A buddy of mine just had some dry bags built to attach directly to the bow of an Alpacka (any size) raft, reducing tie downs, straps and entrapment issues. The bag is designed for float trips rather than true packrafting with hiking, and should work well for longer river only trips (up to about 4 days) and certainly for those gnarly day trips too.

What do y'all think?





If folks are interested in this design, let me know. I don't want to make this post commercial though, just seeing what folks think of the concept.

Is the bag still a functional backpack?

If not, that really limits a lot of what this is all about -
hiking and paddling.

Greg,
the bag is not a functional pack. And you are correct, that limits it's functionality, a lot. Still, a lot of people do day trips w/ their packrafts, and while you can strap a drybag to the bow, this cleans it up a bunch, and adds way more security in attachment. Not for everyone for sure, but for folks who are running white water as day trips, and still want to bring some stuff, this may be a good way to go.

Ryan, it's a very good idea. Besides making for a clean and tangle free rig, it would reduce water absorption.

My question is; how much can it compress? It took me a while to find a good way to lash down my almost empty pack on day trips such that it wouldn't flop around.

David,
that's a good question, I haven't seen one in person yet. It has a roll top closure, so to a certain extent one could just keep rolling it tighter I think? I'll see if I can find out, or get my hands on one.

In the same spirit there are dry bags on the market that also are real backpacks. It probably be as practical to paddle with, and, in addition to that, you have real straps and sometimes a hipbelt, sternum strap, etc. to carry it on your back. For example,

- the Exped Drypack 40
http://www.facewest.co.uk/pp/exped/expedimages10/Exped-DryPack-WB-40/Exped-DryPack-WB-40.jpg

- the Ortlieb Xplorer
http://s.wiggle.co.uk/images/ortlieb%20xplorer%20kit%20bag%2006.jpg