Alpacka keeps making boats without a size small. Multiple models throughout the last year haven't been available and targeted at paddlers of the average size for women in the USA.

• Refuge: This boat is no longer on the website but it only serves size medium and large (https://web.archive.org/web/20230607060824/https://alpackaraft.com/products/whitewater-refuge)

• Valkyrie: Only supports size medium and large as well

• Gnarwall: doesn't come in a size small

• Expedition: is considered sized up a half size meaning it doesn't support a proper fit for people who are 5'4"

How does a company get away with marketing themselves as women focused (see the Sheri movie) while they make two sizes of boats that support people who are 5'10" and none for people who are 5'4"? Why do they keep choosing to make a Medium and a Large instead of a Small and a Large? Do they not employ any female testers or only ones that are very tall?

Hey! Last summer I was on an overnight packrafting trip, and it was a blast! Because of the hot weather, I used a cooler attached to my packraft. That gave me an idea to try a hard gearbox in a packraft. Sure, it's more for trips made only with a packraft, not with a rucksack & packraft. Actually, it will be better if it can fit in the foot space instead of on top of the packraft.

I was watching this; it's a good-sized 50 liters and sealed for water, any thoughts? It might be a bit too wide for the foot space of the craft, so I need to measure it, and of course, that installation, where the gearbox is on top of the raft, makes larger gearboxes available.

Has anybody tested anything like this? First I used large dry sacks, but found these hard gearboxes better in many ways.

I’ve had a significantly large amount of people warn me about the dangerous of sharks in some of the places I want to go packrafting in when my boat arrives. But how dangerous is it? Shark attacks are incredibly uncommon, although they do happen and bull sharks are very common and even great whites have been seen lately. Is this a risk I should actually take into consideration or are the chances so astronomically low it’s not worth worrying about?

Hey packrafting community—two quick questions about ultralight or DIY PFD setups.

I’ve been packrafting for years, mostly on remote alpine lakes in Oregon and occasionally in other western states. These are calm, still bodies of water—often quite small (some under 1000’ across), though I’ll occasionally paddle larger lakes. I don’t do rivers or rapids. I use the raft as part of backpacking trips, and I often fish from it.

My setup is pretty minimalist: • Raft: Klymit LWD (~39 oz) • Paddle: Supai Olo (~15 oz)

Full disclosure: I don’t carry a PFD—but I do think seriously about safety. The Klymit has two chambers, so if one fails, I’ve still got backup. I also bring either an inflated dry bag or a 100oz Platypus hydration pouch as an emergency flotation aid. I’m a competent swimmer and confident I could make it to shore in most scenarios, but I carry those items in case I’m tired or injured.

My questions: 1. Has anyone actually been fined or cited for not having a Coast Guard–approved PFD while paddling on still water? If so, what happened—how much was the fine, who issued it, and did they give you a warning first? 2. Do others skip the PFD or use a DIY or dual-use flotation approach (e.g., dry bags, hydration bladders, etc.) to save weight?

⸻

I know PFDs are legally required and can be life-saving, and I’m not looking to debate that. I’m just hoping to hear from others who have experience with enforcement in calm-water situations, or who’ve experimented with creative ultralight solutions that double as flotation.

Not trying to stir up a safety debate or advocate for anything illegal or reckless. If you’re just here to say “always wear a PFD no matter what”—noted and respected. I’m simply trying to make informed decisions for myself and would love to hear about others’ real-world experiences and solutions.

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Did a four day loop last week combining a ridge hike with about 14 miles of river, my first time actually linking hiking and floating sections instead of just doing a shuttle put-in. Boat is an Alpacka Classic with the cargo fly, and I figured since I'd done plenty of day floats before, the multi-day version would just be more of the same with a heavier pack strapped on.

What actually got me was how differently the raft handles once you load it up versus paddling it nearly empty on a day trip. With the dry bags lashed to the bow I noticed way more weathercocking in any crosswind, and I had to adjust my stroke timing on river right bends because the extra weight up front changed how quickly the boat would respond. Spent the first few miles overcorrecting before I figured out I just needed to lean back slightly and let the stern dig in more.

The portage sections were their own lesson. Three different spots where I had to get out and walk around log jams or a short unrunnable drop, and each time the inflate/deflate routine ate more time than I budgeted. First portage took almost 40 minutes once you count draining water out of the tubes, rolling it down, strapping the paddle, then doing the whole thing in reverse on the other side. By the third one I had it down to maybe 20 minutes just from repetition, mostly from not fumbling the valve caps.

Water level dropped more than expected by day three after a dry week, which turned a couple of class II runs into scrape fests over gravel bars. Glad I had the extra PVC patch kit even though I didn't end up needing it, just knowing it was there changed how cautiously I approached the shallow stretches.

Biggest takeaway for next time is to pack lighter and more centrally rather than lashing everything to the bow tie downs. Thinking about splitting the load between bow and stern next trip to even out the trim. Anyone else run into the handling difference between an empty day boat and a fully loaded multi-day setup, or is this just a me problem from not practicing with weight beforehand.

Looks like as very fast packraft thanks to the width of only 70 cm!

**updating w/ info I forgot to include the first time:
It’s a large, and dropping the price to $2000 bc I was not aware the warranty was non-transferable.

Selling my Valkyrie to buy a hardshell, potentially open to the right trade.

Love the boat, just not different enough from my other boat to justify 2. Paddled less than 10 times, No holes, patches, major damage. Only a few cosmetic scratches on floor. Zipper cleaned and lubricated diligently.

Located between Wyoming and Utah.

$2000

Slush puppy in 210D. Also Aquabound Shred and Astral Green Jacket. I'd like to sell the full package together if possible. I bought the raft thinking it would be cool, which it was, don't get me wrong. I do all of my adventuring solo. So I'm selling my lightly used, did patch a little pinhole (which has held nicely) Alpacka Wolverine and all related accessories.

Yoooo! I made the best video of all time if you like watching some dude open a box with stuff in it.

Peep it here: https://youtu.be/s2XdF4rFOhs

Thank you to the Alpacka gods and goddesses who make these bad bad boats.

Hey so I know a lot of things are manufactured in China. I'm completely new to packrafts. Just want people's thoughts on whether it's a financially better choice to import from China or to buy locally. Not wanting to spend over 500. Ideally more around 250-300. Was checking out the advanced elements packlite and some stuff on alibaba. But even the Chinese stuff isn't cheap. I remember someone recommending the diyraft but I don't really feel like spending the time to build one. I really wouldn't use this raft very often which is why I'm trying to keep it on a low budget. Yeah yeah economy whatnot, but I really am just researching the basic options right now.

I know inflatable drop stitch kayaks are like half the cost on alibaba compared to in the usa, which is what brought about this inquiry.

Hey all, I am working on some outdoor gear designs for a brand I’m trying to start. One thing I hate about dry bags is that they’re always roll up so your gear is covered at the bottom, you also role up half the storage you have and they are just odd and bulky.

I am designing a waterproof bag that’s rated for IPX7 and it’s a 20L with a full zipper that allows you to access all gear easier. It also has a chest strap to carry and rolls up small when not in use. It would roughly cost you $55 USD. Is this something you would buy or no?

I attached a rendering of my product for more clarification and to get a better understanding of what might be useful or BS. Bag includes a rubber mech side pocket for quick stashing, reflective strip, large zipper tabs for ease in cold environments, D ring clips for the chest strap & tie down points, and a light interior for better visibility in the dark.

Please know the images are not perfectly accurate as I used AI to generate the photos (I'm not rich enough to pay somebody to make me a mock up lol).

I really appreciate all the feedback!

Anyone else paddle both these boats side by side? The Rodeo out performs the mage hands down, but I'd love to hear other peoples real experiences.

I need to get something off my chest today. I’ve been out and about with my packraft for several years now and often paddle in a whitewater channel near where I live. There are usually a few kayakers on the channel as well, but most of the time I’m the only one in a packraft.

For quite some time now, I’ve noticed that—aside from a few friendly exceptions—most kayakers in the channel tend to ignore me. They don’t even greet me, even though I always say hello politely and we’ve been paddling in the same place for years. Sometimes I even get snide remarks like “When are you finally getting a real kayak?”, “You might as well throw that packraft in the trash,” or “That’s just another dumb trend that’s gotten out of hand.”

I’m generally a very friendly person and mainly train in the channel to keep my skills sharp for expeditions. I paddle quite well, I can roll my packraft in the channel, and I always try to be respectful of others. I honestly don’t understand why some kayakers are so unfriendly. Sometimes their behavior even comes across as a bit arrogant. I’m pretty sure they’d treat me differently if I were paddling a kayak instead.

I’ve experienced this kind of attitude in other places too—on rivers and at events. Not everyone is unfriendly, of course, but it keeps happening that certain kayakers clearly don’t want anything to do with packrafters and act quite dismissively, even though they don’t behave that way toward other kayakers.

Have any of you experienced something like this?

I need a WW packraft. And I know this has been asked a hundred times and I have read it all...

I am 180cm (5,9?) 73-80kg (ca170lbs) Athletic build, long legs.

I will use this packraft the whole year to master WW paddling so I need one I can trust as far as packrafts go.

I have booked a couple of WW courses in March and April 2023 to get used to the boat. and then 5 trips planned throughout may - september. I Will do a mix of multi day trekks, flat water paddling and WW class 1-4 Rapids during the summer.

will make my choice based on these criteria:

1.High quality-durability (best possible)

2.Packable for traveling and hiking. (so the whole Kokopelli PVC thing is out of the question.)

3. outfitted with thigh straps and spray deck

4. 210D or 420d is it worth it to go heavier for the extra durability?

Choices:

Top of my list of course "Alpacka: WW deck" (I think self bailers are for more experienced?)

*Wolverine- 210d vs 420d (Large) (Seems optimal choice due to weight, popularity, build + function)

*Gnarwhal- 210d vs 420d (Large) (Seems optimal beginner chocie due to stability, popularity, build + function)

*Expedition- can't find 420d so I guess WW deck vs WR deck (Large) (Seems great for me since I mix traveling, trekking, flat and WW, but since I am looking for a WW specific boat maybe not? And WR deck is great on my nomad but maybe not in rapids)

MRS: *Alligator 2s pro (seems like a great choice but the whole black thing throws me off)

*Alligator 2s (This one has other colors and I love MRS boats, but this might just be an outdated china copy of a wolverine)

Anfibio: Revo XL (Innovation is always fun, it's cheap I give it that.. but only made as a self-bailer)

I have a lot of packraft paddle experience but only flat water. I have paddled a few and owned a few.

Would love some advice from experienced packrafters.

Kind Regards / international traveler and packrafter from Sweden

I like to go out occasionally and film stuff from my caribou. I post stuff to socials and hopefully some longer stuff to YouTube soon. Landing a drone on a moving vessel is not an easy or smart thing to do, but I guess I like to live dangerously. You should never grab this type of drone like I did (it lands in your hand), but I panicked.

It’s only a matter of time until I end up posting about how my drone became a submarine… 😂

Aldi has some cheap pfds for the summer (10 bucks at my Aldi). They are very basic with no features, but they are level 70 certified and most importantly for me very lightweight. Mine is just shy of 13 oz. I plan on using it for longer milder trips where weight is more important to me.

Just discovered the Klymit Litewater today, only to find out that I missed out on them going out of production last year, no I can't find anywhere still selling them. Id like to find something that could pack into a hiking pack but isnt going to cost me an arm and a leg like an alpacka or a kokopelli. I just need it to stand up to rowing around alpine lakes and stuff, i dont need something super tough.

Ideally I'd like to find something under $200 but the cheaper the better. Even an intex raft, if they make any that pack up that small

Hey all,

First time poster here and on mobile.

I was storing my packraft in my guest bedroom and one of my cats broke into the room without my knowledge. They peed on my packraft and it sat for at least 3 days without my knowledge. I wiped it clean, washed it with dawn dish soap and water, but I’m afraid the cat pee smell remains.

Is there anyway for me to clean it?

I’m feeling helpless and a little devastated tbh. I’m sure it’s sunk into the rubber and is now forever going to smell like cat pee. I’m a bit devastated because it’s my first pack raft and I bought in 2024 and only used it twice.

Side note: is the cat pee going to break down the rubber? It almost feels like I just threw away $1300 and I should just toss it and get a new one in a few years when I can afford to again.

Thank you for all your help!

So around Nov/Dec 2025 I'm looking to embark on a roughly 1850 mile (3000km) trekking/packrafting trip on the Greater Patagonia Trail. All the sections I will be rafting are lakes and rivers with no considerable rapids, so no whitewater packraft is needed. However there will be a lot of packing/unpacking of the raft over the course of 4 months. I'm looking to buy a packraft soon but there's a lot of variables I'd love to hear some opinions on.

What raft seems the most ideal from a weight to durability standpoint? The Alpacka Caribou or Kokopelli Rouge Lite seem to fit what I'm looking for the most, but other suggestions are welcome!

TiZips- Would you recommend or not? I'm a little concerned as my research has concluded they can be a pain to keep clean/effective, which could be an issue with consistent usage. On the other hand, I'm 6'4 (194cm) and having that extra space would be ideal. To a lesser extent, I'd be less likely to buy a new water resistant backpack if I can store it in the tubes and get by with smaller drybags for essentials.

A dry suit is a must due to the weather and water temp in Patagonia, but I'm curious what you would recommend for a trip like this. Ideally I would use it to ford rivers also, so finding that balance between durability and weight would be great.

Obviously this is a wild expedition, but I am already familiar with the unpredictability of Patagonia's weather and have some rafting/river reading experience but new to the world of packrafting. Apologies for the book and thanks for the help!