You may have already read our article on Bug-Out Kayaks—if you haven't, we'd encourage you to check it out. Kayaks are an excellent bug-out vehicle for anyone who lives near a lake, river, or the even the ocean. They're fast, silent, and can carry hundreds of pounds in gear with you to your destination. Best of all, they're easy to use and totally reliable, with no moving parts or expensive fuel to worry about.

There is, however, one issue with the traditional kayak: its size. Although they're light, kayaks are bulky and unwieldy to carry, and they can't be stowed in a small closet or the trunk of your car. After experiencing this issue firsthand while living in a small San Francisco apartment, architect Anton Willis came up with an idea for a kayak that folded up like paper origami. Soon, he had a working prototype, and in 2012, the Oru Kayak was unveiled to the public.

From a survival standpoint, the Oru Kayak has some huge advantages. It's light (as little as 26 lbs), compact, and fast to set up. In fact, it can be done in 5 minutes or less, which is perfect if you need to bug out in a hurry. Here's a video of how the Oru Kayak is unfolded and assembled:

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Obviously, with all these advantages, there is a small catch in the form of the price. The basic Oru Kayak Bay model starts at $1,275, and some of the more advanced models go for nearly $2,500. To put that into perspective, an ordinary entry-level kayak might only cost you $200-400. Fortunately, the company does accept monthly payments to ease the strain on your wallet.

Regardless, we'd say this compact folding kayak would make a great bug-out vehicle, or even a backup option to stow in your bug-out car or truck. Its compact size and light weight could make a significant improvement to your bug-out plans. To learn more about the Oru Kayak, visit orukayak.com.

Written by Patrick McCarthy