Oru Kayak Inlet is a foldable kayak with a small storage footprint

With several successful products under its belt, Oru Kayak is back at it again with its most compact and easy-to-tote option yet. Dubbed Oru Kayak Inlet, the company’s latest model heavily prioritizes portability, weight, and foldability. On top of that, it’s ready to support up to 275 pounds of weight and kayakers up to six foot, two inches tall.

Oru Kayak Inlet weighs under twenty pounds, folds down to 42 by 19-inch dimensions, and can easily be hauled to the water without needing a traditional roof rack. Given the materials used and small size, it can even be checked on planes, making it a great option for folks that travel frequently.

Oru Kayak Inlet: A spontaneous adventure with a small storage footprint

Designed for flat water, Inlet is a kayak that offers quite a bit of versatility when it comes to paddler size. As mentioned earlier, when folded, the Oru Kayak Inlet measures an incredible 42 by 19 by 10-inches. This makes it look like a large mall shopping bag which is a notable feat to say the least.

At this size, Inlet will fit in nearly any car and with a weight under twenty pounds, should be quite easy to carry. Once you’ve made it to a body of water, its incredibly small form-factor can be unfolded in less than five minutes. Oru Kayak shows footage of it being unfolded by a experienced user and they were able to knock it out in around two.

Pricing and availability

As was the case with all of Oru Kayak’s prior offerings, the company is testing the waters with a Kickstarter campaign for its latest product. Oru Kayak Inlet has already plowed through its $70,000 goal and with an incredible 57 days remaining. Currently available pledges start as low as $749, which is notably less than the company’s readily available models.

Oru Kayak plans to fulfill orders in April or May 2020. While Oru Kayak does have a track record for successfully shipping its products, it’s worth noting that some Kickstarters do not end up making it. For this reason, it is wise to use caution when placing an order for a crowdfunded product.

9to5Toys’ Take

Oru Kayak Inlet is right up my alley. While I do not like to keep a lot of stuff around, it’s small storage footprint makes it an item that I’d strongly consider owning. Sure, it costs quite a bit more than regular kayaks, but the alternatives tend to be much heavier and harder to haul to a body of water.

The only major exception to this rule would be inflatable kayaks which can be both inexpensive and easy to haul. The glaring issue for many would be that these are tricky to climb into, require a pump, and can be punctured relatively easily. These downsides are precisely why Oru Kayak Inlet exists and a solid reason for kayaking enthusiasts to consider it over inflatable and full-size alternatives.

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