Don’t buy an Oru folding kayak until you read this!
If our organic traffic tells us anything, many of you discovered our resources at Flatwater Kayak Club via folding kayak research. We’ve spent several thousand dollars on Oru kayaks and accessories over the years.
And since the pandemic began, we’ve kayaked for hundreds of hours – and paddled a couple hundred miles too – across the flat waters of Oregon and Washington.
So we know a few things about these lightweight, popular folding kayak models and flatwater kayaking.
If you’ve been a blog reader for awhile, you know that I wrote up a two-year Oru review on the Oru Inlet kayak, ended up buying a second Inlet (in green), and then recently purchased an Oru Lake Sport kayak for the 2024 season. I also bought an Oru PFD life jacket and Oru paddles. And notably, I bought all of these Oru gear items with my own hard-earned money. Oru loaned us an Oru Beach LT kayak to test out last year, but we sent it back when testing was complete, and received no compensation for testing the products.
If you haven’t already read this ultimate round-up list of our Oru kayak product reviews and test articles, and you’re still on the fence about buying an Oru folding kayak, we wanted to consolidate all our resources in one easy place for you to navigate based on your Oru interests.
It’s also important to note that here at Flatwater Kayak Club, in case it’s not obvious by our name, we’ve only tested the Oru folding kayaks designed for calmer, flat water use.
Ultimately, it’s your buying decision to weigh the pros and cons if an Oru kayak is right for you, but hopefully these tips point you in the right direction!
We’ve organized our resources below by the following catogories, if you want to skip ahead to the section that interests you most.
Our Oru kayaking experiences in the Pacific Northwest,
Oru Inlet reviews, test news, and paddling photos,
Oru Lake Sport buying information guide, assembly video, and more,
Oru Beach LT folding kayak unboxing images and impressions, and kayaking experience insights,
Oru portability posts (want to see the lightweight kayaks folded and transported in a Jeep Wrangler, Winnebago camper & SUV trunk?!)
Flatwater Kayak Club’s Oru kayak experiences (original photos + videos)
Lake Coeur d'Alene is a premier destination for flatwater kayaking. Explore our travel tips, destination FAQ’s & more.
Plan your kayaking trip to Lost Lake, Oregon with our comprehensive guide. Find details on rentals, directions, parking, seasonal tips, and local wildlife.
Photo journey of our Oru kayak paddling experience on the Tualatin River in Tigard, Oregon.
In the world of recreational kayaking, the number one safety item every paddler needs is a PFD - life jacket.
Milwaukie Bay Park is a small launch point on the Willamette River. See photos from our testing the foldable Oru Beach LT kayak out on a cooler, cloudier paddling day.
See a photo journey of our picturesque paddling adventure at Trillium Lake, and learn tips for a seamless paddling adventure amidst the tranquil alpine lakes of Mt. Hood National Forest.
If you’ve ever wondered how to get to the beautiful basalt rock formations of the Willamette Narrows, and if you have the right kayak boat and skill level for the journey, you’ve come to the right place.
Discover a great place in the Pacific Northwest to explore by kayak and learn 5 tips for increasing your chances of observing majestic bald eagles during your paddling adventure.
Flatwater kayaking fans, have we got a great spot for you to paddle. Perfect for intermediate recreational kayakers. 10 minutes from downtown Rose City. A fun, 2.5-mile round trip adventure around a volcanic island. The ease of on-site kayak rentals. And the best part? It’s the perfect calm Willamette River paddle to admire the changing Autumn leaves, right from aboard your boat.
Our Oru Inlet kayak review articles
Learn about the new Oru Inlet Sport kayak design, see photos and videos from testing, and read how the features stack up against the Oru Inlet model.
Lake Coeur d'Alene is a premier destination for flatwater kayaking. Explore our travel tips, destination FAQ’s & more.
Plan your kayaking trip to Lost Lake, Oregon with our comprehensive guide. Find details on rentals, directions, parking, seasonal tips, and local wildlife.
Uncover the top seven benefits of folding kayaks for your 2024 adventures: convenience, performance, and more for the avid paddler.
Think you’re ready to join the folding Oru kayak craze? Ask yourself these 5 key questions first about usage, portability, budget, skill level, and durability to make a well-informed buying decision.
See the stunning new green Oru Inlet kayak through captivating photos and insights from a kayaking adventure at Scappoose Bay, near Portland, Oregon.
Oru Kayak offers six folding kayak models, but we view two as great head-to-head options for single person flat water kayakers: the upgraded Lake Sport model and popular Inlet design.
An in-depth, two-year review of the folding Oru Inlet kayak’s pros & cons & important factors to consider before buying this boat.
In the market for a folding kayak, but you want to see it in the trunk of a vehicle? By popular demand, here are some pics of the Oru Inlet kayak folded up and in the back of my Toyota RAV4, a compact SUV.
Our Oru Lake kayak articles
Photo journey of our Oru kayak paddling experience on the Tualatin River in Tigard, Oregon.
How to assemble the brand-new 2024 Oru Lake Sport folding kayak model (and once you get the hang of it, in under a minute’s time!).
Uncover the top seven benefits of folding kayaks for your 2024 adventures: convenience, performance, and more for the avid paddler.
Think you’re ready to join the folding Oru kayak craze? Ask yourself these 5 key questions first about usage, portability, budget, skill level, and durability to make a well-informed buying decision.
Oru Kayak offers six folding kayak models, but we view two as great head-to-head options for single person flat water kayakers: the upgraded Lake Sport model and popular Inlet design.
Oru Beach LT folding kayak review + testing articles
Uncover the top seven benefits of folding kayaks for your 2024 adventures: convenience, performance, and more for the avid paddler.
Our in-depth review of the Oru Beach LT Kayak, tested by Flatwater Kayak Club. Discover how it fares against the Oru Inlet on flat water conditions, and why it might be the kayak you've been searching for.
Milwaukie Bay Park is a small launch point on the Willamette River. See photos from our testing the foldable Oru Beach LT kayak out on a cooler, cloudier paddling day.
Oru portability articles + photos
Photo journey of our Oru kayak paddling experience on the Tualatin River in Tigard, Oregon.
Do you need a big car for big adventures? Check out these real life pics of a folded Oru kayak in the trunk of a 2 door Jeep Wrangler.
Uncover the top seven benefits of folding kayaks for your 2024 adventures: convenience, performance, and more for the avid paddler.
In the market for a folding kayak, but you want to see it in the trunk of a vehicle? By popular demand, here are some pics of the Oru Inlet kayak folded up and in the back of my Toyota RAV4, a compact SUV.
Have Flatwater Kayak Club’s free kayaking resources helped you?
We’d love to hear if there’s an article or paddling experience that’s resonated with you. Feel free to drop us a line or follow Flatwater Kayak Club on Instagram.
About Flatwater Kayak Club
Flatwater Kayak Club is a leading woman-owned online platform dedicated to supporting beginner and intermediate kayakers in the Pacific Northwest. Our company founder, a former writer for The National Geographic Channel and a current ACA member, guides our mission with her passion for kayaking, nature, and storytelling. We’re based in Portland, Oregon, and love meeting members of our active flatwater kayaking community!
Learn about the new Oru Inlet Sport kayak design, see photos and videos from testing, and read how the features stack up against the Oru Inlet model.