Oru Kayak Foldable Kayak Inlet | Stable, Durable, Lightweight

The Oru Inlet works as promised, with a few caveats. I purchased one simultaneously with a friend. (I purchased mine on Amazon. She purchased directly from Oru). I think we’ve more or less come to the same conclusions about these kayaks. (Oddly, although not very importantly, her kayak did not have one line of folding instructions on the inside flap of the kayak). It took a little practice, but we’re both able to assemble these quickly, and disassembly is even faster. This is one of the few cases where the printed instruction manual explains assembly more clearly than the video, which is intended as much for promotional purposes as it is for actual assembly.

The first assembly effort was a bit of a struggle since the flaps seemed very stiff. They are, but I wasn’t confident about pressing hard without damaging the boat. As it turned out, these are much sturdier than my first impression. I don’t think I could damage the flaps unless I took a hammer to them.

Getting the seat properly positioned for comfort was the biggest challenge, and a few extraneous straps and clips on the boat made this process more confusing than it needed to be. The illustration of the seat here on the Amazon page is slightly different, and functionally more correct than the manual. I wish I paid closer attention to that from the get-go. However, both the thin hard seat cushion and flimsy seat back are the weakest components of the Inlet. I suspect I’ll have to order a replacement seat back sooner rather than later since the clip section is showing signs of wear after only three trips. The included seat cushion doesn’t offer much comfort and didn’t provide enough elevation for an agreeable paddling position. I’m 5’11” and my friend is 5’4″. We both agreed about that though, feeling a bit like we were sitting in a bucket. I purchased another seat cushion for $30 here on Amazon (anti-slip from the Hornet Watersports store) that works great and solved both the comfort and height lift problem. You can also order a supplemental cushion from Oru.

I have mixed feelings about the Velcro assisted seals. They’re simple and quick enough to attach, but don’t always stay in place.

I also learned the hard way about storing pieces inside the boat when disassembling. ( I made a rookie mistake and inserted the pieces before folding the boat back up, and bent the bulkheads. Replacements are $25 each plus shipping. Ouch!). While it’s not as slick, we find it easier and faster to simply put the extraneous pieces (bulkhead, seat cushion, etc.) into a dedicated bag. I’ll only go back to storing inside the boat if I decide to take this Oru on a plane or train trip.

The Inlet supports my weight (165lbs) without any complaints, but I would prefer a bit more leg extension. The cockpit is large enough but the seat distance from the bow is fixed.

On the water, the Inlet lived up to my expectations. In calm water it tracks well and with a little tail wind moves pretty quickly too. The boat doesn’t come with a paddle so it’s BYOP, or buy one from Oru.

I can’t speak to long term durability since I’ve only used it three times. So far, so good. I do feel a little more adventurous and confident in my regular kayak when it comes to exploring uncertain waters, but I knew that in advance. Still, it’s hard to beat this Oru for sheer convenience, storage, and easy access onto the water. It took a little tweaking and additional expense to get truly comfortable, but overall I’m happy with my Oru Inlet and have recommended it to friends.

The Inlet is total freedom on the water in a 20lb box I have personally hiked in to mountain lakes that nobody else can access. With its backpack, the ORU Inlet is an incredible, durable, light origami kayak meeting the highest design standards. As a kayaker for 35 years, this advance in design is revolutionary. In the 2 months I’ve owned it, I’ve used it over 10 times—because it really can be set up in 3 minutes and taken from my Corolla’s trunk to the water spontaneously, on a whim. It’s crazy.

It fits in my car and my apartment. And, the Inlet was a good first Kayak purchase. It got me out on the water last summer. It holds up well if rocks in the river are unavoidable.

But, when paddling with friends who have hard shells, the Inlet just doesn’t keep up. It looks something like a kayak when set up, but lacks as a functionally streamline shape. All the little corners, while ingeniously created to make the Inlet foldable, create drag. So, to keep up, I was paddling 8 strokes to my friends’ 3 strokes. Not much glide.

The seat is kinda flimsy. It’s attached at the base by a small notch and by two straps that attach to the gunnels. So, I never felt quite like I had complete body control of the hull.

Still, it’s a quality product, good for apartment dwellers looking for a basic, storable, easily ported kayak. I just outgrew it. Looking to sell and replace mine in ’23.

This is pretty much exactly what they say it is, go figure! Its light enough that I can carry it, its pretty easy to setup and take-down (I just need some practice and I’m sure it’ll be very easy), and it paddles great! I bought used and found a tiny hole in the top of the kayak but they immediately sent me a patch kit and a coupon for accessories. I love it!