Part of experiencing the outdoors out of a backpack is that it allows us to go to places untouched by vehicle traffic and the people that it brings. Still, much of the backcountry is more popular than it used to be and every year more people take to popular areas and trails. Recently a friend of mine showed me a new way to access the wilderness: Packrafts. After a quick afternoon on a major river, I was hooked. I ordered a packraft of my own and began exploring the local waterways. This article will cover my experiences with an Alpacka Caribou equipped with a self bailer and a cargo fly and my spouse with her Alpacka Scout.
What is a Packraft
Some readers are probably wondering what a packraft is. Packrafts are lightweight inflatable rafts that can be carried in a backpack. Typically, weights are between 3.25 and 15 lbs and weight capacities range from 250 to 1000 lbs. The beauty of a packraft is the ability to combine biking, hiking, and boating while being able to carry everything with you. Most packrafts are single man vessels paddled like a kayak.
Packraft’s run the gamut from two man haulers to fast and light whitewater boats. I will not pretend like I am a whitewater savant, so for the purposes of this article I’ll stick to the hunting and general backpacking rafts I have experience with. I have covered hundreds of kilometers in mine, mostly on Class 1 and Class 2 water with the occasional mild Class 3.
Packraft Advantages
The biggest advantage of the packraft is its portability. Utilizing a packraft instead of a canoe or kayak allows for more ambitious trip plans. Grueling 2-3km portages turn in to leisurely hike. This makes exploring chains of lakes that aren’t well connected by clear rivers much easier. Additionally, the rafts have a brilliant feature that makes keeping your gear dry on the water really easy.
The cargo fly is an Alpacka brand specific feature to my knowledge. The cargo fly allows you to store gear and equipment inside the tubes of the raft while it is in the water. Initially, I had some trepidation about putting my tent and sleeping bag inside of the tubes. However, they are extremely water tight and after many trips I have yet to have a single drop enter the tubes. For added peace of mind many people put their gear in dry bags, although it is not necessary.
Another strength of the packrafts is their load hauling capability. The Caribou is advertised as having a capacity of 400 lbs. That said, I have exceeded the capacity by 50 lbs or so and had no issues. The rafts are very stable, especially when loaded down with gears in the tubes. In fact, handling tends to improve when extra gear is added, at least to a point. Returning from a sheep hunt I had my pack, my rifle, my hunting partners gear and rifle, a sheep, and half a mountain goat in mine without a problem!
Durability
Oftentimes, one of the first questions people ask when they hear about packrafts is durability. Candidly, that was one of my first thoughts as well. It’s natural to be hesitant to venture deep into the wilderness in an inflatable boat. However, the rafts have proven exceptionally durable. Both the Caribou and my spouse’s Alpacka Scout are made of the lighter weight version of material, and despite hundred’s of kilometers there have been no major tears.
The only damage of any kind was a single pinprick leak I experienced when dragging my raft over the rocky beach with well over 100 lbs of gear in it. Even then, I was able to repair it in 5 minutes with the patch kit provided with the raft. Apart from that small prick, the rafts have been completely bomb-proof despite running into logs, rocky river bottoms, and shale walls.
Drawbacks
While packrafts open up a world of adventure opportunities, there are still situations where traditional canoes and kayaks reign supreme. For long, lake based trips the canoe is still much faster and more efficient. The hull design of the packrafts is built for stability and load hauling, not speed.
Another area where packrafts are handicapped is in significant winds. Because the boats are so light, they are prone to being blown around on a windy day. If the wind is at your back it can actually be a huge aid. However, when paddling into a strong headwind expect to battle for every foot.
Conclusion
In summary, packrafts are an excellent tool in the wilderness exploration toolbox. They allow access to otherwise inaccessible backpacking, paddling, and hunting areas. Light weight, durable, and stable, they are remarkable little boats. For purely aquatic trips canoes and kayaks are still faster and more efficient. However, the packraft allows the blending of foot, bike, and aquatic travel much better than a canoe ever could. For those looking to keep exploring wild areas of the world, a packraft might just be what you need for your next adventure.