May 18, 2017. However, Oru founder and designer Anton Willis figured there must be a better way to make a light, portable, foldable kayak. Operating Status of Organization e.g. Active, Closed. Despite the failure, Willis persevered with his folding. Best Folding Kayak Brands Oru. Review: Oru’s Newest Foldable Kayak Is Their Best Yet, for Amateurs, These Are the Most Innovative Outdoor Products Coming in 2018, These Are the Most Innovative Outdoor Products Coming in 2019, 27 Innovative Products from Europe’s Most Important Outdoor Gear Show, 9 Innovative Products from Germany’s OutDoor Show. He was an ocean kayaker, but he didn’t have any place to keep his kayak in his San Francisco studio apartment. The only problem? Oru kayaks are easy to transport and store, letting you explore like never before. Yugen Adventure was born out of my search to find a kayak that could fit into my “shoebox sized” apartment. I had this idea in my head and took a business card out of my wallet and folded it up, and that’s how the ends still work. They're back with new models, the Coast and Coast+, that are 16' long The Oru Kayak Beach LT also has an adjustable footrest, backrest, and carrying handles for easy maneuverability. This year has been something. But my go-to these days from the Bay Area is Tomales Bay, which is about an hour north of San Francisco. The first workable folding kayak was built by Alfred Heurich in 1905, a German architectural student. That’s why, shortly after reading that article in The New Yorker, Willis started making kayaks out of folded paper. Oru Founder Anton Willis came up with the idea after moving to San Francisco and realising his apartment was too small to fit his kayak. In 2008, a move into a small San Francisco apartment forced his fiberglass kayak into storage. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. A: About 25. The Oru Kayak Beach LT folding kayak measures 12 feet by 28 inches and weighs approximately 25 pounds. Anton Willis, CDO at Oru Kayak, moved to the Bay Area in 2002 and immediately encountered the struggle of getting outside while living in a large metropolitan city. Oru Kayak Inc. is dedicated to sharing the wonder of the great outdoors—especially for city dwellers. All images courtesy Oru Kayak. Q: Do you have a favorite spot to paddle? Our revenues are around $5 million per year. That was a really exciting idea, but figuring out how to go from one to the other took a lot of doing. Q: Did materials influence or guide the design process? Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Manufacturer of origami kayaks intended to change how people connect with the water. We caught Willis in a rare moment of free time and chatted about the challenges he faced and the insights he gained while creating the folding vessel that’s redefined paddling. At the same time, I would take it on the subway and put it in the trunk of my small sedan. Beyond the functionality of its engineering, the Oru Kayak stands apart from the competition for its superb on the water performance, durability, easy assembly, and stylish design. He brought subsequent prototypes to barbecues where friends took turns paddling around (one of these acquaintances asked if the boats were for sale and later became one of Oru’s first backers on Kickstarter). ### What’s your backstory and how did you come up with the idea? People have come up with some other interesting things: They have put them on prop planes and float planes to fly into remote lakes or fjords. Nobody goes into detail like this. It has a padded foam seat and can support up to 300 pounds. I’ve seen it on the backs of motorcycles, there’s a lot of places it can go. Since you’re here, I’d love to take this opportunity to fill you in on what we’re all about. Oru Kayak General Information Description. Oru Kayaks are now spotted regularly around the San Francisco Bay–as well as much farther-flung waters, from Norway to the Andaman Islands. This company has built a reputable kayaking presence and offers the top three most sought-after folding vessels in … ", "Thank you for creating this. Q: What fundamental problem does the Oru Kayak solve? Willis was leafing through the pages of The New Yorker five years later and came across an interesting article. Oru Kayak In 2012, Anton Willis launched a Kickstarter campaign that would change the way he did business and the way people think about kayaking. Designer and founder Anton Willis grew up in rural Mendocino County, with easy access to rivers, lakes, and the ocean. I grew up in the rural backwoods of Northern California. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, This EDC Flashlight Offers Ultimate Protection, One of the Most Anticipated Hiking Boots Is Here, Get 15 Percent Off This Must-Have Pocket Knife, For Your Next Trip, Upgrade Your Bags with Thule, This Fancy Camp Gear Is Nearly Idiot-Proof, Our Most-Shopped Outdoor Gear Guides of 2020, Enter to Win Cannondale's Fastest Road Bike. A: The fundamental problem it solves is that boats are large, and that limits where you can take them. Q: What was the biggest roadblock that came up in the design process? Its design utilizes principles of origami to derive incredible structural strength from simple, lightweight materials. Oru’s Beach LT kayak. A: The material we use now is a close relative of what we started with, but custom made to our specs so it’s heavier duty. Putting the Oru folding kayak together the first time was a bit of a learning curve. “The inspiration behind the Oru Kayak is to enable urban, apartment dwellers to have a kayak that is easily storable and transportable. At times it has been an issue — we’ve gotten bad batches from the manufacturer that suddenly started cracking when we’re building the kayaks in the factory, which is not good for something that can leak. I grew up in the rural backwoods of Northern California. The event is open to the public and attendees will be able to test paddle the Oru Kayak. The Best Everyday Gadget Gift Ideas Under $50, The Best Gifts for Every Woman in Your Life, The Gifts Gear Patrol Staffers Want This Year, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. We make origami kayaks that fold up into a portable box. ### What’s your backstory and how did you come up with the idea? Our revenues are around $5 million per year. For many years this was how most folding kayaks were made too. 2012, with the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign, Oru started selling their now-famous foldable kayaks. ", "I found Starter Story a few months ago, and I fell in love with the case studies. The Bay Oru Kayak folds up into a self-containing 33″ x 12″ x 29″ box, so the fact there was a kayak in there was pretty amazing. Our revenues are around $5 million per year. I grew up in the rural backwoods of Northern California. Dr. Lang folded everything from anatomically correct paper insects to a NASA space telescope lens. The Oru Kayak. Oru Kayak began on Kickstarter. ", How We Started A $400K/Month Origami Folding Kayaks Business. For me, it was originally about being able to store a kayak in my apartment closet. I’m Anton Willis of Oru Kayak. A: There was a moment when I asked myself the question, “Could a kayak fold up like a piece of paper?” The middle part could be figured out but I didn’t know how the ends would work. Oru Kayak is a San Francisco based startup that manufactures high-performance, folding kayaks. We’re certain 2020 will go down as a pivotal year in world history, but it has been one of growth and trial for outdoor industry as well. Before the launch of the Inlet, Oru kayaks were iterations of an original folding pattern that Willis had developed when Oru launched in 2012. Designer and Oru Kayak founder Anton Willis grew up in rural Mendocino County, with easy access to rivers, lakes, and the ocean. ### What’s your backstory and how did you come up with the idea? Paacked away and ready for transport. The piece profiled Dr. Robert J. Lang, a physicist who became obsessed with the art of origami and eventually quit his fiber optics job in order to pursue it full time. In the late summer, it’s bioluminescent, so it can be really spectacular. He had a hard time keeping a kayak … I believe in this great product and the mission of the company which is: "Transform the way people enjoy outdoors". Easier said than done of course. The earlier kayaks were more like accordions, and now there’s this more complex motion where the whole thing kind of snaps together. Founded in 2012, Oru Kayak is a foldable kayak and is Anton Willis’ answer to the struggle of getting outdoors when living in a large, busy and crowded urban area. The founder, Anton Willis, had spent years growing up hiking, and when he moved to the Bay area, he found that kayaking was his way to escape into nature. As a kid, I had two overwhelmi... Full access to case studies, filters, and business ideas database, All access pass: All courses & guides to start your business, "An amazing network of founders that truly want to help each other grow their business. I’m Anton Willis of Oru Kayak. The early prototypes just kind of folded up into this crazy bundle of loose plastic. In the fall of 2012, I wrote about a new product I had designed, and the company I founded to produce it. I’m Michelle, founder of this little slice of the universe. Oru Kayak started when designer and founder Anton Willis had to put his fiberglass kayak into storage. A: My favorite is a river trip on the Eel River in northern California, which is where I grew up. SolidSmack Sessions | Interview with Oru Kayak Founder and Designer Anton Willis. We make origami kayaks that fold up into a portable box. For a while I lived with that, but then I had the idea that it could actually become a box that would be more self contained, would look okay, and that you could put other accessories into. Sketches, models and prototypes led to the successful launch of their first origami style, folding kayak on Kickstarter in 2012. 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