What Size DIY Packraft Should I Choose?

Find Your Fit

Packrafts should be fitted to your seated leg length, not your standing height. These measurements are obviously related, but some people have long legs and short torsos while others have short legs and long torsos, so standing height isn’t the best way to choose the best packraft size.

To find your seated leg length, sit on the floor with your back against a wall and your legs straight out in front of you. Measure the distance between the wall and the bottom of your feet, and then add the thickness of whatever footwear you’ll use when paddling.

Example: I have shorter than average legs and when I sit against a wall, my feet stick out about 105-110 cm (41-44 inches), depending on how tightly I slide my butt against the wall. When I paddle with straight legs in the smaller sized DIY Packrafts (the 120 cm / 47″ size) there’s usually about 5 cm (2″) of room between my shoes and the front of the cockpit.

DIY Packraft Sizes

First, the different DIY Packraft sizes should not be confused with Small, Medium, and Large. In the past I offered shorter options, but for whatever reason nobody bought them and they were always asking for longer packrafts, which is why the DIY Packrafts are now sized the way they are. As one customer put it, they could be called Large, Extra Large, and Extra-Extra Large.

Second, due to the packraft’s shape, some of the cockpit length won’t accommodate a human body (see the diagram below), so the actual internal length is about 15 cm (6″) longer than advertised.

The perceived internal length also changes as you adjust the amount of air in your backrest, your backrest’s position, the position of your seat, and your posture – the more you recline against the backrest, the more your feet slide forward; the more aggressive your paddling posture, the more your feet are pulled back. The packraft’s tube fabric also deforms slightly to conform to your body, which increases the perceived length.

When deciding which DIY Packraft size to order, note that the difference in length between the Atlin sizes is 12.5 cm (5″), while the Telkwa and Skeena sizes differ by 10 cm (4″) each.

The largest single-person DIY Packraft is currently the 145 cm (57″) Atlin.

The Ultralight DIY Packraft is only available in one size, with a 130 cm (51″) internal length, which is long enough for most people to sit comfortably with legs straight.

Mission Type

If you plan to spend hours on the water paddling long distances, choose a packraft with an internal length (a.k.a. cockpit length) long enough to allow you to straighten your legs when seated.

If you’re primarily a whitewater paddler, you will prefer to paddle with bent knees, pushing your feet against the front of the cockpit for maximum power and manoeuvrability; in that case, choose a shorter packraft.

You can always make a longer boat feel shorter by placing something behind your backrest, installing an adjustable back band, or by placing something in front of your feet to push against. You can’t make a short boat feel longer though, so if in doubt, size up.

Can the length of a DIY Packraft be modified?

The short answer is “no” – to see why, click here.