With the original Onak "origami" canoe, you could cycle to the canal or coastline with a trolley in tow, unpack and assemble at the water's edge and then throw in your gear and paddle away with up to two others aboard. The updated Onak 2.0 offers much the same experience, but comes with a few welcome improvements.
Created in response to customer feedback, when folded out and ready to cut through the waves on the way to your next adventure, the Onak rocks 465 x 85 cm (183 x 33.5 in) dimensions and sits a little deeper in the water than an inflatable canoe, with a low profile similar to a traditional model.
The folding canoe is made of a material called Honeycomb-Curv Polyproplylene that was developed by the Belgian company itself, and which is reported to be fully recyclable at the end of its useful life. Onak says that it's both light and stiff, too, and is stronger than the aluminum used in traditional canoe manufacture.
The strap system used to pull the canoe together has been improved over the first model, and though it will take a little longer to assemble – around 15 minutes instead of 10 – the pulley strap system should require less physical effort, no tools required. Once read for deployment, users should notice a bigger flat area at the bottom and that it now comes with two click-in wooden seats. The Onak can support a total cargo and people weight of 250 kg (551 lb).
The 43 x 123 x 28 cm (16.9 x 48.4 x 11 in) transport trolley has been improved as well, now featuring rust-free, no bearings pneumatic wheels manufactured in Europe and crossing straps for more stability during transit.
As with the first generation Onak, version 2.0 has launched a production bid on Kickstarter. Pledges start at €1,495 (about US$1,695), though you'll need to cough up €150 extra to be supplied with two paddles. If all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in April 2019. The video below has more.
Sources: Onak, Kickstarter
