Foldable Kayak? - ORU Bay St Kayak Review 

I'm itching for another overnight trip and in fact, I'm filming it tomorrow! Have a great weekend everyone! - Luke

Finally, a true pro/con review of the ORU.

Lots of "con" votes here, so I wanted to add my "pro" opinion (sorry if lengthy). My husband and I kayaked around the Pacific NW in a large double years ago (Sisutl by Pacific Water Sports). Kids, jobs, etc., took us away from kayaking for years, but now that we're close to retirement age, we wanted to start kayaking again. Yes, we paid a premium for these (I have a Bay ST, he got the Coast XT), and we've only been out a few times, so maybe I'll feel differently in a year, BUT... this is perfect for the river/lake/calm water paddling we want to do now. The portability of these kayaks brings with it another big advantage - spontaneity. They're in the back of the car, so we can take a drive and find ourselves on the water at the drop of a hat if the weather or location inspires us. Also, for me, the weight was a big factor. I'm 60, and while in good shape, hefting a hard-shell into and out of the water, to and from the car, up over my head onto the car rack, etc. is not as easy as when I was 25. I can assemble, carry, and disassemble my Bay easily, with no help. The only time we've seen any water between the layers is when my husband took off without the stern neoprene cover in place, and that was minimal, so we haven't found it necessary to leave them out to draid/dry. To be fair, maybe we could have realized the same advantages with an inflatable, but they've never interested me.

i've dealt with coroplast a lot, and the way to prevent water, debris and earwigs from getting into the baffles is to run cheap silicone along the ends, run both directions so you get all four corners of each baffle opening. will cost $7 dollars for two tubes of silicone

I have two ORU kayaks and I don’t find the water in the channels to be a problem. The way the boat folds up there’s really no chance of that water draining on my floor. I haven’t had any issues. It’s not like they completely fill with water... we’re talking about a small amount rolling around in there. I fold them up at the beach after a light rinse and dry and store them both in my bedroom. Even after weeks of not using them in the winter there’s no discoloration, molding or smell. That was not my experience with inflatables however. Those suckers get stinky within a week if you don’t dry them fully. The folded ORU has lots of room for air to circulate through and around it so any remaining moisture can evaporate. I do not have the option of a hard shell kayak in my 2nd floor one bedroom apartment and in my personal experience this is a far better option than an inflatable even if it does fall short of a hardshell. Just my 2 cents.

Long time sea kayaker here. I own the $2500 Oru Coast XT, which is essentially the 16' version of this with thigh braces. I agree with most of your pros and cons, but with a spray skirt and experience, you could easily handle bigger wind and waves. If you know how to do a sweep stroke and get it "on edge", then the Greendland-style hard chines will allow you to turn on a dime. My main complaint is that it's too wide and slow, even though I have the fastest Oru. It's mainly because the width and the blunt neoprene covers on the bow/stern plows water. And yes, the price. Well for those who live in urban places with storage/transport issues and still want the performance of a hardshell, well there's not a lot of cheap options. Yes, it's expensive relative to crappy plastic Chinese Walmart specials, but that's the price of American innovation and manufacturing.

I bought the beach edition and have used it for 3 years now. Yes it’s pricey but it is absolutely incredible. It weighs less than any other kayak, you can throw it over your shoulder and into the car. The part that was mentioned as being epoxy I’d it comes off isn’t a big deal. it happened to mine after 3 years, a lick of glue and it was sorted. I haven’t found draining it a problem at all. Just open out as you would when you finish using and leave for a few minutes. Never been a problem. Can’t recommend highly enough

I have one, and I love it. I love it because the lightweight means it can live in my trunk and i can be on the water in 15 minutes if I drive past a lake or river I want to explore. The need to be dried but not every time, he was a little dramatic about that, but i also imagine the problem gets worse the longer you paddle. I live in an apartment, and drive a honda accord. I dry it on my balcony amd keep it stored in my car trunk but easily fits my closet. I love their products but be warned, they have a lot of adjusting straps and buckles which for the price are terribly cheep and become brittle and break easy. The company though is usually good about sending replacements. That is my primary complaint, the cheap plastic buckles. And the price is obviously am issue but they charge that much so they can keel labor in America, which is worth it to me.

I agree with your train of thought regarding the cost / vs the quality. You have been the most honest of this kayak's review. Thank you!!

First time I've heard the warning about draining. Thank you!

Folding into a small package and light weight aside, it's basically a 12 ft recreational kayak. No dry hatches, not much speed and they don't edge well. I've spent more than $1600 on several kayaks, but they were expedition level boats with expedition level features. I've also built my own folding kayaks from Yostwerks plans for a couple of hundred bucks and a couple of weeks of free time. They match the ORU in weight and compactness of storage, but they perform better, have a strong 16 oz PVC fabric skin that will last for years and are easily patched if needed. If you really want to have people come and talk to you about your boat, haul out one that you made (especially the folding ones). As far as epoxy goes, I don't see that as an issue. All boats will need maintenance or repairs at some point in time. How easy it is to do is what I find more important. I've used epoxy on my composite and wooden boats pretty frequently. It's easy once you've fiddled with it a time or two. Thanks for the video. If the drought doesn't ruin the fall colors, I'll probably paddle up on Wautauga some time soon too. Then again, Fontana isn't too shabby either.

Class 2 for experienced kayakers. Do not forget floatation bags on each end. Remember that if you have the space you could leave it open for the season and just carry it on top of your car like a regular sea kayak. Fold it and store it for off season.

Tracking #1 is a function of hull design and the length of the keel line in the water. #2 the amount of keel line is affected by the stem entry and exit (bow and stern). How much rocker is there in the hull? That would truly identify its tracking characteristics. Lightweight does not impact tracking: ICF Olympic flat water kayaks are lighter and hold a straight line on the water. All hull designs are compromises to meet a particular use. Lightweight is always better since there is less energy needed to move a kayak/canoe through the water. Lightweight hulls with a hull in which the wetted surface matches the average load in the kayak is a better bet. Spending time understanding what you as a paddler want and trying out kayaks is far better than walking into the big box store or hitting the “ add to my cart” button. Structural issues are a concern. As a paddler, builder and designer this review was short on essential information to the community.

So, polypropylene pellets are ~$0.25 per pound. With all plastic items, you're paying for processing and engineering, so I imagine the kayaks are probably made by hand, and took a significant amount of time to design. They probably aren't making their own corrugated board, so their material prices are probably significantly higher (closer to $5 - $7 per pound), and its probably a low volume product. That said, polypropylene is really weak to UV, so you can't leave this outside for a long period of time, and I'm a little surprised they told you to patch the kayak with epoxy. The epoxy will be stronger and stiffer than the kayak, and you'll have stress fractures at the edge of where your patch is. It's a cool idea, but this is really a novelty.

Excellent, balanced, fair review. I'm drawn to this kayak because I'm a beginner, and because of its lightweight and ease of portability. I'm 64 and only 5' tall. I don't see myself lifting a hard shell kayak on and off my roof rack.

That's a burrito to the gators in Florida.

I was looking at them two years ago, looked great for city dwellers. Best review of it so far, thanks for the cons and really describing how it handles.

Great review luke I'm sure you just saved some money for a lot of people.

You give the best reviews. Honest and straightforward. You even think to mention the attention users encounter. It’s why after all these years yours is still my favorite channel.

Luke, your right the company should eat the repair. Especially for 1,600.00 Lol

This is probably the best overall review I've seen. Thank you!

Bought two Inlets two weeks ago. My wife and I love them for recreational use. Last time we went to Silver Springs in Florida and I counted 15 times people came up talking to us about Oru Kayak.

Thanks! I almost bought an Oru till I watched this and heard about the water drainage. Deal breaker!

Looks like $40 worth of correx board (estate agents board) folded up.

My Bay ST arrives today. I wish I'd seen your review before making such a huge investment. Draining and drying the channels for days prior to storing was never mentioned by the company. Thank you!

I like it. Coming from a Pungo 120. I have only one roof rack. This can go in the trunk. My daughter and I can now enjoy the water together. That’s the plan.

Great review and the reason I did not select this kayak when I was looking at it about a year ago. Price for me was not specifically an issue per say, but trackability, quality concerns and the mess you have to deal with at the end of your trip were. You pointed very well to that - as much as ORU markets this to city dwellers, they will soon find out that it is virtually impossible to clean this kayak in half an hour when they are still at the dock before putting it in a car and once the bring it inside an apartment, it is a struggle. I would strongly recommend going with an inflatable for such people. Modern inflatables are so much better then what people think. They track well, they are very durable and easy to patch if things go wrong. They may not take as little as 5 minutes to set up, and they also require some time after the trip to properly dry, but it is still better then hours it takes to drain your ORU kayak at the end of the trip. I specifically went for a different type of kayak, sort of a semi inflatable, semi hard-shell. Essentially it’s a skin on frame with frame that can be disassembled in 20 minutes and fits in your regular large duffle bag. 15 feet true cruising kayak that weights only 31lb. Takes half an hour to 40 minutes to assemble - that is the only issue for it when it comes to prep time. Tracks as a real cruising kayak, very sea worthy, completely dry inside when putting a skirt, but also can be set up in sit on top configuration by simply not attaching a deck to a frame in which case it becomes 26lb kayak. . Very comfortable seat for multi day trips. Name is Pakboats Quest. Look it up. They are small USA vendor who struggle to survive without a marketing budget of someone like ORU, but they produce some of the best and lightest no compromise foldable kayaks in the industry.

A lot of useful facts and user experience to consider here. Thank you Luke for another excellent informative and unbiased review. ORU Kayaks are now available in Australia, so I have something to think about.

Great review of the ORU kayak. I had looked at the ORU Beach kayak but went with a SeaEagle Fasttrack 385. It is a more stable kayak and came a 3-year limited liability warranty. Within two weeks of purchase, I punctured the hull and found they have excellent customer service. My kayak was returned, repaired and sent back to me on their dime.

I'm so glad to finally see this. I had held off buying it for some of the concerns you mentioned. I suspect there has to be a way to seal up the inner channels maybe hot glue or squeezing and melting the ends. Though I think the best way for them to deal with the issue is to fill the interior with a closed cell foam to give it some more strength too. I'm glad I held off though because of the quality issues you mentioned. Keep the great reviews coming!

$1800 for that?!? Sorry, I'm out

Thanks for sharing the video! Yes it is expensive. For me considering that I don't have to install roof rack, and don't have to worry about storage space in garage, and easily take it to where I travel comes to hundreds of dollars difference. If I can use it for a few years, I think it's worth it for me. This material is pretty puncture resistant, but it's not impact resistant. It will break on impact. Probably this boat is somewhere between hardshell kayak and inflatable kayak. I do wish they lower the price a bit, and includes spare neoprene cover for both bow and stern. It does comes with carbon fiber paddle, so that is plus. I wish there was a cross rope on the back side or net between strings. Another biggest problem with this boat is, when it capsized, it quickly filled up with water because it doesn't come with floating bag. That makes it very hard for self-rescue. Nobody seems to address this issue.

I agree with your comment. User damage=user fault. Material failure= manufacturers fault.

I can see myself being folded up while in the middle of the lake and torpedo straight down to the bottom like a led weight...

Best review I’ve seen. Thank you very much.

Honestly a true drop stitch inflatable seems like the better option for a lighter weight portable kayak

Thanks very much for this honest review. I've mostly heard of the pros, have not heard of the draining and drying time, this is a big consideration. Thank you.

Great review! Thanks, I have been eyeballing these at local REI. but for the cash....not so much...I can buy a really nice touring boat and all the supplies. The storage is a big plus, but....that price tag! Also the warranty...100% agree with you on that... thanks again! Keep up great videos!

Thanks for this - was thinking hard about this kayak, and after your review (first one I have seen that I feel is truly honest and objective about pros and cons), I have to think a little harder. All the best

Best damn description of paddling a yak I've heard in a long time!

Fantastic review!! Thanks for your time and thorough coverage of positives and negatives!

The Beach LT is $1, 199 on Amazon. It has a larger cockpit opening. The Bay ST is $1,499 on Amazon. The Beach LT looks a little easier to assemble, but for casual use a fishing platform, it's got my attention. The drainage issue is something I never would have thought of. Thank you for pointing it out. I've never owned a Kayak, but I am an accomplished canoeist. My present canoe is a vintage wood and canvass type that has a dry weight of about 65 to 70 pounds, heavier when wet. I was looking for a compact light weight alternative primarily for fishing and for tooling about on difficult to access mountain lakes. I have not made a decision yet and I really appreciate your review.

Wow! I am so impressed by your review!! You have given me a lot to think about. And I absolutely love your pros/cons and how even they were. I totally agree with the warranty suggestion you made. 👍🏻

Hey man...i just bought an XT. Only out twice here in Campbell River, BC so far. Love it. Lemme tell you, I'm no 5 minute man yet! 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the excellent review. I noted the date and will take that into account. I already own it so, oh well if your cons are to much for me. Thanks so much for them! Great to get a professional, all sides critique. You are really funny about the money. Yes, if course you are right. It's a whole lotsa moola. No comment. 🤔😉

Fantastic review. Thank you for posting.

You should check out swift boats. They are made in Canada. They have canoes, kayaks, and canoe kayak hybrids called pack boats. They are very strong, but they weight the same as this boat. The pack boats can carry up to the same weight if not a bit more than this kayak. They also have the canoe called the prospector. It can hold up to 400 pounds I believe, and it doesn't weight much more than the pack boats. Especially when made with Kevlar, or carbon fiber.

WOW 1600 bucks? Wow I spent 1600 on a New fishing kayak. I can carry 475lbs ...stand up in it ...very comfortable seat ...bin in 3 - 4ft swells (saltwater). Though it weighs in at 100lbs with the seat. It's the Bonafide ss127. I think your review was spot on. Especially about the warranty.

Hey Luke,,,, Excellent and timely Review,,, I was/am looking to get one for my son-in-law. You’ve definitely given me a few more items to think about,,, Thanks,, Joshua

Great review, lots of very useful information. Thanks

Good review - what a neat idea. I am happy you were carring it folded up to show its size. It was much bigger that I would have thought when folded up.

Luke, I am happy you mentioned the water drainage problem with this Kayak. I have a Suburban and I would not want to put this inside the vehicle and have a puddle of water to clean up when I get home. Currently I strap my Kayak to the roof and I'm cool with that. Also the price is way over budget! I have a top of line Kayak that I bought on line that a guy used once and sold it to me for half the price of the Bay ST. I'd Tell your viewers to shop around! Keep up the great reviews. Spartacus

Thanks for a really thorough and balanced review. Very helpful.

Much appreciated, This is a great, fair, and well balanced review.

Really appreciate the details, pros n cons, and thinking about things a novelist wouldn't consider.

Great review. I was surprised by the dislike of inflatable kayaks. Have you tried any of the newer ones? I have one and it works great, though I had to spend about as much as a decent hardshell kayak. Many of them are made with the same materials as whitewater rafts so they're pretty durable. I've beached mine and run it over submerged rocks and there is no sign of abrasion at all. My only complaint is how much effort is required to get it completely dry before I store it.

Great review! Answered ALL my questions. We are getting older and don't like the size and weight of kayaks when transporting. I am sure we are not alone. This is too expensive, but you have discussed some interesting options. Thank you.

I am someone with limited indoor and outdoor space. I hang my wet camp gear in my bathroom. My Kayak is stored in my bedroom or living room depending on the season I have been wondering if the folding one would be better. To know that the folding kayak takes days outside to dry makes it impractical for me! So Thank you again for doing this review!

critical information letting us know about the extra long drying time, thanks!

This is a very good unbiased review. Thank you for your valuable opinion.

You are right Luke. The company should be fixing most Anything that breaks on the kayak. Definitely shouldn't be telling you to use epoxy on it yourself,,, lol.

Man, I'd step one foot in it and it would auto fold and sink to the bottom with me in it!!! :)

The kayak is great, Fortunately, I live around the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Kayak is based and was able to snag a Bay ST (2019 version) for around $700. The original price point is just too expensive, I understand it is paying a premium for storage, and that is enough to get people who live in cities or small apartments close to the coast or lakes to buy the actual product as many who do live in the area can afford it. Fortunately, they made the Inlet, which is much more affordable. But anyways here are some of my thoughts on how the Bay ST performs in the ocean tested in the following locations: Half moon bay Monterey Bay (spear fished with pontoons) San Francisco Bay Pacific ocean (with boat) Montara State Beach California Various other beaches similar to Montara Cons: - when water gets stuck in the plastic, it's hard to get out just as stated in the vid - Set up can take much longer since it attracts a lot of attention, even when leaving and packing up - depending on skill level, you can only paddle so fast (top speed is higher with hardshell kayak) - YOU WILL GET WET (as skirt helps) - need floats when carrying heavier gear - when kayaking inland many lakes require you to clean the bottom of your kayak to help stop the spread of biological material outside of the native lake, this kayak will be going to many places and will require A LOT of cleaning (just set it up and hose it down with DAWN, or use lysol or alcohol wipes). Don't be a jerk, protect our lakes and clean the bottom of your Kayaks before kayaking in a new lake Pros: - VERY FAST acceleration - maneuverability, even through waves (surprised me) - light can carry and launch just about anywhere - dinged it on muscles, hard coral, tide pools, still seaworthy with a couple of minor scratches - Surprisingly stable enough where re-entry is pretty easy (varies on skill level) - Storage space - opaque shell allows for LED nights during nighttime kayak trips (cool and easy to spot for safety) - Easy to do barrel rolls - easy storage and transport Sold my old hardshell kayak to buy the latest version of the inlet, excited to test it in waters that it isn't recommended in (with safety partners and the BAY ST on tow of course)

Thanks for the review. I’m in on their kickstarter campaign for the new Inlet. Price was much more reasonable. For me, I was looking for something I could put in the back of my truck and not take up a whole lot of room when camping with my trailer. That way I didn’t have to mount a rack to carry it. Hopefully it works out.

Great and fair review. A few years ago I ordered two advanced elements kayaks from the U.S, I'm in the UK. For myself and my son. Not really big on kayaking but wanted something that we could enjoy together and we did quiet a few times. I have a smart car and both kayaks fitted in the back easily. I think the two kayaks were about half the price of the review kayak, price is important. They may be more expensive today.

I have been using my Oru kayak for years for multi day backcountry trips. The real advantage is the weight when portaging this kayak. The available space inside the kayak makes trips similar to ultralight backpacking. That said I love my Oru Bay, I have original version.

At work right now so I will be watching this later on tonight have yourself a good night

Thanks Luke. I wold not go out with a kayak to big lakes at all since the probability of winds and big waves is high. Therefore, I prefer a small all-weather rowing boat for 13 years now.

If you like that, you should give an "Alpaca Raft" a try. I bought a "mule" model this spring and I love it. Less than 8#.

Happened upon your overnight kayak camping video from the same year as this one and thought; I wonder if he had more adventures. Didn't expect a full ORU review. Since it's an old video, I'll just add that I knew this kayak wouldn't be for me. Luckily, the price wasn't too big of an issue for me, and I ended up spending about $2200 on mine. But it's a bona fide 17'7" polyethylene hard shell sea kayak.

That is a neat kayak, I heave been wanting to test one to see if I would like it. Great review!

How's that for a thorough review. Love the no-nonsense approach.

i have never seen such an awesome kayak..great great review...thank you

Love the transparency, TY. I was going to buy one over an easy eddy paddle board

Hi Luke, 1600$ hell no! BUT, this thing is a death trap! There is no flotation or sealed bulkheads. If you flip this it will fill. Either from the flip or reentry. This may be an issue for most. I assume it won't sink to bottom do to natural buoyancy of the plastic but you will not empty it. There is simply too much volume. You will not paddle it either full. This is a rediculousy priced pool toy. That is not safe. Great video, love am all!

Thanks for the review. Looking for something lightweight and easily transportable. But I am a budget.

You might check out a company called port-a-bote, if you haven't already. They sell something similar in a boat and you can actually put a motor on it. I looked into it but didn't pull the trigger. Great review as usual!

Luke you are right about the warranty.

Great review, Luke! It's a sleek looking kayak however the $1600 price tag on it is ridiculous...even $800 would be so. When I'm in the water, especially in rapids I want to know my kayak/boat/jet ski is dependable. The one inexpensive watercraft I love is the Sea Eagle 370 Pro model. That Intex model you flashed in the video is a piece of crap! The SE 370 is easily carried in its own stuff sack including two seats, breakdown paddles and pump. Mine cost about $360 before taxes. I can carry 200lbs of gear and my dog with me with no damage from her nails. I'm not fond of a white craft but WTH. I've had friends who had theirs custom painted in a camouflage for duck hunting. After five years of hard use it's still in great shape and the only replacement was a new set of paddles along with a helmet for rapid runs.

Solid review, thanks for posting!

They now have a 10ft / 20lb version of this kayak that sells for $900 - Still a big investment but not quite the same level of commitment

I accidently folded mine into a white crane! 0.O

Great honest review good job Luke

I have a 10ft Pelican Bounty 100 Angler Kayak and I love it. It cost me under $300. For that kayak you reviewed that is really expensive and would not work for me. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day my friend.

Good review Luke. But sorry Wal-Mart has 12’ 4” sun dolphins for $179

Great review. It was very helpful. Thank you.

Can you review the Tucktec folding kayak? It's made in South Carolina and is only $350 with no shipping fee. It might be a more cost effective option for some.

Cool gear, liked liked its features. I played a game during the review and came up with the price point I would consider for it. Mine was $800 so it was a no go for me. Re warranty, limited lifetime is a bit large of a liability for a seven year old small business with a small catalogue of niche products, so probably unrealistic. But for an item with a history of specific design/manufacturing flaws, a five year limited warranty would go a long way to convince people the problems have been addressed.

AWSOME VIDEO!! VERY WELL EXPLANATORY! THANK YOU!!

thank you the great review.

great review I agree good kayak but way too expensive - should be at most half that price with that warranty - if was a life time warranty at that price I'd almost accept it.

Excellent review. Thank you! Was considering Oru but price tag holding me back. Bit on draining outside was a very important info.I'm not able to do this.You have saved me from a big headache.👍

Have been watching for a few years, and didn't know about the boating. Super impressed. Have you tried the Haven?

Absolutely good business means backing your product regardless and at that price there's no doubt it should be a lifetime on warranty

For that price you could buy a nice carbon fiber swift pack boat. It's like a high end kayak price for a low end performing boat.

No outdoor space to drain it = not for me. Thanks for that little titbit, I was interested. Edit: Holy cow! I hadn't even gotten to the worst parts yet lmao

I was liking the product until the price reveal. I have an inflatable sit on top Sevylor Kayak, and being a sit on top, you get wet. Something like this might have interested me, as it takes up about the same space when folded, but just not at that price point. Mine was a couple of hundred quid, and I tend to only use it in small surf, when it's too small to ride my surfboard, so I surf some small waves on my kayak. Something to use on rivers would be nice, but with two surfboards, bodyboard, skimboard, inflatable kayak, and three snowboards, storage iss an issue for me, and still is. I'm now going to check the comments for cheaper alternatives : -)

Wonder why they don’t try to seal the edges so water doesn’t seep in the corgorated holes? This would prevent the need to dry it out afterwards.

So its made of the same plastic as the post office plastic bins

Amazing review ! tnx 4 sharing !!!

Great review. I almost pushed the go button, I'll stick with my Wilderness.