Profile

Love my Oru Kayak! This is my first kayak so I don't have anything to compare it to but I've canoed most of my life. The portability is wonderful. I drive a Honda Fit so I just put it in the back and off I go. I have had the same for canoe for 10 years and never flipped it once but the first time I tried getting in the Oru I flipped it! So the stability is very different and does take getting used to. But I love the way it cuts through the water, very different than my canoe.

I gave it an 8 only because of the challenges of putting it together and comfort. Over time it is supposed to become more flexible and I have only used mine about 5 times. But it is stiff and it probably takes me about 20 minutes to put together. Also, I am concerned with some of the parts being plastic and how long they will last over time.

My biggest complaint is the seat and foot rest. I don't find either comfortable. I did get an additional cushion and that did help some and I will consider upgrading the seat once the newer one becomes available as a separate item. But the foot rest, I don't see any way that it will improve. I did buy some pipe insulation, cut them to the width of the kayak and then duct tape them together and put that under my knees. That did help but despite trying having the footrest at different positions I just don't like it. Getting in and out is also challenging, granted being used to a canoe, that is a new learning curve for me but the size of the cockpit does also make it challenging.

I don't want to sound like I'm just complaining, I promise I do LOVE my Oru!