Alpacka Packrafts

Catalog No. ALP10027

Contents

1. About Packrafting
2. Overview of Alpacka Packrafts
3. Packraft Models
4. Available Options
5. Packraft Weights
6. Choosing Your Paddle

About Packrafting

Wilderness Packrafting is the activity where a "backpackable" raft ("packraft") is used to access remote waters for recreation or navigation.

New to packrafting? Check these links out:

• Search PACKRAFTING articles at BackpackingLight.com
• View a packrafting trip report from Ryan Jordan
• View Erin & Hig's Packrafting Website

Overview of Alpacka Rafts

Alpacka rafts are remarkable adventure vehicles - whitewater-worthy boats with a packed size and weight of a lightweight backpacking tent.

Applications:

• River navigation as part of long distance wilderness trekking
• Hauling game for hunters
• River crossings (take one per group) for safely ferrying a hiking group across large rivers
• Remote backcountry lake and river fishing
• Backcountry whitewater paddling
• Bush pilot emergencies
• Multi-sport expeditions by foot, paddle, and (folding) mountain bike
• Adventure racing
• Canyoneering

Durable, Lightweight. Alpacka rafts are built with durable yet ultralight fabrics designed exclusively for Alpacka rafts. You can expect an Alpacka raft to stand up to season after season of adventure without unnecessarily babying it.

Whitewater-Worthy. Alpacka rafts are tough enough and maneuverable enough to run Class-IV rivers (some have run Class V creeks in them).

Expedition-Worthy. Alpacka rafts are comfortable enough to float in all day (and then camp under all night!). They can meet your adventure needs, whether you're traversing Alaskan backcountry or taking a few hours to sample the local whitewater near your next business destination.

Exceptional Quality. Owning an Alpacka is a long term partnership. You are purchasing the finest fabrics and craftsmanship available. Alpacka Rafts are hand made by some of the most skilled fabric boat builders in the world. Feathercraft Folding Kayaks builds our rafts with the same attention to quality and detail that they are famous for with their own Kayaks. You can depend on your boat to come through for you in all your wilderness adventures.

Packraft Models

Choosing Your Boat Size. Small boat or large boat? The first consideration is your height. Generally, paddlers who are 5'8" (1.73 m) or shorter fit well into the Alpacka, paddlers who are betwteen 5'8" (1.73 m) and 6'2" (1.88 m) fit well into the Yukon Yak, and paddlers taller than 6'2" fit well into the Denali Llama. If your primary consideration is whitewater maneuverability, choose a boat that properly fits you. If your primary consideration is the ability to carry large loads, size up. If your primary consideration is minimum weight and packed volume, size down.

• ALPACKA. The Alpacka is a great choice for smaller paddlers, or those who value the absolute minimum weight possible. It can be an excellent fishing boat for remote mountain lakes and is quick to inflate when you need to ford a cold or fast-moving river.
• YUKON YAK. The Yukon Yak is the most versatile packraft. It provides a snug fit for paddlers who range between 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters) and 6 feet (1.83 meters) tall. It lets smaller paddlers carry large loads and works for aggressive boaters who are as tall as 6 feet, 2 inches (1.88 meters).
• DENALI LLAMA. The Denali Llama is the largest packraft and the workhouse of the fleet. It is 4.5 inches (0.11 meters) longer than the Yak, allowing for larger packs and longer legs. People taller than 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters) appreciate the Llama's extra length. The extra space is also useful for big game hunters or wilderness travelers taking really long trips, like an Alaska Brooks Range traverse, because Llamas can accommodate large packs or game bags.

Available Options

COLORS. Color options cannot be guaranteed and are limited to the manufacturer's stock on hand. Generally, all colors of OPEN boats are in usually stock. DECKED Boats may be available in the following colors (boat/deck):

• MUD/black (adds about 4-5 oz over a blue boat)
• YELLOW/black (adds about 1 oz over a blue boat)
• BLUE/black (blue boats are the lightest)
• BLUE/orange (blue boats are the lightest)

DECK TYPE:

• OPEN BOAT. The "open boat" design does not have an integrated deck, so is suitable for warmer conditions, calm water travel, or those who value minimum possible weight.
• SPRAY DECKED BOAT, +$200. If you select the spray deck option, your raft will include an integrated spray deck with the new (2007) side-entry opening that allows the spray deck to be opened completely as needed, and a (removable) inflatable 3 ounce backrest that improves comfort on long days and keeps the spray skirt high on the body for better water shedding in rough water. Although the deck adds some weight to your boat (typically, around 21 oz / 0.6 kg), it greatly improves comfort for river travel, increases warmth in cold conditions, and is a must for safety when navigating more technical whitewater.

INFLATION BAG. +$15, +3 oz.

PATCH KIT +$8, +2 oz.

PADDLE. Four-piece Aqua Bound Manta Ray Carbon (+$210, 29.5 oz), Four-Piece Aqua Bound Splat Carbon (+$210, 33 oz), or Four-Piece Aqua Bound Manta Ray Fiberglass (+$135, 36 oz) whitewater paddles.

Packraft Weights

The exact weight of a packraft can never be guaranteed. Here's why:

1. Weight varies with boat color. Blue boats are the lightest, and the weights specified herein are for the blue boats. Mud colored boats add about 5 oz, because the Mud colored fabric is heavier due to the thicker color film. Yellow boats are somewhere in between.
2. Weight varies with fabric coating runs. The exact weight of the fabric varies by a few percent (5% minimum) from one production run to the next, as a result of variability in the urethane coating process.
3. Boats vary by production runs. Because these boats are manufactured by a small company that is continuously improving its quality and manufacturing process, minor changes in boats coming from different production runs may occur, even if no changes in outward appearance are apparent. Rest assured that you are always going to get a boat of the highest quality.

Choosing Your Paddle

We offer four piece paddles available for purchase with any packraft (we do not offer standalone paddle purchases at this time). Both paddle types are Aqua-Bound Manta Rays, which we've found to be the most versatile paddles for any water type, lighter than other four piece paddles on the market, and have an excellent durability:weight ratio. We think they are the perfect packraft paddles!

Choose the CARBON FIBER MANTA RAY paddle if:

• Saving weight is your most important consideration
• You understand how to take care of lightweight gear if you will be running whitewater in rocky rivers

Choose the CARBON FIBER SPLAT paddle if:

• You want the extra durability of more carbon thickness at the paddle tip for aggressive whitewater boating in rocky rivers

Choose the FIBERGLASS paddle if:

• You are on a budget and want to spend the extra $65 somewhere else!

A note on paddle length: Most packrafters are best off using a paddle in the 210 cm range. Shorter paddles are lighter, pack down smaller and enhance whitewater boat handling. However, paddles must be longer than standard whitewater kayak paddles to reach over packraft tubes.