Beyond Familiar Episode 3: Urban Kayaking with Oru
If you’re not already familiar with L. Renee Blount (an innovator, climber & adventure photographer), allow us to introduce you:
"I believe in endless curiosity. And trying things every month to stay curious and fresh. It helps my creativity as an ideator. Whether simple or grand, I believe in pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone in order to learn what’s possible and to celebrate curiosity." - L. Renee Blount
Endless forests, lifted SUVs and solitude are familiar hallmarks of spending time outdoors. But what if we went beyond the familiar? We might end up in the heart of Oakland, CA with L. Blount and one of the most innovative brands we’ve ever worked with: Oru Kayak.
Oru is the creator of the foldable kayak. Their kayaks fold up to about the size of the crash pad, and are so durable you could use one every weekend for 50 years and it’d still be going strong. A kayak that folds up into such a small package opens the world of kayaking to people living in small spaces and using small cars or public transportation; in other words, to the 80% of the US population who lives in cities.
In Episode 3 of Beyond Familiar, witness L. in her joy as she pushes her own boundaries - and the boundaries of the traditional outdoors - when she tries an Oru Kayak for the first time.
Join us as we document L. doing rad things that she’s never tried before. Join her in making novelty and innovation a part of your own life. And if you have access to something that not everyone does, join all of us in sharing that access however you can.
This is the third episode in a series. Special thanks to our partners at Oru Kayak for sharing their kayaks and know-how to make this episode a reality; to Outside for their support and promotion; and last but not least, to L. Renee Blount for going Beyond Familiar.