Finally on the hunt to purchase my own kayak. Normally I'd just rent one from a place, and/or do it when I visit my family in Florida.

I live in northern IL so I haven't felt a justification to purchase a cumbersome item like a rigid kayak, only to be able to comfortably use it 3 months out of the year hah

I love to travel, I've kayaked mangroves and whatnot but no open ocean or white water river stuff. The portability of the Oru brand is verrryyy appealing since I love to hike.

My main concern is durability. I've watched some review videos that point out the weaker spots to watch out for, but I'm just paranoid my dumb self will hit a rock or something. Sure, there's a video of a guy hitting one with a hammer but it isn't the same as a jagged rock in the water.

My price range, I'd like to keep under $1,000 USD including paddle and whatnot, willing to go a little above 1k for the bells and whistles.

Any and all thoughts and opinions much appreciated!