FOLBOT
COOPER F
olbot, established in 1933, is the original U.S.-based folding kayak company, known for reasonable factory-direct prices and exceptional customer service. Descended from an 80-year lineage of beamy touring kayaks with huge open cockpits, the 16’6” Cooper is compact by comparison, but it’s still best suited to larger paddlers and longer journeys. The boat packs into a single sturdy backpack with padded hip belt and an internal frame—actu- ally the Velcro-wrapped cockpit coaming— for easier carrying.
ASSEMBLY TIME 30 minutes LENGTH WIDTH
16’6” 24”
MATERIAL
WEIGHT PRICE
WEBSITE POR T ABILITY
Elvaloy hull/ polyurethane deck/ aluminum frame
39 pounds $1,800
www.folbot.com PERF ORMANCE
The Cooper’s aluminum frame assembles outside the hull with a system of snap- together cross ribs and color-coded pole bundles. The fully assembled frame then slides into the durable polyurethane-Elvaloy skin through the zippered deck. A clever plastic hand screw at the stern keel tensions the frame inside the skin, and air tubes along each gunwale stretch the deck tight and add stability. Following the 34-page Lego-like graphical instructions, our first-time assem- bly took nearly an hour. With practice, 30 minutes is realistic.
A long waterline and near-zero rocker make the Cooper ideal for cruising open
origami-inspired folding kayak Willis had de- signed as a hobby—they pre-sold more than 500 boats, raising over $440,000. The pair promptly built a factory near San Francisco Bay and started cranking out kayaks. Each kayak is engineered from a single sheet of light yet strong corrugated plastic— which Oru claims is rated to 20,000 fold cycles—that is scored to allow it to fold into a 30-inch-square, briefcase-shaped package. It’s not a boat in a box; the boat is the box— the lid of the case becomes the reinforced floor of the kayak. A single rubberized seam along the deck is joined by a series of clips; neoprene bow and stern sleeves complete the watertight seal.
POR T ABILITY
KAYAK I
ORU 54 | ADVENTURE KAYAK
n late 2012, when California architect and designer Anton Willis and partner Ardy Sobhani launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowd-fund production of the Oru—an
PERF ORMANCE
The Oru kayak’s simplicity belies the elbow grease needed to manipulate plastic signboard into a sturdy, rigid 12-foot kayak. Unfolding and refolding the kayak is much easier with two people and, with practice, takes less than 10 minutes. I struggled and swore for twice that before grabbing a helper. With its semi-translucent white hull, acute angles and hard chines, the Oru evokes its traditional skin-on-frame roots. Edging is stable and responsive for carved turns. A full bow aids capable rough water handling and even surfing. It tracks well and feels agile in the water, accelerating quickly and cruis- ing at a speed comparable to similarly sized hard-shells.
The foam seat and adjustable-height backrest are comfortable enough, and the floating foot bar offers adequate support for efficient leg drive. The cockpit opening
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