Looking for Packraft

[scotsmac]

Hello, and welcome, Im new to this site.
Im interested in a 1 man packraft. I will be using it for floating rivers and fishing. I would use the raft to access the water and drift down stream to my next spot. I would be travelling light, with my fishing rod ( 13ft Fly rod ) and wearing my waders and boats. I would not fish from the raft, its only to get me to the magic spots and cross the river in places.
I would be drifting any classic Steelhead or Salmon river, ( Bulkley, Morice, Kispiox, Skeena system ). I will not be doing any mad white water stuff.
Now I have very little experiance,,and Im no spring chicken, Im in my late 50tys, but relatively fit.
Iv been looking the Alpaca rafts, and they look perfect and very light.
Its important its light as I will be travelling on planes a lot, also in some places I have a lot of walking before I access the rivers.
Can you recomend any raft that may suit my needs ? The Alpacka look good. Im looking for something easy to maneuver, and user friendly for a novice.
I live in UK, and we have Alpacka rafts available over here. however I travel to BC most years, so nto just tied to buying over here.
Any recomendations welcome. Most important is strong, lightweight, and easy to maneuver.
Thanks

 

[Mt Al]

Have several friends with Alpaca rafts with nothing but great things to say - other than BUY BIGGER if you've got a pack and some other packaged/duffeled items. For shorter hikes, the extra weight and size isn't a big deal.

They also suggest a four piece paddle vs. two, definitely with a tether if (when) you drop the paddle.

Hard core, want to haul some meat and trade some weight for stability? Hear great things about these: pristineventures.com/products/pr-49-standard-package/. 15 pounds vs., say, 8 or 9. If it were me, not looking for light weight, I'd go this route (for what I do) and I'd get the air floor.

I went a different route: www.diypackraft.com . I built the V2 (no longer available) and bought the 2 person Voyageur kit that I haven't started yet (also no longer available). The new models look much improved. Building your own packraft takes time, more than is suggested on the website, and pretty much everyone has to pin down small leaks and fix them with seamgrip. This is only something to do if you like building things and are not in a rush. Great winter project! Most use backpacking pillows and air mattresses for the floor and seat. Commercial rafts are built on industrial machines, diypackrafters use craft irons and swear words to melt everything together. I love mine and use it all the time. Fun to customize, one person even built in a rod holder in the tube (!), others use them for bike/rafting or white water. I mainly bring mine to river access sites and fish upstream (in Montana you can walk below the high water mark), then float back down to my car. I'm not an experienced white water rafter, I use mine on class II max.

Good luck!

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Alpaca and Kokopelli come to mind. I see you mentioned you would be wearing waders and boots while floating but I would highly discourage that for safety reasons, even on calmer waters.

This is the trouble I was running into when I had the same thoughts of travelling abroad with a packraft. To do it safely you'll also need a good whitewater PFD which are bulky and not really lightweight, and a paddle. When added up I couldn't get my pack in a weight range that I was willing to travel with, even going ultra light with all of my other gear. There's gotta be some hardcore packrafters here that can chime in and enlighten us as to their setup for travel though.

 

[Phaseolus]

Google Mike Curiak, he has done some exceptional trips using an Alpacka packraft.

 

[scotsmac]

Alpaca and Kokopelli come to mind. I see you mentioned you would be wearing waders and boots while floating but I would highly discourage that for safety reasons, even on calmer waters.

This is the trouble I was running into when I had the same thoughts of travelling abroad with a packraft. To do it safely you'll also need a good whitewater PFD which are bulky and not really lightweight, and a paddle. When added up I couldn't get my pack in a weight range that I was willing to travel with, even going ultra light with all of my other gear. There's gotta be some hardcore packrafters here that can chime in and enlighten us as to their setup for travel though.

You mention not safe wearing boots and waders ? I understand the boots, especially with studs. I can easily take boots off between drifts. However, with breathable waders and gore tex jacket tucked into the waders, and strong belt. On top I would have an inflatible wading jacket. would this not be safe. Basically I would be floating down the seams, and avoiding anything to fast. For luggage, max I would have my rod, and one small shoulder wet bag , and paddles.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Honestly you will probably be just fine as long as you have a good high flotation PFD on with it.

Personally, I wouldn't want to swim with waders. Best case scenario is the fishing might be delayed for awhile afterwards while everything dries out. Nothing but a dry suit would completely keep out water in the event of a swim. In something as small as a pack-raft where you will be much more affected by even moderate eddy-line currents or small pour-overs with weak hydraulics vs. say - a drift boat or larger raft, I would just be cautious that's all.

 

[scotsmac]

Honestly you will probably be just fine as long as you have a good high flotation PFD on with it.

Personally, I wouldn't want to swim with waders. Best case scenario is the fishing might be delayed for awhile afterwards while everything dries out. Nothing but a dry suit would completely keep out water in the event of a swim. In something as small as a pack-raft where you will be much more affected by even moderate eddy-line currents or small pour-overs with weak hydraulics vs. say - a drift boat or larger raft, I would just be cautious that's all.

Thanks for that, I here what you say.
On that advice I think i will hire one for a day, just to get feel of what im in for, and would it suit the job. Iv floated many times with pontoon and water masters. If the packraft could preform with the ease of them Im fine. However if their more likely hood of a tip now and again, then No thanks.

 

[scotsmac]

Again basically my thinking in what Im after, is something that will preform with the ease of a watermaster or pontoon boat. Both them Im confident in, and any water I would float would be water that folks use them on.
If the packrafts are easier to tip, or more difficult to control then Im not sure their for me

 

[backcountrypackraft]

I'd go for the Alpaca Caribou. Its super light and will do everything you need it to.