I purchase a folbot used in 1974 for $75.00 at a yard sale and it was the best purchase I ever made. I never took the folbot apart and had no idea how to do it till I started on the one I just bought. The video was helpful. I paddled mine in the ocean along with a friend that had a Klepper and the folbot was a better kayak since I could stand up in mine in the open water and he never could. Mine was very old when I got and never cared for and still was a high quality kayak. The folbot company was a fantanic to deal with since you could order any part you needed and replace just about anything broken. I would be happy to own one just like I had for so many years with all the ribs made of plywood. Hope they get back in business and I would recommend a folbot to anyone who like to get out on the water.
Excellent tutorial, assembling in real time, 21 minutes for an expert - therefore much more for an amateur. I suspect I would pinch my fingers every time. Clear narration and clear camerawork, which is very unusual. So, it gives us a sense that these are better used for a full day (or several days) in between packing down for the trunk of a car. Other videos show Folbots have always handled well on the water and some can mount a substantial sailing rig. For recreational use for a couple of hours, you'll obviously be better off with a high-pressure dropstitch inflatable -- but for full day use in open water, this is going to beat an inflatable. One of the best assembly videos for skin on frame kayaks I have seen.
I bought a Greenland in 1978. I used it until 2008. Two years ago, I bought a new Greenland. I love to travel with it in my car. I have my bikes on the back of the car. I have the best of both worlds. Lots of room for touring with my Kayak and my wife can go with me! It is a well built Kayak. Stable and comfortable.
My 1998 Greenland II is going strong in 2013 with LOTS of use. I have replaced a few rivets, and upgraded to the aluminum coamings a few years ago. The hull is a bit faded but other than that it's perfect. I can assemble in 30 minutes and disassemble in 25, taking my time. This is an unusually well made boat. My only complaint s the paddlers sit too low for long term comfortable paddling, especially in the front. We sit on boat cushions, which mostly solves the problem.
Back in the early 80s, I had one of these Folbots (wood frame with aluminum tubes) and sail rig with outrigger boards. I did white water and open ocean runs with the sails. I had incredible fun with it. Sold it in 85 for what I paid for it. I never did tear it down. When the fellow came to buy it, he asked to see it torn down. That was the only time I had done this procedure. I have two plastic sit-in yaks right now. I miss my Folbot.
It would be funny to see photos or videos of people trying to fit full size poly/composite kayaks into apartments or condos, then show a Folbot backpack in a closet.
Too bad this company appears to have gone out of business after 83 years. Guess the lifetime warranties on the two boats i purchased from them last year are no longer honored. I first bought this model 26 years ago as I preferred the feel of of a "skin over frame" kayak. I wanted a Klepper but were much more expensive. This boats are fun and well built. I hope they can restart sometime in the future.
That's a crazy amount of setup. This guy knows it like the back of his hand, but a newbie might take a couple of hours referring to instructions and assembly. And $2500? What were they thinking?
mdpocoroba I agree I'm looking at a couple of light weight, store small kayaks and seeing this and the amount of material you have to assemble is ridiculous! I know I'll eventually break a part, lose a part...and its more expensive?! I rather get a traditional one! the ORU kayak is looking in every ways better! its cheaper, lighter, assemble faster! if it was around $700 I might consider this over the regular type
Better and more useful than the thousands of adults who spend MORE time and money on legos... I’d rather buy adult legos than be an adult fan of child legos. Then again I would also completely lose patience with this thing after a few uses
Seriously, I would set it up once, The first time I break it down I would probably never use it again and after a year or so I would sell it at a huge loss. This Kayak is for someone who wants to sneak it onto a private pond/lake/creek or avoid paying a boat launch fee. I want to yank my kayak off my vehicle toss it on the bank throw my stuff in it and go! After paddling around I don't want to break down a Kayak with all these parts. Looks cool but too much trouble for most lazy Americans!
Me again, It took a guy who sells them almost a half hour to set it up. The average guy would probably take closer to an hour and then have to get his gear into the boat/yak. The GREAT THING is to put it away it doesn't take a lot of garage space. But again, It would be a while before I took it out again after disassembling it.
I got my klepper on craigslist from an old guy 700, like new I love the laminated wood, tryed a Folbot no match for a Klepper my boat watch?v=KPP9-9DlKaw
I can see why the company went out of business. After assembling one of these, you've used up half the time and half the energy you had for going out on the water. Then you have to disassemble it again. It's fine if you just assemble it once and always carry it on a roof rack, but then why not just buy a regular kayak?
Sorry but American made means Over priced product made with low quality materials. I'll go to a Mom n Pop shop and pay a little more than a Big Box store when I can but AMERICAN MADE means someone is trying to make an easy buck. If it was made correctly there would be no profit for the Good Ole Boy born in the USA
I purchase a folbot used in 1974 for $75.00 at a yard sale and it was the best purchase I ever made. I never took the folbot apart and had no idea how to do it till I started on the one I just bought. The video was helpful. I paddled mine in the ocean along with a friend that had a Klepper and the folbot was a better kayak since I could stand up in mine in the open water and he never could. Mine was very old when I got and never cared for and still was a high quality kayak. The folbot company was a fantanic to deal with since you could order any part you needed and replace just about anything broken. I would be happy to own one just like I had for so many years with all the ribs made of plywood. Hope they get back in business and I would recommend a folbot to anyone who like to get out on the water.
Excellent tutorial, assembling in real time, 21 minutes for an expert - therefore much more for an amateur. I suspect I would pinch my fingers every time. Clear narration and clear camerawork, which is very unusual. So, it gives us a sense that these are better used for a full day (or several days) in between packing down for the trunk of a car. Other videos show Folbots have always handled well on the water and some can mount a substantial sailing rig. For recreational use for a couple of hours, you'll obviously be better off with a high-pressure dropstitch inflatable -- but for full day use in open water, this is going to beat an inflatable. One of the best assembly videos for skin on frame kayaks I have seen.
I bought a Greenland in 1978. I used it until 2008. Two years ago, I bought a new Greenland.
I love to travel with it in my car. I have my bikes on the back of the car. I have the best of both worlds.
Lots of room for touring with my Kayak and my wife can go with me! It is a well built Kayak. Stable and comfortable.
My 1998 Greenland II is going strong in 2013 with LOTS of use. I have replaced a few rivets, and upgraded to the aluminum coamings a few years ago. The hull is a bit faded but other than that it's perfect. I can assemble in 30 minutes and disassemble in 25, taking my time. This is an unusually well made boat. My only complaint s the paddlers sit too low for long term comfortable paddling, especially in the front. We sit on boat cushions, which mostly solves the problem.
Back in the early 80s, I had one of these Folbots (wood frame with aluminum tubes) and sail rig with outrigger boards. I did white water and open ocean runs with the sails. I had incredible fun with it. Sold it in 85 for what I paid for it. I never did tear it down. When the fellow came to buy it, he asked to see it torn down. That was the only time I had done this procedure. I have two plastic sit-in yaks right now. I miss my Folbot.
It would be funny to see photos or videos of people trying to fit full size poly/composite kayaks into apartments or condos, then show a Folbot backpack in a closet.
Very nice boat
Too bad this company appears to have gone out of business after 83 years. Guess the lifetime warranties on the two boats i purchased from them last year are no longer honored. I first bought this model 26 years ago as I preferred the feel of of a "skin over frame" kayak. I wanted a Klepper but were much more expensive. This boats are fun and well built. I hope they can restart sometime in the future.
Klepper makes great boats, but at $3,000 to $9,000 each, I can't afford one. Folbots are about 1/3 the price..
This was helpful, thank you!
i'm sad they went out of business i as a kayak like this would of been ideal for me
Aluminum and carbon fiber. Very high quality and not cheap........
My dad has a Folbot from the 50's. Unfortunately he has hung it in the barn and lord knows what damage its sustaining up there.
That's a crazy amount of setup. This guy knows it like the back of his hand, but a newbie might take a couple of hours referring to instructions and assembly. And $2500? What were they thinking?
mdpocoroba I agree I'm looking at a couple of light weight, store small kayaks and seeing this and the amount of material you have to assemble is ridiculous! I know I'll eventually break a part, lose a part...and its more expensive?! I rather get a traditional one! the ORU kayak is looking in every ways better! its cheaper, lighter, assemble faster! if it was around $700 I might consider this over the regular type
Better and more useful than the thousands of adults who spend MORE time and money on legos... I’d rather buy adult legos than be an adult fan of child legos. Then again I would also completely lose patience with this thing after a few uses
Seriously, I would set it up once, The first time I break it down I would probably never use it again and after a year or so I would sell it at a huge loss.
This Kayak is for someone who wants to sneak it onto a private pond/lake/creek or avoid paying a boat launch fee. I want to yank my kayak off my vehicle toss it on the bank throw my stuff in it and go!
After paddling around I don't want to break down a Kayak with all these parts.
Looks cool but too much trouble for most lazy Americans!
The trolls here are laughable. They've never been on the water in one of these. We love ours and enjoy it year after year.
your laughable
also, my skin is completely tight. I'm not sure why this boat has wrinkles.
Well irregardless who riped of whom some 80 years ago I would rather spend my money to keep some of my country men employed instead of some Germans.
Says a guy whose clothes, car, etc. were almost certainly made in China.
Klepper started 106 years ago and Folbot 80 years ago, so I guess they are a ripoff.
Me again, It took a guy who sells them almost a half hour to set it up. The average guy would probably take closer to an hour and then have to get his gear into the boat/yak. The GREAT THING is to put it away it doesn't take a lot of garage space. But again, It would be a while before I took it out again after disassembling it.
I got my klepper on craigslist from an old guy 700, like new I love the laminated wood, tryed a Folbot no match for a Klepper
my boat
watch?v=KPP9-9DlKaw
All I can see is the nose of your boat! 🤣
lol a Klepper rip off
I can see why the company went out of business. After assembling one of these, you've used up half the time and half the energy you had for going out on the water. Then you have to disassemble it again. It's fine if you just assemble it once and always carry it on a roof rack, but then why not just buy a regular kayak?
lol I like wood
Sorry but American made means Over priced product made with low quality materials. I'll go to a Mom n Pop shop and pay a little more than a Big Box store when I can but AMERICAN MADE means someone is trying to make an easy buck. If it was made correctly there would be no profit for the Good Ole Boy born in the USA