![]() ![]() Depending on the design, average assembly time can vary from less than 10 minutes to nearly 30 minutes. There are a variety of folding kayak designs, ranging from the simplest origami-style folding kayaks to more complex “skin-on-frame” styles that use a polyurethane-coated fabric shell stretched over a take-apart aluminum or wood skeleton. Even better, have the seller walk you through the assembly so you can get an accurate idea of set-up time for a more experienced user. Ask the seller if you can meet somewhere like a park or launch site and set aside some time to fully assemble the kayak. Assemble and inspectįolding kayaks can be complex to put together your first time. You can also ask the seller how and where they used the kayak, which will give you a sense of what it’s most appropriate for and how many nautical miles it’s seen. Then look it up in our comprehensive Paddling Buyer’s Guide, which lists detailed information for just about every folding kayak, both contemporary and classic. If the listing doesn’t provide details including brand and model, ask the seller. Some of these are classic designs that hold their value well, while others may be cheap knock-offs. ![]() Know what kind of fold up kayak you are buyingīeyond the current products on the market, there have been a number of now-discontinued folding kayak brands and models over the years. If you’ve plugged “folding kayak Craigslist” into the search bar and found a potential match, keep these tips in mind to make sure you’re getting the best foldable kayak for your money. Shopping for a used folding kayak can be a great way to score a deal on a premium boat. In this article we’ll discuss all the options available, along with pros and cons to help you find the best folding kayak for your needs. And while inflatable kayaks tend to compromise on speed and performance, foldable kayaks paddle much like a rigid kayak, with good glide and agile handling.įoldable kayak designs continue to evolve, with updated materials, simplified assembly and innovative new concepts like origami-inspired models constructed from a single sheet of durable, lightweight plastic. Folding kayaks tend to cost more than comparable rigid or inflatable kayaks, but their portability means you’ll save on storage and roof racks. Klepper still sells their folding kayaks today, and this one-hundred-year-old trend doesn’t look like it’s fading anytime soon.įolding kayaks are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles to suit a wide range of uses, from casual recreational paddlers out for an hour on calm waters, to avid touring kayakers out for a week-long expedition, and everyone in between. ![]() Some of the first kayaks mass-produced for consumers in the early 1900s were actually folding kayaks made by Johannes Klepper in Europe. The practicality and versatility of foldable kayaks means these portable boats are a rising trend with modern kayakers, but they’re not a new idea. When you reach your launch site, a folding kayak can be assembled and on the water in as little as 10 minutes. A fold up kayak provides paddlers with a packable paddling craft that can be stored in an oversized backpack, thrown in the trunk of a car or carried on a train. Enter the foldable kayak.įolding kayaks make a lot of sense for the majority of space-strapped city dwellers. Add to this the challenge of transporting a heavy, awkward kayak on the roof of your compact car, and forget about using public transportation. It just took a decade for Oru to nail the details such a simple design.More people are living in cities than ever before, and trying to find storage for a full-size touring or recreational kayak can be a real barrier to owning your own boat. "It’s the most purely ‘origami’ thing we’ve ever made,” explained founder and chief design officer Anton Willis. With half the components of Oru's other kayaks, the Lake stays true to the company's original vision. It would be ready for spontaneous adventures and could be carried into the backcountry, up to alpine lakes and rivers that have yet to see a paddler. When the company first set out to make foldable kayaks in 2012, the Lake is what came to mind: a simple, affordable, portable kayak that could fit in the trunk of a sedan. And the best part? The boat weighs just 18 pounds. The lack of bulkheads contributes to another perk: because the polypropylene, a durable plastic, is translucent, kayakers can illuminate their kayak against the night sky and dark water. Transforming from boat to box is Oru's hallmark, but while other Oru models require users to install bulkheads for rigidity, the Lake achieves the same structural integrity by using the new folded floorboard, cutting down on both setup time-you can transform it in as little as 45 seconds-and weight. ![]()
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