I saved little by little and finally was able to buy a kayak that will meet my needs (I hope). Although I have kayaked periodically and really enjoy it, I could never overcome the hurdles to purchase a kayak. Where would I keep it? How would I transport it? How would I get it to the water? At 12 feet long and a weight of 40 to 50 pounds, there were physical obstacles that could not be overcome for me in a practical way. I was stuck with renting a kayak anytime I wanted and just launching from the rental location.
Today, FedEx delivered this new Oru kayak which is origami-style, is 12 feet long when assembled, and weighs about 28 lbs. I can carry it with the should strap. I have not assembled it, yet. I am waiting to tackle that in the morning. It says about 5 minutes, but I am anticipating a steep learning curve for the assembly and the disassembly. I'll post a photo when I get it together.
Update: It is assembled. The first time did not take 5 minutes, more like 50 minutes, but required frequent rereading of the directions and reviewing the video. I am hoping for a 10 minute assembly with practice.
What are you getting yourself for Christmas?