kayak. Keeping them stored inside is key!
Hello
Bought it, destroyed it on my first week out. If you paddle still water aka lakes and no rivers, no wind, no fishing gear, yeah it's for you. Overpriced plastic.
This is what i was worried about especially at that price the durability of the plastic using it for pack in fishing on remote Oregon lakes. Probably won’t last long.
Can you explain specifically how you were trying to use the boat when it was destroyed?