Oru Kayak Review…It only lasted 11 Months 😳
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ก.ค. 2024
- Hi, I’m Steph! A DIYer, author, and podcast host. I live in Tallahassee, FL with my two adopted greyhounds.
🚣♀️ Kayak Gear (affiliate links)
Get $50 off an Oru Kayak using my friend link: bit.ly/orusteph
Oru Kayaks
▶︎ Oru Inlet: bit.ly/3Qfwa7L
▶︎ Oru Lake: bit.ly/3RlGhcq
▶︎ Oru Gel seat: bit.ly/3TsnfSX
▶︎ Oru Lake Footrest: bit.ly/3z7iNkf
▶︎ Oru Float Bags (set of 2): bit.ly/3Dp5qP0
▶︎ Oru Float Bags for Lake Kayak: bit.ly/3zugZCn
▶︎ PowerPump for Float Bags: bit.ly/3CAe9xF
▶︎ Oru Kayak Pack for Lake/Inlet:
🎥Videos I mentioned:
- Review of the Folding Oru Kayak Inlet: • Review of the Folding ...
- 6 Months Later…Oru Kayak Review: • 6 Months Later…Oru Kay...
- I got a hole in my Oru Kayak: • I got a hole in my Oru...
- How to Replace Oru Kayak Inlet Front (Bow) Fairing: • How to Replace Oru Kay...
- How to Replace Oru Kayak Inlet Back (Stern) Fairing: • How to Replace Oru Kay...
- How I Clean My Oru Kayak After a Paddle: • How I Clean My Oru Kay...
- NEW Oru Kayak Lake Review (Unboxing, Unfolding & Test Paddle): • NEW Oru Kayak Lake Rev...
- Why I Kayak: • Why I Kayak.
⏰ Time Stamp
0:00 - Intro
1:23 - Initial concerns
4:08 - Used in a year
4:45 - Oru Kayak Lake
5:35 - Closing thoughts
7:32 - Advice for buying oru kayak
8:22 - 1 year of kayaking
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I make DIY videos @MotherDaughterProjectsDIY
Check out my memoir, Discovering My Scars by Stephanie Kostopoulos: amzn.to/2O4U5dh
I co-host the Discovering Our Scars Podcast, where we have honest conversations about things that make us different. Listen on all podcast platforms: bio.link/dospod
Join my newsletter for latest podcast and vlog: www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/
*I do not work with the Oru Kayak company and bought this kayak myself. - บันเทิง
Having the concrete numbers for how many times you used it and showing the wear after that use is incredibly helpful for potential buyers. This video is time efficient and still thorough with some great B-roll. I hope you're successful with this youtube channel because you know how to make a review!
Thank you!
I have a Oru Bay that I bought 5 years ago that has held up really well (although I don't take it out 60 times per year).
Happy to see Oru step up and take care of the defect. Remember this people if you are looking at knockoffs from a no name PO Box, shipping container company with no phone or address. I had the original Bay ST and it broke a strap, but was quickly replaced. I paddled it a lot for 3-4 years. Good paddler.
Glad to know their customer service is good. I just received one and considered returning it. I own an ocean kayak but wanted something light to carry in my car for quick paddles
Well, my family has had 3 replaced under warranty - 2 Inlets and a Beach LT. Within a year. After only about a dozen uses of each. All for the same reasons as noted here - a leak where multiple folds occur. There is no way the patch kit they provide can fix this. After an additional season one of the Inlets has a leak in the same place again with a dozen or fewer uses on the new Inlet. We baby these things, take them out well away from shore to get in or out - because despite their ad copy:
"Oru Kayaks are incredibly puncture + abrasion resistant and built to last. They can withstand sliding over rocks, bumping into obstacles, and folding up tens of thousands of time." these kayaks are incredibly fragile and the warranty does not cover: punctures, cuts and abrasions sustained in normal use;
We store them in the original boxes. Ensure we don't scrape them on rocks or the garage floor. Oru did not really want to exchange them. They sent repair kits and when I asked how I could possibly fix the specific damage (at corner of multple folds) with the kit the customer service agent didn't give a usable answer and I then asked that they be replaced.
I'd grade them as
A - Portability
A - Transportability
F - Durability
We'll use them as long as they don't leak into the boat itself, but I would not buy them again. They are not worth the price.
Might want to check out the TRAK kayak for the ocean adventure.
@@LooneyTunerzwow thanks 4 that I was concerned about the same things and seeing other folks having problems with them yer I'm giving them a miss cheers 🍻
Thank you! This was extremely helpful in my decision to buy this folding kayak!
Thanks for all the videos @Hi, I’m Steph they’ve been very informative! And you do a great job! I think the Bay ST may be my Christmas present to myself! I’m excited to get out on the Tampa Bay Area waters again!
Thanks for this video- great information. I already have an Inlet (two for our household) and feels pretty fragile to me, too, so I have been careful with it. It’s good to know what to look out for based on your experience. We’re not nearly as devoted as you are to kayaking, so I think it will take us quite a while to rack up 60 paddles! 😊 I think your commentary sort of solidifies what I had thought when I purchased- that these things are probably a nice choice for a beginner/casual/occasional paddler like me who wants easy transport and storage, but that it might not suit the needs of a more advanced paddler in all cases. I kind of wish I had waited around for the Lake.
Thank you for the review! It's really informative and answered a lot of my questions.
Great reviews! thanks so much was wondering between lake and inlet and now I know! Subbed
i have both the bay and inlet. you'll love the bay! but i gotta say the inlets so much more convenient ro setup and takedown. kinda makes me wanna get a lake too!
Was watchin this review thinking these things would be like 30%, 50% maybe the cost of a hard shell. But at $1,299 AUD (for some corflute panels and a seat), when I can get a hard shell for LESS? Jesus Christ save me. Great review!
you pay for the compactness/weight :)
Thanks for the honest and balanced review, really helpful
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I just reviewed one, but I was really curious on how it would last long term. This answers most of my questions.
So glad is was helpful! Let me know if you have any more question. I might be able to answer them.
For the closed cockpit kayak, you might want to check out the TRAK kayak. More expensive, but last longer and faster performance.
Bro that thing is $3500! Looks like its built for performance. I honestly dont know who this was designed for? Someone who was on a college row team who wants to race at a moments notice?
That was super helpful, efharisto! I like that they didn't hassle you, so that's a good sign. Some companies think they have a licence to print money and are really slack and gunky with customer service. I hope they can use your feedback to improve, that'd be awesome. I'm still really into getting one after all your stories, putting 85 straps on and off for a hardshell isn't really how I want to invest my energy, but that's just me.
First time viewer. Really enjoyed the content, well put together. Doing some research into kayaking probably going to be getting an inflatable in the near future. Mainly looking for the exercise and the curiosity of exploring a bit. TH-cam recommended this vid, and I had seen these foldable style before, definitely worth looking into for the future.
thank you for your time Miss..🤓.. i hope they fix all the issue you point out..👍.. i had the inflatable boat but i'm looking at kayak for exercise next year.. 👌.. hope see you out there 👍
Great Review! I tested an Inlet as well, but haven't put the time in it to test its durability. Great to hear the were so good with the warranty. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching! It's still my go to kayak. I also have the Oru Lake now and it's holding up well. I really appreciate your videos btw. I've learned a lot from your instructional videos, and always want to try out new boats after seeing your review videos! If you are ever in Florida, we have some beautiful places to paddle here in North Florida.
Thank you for this. Long term durability is the major concern with these types of kayaks and you're like the only video reviewer who's done a 1+ year review of these things.
Hey Steph good review. I chatted with you back when you got it, I wanted to use it in our VanLife adventures.
I am glad to see they work so well and that customer service was responsive to you.
Yes! I watch your channel. Love following your adventures!
We’ve had our two Inlets for about a year now….we don’t kayak as often as you, but ours are in perfect condition. We bought one for my sister and she had the broken front piece too after a week! They sent her a new one and it’s all good now…Why didn’t you try Flex Seal on the hole in your kayak? We used it on a 3/4 inch round hole my dad had in his row boat (metal), and it worked great….
Nice to watch this! I just purchased the Lake, waiting for it to arrive as something to use when traveling. I'm in Tallahassee as well, there are so many nice places to get to from here!
Awesome! So many great place to kayak here. We have 25 free boat landings managed by leon country too. I've been slowing checking them out! th-cam.com/play/PLtCUHvZulvAPh3LgLtNhOH6dSoHtv-DOC.html
Thanks for the video! My wife and I did a lot of research and bought the bay. Unfortunately, I have not been happy with it. Rather than the buckles that you use to fasten the inlet, there are plastic sleeves that have to be inserted and pulled up to keep the kayak together. We have found them to be extremely annoying because it’s always a challenge to try to get them to fit and stay in the grooves. The next issue we have are the bulkheads, which keep popping out. Finally, there are several areas that I could tell are going to wear out pretty quickly, such as the connection for the foot rest. Getting in and out of the bay is also challenging because it has high sides that are made for rougher water, but make it inconvenient to enter and exit. However, my biggest complaint are the seats. Both my wife and I are good for about 40 minutes of paddling before we have to get out and stretch. We immediately knew that the factory seats were terrible, so we bought padded seats to fit over the originals, but even with those, I find sitting in it very uncomfortable, and even painful after a while. I was speaking with somebody who owns a Coast and asked him what he thought of assembling and disassembling. He admitted to us that he doesn’t disassemble it, he just puts it on his roof. I think if you don’t have the room for a regular kayak, then these are great. I would definitely not get this kayak unless you want to take it out on the ocean, and even there, this kayak has many drawbacks compared to a regular ocean kayak. If you don’t have a lot of room to store or carry a kayak, than these kayaks are great. Unfortunately, they just do not suit my needs and unless you want to go into rougher waters, I think you will be just fine with the lake model
Thanks for sharing!
So it sounds like the Oru customer service and Warranty stands true which is super important to me. Thanks for the video.
Great video! I've had the oru Haven tandem kayak for a couple years now. I've found it to be quite durable even despite us hitting logs, pulling it up on rocky beaches, etc. The main issue we've had is with one of the seats coming loose. A couple buckles have also broken but those are easy to replace. Fingers crossed we dont spring a leak like yours did! The portability is unmatched and we find we go kayaking far more often than if we had to faff around with roof racks and tie downs! Even taking into account fold up/fold down time, i think it's faster than or at least comparable to a roof mounted kayak to get in and out of the water.
That's great to hear! I havn't tried the Haven, but would like to one day. Have you seen this to help keep the seat in place? etsy.com/listing/1267166413/oru-kayak-seat-keeper-orange-latch-lock
Is time to get in the water that important? How many minutes are we talking about. The benefit of a rigid kayak is that it is rigid and durable. A folding kayak is for easy storage and handling.
I have the Beach. I've been using it for about a year and a half, and no problems, so far. I love it. I am very careful with it, though. I bring it inside so it doesn't sit in the hot car. I kayak in the marina, and get in and out from the beach. We don't really have any rocks that would cause damage. So glad that they sent you a new one!
Thanks for the awesome review. Very helpful 💯
My son and I are from central FL. We have been looking at kayaks over paddle boards. I can see how they can become an obsession. Growing up in upstate NY there was something I had called a belly boat. Back then with inner tubes in car tires, a belly boat was a canvas cover that would fit over the inner tube, it would have a seat in the center a bib to pull up over me in the inside to fasten fishing lures and not drop them in the water. It had several pockets, an inflatable back rest, few eye hooks for stringers, the operator of the belly boat would use flipper fins with or without flexible waders depending upon the water temp. The canvas was solid. I loved it. Wouldn't out it in fast moving waters tho. Even seen some guys with battery operated trolling motors. Needless to say when I came to Florida I was advised against dangling my legs into the water here. The water puppies (gators) I have since learned get a bad wrap, have not once seen a water puppy chase anyone, but I digress. So I have not been back on the water except in a rental on occasion. Now that my son has shown an interest I think its time to get a couple hard shells and get out there again. What brand are you and tour mother using and what caused you to purchase the hardshell you have? In my research so far, I have learned that all kayaks are not created equal and some are harder to move through water than others, fatiguing the operator.
I see gators all the time when I kayak, but have not had any issues. It's there home, we just kayak the other way when we see them. We have 4 kayaks in my family, 2 Oru, 1 inflatable and the hardshell. We all like the Oru's best, then the hardshell, and then the inflatable. The hardshell is Lifetime brand from Sams Club. We honestly got it just to try out because it was only $250. And the more kayaks we have, the more people we can kayak with! We thought we would use it only at the lake by my parents house. But we have since bought roof rails for my moms CRV, and have traveled with it a little. The hardshell is best for my friends that don't kayak all the time and want a more solid feel than the Oru. The Oru is a little more challenging to get in and out of then the hardshell, especially for larger people. If I was to buy a hardshell kayak for myself, I would look at Eddyline. Really nice yaks and on the lighter side. All depends on your budget. Lifetime makes a great kayak for the price.
Thanks for this review. Was thinking of buying one and take it on the plane when I travel. “Fragile” is all I needed to hear.
The true portability of the Oru's are their strength.
I own the Beach LT. For which I got the backpack. I kayak in the sea mostly, which is about 20 minutes walk from where I live; around a mile. Or a five mile cycle to a more sheltered spot further along the coast.
I am considering the Bay as my next option. And with that and my Beach I should be able to fold my Brompton bike and my Burley Travoy trailer and tow it as storage.
Excellent video! I've been curious about Oru, as I have a 2 person Advanced Elements inflatable, and a 2 person Folbot. They're both great boats, but each are a project to set up, especially the Folbot. I love the idea of something that can get you out there easily and quickly! Thanks for the Info!
I love the easy setup of the Oru and it always go back into the same shape. We have an inflatable and it always seems to fold down a little different and hard to get back in the bag.
I’m considering getting an Oru Lake and your video/channel is so helpful! I’ve been binging all your Oru videos. By the way I love that 360 zoom video clip at 8:32 😍
Very cool!
Thanks!
Which boat is this blue one at 8m45s?
Great video, thanks for all the info!
While I can see that the kayak is still a good product, this review really pushed me towards the Nortik Fold, as they specifically designed the model to solve the corrugated plastic problem!
I bought the Nortik Fold more than a year ago for the exact same reason. I can confirm that it is really tough. I used it a lot and sometimes have to land on rough gravel. It's still good as new. One thing could be improved though: the unfolding process requires too much fiddling. After dozens of outings I still struggle sometimes.
How does the Nortik address the problem? Looking at the info on their website and assembly/disassembly videos, it seems to have the same basic weakness - a corner that needs to be folded / flexed in 4-5 different directions. Is it made out of a thicker/tougher plastic than the Oru? Are the weak points reinforced somehow?
Awesome video! A lot of good points mentioned
Yeesh.... I kinda got the point 4 minutes into this... and I'm glad you made this video, as I was really on the fence with adding yet another kayak to my fleet of no less than 20 different kayaks of all shapes and sizes, including several AIREcraft.... and while I was intrigued by the Oru Kayak, I think I'll steer clear and stick with what I have.
PS I ordered your book as well :) and look forwards to reading it.
I like your fawn greyhound. My greyhound is black-and-white. Thank you for the review I was interested in feedback on how those kayaks were.
Nice video, concise and a clean production. I wish more YT videos like yours! (The dog pooping was a unique touch!) 😅😅
Hi, I found your videos (as well as so many others!) on the ORU kayak interesting. I don’t think the folding ORU would hold my weight, though. I grew up in FL, so I just love the water! About a year ago, I wanted a kayak so bad; I bought the Pelican 100 fishing kayak (sit on). I wanted to be able to either do recreational kayaking or have the option to fish. The kayak is 9.5 ft long and 48 lbs. I love it, and I love getting out on it! So then the biggest dilemma became how to haul it around. I don’t have loyal kayaking partners, I didn’t want to have to lift it over my head myself onto my car racks, and I don’t have a lot of space for storage at my house. I’m a DIY gal. So, I bought the Harbor Freight folding trailer to haul my kayak. This is how I found your MDP channel - I could never have assembled that thing without your most helpful videos on how to do it!!! So, I was so pleasantly surprised to later find this, your other channel. I love going along with you on your adventures. BTW, I’m also a UCF Alumna and I read your story. I find I can totally relate to you, love everything you’re doing!!! Thanks so much!
Wow! I love everything about this comment 💜 Such cool connections! Thanks for sharing!!
Hi Steph! Thanks for all the good information on your reviews of the Oru kayak. We just ordered two of the Lake kayaks for myself and my husband and I are excited to get them on the water. Your information is helpful for us newbies to an origami kayak. We kayak with our dog and I love your T-shirt and wondering where it came from?
It was from paddling.com but they don't make shirts anymore :(
I have the same CRV and only slap my hard shell sea kayak on top for longer paddle trips, but use my ORU Coast for shorter ones. It's over 3 yrs old and got the tiny seam leaks between the channels, but it doesn't affect sea-worthiness and I'm not that gentle with it. It's a better solution than pretty much any inflatable, if you want the performance of a real kayak.
I just got one in the summer, used it twice. Got a hole and broke a strap off which they did replace but I was not happy with how fragile it is
trailer
nice for hard kayaks
I noticed the folding kayaks BF sales and opened several reviews - lost this tab in the shuffle and playing now.
I was leaning towards the Tucktec for pricing, less setup I think and higher weight. Gave up on all of it for now.
I have a couple older wilderness systems tarpon 120s bought new and haven't been using lately wanted to get back into and thought the folding might be wonderful.
Worried about weight limits - the higherlimit of the Tucktec drew me but then a couple reviews mentioned anything over about the reviewers weight of 160, 180lbs range would make it unusable.
i think the best advantage of orustyle kajaks is that they are lightweight and you can store and transport easy but nothing beats the performance of a real seakajak
The portability factor is nice. I do seem to recall you playing bumper boats with my Ocean Venus 11 and stating you would never do that with your Oru! 🤣
haha...I did say I recognize that hardshell kayaks are more durable! 😆
I have Beach LT...thing is sweet. I love being able to load it into the Golf R. Run up to a pond, and jump on the water.
Great advice. My Bay ST arrived today.
Thanks! I just need to measure the cockpit, as I'll get the spray deck from a different supplier. I get it, Oru kayak makes a bespoke one, but it isn't cheap. I did however buy their seat wedge. Of the reviews I saw, many said over 90-mins and numb-bum is a thing! Loving the vlogs and reviews (from the UK). 👍
Super cool your out paddling. But the amount of mischief I get into kayaking. I'll stick with my hard shells.
I got myself a 9 footer hard shell pelican and found out I can throw it inside my Honda Odyssey and close the hatch with two inches to spare... lol that solved my portability issues and also any durability issues. All you have to sacrifice is two seats in the back row, but you still have five seats left...
I had a folding porta boat. I had a similar experience. It failed on the creases after a few uses. It was expensive too.
Best kayak video outro found so far......
BTW is that a rescued/retired greyhound? That's so sweet, those guys are so deserving of a good retirement home.
Yes, my two greyhounds are retired racing greyhounds. I adopted them from a track here in Florida. I'm happy to provide them with a greyt retirement home! They are the best!
Definitely hit up rainbow river from the spring location down to kp hole if you are in Florida
Steph, I looked at one of these kayaks and was concerned how it would perform in unexpected collisions. I have been watching your videos from the first day you started using it and have been following your story of this kayak. I did buy a foldable kayak, a Tucktec. It's defiantly not as nice looking as yours but much more durable. In mid summer I was paddling in a small lake when I hit a log submerged under the water. It was a good hit, it actually lifted the kayak up a bit out of the water. I immediately paddled to shore to check the damage. To my relief there was only a swallow scratch on the front left of the kayak. That incident sold my on its durability. Anyway, your kayak, for the year you had did have it's problems. I must say that the customer service you received was top notch. For a company to replace a one year old product with new is not very common and my hat goes off to them. I hope you have better luck with the replacement. Take care and happy paddling. 😃🛶
I have both the Tucktec and the Oru. I concur, the TuckTec is more durable, but not as portable. It's also much slower in the water as it's heavier, but unless you are racing not a big deal.
Given the price difference I would probably recommend the Tucktec but I have to say, I love my Oru!! :)
I have a fleet of oru kayaks ..bay st...haven...and Coast.
They are very easy to repair, almost infinitely Modable...and yes you will get scratches on them but not much else..they can get punctured by something small and pointy, but it needs a lot of force and the hull is double layered so it'll likely only puncture one layer.
Try drilling into the hull to discover that...harder than you'd think lol.
Not bad kayaks.
It has a warranty period
Great review, thanks!
A lot of similarities to my experience (3 years with Coast XT). Love it but can't understand why they use such cheap parts and hardware that start falling apart almost immediately. The screw in my Oru paddle fell out as well. And their customer service, although very polite, didn't know much about kayaking, and sent me the wrong parts three times.
Thanks for your great, informative videos about Oru kayaks, I've watched quite a few of them since I'm trying to decide if I should get an Oru and if so, which model. One complaint I've heard about the Lake is that it doesn't track very well and twists from side to side quite a lot with each paddle stroke. Have you experienced any issue with that when paddling your Lake/Inlet?
I think the lake and inlet both track well. For a light kayak, I think they track better than inflatables I have used.
My immediate concern was durability of the seams where the kayak folds. The next was the low freeboard.
Would you recommend for or against with spraying the bottom with flex seal? I just got one! But I’m wanting the bottom to be more durable
Just bought a Lake ... And I hope the 250lb weight limit is accurate, since I hover around 220. I imagine myself picking up three rock samples on a gravel bar, then going straight to the bottom.
Great video! It was chock full of very useful information. I have been looking at these kayaks because of their portability (yes, you are right, strapping a hard shell kayak on top of my car is a lot of work!!). I am concerned about durability, but it seems to me that their customer support really took care of you in the long run. I am looking at the Bay AST and my concern is shelling out almost $1500--but I think your video really helped me out with this issue. The way I look at it it still is a very affordable option or else I would need to spend $20-$30k for a truck--and I don't want to do that.
Trucks make lousy kayak carriers. I paddle 2-3 times a week with a group of serious sea kayakers and not one uses a truck to carry their boats. One person has a tiny Prius and carries TWO 18-ft long boats (hers and her husband's). I carry mine on a small SUV, which works perfectly. Several people use regular passenger cars.
Why is a truck not suitable for carrying a kayak?
Surely it enables you to tow a couple of skis and carry a kayak.
thank you, that was helpful!
at 7:15 "..having the right expectations...", wise words for any relationship, even with an Oru kayak!
Another great video by Steph. Thanks so much for creating these and sharing with us.
I didn't realize that foldable Kayaks existed, but I won one today and after watching your vid in looking forward to trying it out.
Hopefully you don't see me in the obituaries 😅
cool kayak if they can improve the design in the next couple years hopefully they will
Very helpful. Thank you!
I found your videos when I was researching the oru kayaks. Great job! I’m smitten with both… you and the ORU.
Thanks for watching!
Wow! Great customer service!!
I paddle hard shell kayaks, but I have a drop stitch paddle board with a seat that I can keep in the car for those I'm out and there's water to get out on
I've been using a stadium on my 11'6" paddle board for a few years and they make an outstanding kayak and fast on the water too due to their hard and smooth bottom. Great versatility with one able to stand or sit.
Im new to this world and your the second review ive listened to your review is great 👍 thank you im an older single Gal Im now sold for the Oru
Great points!
Lol the dog at the end!😂
Thanks for the great review, Steph. I have a Feelfree Lure kayak and have been thinking about getting a tandem folding Oru kayak for me and my Husky to use more easily. Did you take your dog out with you at all on the Oru and if so do you think the Oru held up the paw nails OK?
I have not taken dogs in it. I have seen a lot of pictures of dogs in them on the Oru facebook group so I assume they work well for that.
Thank you for the great video and information. I was interested in this kayak but I'm afraid the durability issues you have experienced have turned me off of it. That's a lot of issues for only one year of ownership. To me, a kayak should not be fragile.
I’ve watched a bunch of your videos and I’m still totally on the fence as to whether I want to get a folding or inflatable kayak like the sea eagle or aqua glide. I’m thinking of getting one big enough for my wife to ride with me. A bigger boat would also be a little more stable. The oru being delicate makes me a little nervous about it.
Much more safer with an inflatable- especially with two people. I’ve had an advanced element, which I’ve sold and a sea eagle explorer 300x that I currently own and love. Both were solid kayaks! I have a friend that bought an Oru and sold it after 6 months, too many issues with the buckles and seams starting to come off and he babied that thing!
As mentioned above, I had the original Bay ST and it's a very good kayak. Fast forward and I now own 4 inflatables: Advanced Elements Expedition Elite 13'sit in, AE Island Voyage 11' sit on, Saturn Ocean Pro 14', and a Intex Excursion Pro sit on 12'. The AE Expedition Elite is a true touring inflatable, built with high quality materials, very good tracking/glide, and able to handle any water, including ocean swells and wind. The Saturn Ocean Pro is built like a tank, paddles very well, tracks like a train with twin skegs fore and aft (removable for white water), and the absolute best tandem or single and if you have a bigger dog, this is your kayak. The AE Island Voyage is a excellent all around paddler with high build quality, lightweight, easy setup and great for rivers too. Outstanding starter kayak that will last for years. Finally the Intex Excursion Pro is a very entry level kayak that's a good paddler, but the floor is delicate so be careful. One brand to avoid: HO Sports Beacon, sold by Costco and others and the materials used are cheep and poorly made. Poor customer service.
this was great thank you
Thank you. That is so helpful.
I hate criticizing people's products, because... as a small manufacturer myself, I know how much it sucks to have your products criticized. Nobody sets out to make a bad product. However... As someone who works with plastics... my biggest concern would be the folding of plastic. When you twist plastic back and forth, it will eventually crack/break. That's unfortunately just sort of the inherent nature of plastic. I'd be interested to see folding stress test data they've collected, if any... to see what the average fold number is before failure.
Just bought my inlet today from public lands open the box and the black plastic that covers the bottom front end was cracked so I took it back. That was a fiasco. Got the new one. One of the straps wasn’t threaded to through and it took us a very long time to get it through without making it a bigger hole and cracking. . I can see this thing warping pretty fast and for over $800 I have concerns…
You have to have had a pretty harsh impact to make a hole. Now plastic that is constantly folded will get weak points at the fold. If the hole was at a fold and not caused by an impact, then it would be a design flaw.
get some white duck tape and put a couple of layers over the v-hull......we even do that on the hard ones to make it last longer ....much love
could testdrive the bay with a real cockpit where you could put a spraycover on and thats essential when you paddle on the sea.the weight is amazing but only would use it for travel with train or airplaine if you go by car a real kajak performs better and you have watertight sections where you can store you luggage on multiday trips.and if you capsize its more easy to reentry and pump the water out.just installed an electric pump on my aquarius sealion lv
Would you recommend this for bug-out/survival scenario?
Great information!
3:20 Which channels?
6:30 Did you get the Lake or Lake+? The Lake+ has adjustable seat height, a foot rest, and a few other upgrades over the Lake.
1. This might help explain it: th-cam.com/video/kelrjuoHaP8/w-d-xo.html
2. I ordered the Lake but the seat I got is the one that comes with the Lake +. I don't know why, because I don't have the other features of the Lake +, just the seat.
@@smkauthor thanks for the info!
I am thinking of buying an Oru kayak for rivers and maybe the ocean… I don’t know whether to get the lake or beach model… I love the fact that I won’t need an air compressor or have to worry about lifting.
If you want to kayak the ocean, you probably want to look at the close-cockpit kayaks. Bay ST & Coast XT.
I had a hole as well. Could not repair with Oru repair kit.
What model is your RinseKit? That looks super handy for rinsing off a muddy boat before loading up. Thanks!
Rinse Kit Portable 1.75 gallons. Not sure if they made this one anymore though.
I see Oru offer a 3 year warranty now, BUT it doesn’t cover ‘normal wear and tear, including punctures, cuts and abrasions sustained in normal use’. Yet they promote it as highly durable. I think one video says you can drag it over rocks.
Was thinking of buying the Bay ST. Beginning to wonder now. I like the portability, but will it last? I don’t do any hardcore kayaking. Mostly lakes & a some gentle coastal. Nothing extreme.
With all the issues, I still love my Oru and will probably buy the Bay ST one day. The portability is unmatched and it's just a fun boat to paddle!
Hi Steph, I've been following your kayak vids for about 6 months. Mainly because I bought a Bay ST right around the same time you bought your Inlet. I had the same dreaded problem: holes! After my 4th outing, there were 2 holes at the Apex points, the point where multiple folding lines converge. One of the holes went through the hull, not just the outer skin. There're 4 points stick out at the base after the kayak folded up in a box. It's not hard to notice those "white knuckles" at the bottom. They take most of the stress and stretch. Tried the Oru repair kit supplied gorilla glue, didn't work. Tried epoxy, white foamy type of gorilla glue, hoping to fill/plug/seal off the channel around the hole. Nope, still leaks. The issue is that the plastic channel wall is very smooth, expoxy/CA based glue just doesn't grab on that surface very well. After a couple of folds, they came loose and pop out of the hole. I agree every one of your other pros about Oru. The durability is the only Con. So! Your vid just reminded me to complain to the Oru warranty. They need to send me a new one! My Bay ST is upside down laying in my garage right now, waiting to be glued for the 5th time!
Now about that $300 Oru carbon paddle. I was a bit disappointed due to the slop/play at the junctions when 4 sections connect. The OD and ID of the telescoping poles don't have a tight tolerance. As you swing, you feel the play. The whole point of having a full carbon paddle is for its weight and stiffness=power transfer. It needs to feel super light, solid and stiff. That slop/play is annoying. I sent it back for a replacement. It's the same. There's some QA issue there. My white $100 plastic Oru paddle doesn't have the slop/play. The telescoping sections tolerance is good. So later I decided to take the matter in my own hands. I brushed a thin layer of epoxy around the male end of the pole section, which increased the OD. I lightly sanded the epoxy to the right fit. That thin layer of epoxy filled the gaps and solved the slop/rattle problem. Now, the paddle feels solid, the way it should be. Also, advice on adding carbon blade edge protector. The thin carbon edge is very delicate.
About transitioning to Bay ST. It will be tippier than your inlet. The beam/width is narrower. It's faster, but also sensitive to your weight distribution. Some Core flexibility/strength is needed. Also, learning about forward paddling technique(engage core/leg) can get the most out of this nimble boat. It took me about a few months this summer to get a feel on edging the kayak. I'm still new to it. The Bay ST does handle choppy water better. I still managed to capsize once in August, after got caught in the wake of a fast power boat zipping by. Advice on self rescue: Get a paddle float. I saw your other swim pool vid on self rescue. The paddle float is a life saver. With it inflated on the other end of the paddle and set up as the 3rd supporting point, you'd climb back in your kayak in no time.
Now I've been thinking about upgrading to Coast XT if I get a brand new warranty Bay ST(sell it). The reason one is that Bay ST still lacks enough storage after you put in float bags in the bow/stern bulkheads. There's only one larger space behind the seat and one small space between foot rest and the bow bulkhead wall. If I were to take it on a multi day kayak camping trip, Bay St is pretty limited. I could strap stuff on the deck, but that increases the center of gravity. The coast XT has plenty of room for camping gear and supply. The reason two is: better tracking and faster. The Bay ST is a 12 footer, I found it's tracking isn't all that good. It's steering is very sensitive to the paddle stroke. I wish it's a 14 footer. I saw people on Reddit say Coast XT tracks like a laser because it's 16 foot. It's also less tippy than the Bay ST even though it has the same beam length.
Last few words on the float bags. I think you mentioned in one of your vids. During my previous last self rescue, I didn't have float bags. I found the boat was taking a lot of water while I tried to flip it over. I actually ordered those bags a few days earlier, but they didn't arrive in time for that outing. It was a lot of struggle to turn the boat over. It was taking too much water. I could've lost the boat on that day. So float bags are needed as well as the paddle float. Those are the 3 must have inflatable survival accessories on every Oru.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with Oru. Would love to hear your feedback on the Bay ST. Happy paddling.
Lots of good info here. Thanks for sharing! Interesting about the Carbon paddle. We have it and I have not noticed any issue with it. I personally use an aqua bound bend shaft paddle now and love it. It's very sturdy and has a very natural feel.
For the money an advanced elements kayak is better value. They are light, durable and portable. I looked at oru vs advanced elements and couldn't find a good reason to go with the oru. I have fished out of my advanced elements kayak for years and it has held up very well. The new advanced frame ultralight is only 17.5 lbs.
I fish mostly ocean off Vancouver island and my AF has been a great kayak
not a multiple use... but might be able to carry on a hike up a mountain lake.
Interesting that you think the Inlet performs similarly to Lake. I just got an Inlet to upgrade from Lake because even though I love it, I feel like it can be a bit sluggish, especially when paddling with people in $5000 kayaks. But given your assessment, I might return the Inlet and save some $.
Yeah, they are very similar in my experience. If you want something faster, you might want to look at the Bay ST or the new Beach sport (I have not tried either myself yet).
Hey Steph!
Im thinkinh between the Inlet or the lake now, I have a mini schnauzer doggy, he is not a big dog, i just want to go to kayak every week in the summer, what do you think, is there any specific reason to pay way more for the inlet, and the lake have space for a small dog? I planing to use it in a clean river water. Thank you!
I think there would be about the same amount of space in both the inlet and lake for a dog. The inlet is a little bit taller on the sides, so that might be helpful to keep the dog in? I have not kayaked with a dog in my oru kayak so I can't say for sure. But I know most people seem to get the Beach LT to kayak with a dog cause it's a little bigger.
Wow, you're filling me with confidence with my Lake kayaks going forward. 🤣
How often were you using your kayak on average per month?
I kayak at least once a week.
Were you using it in salt water or fresh water or both? And how frequently please? Ty for your review
Fresh water
For kayaking with a bigger dog, would you recommend the Lake or the Inlet? Thanks
I have not tried it, but you probably want to look at the Beach LT as it has more room for a dog.
I live in central Florida, and i am trying to decide on either Oru or Tuctek but to be honest im also kind of worried about encounter an aligator while kayaking in a folding kayak. have you had bad experiences?
I see countless alligators kayaking in North FL, and never had any issues. I always follow kayak and gator safety.
do you still feel similar that you would not buy the inlet again? about about the inlet sport? still the lake? also I see you have the bay now,
in my cart I have the inlet sport and the beach lt sport. just want to know your thoughts a year after you posted the video.
thanks for the content and your time making all of this!
I just made a video all about this and it will be out Thursday!
I can not get my lake kayak to fold back up.
The folds in the bottom don't want to fold once the back and front are folded in. Any suggestions?
Try switching the front and back (which one you put in first). The first few times it's pretty stiff at first. If you still can't get it I would contact Oru support to make sure there is not a defect with the one you have.
I am looking for this kayak to be able to fish from it and being more flexible without even a car to just go with the official trains in the city to get to the lake.
So I can fish from it., I am wondering if that Kajak is suitable to this activity but I hope so, looks like a can get a little box in the Kajak and so on.
Are you still happy with the Lake and do you stand by wha you said that the Lake and Inlet roughly perform the same?
I just ordered a Lake for what I think is a really good price ($400 including shipping and tax). The Amazon Oru store page had a random 25% coupon which I had never seen before, so I jumped on it, it's the black one.
I had previously thought I'd get an Inlet but after seeing your video I went with the Lake instead, especially at $400 for the black one, it seemed too good to pass up...
Yes, still happy with the lake. I do use my inlet more, but just because it's mine and the lake is more used by my mom or a friend. But every time I use the lake I think it's very similar to the Inlet performance.
@@smkauthor In the video you said you would not buy the Inlet model again. Do you still think you'd get the Lake if you were starting from scratch?
After watching you video, I added Amazon's add-on 2-year extended warranty to my purchase which covers anything the manufacturer refuses to cover. I feel like my biggest concern about this kayak is the possibility of it leaking so at least I have a solution it doesn't last for 2 years.
At least you had good experience with the manufacturer's warranty but I've heard Oru isn't the best company to deal with regarding issues, and if an issue happens 1-day after the 1-year warranty expires you'd be out of luck...
At this price point a 1 year warranty is insufficient. Material costs on these kayaks is well under $150 probably under $100 for the smaller models.
That said. I'm probably going to buy one anyway.