I just received my Bay ST today and took it out in open water in the San Juan Islands (Washington state). Not much wind waves but the tide was moving and I'd get occasional waves from boat wakes. It performed very well. I agree with all the plusses Ben listed. But I'm a 60 yr old woman, so I want to emphasize what the weight differential really means. Sure it's easy to carry when folded and has the shoulder strap. I carried it to the beach fully folded. After paddling I carried it, unfolded and still formed into boat shape, from the water up the beach to my truck with ONE HAND!. Needed two hands to lift it into the back of my truck because it's too long to do with one hand. (Going to the beach it was folded in the front passenger seat!) I used to have a standard sea kayak that I never used because it was just to heavy and awkward to load, unload, and then get to and from the water by myself. The Oru is a true game changer for me. I didn't refold it today because I'm going to go back out tomorrow!
That's fantastic to hear Shawn, and I'm so glad the kayak is working well for you! I haven't taken mine out in open water yet, but I have had it in the bay in some choppy water and honestly it was quite fun. I know the feeling about being able to carry it one handed in the unfolded position. Such a fun kayak!
Long time sea-kayaker here. I have the Oru Coast XT, which is their longer flagship performance model. They do track well due to the Greenland style hull with hard chines, but you have to actively put it "on edge" so that that edge acts as a curved keel and steers it left or right a little. The Bay and Coast are narrower than their other models and have a cockpit combing, which is meant to have a spray. This means you can roll in, so it is actually meant for wind and waves - even a little surfing, if you're skilled. I agree with the uncomfortable seat after a few hours. I'd highly suggest an inflatable Thermarest pad. There are cheaper and better performing hardshell kayaks, but as you said, if storage and transport are in issue and you want something close to the performance of a hardshell, then the Oru Bay and Coast are great.
I am an experienced kayaker and tried eskimo rolling the Bay. There is insufficient knee support under the deck to efficiently roll the kayak. I managed it once or twice and the kayak was easy ro roll but my knees kept popping out. I am considering modifying it with knee braces if i can get these from Oru
@@gregjohnson7157 The Coast has thigh braces and I'm pretty sure you can order them from Oru and install them yourself or just shape and glue/bolt in some foam ones.
@@Phrancis5 Thanks - can you post a pic of a close up of the attachment system for the thigh braces somehow? I have shaped braces before from foam so may do so as an alternative - I think that is a good suggestion.
@@Phrancis5 Have you been able to roll the Coast? The Oru spray deck was also bit loose with velcro waist strap holding it all together. I would use my normal kayak spray deck - I think it will fit.
I bought the Bay so that I could fit the kayak into my camper van. It was particularly great taking it on the aircraft on the international flight from Portugal to South Africa. Because of the pack size and weight it was accepted as normal luggage with no extra charge and I transported it on my back in the carry pack supplied, through the terminals.
Great review that helps me as I research buying kayaks for my wife and myself. A nice money saving feature that I didn’t initially think of with the Oru is that you don’t need to buy a dedicated rack for your car...and they are not cheap!
Thanks for sharing. You answered the two questions I wasn't seeing clearly addressed elsewhere: tracking, and water getting into the corrugated hull material. My wife and I have a pair of 13' Folbot Kiawahs purchased just before the company went out of business after 80 years! The Oru was just coming to market at the time. I loved the concept, but they were more expensive, largely unproven, and video clearly showed the tracking of the original was marginal. So I opted for the longer, cheaper, proven Folbots despite knowing the assembly time would be longer. I love paddling my Kiawah, but it does take a good 25 minutes to build. I enjoy the process, but my wife does not. Also, having to dry the boat skin before packing it up permanently can be a pain. But they track and handle very well, and I just love the connection to the water (and history) that you get with a skin-on-frame design. I wouldn't mind having a little longer hull for better speed, and I gather the Coast XT tracks much better, but it's pretty pricy, and it looks like I would still have to dry the hull sometimes. The wife is lobbying for hard shells, but I'm pretty sure that the rigamarole of car-topping and storing them would ultimately cost nearly as much time and energy as building the folders. Decisions, decisions...
Very good points all around. Storage is a really big thing for me, and that's what prevented me from buying a traditional non-folding kayak in the past. With the Oru Kayaks, I can store them in some cupboards in my garage. Although the Oru Kayaks might not track as well as other models, that is actually just fine for fitness, It would be interesting if they had an option to add a fin to them to help with that. I would be very curious to try the Coast and see how that does with the added length. It seems the Bay ST is a really nice sweet spot with them though, and it's a heck of a fun kayak. Thanks for watching and sharing!
Interesting video. I work at the plastics corporation that produces the corrugated plastic sheets that are fabricated into the folding kayak design. Always wondered how they worked. They must be selling them because we produce a lot of plastic for them.
That's really fascinating that you work with the materials, and have a hand in the process. I don't know if you've ever seen the final product in person, but they sure are fun to work with. I look forward to when the bay opens up again so I can get out there on the water again.
I was trying to source the longer corex to make one but in the uk we only seem do do 8ft sheets. does it come in longer sheets or does it have to be made special. knowing what corex sells for i wish someone copied this as the price is a joke for a £30 sheet of corex
Just learned of this kayak today...lol. A friend told me about it and I could not believe it until I saw this review. Thanks for your honest review...definitely going to look into it further.
Very well done and informative video. We've had hard shell performance kayaks for years and now have quality inflatable kayaks to take with us to Florida. The inflatable tracks well for a wider kayak but when you get finished it's a real pain drying out well enough to store away. I like the way the Oru packs down and dries quickly. Thanks for the review, I've subscribed to see what else you are into.
Thanks Mel! I hadn't thought about that aspect of the inflatable kayaks. By comparison the folding design dries quite easily by opening it up and leaning one end on a fence or something similar. I just hose it off when I get home and let it dry before folding it back up again.
You should try out a Greenland paddle! I built myself one, pretty easy and really fun. The advantages are less stress on the shoulders and a more relaxed paddle style. It also favors long strokes with a lot of torso rotation. The Inuits have used them for many thousands of years so it has some good design behind it!
Nice review Ben. I think as a fitness kayak, you're more likely to use it if it's easier to haul, setup, and break down without 2 people. It's out of my price range though. I'll check out the Kickstarter
Yup, that's one of the things I love about it. Yesterday morning my wife and I went kayaking down on the bay, and it was super easy to throw the kayaks into the back of my 4Runner. I even carried them both down to the water, one over each shoulder.
Question: It appears that the straps are key to holding it all together. What are they made of, how durable are they, and are they replaceable if they wear out?
Great review. I appreciate the info on tracking ability. It appeared that there was a bit of hull flexing and squeaking when you were testing it for max speed. The only thing stopping me from buying this now, is my concern of it being difficult to handle in wind. I paddle in Montana and quite often on rivers. It's not unusual to find myself paddling into a headwind, which even going downriver, makes for a workout.
Awesome Ben! I’ve been looking at this kayaks for a long time since my apartment is only 550 sqft. I’ve been loving your footage from the kayaks on Instagram too!
You can. I have taken it out on some windy afternoons just for fun. The Bay ST will cut through the wind driven waves pretty well, and remained stable. It's a very light kayak though, and you'll feel that. You'll also feel the boat flex a bit as you power through the waves. It's not a bad thing, but it just makes you aware of the materials it's made of. When I was pushing through some of the small wind driven waves, I would get a bit of spray, but they make a couple different spray skirts. I haven't found the need for them, but if you were doing that a lot, it would probably be a nice addition. Overall I prefer glassy water, but you can get a nice workout if you take it out when there's some wind.
Welp, their advertising has almost paid off... I was unaware of this new inlet version. Pricing is much closer to an inflatable I have. I do wonder how stable it is as it seem way shorter.
To get out of my kayak, I put a hand on each side of the opening and push myself upwards, then slide my feet back under me and stand. Are the sides able to hold onto to push myself up?
Early on I experimented with putting an inflatable backpacking pillow under the seat cushion, but I've since found that to be unnecessary. It might be different if you were paddling for many hours on end, but I'm usually in the kayak for an hour or so and it's just fine as it is.
Hi Irvin! I haven't tried it in San Diego Bay so I haven't had to face any large wakes, but I have encountered some wakes in Mission Bay when the boats with water skiers turn a sharp corner and send a decent sized wake in every direction. In those situations, you will definitely want to head into the wake. I've had the wake break over the tip of the bow a few times, and you'll feel the kayak flex a small amount as you roll over the waves. I actually found it quite fun. The wakes from the really big ships will likely be a different situation though.
Hi I am actually a surf kayaker using a small platstic fun-boat kayak to which I have attached two Kite-surfing skegs. I bought the Oru Bay as a fold-up portable to fit in my camper van. I have experimented with it in surf conditions in both Portugal and here at home in South Africa. My comments on the performance in surf conditions are as follows - very, very stable going out through the surf. Easily powers through and over the white water and, with the spray skirt attached, does not ship any water. However it is very difficult to surf because the flat sides cause the kayak to broach on the wave unless you can keep it absolutely straight. Unfortunately the Bay does not have the knee braces that come with the Coast and ones knees pop out if trying to use the brace technigue to control the kayak in the waves. However, even sideways on to the wave, provided you lean into the wave, the kayak remains stable. I experimented with eskimo rolling the Bay and got it right once but, without the knee braces, I keep popping out of the cockpit. Hopefully I can get a response from Oru to my request to buy a set of the braces for installing in the Bay. I found that, capsized, it floated well without any flotation bags so was fine for fooling around close to shore and was easy to empty out the water afterwards.
I have taken my Coast out through reasonable size shore break and, provided you take the waves head on, it was stable and easily tracked through the surf. Coming in was a different matter though as the kayak broached easily. Leaning well back with the bow clear of the water helped.
Hi, I'm a guy who lives by the water but never had enough storage space to have a kayak. I was looking at this option and my question is whether it's suitable to have as a first beginner kayak? I've never really paddled before and I've heard that some kayaks are harder to keep the balance in.
Hi Stefen. I used to be a kayak guide out in FL. I've never used a fold up before, but from the research I've done and seeing others use this type of kayak, I am sure you will love it. It has enough width that flipping shouldn't be a problem. I've been looking into them for my mom who is retired and traveling the country in a camper. She has spent so much money on rentals because of storage issues. A good option for a beginner is see if there are any kayak tours in your area. They usually only run about 50 to 70 dollars a person. Not only will you get a really neat understanding of the local ecology, they do a beginners paddle talk at the beginning of the tour and will help you in any way they can to be a proficient kayaker.
@@michaelbuder13 thank you very much for taking time to answer. Your information was really helpful and I got all the replies I was hoping to get. Now I will get one for sure.
Hi Stefan! Michael gave you some excellent advice, and I agree with it completely. With regard to the Bay ST for a beginner, it would be an excellent choice. It was the first kayak both myself and my wife have been in, and we both love it. My wife really likes how it's a bit narrower than the Beach LT, and for this reason it's easier to paddle (less reaching over the edge to paddle). It's great not having to worry about storage either. I keep mine in a cupboard in the garage. With regard to balance, you'll get the hang of it in no time, and it really helps build core strength while paddling.
You are correct about the storage compartments not being waterproof, so you'll definitely need to store the gear in dry bags. The little bit of water that ends up in the boat usually gets tracked in from my wet legs as I get in, or it drips in a few drops at a time from my paddle. Overall, the boat stays very dry, but it would certainly be a good idea to use dry bags. After filming the clip of me assembling the kayak, I threw my A7sII and tripod in a dry bag, stored it behind the seat, then went out for a paddle.
Great video Ben. Just as an additional family oriented content point of view it would have been great to see both you and your wife sailing in the kayaks.
I actually filmed some video with my wife and I kayaking up in Glacier, but I don't think I can legally use it in this video without having a special permit from Glacier. It sure was beautiful up there though!
@@BenHorne That's awesome you were able to film some video with your wife Ben. One of the things I truly love about your channel is your ability to spend time out hiking with your family. When it all boils down, there's nothing more important than family. Keep shooting man and I do look forward to seeing you, your wife and your son/daughter one day hiking and making amazing landscape pictures in the great American Outdoors.
I noticed you mentioned you were 6’2”. I’m just under 6’4”, around 215 lbs. The ORU website shows max height for this kayak at 6”3”. Would I be too tall to fit comfortably in this kayak ? I could get the one with the bigger opening but like you would use this for workouts and just enjoying the water. Thanks for any input. Cheers Graham
I think you’ll be fine since there are many ways to fine tune your position in the Kayak. I have perhaps 5 or 6 inches of space between the footrest and the front bulkhead. As your feet get closer to the front of the boat, the vertical space for your feet gets smaller, but it’s easy enough to angle your feet so they fit and are comfortable. I wear size 12 shoes and my feet fit in there great so long as I’m not wearing shoes. I haven’t found the size of the opening to be an issue. I’m 185lbs.
@@BenHorne oh great ! Hard to get info like this when most people aren’t overly tall. I live in Vancouver BC so looking forward to some awesome kayaking. Might even see an Orca or a seal or two. 👍
@@BenHorne actually I just thought of this. Since I’m in Canada, the exchange rate is going to kill me. Do you have a coupon code I would be allowed to use ? Ive heard you mention them in other videos Any savings would help. Only if it’s ok. Thx
@@hamalot100 There was indeed a coupon code as of a year ago, but that campaign was phased out. I’m not aware of any current codes, but try joining their email list. They so run specials from time to time.
Great review, thank you...what about leaks on the folds? Also can you imagine getting this kayak righted after you have been dumped and trying to get back into it? Will they collapse in on you in that scenario? They look very interesting and folks seem to love them!thanks again
I have played with my Bay in the sea and can confirm that there are no leaks. Capsized and full of water it still floated without buoyancy flotation bags and i was able to empty it easily when standing in the water. It is very rigid and showed no sign of collapse when filed with water
Hey man how tall are you I am like 6'2 200lbs and worried the cockpit of this boat may be a bit small can you comment on maybe the size. I read it was 30x 16 and to me 16 sounds a bit small but I'm not really sure what to expect.
We are very similar in height and weight. I'm also 6'2 and about 190lbs. It's actually a very comfortable fit. It's definitely a bit of a tight squeeze getting in, but it's no big deal at all. Once you're in there, you'll really appreciate the slim size because it makes paddling much easier since the body of the kayak doesn't get in the way. I also have the Beach LT, and the Bay ST is more enjoyable to paddle since it is slimmer.
Hi Wendy! I stuck one of the adhesive GoPro mounts onto one of the black zipper pieces. I can move that piece to the front or back to change the perspective. Quick, simple, and secure.
Great review - I went ahead and grabbed a couple thanks to your insight. But the real question here is.. where did you get that magnificent hat?! I need it! Cheers!
So glad the review was helpful Carlos! I hope you love your kayak, I love mine. I purchased the hat in Glacier National Park back in 2017 and loved it so much that I bought a few more through their website. My current hat is wearing out, and I was ready to buy another one, but I don't see it listed on their website anymore. That's a real bummer since I loved the design. I can only hope that it'll make a reappearance at some point.
I have a Oru Kayak Bay ST. It is a great one. By the way, where did you put your cam? I have GoPro Hero 7. Did you put your video cam. on your Kayak Bay ST?
Hi Mimi! I stuck one of the curved adhesive GoPro mounts on one of the black zipper-line plastic pieces. The adhesive is super strong, and even though it doesn't make complete contact due to the curve of the plastic, it is rock solid. My GoPro Hero 7 attaches to a GoPro gooseneck with a few segments removed, and is sandwiched between the crossed deck lines so it's extra strong. It's easy to put that piece in the front or back to change the camera angle. I use the wrist remote to start and stop the camera.
So I am thinking of getting the bay kayak but is the stability in the water make you feel like you’ll tip over if you try to relax and not balance yourself ?
The first time I took it out, it took me a while to get a feel for it, but after a few minutes, I grew accustomed to it, and now I appreciate how agile it is. I also have the Beach LT which is more stable, but at the expense of speed and maneuverability. When my wife and I go kayaking, she calls dibs on the Bay ST, and when I go solo kayaking, I take the Bay ST.
I see that there are some options that can be glued in place, but I don't think I would want such a permanent solution. It would be cool if there was one that attached with a strap or something else along those lines.
Thanks Steven. Yeah, it's a bit of a bummer that they changed the current system. I think they still might offer coupon codes from time to time if you check their site though.
I stuck a GoPro adhesive mount to one of the black pieces that slide in to hold it together. There are three on the front and three on the back, so I can move that piece to either front or back. I used one of the GoPro flex arms to elevate the camera a few inches, and it's rock solid. I start and stop the video with the remote control on my wrist, and record audio separately via a lav mic and audio recorder in the life vest.
@@pogococo2246 The Inlet looks very similar to the Beach LT in terms of design. The clamp can attach to the flap that folds over the other flap to make the front/rear of the boat. There is a lot of surface area to clamp to.
Ben Horne I appreciate the comments been yeah I know still no response from our kayaks it’s been two or three months now with several emails and several phone calls it’s the worst customer service on the plan today I think they have plenty of business and they just don’t care about their customers take care and God bless
I would rather buy a used German made Klepper Kayak than a new Oru. My family has had Klepper Aerius in our family for more than 3 decades and the materials and workmanship has held up really well. I would not spend $1,200 on an Oru, it doesn’t look like it would last very long.
amen to that. this is a £30 sheet of corex that is used for for sale signs i wouldn't mind if it was £500 but i dont get why they had to be greedy and sell it for £1200 if i could buy 12ft sheets in the uk i would have already built 2
Nice review. Unfortunately it’s yet another one of these “I just got stuff and I never used anything like it before, but here’s my opinion” reviews. For this much money I would rather hear from experienced kayaker on the subject of initial and secondary stability, durability, sea worthiness, etc. As for inflating kayaks weighting more, it’s not exactly true. There are inflatable kayaks in 12 foot category that weight 26lb. And you can also look up folding kayaks that provide 16 foot touting kayaks under 28lb.
Thanks for chiming in Dima, and I definitely understand your viewpoint. It sounds like you are a very experienced kayaker based on your message, so you will certainly have different needs. However, I think much of the market for this kayak is people like myself who have never had a kayak before because of the reasons mentioned in the video. That is one of the reasons why I agreed to do the video - to give the perspective of someone who is absolutely new to this, and likely represents much of their customer base. I am frequently contacted by companies offering products for review, but I turn 99% of those offers down. This was a different situation because I was already familiar with their products and was planning on buying one before they reached out to me.
Hi Dima - see my brief review on performance in surf conditions from an experienced surf kayaker. If I could just get knee braces installed it should be easy to eskimo roll and the coaming is strong enough to accept a decent surf-proof skirt. Very easy to paddle and quite agile. I found that by leaning back heavily with a following wave, I could maintain some directional stability without broaching into the wave face. In Portugal on an unbroken wave face, the kayak angled beautifully down the face - just a problem with the white water once the wave has broken.
I would love to be posting more in-the-field photography trips. I don't do this full time, so I have to balance work with photography - a theme that many people are likely very familiar with. My next dedicated photo trip is in the fall, so you'll see some fresh new photography content soon enough. Until then, I will be doing some more videos on composition, and other stuff along those lines. Thanks for watching!
I just received my Bay ST today and took it out in open water in the San Juan Islands (Washington state). Not much wind waves but the tide was moving and I'd get occasional waves from boat wakes. It performed very well. I agree with all the plusses Ben listed. But I'm a 60 yr old woman, so I want to emphasize what the weight differential really means. Sure it's easy to carry when folded and has the shoulder strap. I carried it to the beach fully folded. After paddling I carried it, unfolded and still formed into boat shape, from the water up the beach to my truck with ONE HAND!. Needed two hands to lift it into the back of my truck because it's too long to do with one hand. (Going to the beach it was folded in the front passenger seat!) I used to have a standard sea kayak that I never used because it was just to heavy and awkward to load, unload, and then get to and from the water by myself. The Oru is a true game changer for me. I didn't refold it today because I'm going to go back out tomorrow!
That's fantastic to hear Shawn, and I'm so glad the kayak is working well for you! I haven't taken mine out in open water yet, but I have had it in the bay in some choppy water and honestly it was quite fun. I know the feeling about being able to carry it one handed in the unfolded position. Such a fun kayak!
Thanks for posting! I’m from Port Angeles and just bought one for use here in the Salish Sea, looking forward to it
Do you still feel the same way a year later?
Long time sea-kayaker here. I have the Oru Coast XT, which is their longer flagship performance model. They do track well due to the Greenland style hull with hard chines, but you have to actively put it "on edge" so that that edge acts as a curved keel and steers it left or right a little. The Bay and Coast are narrower than their other models and have a cockpit combing, which is meant to have a spray. This means you can roll in, so it is actually meant for wind and waves - even a little surfing, if you're skilled. I agree with the uncomfortable seat after a few hours. I'd highly suggest an inflatable Thermarest pad. There are cheaper and better performing hardshell kayaks, but as you said, if storage and transport are in issue and you want something close to the performance of a hardshell, then the Oru Bay and Coast are great.
Thanks for the tip, I have been planning on purchasing the XT for a while now.
I am an experienced kayaker and tried eskimo rolling the Bay. There is insufficient knee support under the deck to efficiently roll the kayak. I managed it once or twice and the kayak was easy ro roll but my knees kept popping out. I am considering modifying it with knee braces if i can get these from Oru
@@gregjohnson7157 The Coast has thigh braces and I'm pretty sure you can order them from Oru and install them yourself or just shape and glue/bolt in some foam ones.
@@Phrancis5 Thanks - can you post a pic of a close up of the attachment system for the thigh braces somehow? I have shaped braces before from foam so may do so as an alternative - I think that is a good suggestion.
@@Phrancis5 Have you been able to roll the Coast? The Oru spray deck was also bit loose with velcro waist strap holding it all together. I would use my normal kayak spray deck - I think it will fit.
I bought the Bay so that I could fit the kayak into my camper van. It was particularly great taking it on the aircraft on the international flight from Portugal to South Africa. Because of the pack size and weight it was accepted as normal luggage with no extra charge and I transported it on my back in the carry pack supplied, through the terminals.
That's so cool that you were able to fly with it!
Great review that helps me as I research buying kayaks for my wife and myself. A nice money saving feature that I didn’t initially think of with the Oru is that you don’t need to buy a dedicated rack for your car...and they are not cheap!
I really appreciate the honesty of your review.
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm still loving the kayak BTW. I was just out on the bay again a couple days ago.
Thanks for the detailed review. You are one of the few who speak about water inside the sheets
Thanks for sharing. You answered the two questions I wasn't seeing clearly addressed elsewhere: tracking, and water getting into the corrugated hull material. My wife and I have a pair of 13' Folbot Kiawahs purchased just before the company went out of business after 80 years! The Oru was just coming to market at the time. I loved the concept, but they were more expensive, largely unproven, and video clearly showed the tracking of the original was marginal. So I opted for the longer, cheaper, proven Folbots despite knowing the assembly time would be longer. I love paddling my Kiawah, but it does take a good 25 minutes to build. I enjoy the process, but my wife does not. Also, having to dry the boat skin before packing it up permanently can be a pain. But they track and handle very well, and I just love the connection to the water (and history) that you get with a skin-on-frame design. I wouldn't mind having a little longer hull for better speed, and I gather the Coast XT tracks much better, but it's pretty pricy, and it looks like I would still have to dry the hull sometimes. The wife is lobbying for hard shells, but I'm pretty sure that the rigamarole of car-topping and storing them would ultimately cost nearly as much time and energy as building the folders. Decisions, decisions...
Very good points all around. Storage is a really big thing for me, and that's what prevented me from buying a traditional non-folding kayak in the past. With the Oru Kayaks, I can store them in some cupboards in my garage. Although the Oru Kayaks might not track as well as other models, that is actually just fine for fitness, It would be interesting if they had an option to add a fin to them to help with that. I would be very curious to try the Coast and see how that does with the added length. It seems the Bay ST is a really nice sweet spot with them though, and it's a heck of a fun kayak. Thanks for watching and sharing!
Interesting video. I work at the plastics corporation that produces the corrugated plastic sheets that are fabricated into the folding kayak design. Always wondered how they worked. They must be selling them because we produce a lot of plastic for them.
That's really fascinating that you work with the materials, and have a hand in the process. I don't know if you've ever seen the final product in person, but they sure are fun to work with. I look forward to when the bay opens up again so I can get out there on the water again.
I was trying to source the longer corex to make one but in the uk we only seem do do 8ft sheets. does it come in longer sheets or does it have to be made special. knowing what corex sells for i wish someone copied this as the price is a joke for a £30 sheet of corex
Just learned of this kayak today...lol. A friend told me about it and I could not believe it until I saw this review. Thanks for your honest review...definitely going to look into it further.
Thanks Sal! It sure is a fun kayak to use, and solves a lot of problems with storage and transport. Totally worth it!
Very well done and informative video. We've had hard shell performance kayaks for years and now have quality inflatable kayaks to take with us to Florida. The inflatable tracks well for a wider kayak but when you get finished it's a real pain drying out well enough to store away. I like the way the Oru packs down and dries quickly. Thanks for the review, I've subscribed to see what else you are into.
Thanks Mel! I hadn't thought about that aspect of the inflatable kayaks. By comparison the folding design dries quite easily by opening it up and leaning one end on a fence or something similar. I just hose it off when I get home and let it dry before folding it back up again.
This is such a cool product! Definitely going to pick one up at some point.
You could even fit it in your plane. 😉
You should try out a Greenland paddle! I built myself one, pretty easy and really fun. The advantages are less stress on the shoulders and a more relaxed paddle style. It also favors long strokes with a lot of torso rotation. The Inuits have used them for many thousands of years so it has some good design behind it!
I looked into it and it looks very interesting!! Thanks for the heads up!
Nice review Ben. I think as a fitness kayak, you're more likely to use it if it's easier to haul, setup, and break down without 2 people. It's out of my price range though. I'll check out the Kickstarter
Yup, that's one of the things I love about it. Yesterday morning my wife and I went kayaking down on the bay, and it was super easy to throw the kayaks into the back of my 4Runner. I even carried them both down to the water, one over each shoulder.
Question: It appears that the straps are key to holding it all together. What are they made of, how durable are they, and are they replaceable if they wear out?
Great review. I appreciate the info on tracking ability. It appeared that there was a bit of hull flexing and squeaking when you were testing it for max speed. The only thing stopping me from buying this now, is my concern of it being difficult to handle in wind. I paddle in Montana and quite often on rivers. It's not unusual to find myself paddling into a headwind, which even going downriver, makes for a workout.
Awesome Ben! I’ve been looking at this kayaks for a long time since my apartment is only 550 sqft. I’ve been loving your footage from the kayaks on Instagram too!
Thanks David! They really are fun boats to get out on the water with. I have been using mine several days a week.
Can you take it out on rough Waters on a windy day? Here Waters can be wavy often die to wind on the lake
You can. I have taken it out on some windy afternoons just for fun. The Bay ST will cut through the wind driven waves pretty well, and remained stable. It's a very light kayak though, and you'll feel that. You'll also feel the boat flex a bit as you power through the waves. It's not a bad thing, but it just makes you aware of the materials it's made of. When I was pushing through some of the small wind driven waves, I would get a bit of spray, but they make a couple different spray skirts. I haven't found the need for them, but if you were doing that a lot, it would probably be a nice addition. Overall I prefer glassy water, but you can get a nice workout if you take it out when there's some wind.
Is it possible to catch a good nap on this model if you get tuckered out?
Welp, their advertising has almost paid off... I was unaware of this new inlet version. Pricing is much closer to an inflatable I have. I do wonder how stable it is as it seem way shorter.
That is something I am very curious about as well. Perhaps one of these days I will get a chance to try one out.
Very helpful. I’m in San Diego and Maui and this works well. Ship your kayak home.
Yup! That would work fantastic! Totally jealous about living in both San Diego and Maui though. At least I've got half of that down so far. :-)
Top review buddy! Cheers from london
Glad you enjoyed it!
To get out of my kayak, I put a hand on each side of the opening and push myself upwards, then slide my feet back under me and stand. Are the sides able to hold onto to push myself up?
I've done this as well, and you should be just fine doing this. You might feel a bit of give, but it should be strong enough.
Where did you get the blow-up modifications for the seat and back rest?
Early on I experimented with putting an inflatable backpacking pillow under the seat cushion, but I've since found that to be unnecessary. It might be different if you were paddling for many hours on end, but I'm usually in the kayak for an hour or so and it's just fine as it is.
Thanks for the honest review.
Glad you enjoyed it John! They are really fun kayaks. I love mine.
Awesome review brother I'm thinking of getting one now
You'll love it. I was out on the bay twice this week. Great workout.
Ben have you tried this in the San Diego Bay? Wondering how it will do against the wake of other boats
Hi Irvin! I haven't tried it in San Diego Bay so I haven't had to face any large wakes, but I have encountered some wakes in Mission Bay when the boats with water skiers turn a sharp corner and send a decent sized wake in every direction. In those situations, you will definitely want to head into the wake. I've had the wake break over the tip of the bow a few times, and you'll feel the kayak flex a small amount as you roll over the waves. I actually found it quite fun. The wakes from the really big ships will likely be a different situation though.
@@BenHorne Wow this is some great information, thank you so much! Sounds like I need a different kayak
Hi I am actually a surf kayaker using a small platstic fun-boat kayak to which I have attached two Kite-surfing skegs. I bought the Oru Bay as a fold-up portable to fit in my camper van. I have experimented with it in surf conditions in both Portugal and here at home in South Africa. My comments on the performance in surf conditions are as follows - very, very stable going out through the surf. Easily powers through and over the white water and, with the spray skirt attached, does not ship any water. However it is very difficult to surf because the flat sides cause the kayak to broach on the wave unless you can keep it absolutely straight. Unfortunately the Bay does not have the knee braces that come with the Coast and ones knees pop out if trying to use the brace technigue to control the kayak in the waves. However, even sideways on to the wave, provided you lean into the wave, the kayak remains stable. I experimented with eskimo rolling the Bay and got it right once but, without the knee braces, I keep popping out of the cockpit. Hopefully I can get a response from Oru to my request to buy a set of the braces for installing in the Bay. I found that, capsized, it floated well without any flotation bags so was fine for fooling around close to shore and was easy to empty out the water afterwards.
I have taken my Coast out through reasonable size shore break and, provided you take the waves head on, it was stable and easily tracked through the surf. Coming in was a different matter though as the kayak broached easily. Leaning well back with the bow clear of the water helped.
thank you ben , great video .
So glad you enjoyed it William! Thanks for watching!
Hi, I'm a guy who lives by the water but never had enough storage space to have a kayak. I was looking at this option and my question is whether it's suitable to have as a first beginner kayak? I've never really paddled before and I've heard that some kayaks are harder to keep the balance in.
Hi Stefen. I used to be a kayak guide out in FL. I've never used a fold up before, but from the research I've done and seeing others use this type of kayak, I am sure you will love it. It has enough width that flipping shouldn't be a problem. I've been looking into them for my mom who is retired and traveling the country in a camper. She has spent so much money on rentals because of storage issues. A good option for a beginner is see if there are any kayak tours in your area. They usually only run about 50 to 70 dollars a person. Not only will you get a really neat understanding of the local ecology, they do a beginners paddle talk at the beginning of the tour and will help you in any way they can to be a proficient kayaker.
@@michaelbuder13 thank you very much for taking time to answer. Your information was really helpful and I got all the replies I was hoping to get. Now I will get one for sure.
Hi Stefan! Michael gave you some excellent advice, and I agree with it completely. With regard to the Bay ST for a beginner, it would be an excellent choice. It was the first kayak both myself and my wife have been in, and we both love it. My wife really likes how it's a bit narrower than the Beach LT, and for this reason it's easier to paddle (less reaching over the edge to paddle). It's great not having to worry about storage either. I keep mine in a cupboard in the garage. With regard to balance, you'll get the hang of it in no time, and it really helps build core strength while paddling.
Does not look like the storage compartments are waterproof, so dry bags for any photo-gear you might want to stuff in there.
You are correct about the storage compartments not being waterproof, so you'll definitely need to store the gear in dry bags. The little bit of water that ends up in the boat usually gets tracked in from my wet legs as I get in, or it drips in a few drops at a time from my paddle. Overall, the boat stays very dry, but it would certainly be a good idea to use dry bags. After filming the clip of me assembling the kayak, I threw my A7sII and tripod in a dry bag, stored it behind the seat, then went out for a paddle.
Great video Ben. Just as an additional family oriented content point of view it would have been great to see both you and your wife sailing in the kayaks.
I actually filmed some video with my wife and I kayaking up in Glacier, but I don't think I can legally use it in this video without having a special permit from Glacier. It sure was beautiful up there though!
@@BenHorne That's awesome you were able to film some video with your wife Ben. One of the things I truly love about your channel is your ability to spend time out hiking with your family. When it all boils down, there's nothing more important than family. Keep shooting man and I do look forward to seeing you, your wife and your son/daughter one day hiking and making amazing landscape pictures in the great American Outdoors.
I noticed you mentioned you were 6’2”. I’m just under 6’4”, around 215 lbs. The ORU website shows max height for this kayak at 6”3”. Would I be too tall to fit comfortably in this kayak ? I could get the one with the bigger opening but like you would use this for workouts and just enjoying the water. Thanks for any input.
Cheers
Graham
I think you’ll be fine since there are many ways to fine tune your position in the Kayak. I have perhaps 5 or 6 inches of space between the footrest and the front bulkhead. As your feet get closer to the front of the boat, the vertical space for your feet gets smaller, but it’s easy enough to angle your feet so they fit and are comfortable. I wear size 12 shoes and my feet fit in there great so long as I’m not wearing shoes. I haven’t found the size of the opening to be an issue. I’m 185lbs.
@@BenHorne oh great ! Hard to get info like this when most people aren’t overly tall. I live in Vancouver BC so looking forward to some awesome kayaking. Might even see an Orca or a seal or two. 👍
@@BenHorne actually I just thought of this. Since I’m in Canada, the exchange rate is going to kill me. Do you have a coupon code I would be allowed to use ? Ive heard you mention them in other videos Any savings would help. Only if it’s ok.
Thx
@@hamalot100 There was indeed a coupon code as of a year ago, but that campaign was phased out. I’m not aware of any current codes, but try joining their email list. They so run specials from time to time.
Great review, thank you...what about leaks on the folds?
Also can you imagine getting this kayak righted after you have been dumped and trying to get back into it? Will they collapse in on you in that scenario?
They look very interesting and folks seem to love them!thanks again
I have played with my Bay in the sea and can confirm that there are no leaks. Capsized and full of water it still floated without buoyancy flotation bags and i was able to empty it easily when standing in the water. It is very rigid and showed no sign of collapse when filed with water
Hey man how tall are you I am like 6'2 200lbs and worried the cockpit of this boat may be a bit small can you comment on maybe the size. I read it was 30x 16 and to me 16 sounds a bit small but I'm not really sure what to expect.
We are very similar in height and weight. I'm also 6'2 and about 190lbs. It's actually a very comfortable fit. It's definitely a bit of a tight squeeze getting in, but it's no big deal at all. Once you're in there, you'll really appreciate the slim size because it makes paddling much easier since the body of the kayak doesn't get in the way. I also have the Beach LT, and the Bay ST is more enjoyable to paddle since it is slimmer.
@@BenHorne thanks so much I think I'm gonna pick it up
@@BenHorne have you ever done any fishing while in the bay St ?
They said on the “Inlet” is was 6’2” so I’m guessing more on their one.
How did you attach the go pro to the kayak for your video?
Hi Wendy! I stuck one of the adhesive GoPro mounts onto one of the black zipper pieces. I can move that piece to the front or back to change the perspective. Quick, simple, and secure.
Great review - I went ahead and grabbed a couple thanks to your insight. But the real question here is.. where did you get that magnificent hat?! I need it!
Cheers!
So glad the review was helpful Carlos! I hope you love your kayak, I love mine. I purchased the hat in Glacier National Park back in 2017 and loved it so much that I bought a few more through their website. My current hat is wearing out, and I was ready to buy another one, but I don't see it listed on their website anymore. That's a real bummer since I loved the design. I can only hope that it'll make a reappearance at some point.
Great video Ben
Thanks as always Edgar!
I have a Oru Kayak Bay ST. It is a great one. By the way, where did you put your cam? I have GoPro Hero 7. Did you put your video cam. on your Kayak Bay ST?
Hi Mimi! I stuck one of the curved adhesive GoPro mounts on one of the black zipper-line plastic pieces. The adhesive is super strong, and even though it doesn't make complete contact due to the curve of the plastic, it is rock solid. My GoPro Hero 7 attaches to a GoPro gooseneck with a few segments removed, and is sandwiched between the crossed deck lines so it's extra strong. It's easy to put that piece in the front or back to change the camera angle. I use the wrist remote to start and stop the camera.
Never know when you may have to outrun a gator or shark.
So I am thinking of getting the bay kayak but is the stability in the water make you feel like you’ll tip over if you try to relax and not balance yourself ?
The first time I took it out, it took me a while to get a feel for it, but after a few minutes, I grew accustomed to it, and now I appreciate how agile it is. I also have the Beach LT which is more stable, but at the expense of speed and maneuverability. When my wife and I go kayaking, she calls dibs on the Bay ST, and when I go solo kayaking, I take the Bay ST.
good review, thanks!
Thanks Haley! Glad you enjoyed it!
Is it a to install a fin slider on the bottom?
I see that there are some options that can be glued in place, but I don't think I would want such a permanent solution. It would be cool if there was one that attached with a strap or something else along those lines.
@@BenHorne
😁👍
A major cost saving is fuel if you can manage without anything carried on the roof.
Great review. Bummer that the discount code is no longer valid.
Thanks Steven. Yeah, it's a bit of a bummer that they changed the current system. I think they still might offer coupon codes from time to time if you check their site though.
How do you attach the camera?
I stuck a GoPro adhesive mount to one of the black pieces that slide in to hold it together. There are three on the front and three on the back, so I can move that piece to either front or back. I used one of the GoPro flex arms to elevate the camera a few inches, and it's rock solid. I start and stop the video with the remote control on my wrist, and record audio separately via a lav mic and audio recorder in the life vest.
@@BenHorne I have an inlet so there is no zipper piece to stuck to..... :(
@@pogococo2246 The other option is to use the GoPro Jaws and flex neck accessory. I use that for my Beach LT.
@@BenHorne where do you attach it in the inlet?
@@pogococo2246 The Inlet looks very similar to the Beach LT in terms of design. The clamp can attach to the flap that folds over the other flap to make the front/rear of the boat. There is a lot of surface area to clamp to.
Dude that's ballsy putting your GPS right there 8:28
Thankfully the shock cord webbing is quite strong. 😉👍
Does it come with a paddle?
It doesn't come with a paddle, but Oru Kayak does make a 4 piece paddle that, when broken down, is small enough to fit within the folded kayak.
Horrible customer service...called n emailed twice over 3 weeks ago...no response
I wonder if they were impact at the time by the ongoing pandemic? In any case, I hope you have since been able to get a hold of them.
Ben Horne I appreciate the comments been yeah I know still no response from our kayaks it’s been two or three months now with several emails and several phone calls it’s the worst customer service on the plan today I think they have plenty of business and they just don’t care about their customers take care and God bless
I would rather buy a used German made Klepper Kayak than a new Oru. My family has had Klepper Aerius in our family for more than 3 decades and the materials and workmanship has held up really well. I would not spend $1,200 on an Oru, it doesn’t look like it would last very long.
amen to that. this is a £30 sheet of corex that is used for for sale signs i wouldn't mind if it was £500 but i dont get why they had to be greedy and sell it for £1200 if i could buy 12ft sheets in the uk i would have already built 2
Nice review. Unfortunately it’s yet another one of these “I just got stuff and I never used anything like it before, but here’s my opinion” reviews. For this much money I would rather hear from experienced kayaker on the subject of initial and secondary stability, durability, sea worthiness, etc.
As for inflating kayaks weighting more, it’s not exactly true. There are inflatable kayaks in 12 foot category that weight 26lb. And you can also look up folding kayaks that provide 16 foot touting kayaks under 28lb.
Thanks for chiming in Dima, and I definitely understand your viewpoint. It sounds like you are a very experienced kayaker based on your message, so you will certainly have different needs. However, I think much of the market for this kayak is people like myself who have never had a kayak before because of the reasons mentioned in the video. That is one of the reasons why I agreed to do the video - to give the perspective of someone who is absolutely new to this, and likely represents much of their customer base. I am frequently contacted by companies offering products for review, but I turn 99% of those offers down. This was a different situation because I was already familiar with their products and was planning on buying one before they reached out to me.
Hi Dima - see my brief review on performance in surf conditions from an experienced surf kayaker. If I could just get knee braces installed it should be easy to eskimo roll and the coaming is strong enough to accept a decent surf-proof skirt. Very easy to paddle and quite agile. I found that by leaning back heavily with a following wave, I could maintain some directional stability without broaching into the wave face. In Portugal on an unbroken wave face, the kayak angled beautifully down the face - just a problem with the white water once the wave has broken.
can you wear a skirt with this kayak?
Yes, they do have one available for the Bay ST. I haven't tried it though.
Too much money
They aren't inexpensive, but it's a product that opens up all sorts of opportunities a traditional kayak won't.
Your paddling technique is horrible 🤣
Your comment is helpful. 🤣
You want an advice? in next videos less talking and more photography stuff outdoors
I would love to be posting more in-the-field photography trips. I don't do this full time, so I have to balance work with photography - a theme that many people are likely very familiar with. My next dedicated photo trip is in the fall, so you'll see some fresh new photography content soon enough. Until then, I will be doing some more videos on composition, and other stuff along those lines. Thanks for watching!
@@BenHorne you are a good communicator too so don't worry about the naysayers. You provided awesome footage and info
He wasn’t doing a “travel show”, he was doing a review for the kayak!