A lightweight kayak designed to bring paddling and fishing to apartment dwellers, travelers, and ultralight adventurers.
By USA Kayak Fishing Magazine Staff
LUBBOCK, Texas – Pontos has introduced a packable kayak designed for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts who want access to the water without needing a garage, roof rack, or heavy trailer.
According to the company, the Pontos kayak reached 100 percent of its Kickstarter goal within 15 minutes of launch, surpassed 350 percent of its initial goal, and received Kickstarter’s “Project We Love” designation.
The kayak weighs approximately 7.3 pounds and packs down to about 20 by 7 by 7 inches. That compact size is intended to make transportation easier for people using public transportation, bicycles, car trunks, small apartments, or backpacking equipment.
A skin-on-frame design
Rather than relying on a traditional rotomolded plastic hull, Pontos uses a skin-on-frame construction. A rigid, snap-together carbon-fiber frame provides the structure, while a tear- and puncture-resistant TPU nylon outer shell forms the kayak’s hull.
The frame and skin are designed to be assembled without tools in approximately five to seven minutes. When the kayak is taken apart, the components can be stored and transported in a much smaller package than a conventional fishing kayak.
Pontos founder and designer Adam Mulsow said the company spent years developing a portable kayak that would not require users to give up durability or performance.
Specifications at a glance
- Weight: 7.3 pounds
- Packed size: 20 by 7 by 7 inches
- Hull material: Tear- and puncture-resistant TPU nylon
- Frame material: Carbon fiber
- Assembly time: Five to seven minutes
- Tools required: None
The company is targeting outdoor enthusiasts, urban residents, vehicular nomads, and active older adults. For kayak anglers, the concept could make it easier to reach smaller ponds, neighborhood waterways, and backcountry launch points where transporting a full-size kayak is difficult.
From pilot run to Kickstarter launch
Pontos says it previously manufactured and shipped a pilot run of 175 kayaks to early customers. Feedback from those field users was incorporated into the current production model before the Kickstarter campaign.
That early testing is an important part of the product’s story. A kayak designed to break down into a frame and skin must balance portability with rigidity, stability, durability, and ease of assembly. Those are the areas anglers will want to evaluate as more units reach the water.
Because this is a product announcement rather than an independent USAKFM test, anglers should review the final capacity, stability, warranty, repair process, and recommended water conditions before purchasing. Those details will be especially important for anyone planning to use the kayak for fishing, longer trips, or remote launches.
Pontos is positioning the kayak as a new option for people who have been limited by storage space, transportation, or the weight of traditional kayaks. If the production model performs as promised, its combination of a lightweight carbon-fiber frame and removable TPU nylon skin could open kayak fishing to more places and more people.
Learn more through the Pontos Kickstarter campaign or visit Pontos Outdoor.
This article is based on information supplied in a Pontos press release dated August 22, 2026. USAKFM has not independently tested the kayak.