1/19/2024 0 Comments Origami paddler kayak![]() Over two days, we crossed 45 miles and several sections of whitewater. So I joined brand co-founder Roberto Gutierrez and Director of Marketing Andy Cochrane for a paddle of the John Day River in Oregon. Cochrane, left, and Guiterrez loading Oru Bay STs into the back of a pickup photo Sean McCoyĪnd while most Orus are used by folks for day trips and jaunts to the local lake or beach, the brand wanted to demonstrate that these are for real, serious boats capable of modest expeditions. It’s also darned light, at just 26 pounds. ![]() Indeed, on this trip, we fit eight folded kayaks into the 5’6″ bed of a pickup truck. Made in the USA from corrugated plastic, Oru kayaks are remarkably light and fold to the size of a small suitcase. The Oru Bay ST is a wonder of origami and product design. Oru Bay ST: A Real Kayak That Folds Down Small But after two days and three nights on the water carrying food, clothing, and shelter in the vessel, I must admit, Oru built a capable craft here. I’m no expert paddler, so hopping into a folding kayak for 45 miles of fast water was a little daunting. The boat coursed through the last of the rapid, a swim averted, while a charley horse throbbed in my leg from exertion. I reacted with all my might, bracing a paddle into the roiling current. The foldable Oru kayak jerked under my body, threatening to roll me into the chilly John Day River. ![]() The rapids were pretty casual, class I or II, but with high flows, powerful eddies threatened. The sun was about one finger above the horizon when I entered the swift water under a canyon wall. Can an origami ‘folding’ kayak manage the rigors of a multi-day, whitewater river trip? We paddled an Oru Bay ST 45 miles down the John Day River to find out. ![]()
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