Oru Kayak Reviews 

Based on reading online and talking to actual Oru owners, I was excited to order my Oru Inlet Sport. After decades of paddling rotomolded boats, they became too heavy for me to get onto my roof rack. Naturally, a 23 lb kayak had great appeal. Purchasing was easy and I appreciated the "first time buyer discount."
When my boat arrived, my enthusiasm quickly faded. For proper folding there are 4 plastic bulkhead channels one on either side of the bow, and one on either side of the stern. After unpacking, I saw that one of the bulkhead channels was missing (bow starboard)....it never had been installed. Email to Oru got a quick response, saying the part would be shipped immediately.
These parts come 2 to a sealed plastic envelope. They cannot weigh more than 3 ounces. You might think that Oru might put them in a USPS envelope and pay for 3 day delivery, since the boat could not be assembled without this 4th bulkhead channel. This very lightweight part was shipped FEDEX Ground, taking 8 days from the email response I received from customer service. This was problem number one.
In the intervening time I experimented with assembling the boat, minus the missing bulkhead channel. The stern assembled with no problems, the bow was clearly not assembled correctly. The bulkhead plate fit into the channels on the bottom fine, however the factory installed bulkhead channel (bow port side) was out of position by 3/4-1", making proper assembly impossible.
(Don't think it is my inexperience. I have worked for 4 decades in a mechanical field, so it is easy for me to recognize misalignment!)
To solve this issue I had to complete work which should have been performed at the point of factory manufacture. I had to remove the misaligned post side bulkhead channel, and then install the 2 new channels in their exact, proper position.
I don't think it should be the job of the end user to correct factory mistakes. I imaging that a less mechanically inclined buyer would not have been able to correct this problem on their own.
The real essence of my experience is that Oru has substandard quality control. It is clear that no one inspected the final product prior to shipping (to spot the missing bulkhead channel), and certainly it was never folded/assembled or it would have been clear that the bow port bulkhead channel was completely misaligned.
I hope to take the kayak out tomorrow and pray there are no further manufacturing flaws!

Terrible kayak I would not recommend this.

When I first purchased it, I was super excited.

Lil did I know that the boat would leak quickly after purchase.

Took this on a long road trip and it ruined a few valuables.

But I understand things happen so I continue to reach out to support then they told me to put a piece of tape on the leak or gorilla glue, but given that this is a foldable kayak, how old do you think that stuff held up?

Pretty disappointed, I would stay away from this company with a 20 foot pole.

They have yet to to fill my warranty request outside of telling me to put a piece of tape or glue on the boat.

Happy to include screenshots of the warranty message for anyone that’s curious.

Seller sent wrong item. No response in getting it corrected. No customer service.

I was interested in purchasing a kayak after seeing a banner advertising a 20% Memorial Day sale. However, the link simply redirected me to the homepage without applying any discount. I tested it on multiple devices with the same result.

I contacted support expecting a straightforward resolution, but instead was repeatedly told to click the same broken link while they “checked with tech support.” At a certain point, it became frustrating that such a simple issue could not be resolved by simply honoring the advertised offer with a discount code.

The experience ended up taking far more time and energy than it should have and has made me reconsider purchasing from this company.

As an intermediate-level kayaker, I was really intrigued by the concept and design of Oru Kayak’s foldable boats. Their portability and convenience are easily the standout features—being able to transport and store a kayak this way is genuinely impressive and opens the door for people who might not otherwise have the space or means to own one.

That said, in my experience, the overall construction felt a bit too flexible for my personal preference. On the water, I found myself wishing for a more rigid and durable feel, especially when thinking about potential contact with logs, rocks, or other obstacles. Because of that, I think these kayaks are best suited for calmer waters where there’s less risk of impact.

One area where Oru Kayak truly exceeded my expectations was their customer service and return process. The 30-day money-back guarantee was honored without issue—they provided a return label, and the process was smooth and hassle-free. I received a refund for most of my purchase, including some accessories, which left me with a very positive impression of the company.

Overall, while the kayak itself wasn’t the right fit for my needs, I can definitely see the appeal for those prioritizing portability and planning to paddle in gentle conditions. I have nothing but good things to say about how the company stands behind its return policy.

We’ve had our Oru Inlet kayaks for nearly 3 years and still going strong! We’re not super sporty/outdoorsy people but because these are so portable and quick to set up, we get a lot of use out of them. This makes them 100% worth the price tag and if we ever needed to replace them, I would do it in a heartbeat. I would actually love to add the tandem to our collection so that we can kayak with friends.

The kayaks are as quick to set up/pack up as their ads suggest. They’re sturdy and have done us well when waters have been mildly choppy! Zero capsizes - I think it would be hard to do so. The seat backs are better than any I’ve tried on a hard shell kayak and the cushion is very comfortable too. The design on these are genius. They are high quality and well-engineered - we’ve put them to the test. Still immensely impressed nearly 3 years on.

I’m 5”2 and the fact I can carry one in one hand and my paddle and a drink in the other while wearing a life vest is such a dream! I wouldn’t be able to go for a paddle with my girlfriends if it wasn’t for these.

Only recently did I need to contact their customer support and they have quickly and happily rectified my issue at no cost to me despite being out of warranty now. Fantastic products and customer service, thanks!!!

I bought an Oru Bay ST to try it out, after being intrigued by the potential for portability. I have to add that I am an intermediate kayaker, with experience in sea kayaks, SOTs and surfskis. Frankly, I was shocked when it arrived; a flimsy excuse for a 'kayak' made up of what is basically thick coreflute plastic. This contraption floats, but won't track in a straight line, turns into any small amount of wind and is practically useless in anything other than perfectly flat water. And when it fills with water, which it will, you simply cannot pump it out because it will fill to the brim and has no bulkheads like a real kayak. You'll have to swim it back to the beach to empty it. Let's get real - this is not a 'real' kayak - it's a toy for people who want to feel outdoorsy. To charge $2000+ for a piece of folded plastic and to claim that its safe is not only deceitful, it's outrageous. Avoid if you value your safety.

This is an updated review to one I posted earlier. I love my ORU kayak (bay model) and appreciate the support I have received. It is easy to set up and dismantle, very light weight and portable, and sturdy. It tracks excellently on the broad flat rivers in Florida and is maneuverable enough to go through, over and even under cypress knees and swampy rivers with downed logs. I would not use it on white water. Recently, ORU determined that enough glitches on connection straps to warrant a full replacement at no cost.

Terrible design. VERY DIFFICULT to assemble. Takes at least an hour. Takes 2 people. I will NEVER buy an ORU product! That's $2000.00 I just flushed down the toilet.

I am already disappointed that I have not heard back from an email sent inquiring about shipping. My order has not shipped yet and no reply to email. No tracking number has even been assigned. If I knew it would take this long to even ship, I would not have ordered from this company, it is a birthday gift so beyond disappointed.

We bought two Lake+ kayaks and love them. We have nowhere to store or transport rigid kayaks, but these are easy to store, carry and assemble. Took somebody out who had never kayaked before and they felt safe and stable the whole time. We had a problem with one boat a year after purchase, so emailed on the Sunday afternoon thinking we'd hear back the following week. Actually heard back less than an hour later - super friendly and a replacement was on its way within 10 minutes of that. Could not be more impressed and would definitely recommend to anyone!

I've had 3 Oru Lake Plus kayaks. The first leaked like a sive first trip out. Customer service from Oru was combative and pretty much non caring. Being cought in their own warranty trap, they replaced the first kayak. The only positive thing I can say about the replacement kayak is that it leaks slower than the first. The third kayak is my wife's. Her's leaks slower than my first and faster than my second. Failures seem to be at fastener points along the hull.

These things are junk, save your money

No reply to 3 emails. No warranty activation. Nothing. Rather like speaking in a vacuum.

I ordered a Lake+ model online and have been super pleased with it. In fact, I was so pleased with it that I immediately ordered another one! I even got a friend to order one for themselves. The customer service has been nothing but great and responsive, so I'm not sure what to make of all the negative reviews on here. I feel like perhaps some people are very impatient and expect instant responses via email. In my experience Oru will even provide extra discounts for buying in bulk, on top of the current black friday sales. Honestly, I'm kind of impressed by their level of service and willingness to give discounts and the boats themselves, well, they're just excellent!

Junk

Leaking black Lake +

Now I have dealt with 3, yes three, leaking kayaks
That I get a wet ass

I was an early purchaser of two of the Coast XT models in 2020. Since then I've taken them on water 12 times and assembled them perhaps 16 times, 4 being practice assembly. BOTH kayaks have failed in exactly the same manner, at the base of the fold that forms the cockpit and leaking ensued at the plastic bolts that hold the fold in place. This all occurs because the inner membrane of the hull material crumbled at the beginning of the fold. I contacted Oru Kayak seeking warranty help but their response was essentially buy two new kayaks at 60% new pricing(results in about the same cost as when I originally bought them 3 years ago) or they would trade my two kayaks for unwarrantied refurbished kayaks. Neither choice was acceptable. Why would I want to invest in new kayaks that could last only a few years?? The durability of this hull material is suspect for sure. A clever design that made transport very convienent but I cannot justify $2000 every 3 years to get 10 uses. One of the YouTube influencers got her kayak replaced after the same issue in less than a year of use. I guess I need to become an influencer to expect any warranty help from Oru Kayak. I do NOT recommend purchasing an Oru Kayak boat. Not durable enough and they don't want to support the customer who has already paid a premium price for a less than premium product.

I bought a kayak 28th of May 2023, there was an issue with it so i sent it back to be changed, everything took such a long time that I now only got a replacement 2 months later. I packed down everything in the box including a watertight bag they gave me for free first time, but when they sent the replacement there was no watertight bag anymore. So i lost a watertight bag, had to wait 2 months and got nothing for it, will never buy from them again to be honest.

The worst investment in my life! It started like a great concept, ended up working the one year warranty 3 times already. Started leaking after 3 uses due to massive weakness on the folds.

I was excited to hop on the kickstarter campaign for Oru’s newest kayak after seeing my nephew’s Oru. The kayaks were promised in August and there have been no updates since June. I did receive two life jackets in the mail but without any correspondence and my messages to Oru have been systemically ignored. I can’t imagine what a nightmare it would be if these kayaks actually ever show up and are faulty.