The trouble with boating is the effort it takes to get on and off the water, with all the hassle of roof racks, trailers, garages, lifting, pumping and rigging. Oru’s extraordinary folding kayaks strip away all of that. Wildly popular with city-slickers, van-lifers and everyone in-between, they pack down to the size of a small suitcase and with some models you can be on the water in less than five minutes.

Oru founder Anton Willis was inspired to develop a fold-up kayak after he moved into a tiny studio flat in the San Francisco Bay area. Those early experiments with corrugated plastic and duct tape have since evolved into a range of five quick-assembly models, from flat-water fun boats to rugged coastal cruisers.

These sporty, lightweight craft handle beautifully on the water and are much tougher than they look. The production versions are made from a custom double-layered polypropylene that is UV treated for 10 years and designed for 20,000 folds. Essentially like a traditional fibreglass canoe except you can slot it under your bed.