After years of releasing one origami-inspired foldable kayak after another, Oru has really stepped out of its comfort zone of late and diversified. It reached out to a market of folks who might not be able to paddle as far as they'd like with its first e-drive, and the San Fran company has also put its well-honed industrial-origami skills into an entirely new category of product, launching the full Oru Camp lineup.
The new family of collapsible tables and chairs breaks down into their own individual carry cases, making it easier than ever to transport sturdy, comfortable furniture around the great outdoors.
Unlike kayaking, camping furniture is already a category that offers plenty of lightweight, collapsible portability, perfectly exemplified by the inexpensive quad-folding chairs you'll find at any sporting goods store, big box retailer and maybe even supermarket.
Increase your budget a little, and you have options for collapsible backpacking chairs light and compact enough to comfortably carry on foot.
Oru looks to break into this crowded market of portable camping furniture not only by looking different but also by offering a unique mix of flatter-packing portability, rugged, sturdy utility, and modest weight. Its furniture isn't designed for backpacking, but it's certainly lighter and easier to carry on foot than many other camping tables and chairs, compatible with activities like taking public transit to a tailgate or tramping to a campsite down-trail from the parking lot.
Oru dipped its toes in the camp furniture water last year when it introduced the Camp line via Kickstarter. Its campaign was a runaway success, raising over $200,000, and Oru officially launched the Camp lineup for retail sale in late January. The line comprises the same three pieces as it did during the campaign: the versatile SwitchTable, the PopLounge Adirondack-inspired chair, and the stackable Flipcube storage stool.
Each piece of furniture features much the same specs as it did a year ago, with a few conspicuous exceptions. The 11.5-lb (5.2-kg) SwitchTable has a weight capacity rating of 200 lb (91 kg), half the 400-lb rating Oru advertised last year. That shouldn't prove a huge loss since 200 pounds still doubles the weight capacity of many camping tables and seems particularly solid for one that folds into its own shoulder bag. The table adjusts between 29.5-in (75-cm) dining height and 15.3-in (39-cm) coffee table height. Its US$229 retail price is higher than originally estimated, but it's currently on sale for $149.
The FlipCube, the most compact piece of the set, is even more portable than it first appeared. It weighs in at 4.8 lb (2.2 kg), over a third lighter than its original spec sheet indicated. The versatile unit works as a sort of stackable cargo box in the car, doubling as a footrest, side table, bench seat and/or stool at camp. Its weight capacity checks in at 250 lb (113 kg), and it, too, prices in a little higher than originally estimated at $99. Those who order now, though, can snag it for $59.
The PopLounge looks to spec identically to its 2023 pre-production form, weighing in at 7.3 lb (3.3 kg) and offering a weight capacity of 300 lb (136 kg). It packs down to become its own carry case, with the same 22.5-in (57-cm) length and x 18.5-in (47-cm) width as the SwitchTable, making for neat, tidy stacking. Retail is set at a rather pricy $189, but the chair is going for $109 as of publishing.
Each piece in the Camp collection is made out of the same OruPlast corrugated plastic as Oru's origami kayaks. The material is treated for UV resistance and designed to easily wipe down and keep clean. The pre-folded "living hinges" are good for more than 20,000 folds, according to Oru. The line comes in the original white-and-orange Oru showed last year, as well as a newly added white-and-black scheme.
In addition to offering current discounts on the individual Camp models, Oru is also offering a heavily discounted "Full Camp" package with one SwitchTable, two PopLounge chairs and two FlipCube stools for $413, nearly 50 percent off full retail price.
Source: Oru
