The words “origami” and “kayak” haven’t historically gone together. But when you think about it, the two actually have quite a bit in common: each can be used as a noun or a verb. Both refer to activities, albeit very different ones. Most importantly, when put together, these words solve a common situation facing outdoorsy millennials and Gen Zers – how to be in possession of a rapid-and-fishing-trip-worthy watercraft when violently increasing housing costs keep them renting or living in tight quarters.
Taking a break. Photo: Tim Wenger
This Origami Kayak Is Perfect for Fishing and Casual River Trips
My situation fits this predicament. I’m on the older end of millennials, and I own a home within a stone’s throw of the Colorado River. However, that home is 1,200 square feet and shared by three people, one of whom is a rambunctious toddler who overtakes more and more of the space with each passing week. Our garage is full of outdoor gear, but there’s certainly no room for anything larger than a bike. In the five years I’ve owned this house, the only watercraft I’ve had is a stand-up paddleboard that deflates after each use – fun, but not the type of craft you want to take fishing or on anything above Class II water. This summer, I finally changed that and acquired an Oru Kayak – the Beach LT Sport, specifically.
We hope you love the Oru Kayak Beach LT Sport! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
How an Oru Kayak aseembles
What attracted me to Oru Kayaks is right there in the name. The kayak is foldable, meaning that once your mission is done, you can easily disassemble it at the take-out or side of the lake. The Beach LT Sport unfolds and becomes its own carrying case, so there’s no need to bring a bag or any other container on the water.
The Beach LT Sport arrived at my house unfolded. Following the instructions, it took me about 45 minutes to put it together the first time, though the company claims it only takes 10 minutes once you get the hang of it. On subsequent attempts, I’ve whittled that time down to about 15 minutes – admittedly, I’m not the handiest of people and don’t have a natural eye for assembly and disassembly, so you may be able to do it much faster than I have.
Early in the assembly, after unfolding the main piece. Photo: Tim Wenger
Getting closer! Photo: Tim Wenger
After unfolding the kayak, I attached the seat, footrest, and other loose components. The paddle clipped together easily. I followed the instructions closely, step by step, and never felt lost or confused – a major accomplishment for a guy like me who is much more proficient at typing words than at assembling anything more complicated than an Ikea coffee table. The bulk of the assembly is simply folding and fastening things into place, and once you get a feel for what the finished product should look like, the steps lead into each other very naturally. If you run into trouble, the company has videos on its website to guide you through and a dedicated customer service line that can walk you through step by step.
The kayak is made of 5 mm double-layered, custom-extruded polypropylene with a 10-year UV treatment sprayed on. It weighs 28 pounds, is just over 12 feet in length, and about 29 inches wide. When disassembled into box form, the product is 33″ by 13″ by 29”. The package came with accessories including a fishing rod holder that can be attached to the side, and a skeg. There’s also a backpack that the kayak and its accessories can pack into for hiking and travel, though this pack isn’t necessary for day trips where you drive to the put-in/from the take-out. The rails on the sides of the kayak allow for mounting of the fishing rod holder and other add-ons.
Testing the Oru Kayak Beach LT Sport
Just before launch. Photo: Tim Wenger
Taking a break. Photo: Tim Wenger
I wanted to put both myself and the kayak to the test on the first excursion. I am a moderately experienced water person – I’ve done a few multi-day rafting trips, have kayaked a handful of rivers in up to Class III rapids, and have spent a good amount of time on a stand-up paddleboard on rivers, lakes, and the ocean. That said, I’m from Colorado – a very landlocked state not known for boat culture, so anything beyond those experiences I’ve had is completely foreign to me.
Naturally, I took the kayak to Harky’s Launch, the Colorado River put-in near my house, with plans to float about six miles to Corn Lake State Park in Clifton. The trip happened in July, far past peak flow – the float was quite mellow save for a few quick rapids, none of which were above a Class II this time of year.
Paddling the kayak is natural and not uncomfortable. Its 12-foot length is longer than what would suffice for a significantly more intense stretch of water, but for this trip it worked great. I had a cooler of beers behind my seat, the paddle, and a dry bag with snacks. The kayak came with a life vest that snapped on easily, which I wore the entire time. If you’re concerned that a foldable kayak isn’t going to perform well, just know this – I was on the river with a buddy on a raft, and I was a solid mile ahead of him by the time I reached the take-out. With consistent paddling, it’s not only possible to cover ground quickly, it’s possible to do so while having a great time and not even spilling your beer.
Vibes were high the entire first trip. Photo: Tim Wenger
The slip and forward view. Photo: Tim Wenger
Because much of the float was on glass water, I had to paddle aggressively. I got a good workout in, and felt comfortable with the kayak and paddle. The only issue I had was that the seat back loosened slowly as I leaned back into it. Twice I had to tighten the straps to pull it taut.
After the first run I knew I needed to make adjustments to the seat back and the seat cushion itself, which moved forward during the trip so that there was only about a food between it and the footrest. I found that the way I had it set up was uncomfortable for my legs after a few minutes and I spent the second half the trip sitting cross-legged or bow-legged with my feet on the hull rather than the footrest. To remedy this, I pushed the footrest further into the bow, underneath the skirt, and moved the seat back, and have not had the same issue arise again.
The kayak itself performed splendidly. It’s easy to maneuver and steer, and moved with the current in a predictable and easily adjustable manner. Oru seems to have found an ideal weight ratio for its kayak vs. the water speed its intended for – never did I feel out of control (including going through rapids) or have a tough time steering (even when the water was glassy).
One thing to note: going over the rapids this late in the season, I did bump them and there are now a series of scratches on the bottom of the kayak. These haven’t impacted performance, and given the polypropylene body, are to be expected through regular use.
Who should buy the Oru Kayak Beach LT Sport
For avid whitewater kayakers, the Oru Kayaks Beach LT sport isn’t going to cut it, not least because you’d want a hard-bodied craft. Rather, this boat is for fishing on lakes and casual rivers, river floats with moderate whitewater, and anywhere else where durability and maneuverability are moderately important but less-so than portability.
This boat is perfect for hiking into a lake or river, or even casual backpacking expeditions where one person can carry the boat and another can carry a pack with camping gear and food. For me, I appreciate that it unfolds into its own case that I can store with the other gear in my garage, without having to worry about a big boat taking up a massive and awkwardly-shaped slice of the available space. I get out on the water three to five times per year, and this kayak will be with me for the foreseeable future. 