Note: I’m not recommending that you buy an expensive carbon paddle and then cut it up to make a packrafting paddle – if you’re purchasing a new paddle then you can probably find a 4-piece paddle that suits your budget – but if you already own a 2-piece paddle, or Read more
When paddling on calm lakes, it’s often possible to enter and exit a packraft without getting your feet wet, but in moving water I find that it’s rarely an option. In fact, it’s usually a matter of scrambling over sharp rocks, jamming your feet between slippery cobbles, or wading through Read more
A few keen-eyed DIY packrafters have noticed that the newer Telkwa and Skeena kits have lower capacity ratings than the V3, in spite of being longer and having more air volume in the tubes. This is a result of a more conservative assessment on my part, not something intrinsic to Read more
Since the new Ultralight and Telkwa DIY Packraft kits were released, several people have asked for a similar packraft kit made from standard weight fabrics without a wrap-around floor. Tonight I inflated this new packraft for the first time – I haven’t even weighed it yet, but I was so Read more
Several people have reported having issues with this website not working properly in their browsers, so I’m making some major changes both behind the scenes and to the design of the site. All the same content will still be here, and hopefully you’ll have a better experience once you get Read more
I’ve just made a new video that shows what to look for (and what to avoid!) when setting the temperature on your heat sealing iron, and how to tell how long you need to iron two pieces of fabric together to create a strong bond between them. Together, temperature and Read more
The “leather iron” from www.aliexpress.com is my preferred iron for assembling DIY Packraft kits. It’s hot enough, it maintains a consistent temperature, it’s robustly built, it’s the right width for heat sealing the packraft’s seams, and it’s affordable. It’s not perfect out of the box, however, so I made this Read more
Last weekend the ice on my local river had opened up enough for me to go paddling, so I spent an hour navigating some Class 1 water while dodging ice rafts in the new 1-person packraft with the wrap-around floor. I carried the new 2-person packraft with me, and when Read more
Notice anything unusual about this packraft? The tough floor fabric wraps halfway up the tubes to make this DIY Packraft extra tough where it counts, and it’s still lightweight and packable. I think that’s a world’s first! This prototype is the 130 cm / 51″ size with 560 GSM floor Read more
When heat sealing TPU coated fabrics together, it’s important to apply pressure to the fabric as it cools, otherwise it tends to buckle and lift before it forms a strong bond, so you end up with bubbles and weak or leaky areas. I used to use a leather glove or Read more
Update: Gustav’s detailed fabrication instructions are posted here! If you’ve ever tried fishing from a packraft, you know that it’s nearly impossible to hold a fishing rod and paddle at the same time. Gustav K. has come up with an ingenious solution to this problem – a lightweight and flexible Read more
Here in the north we’re deep in winter, so I haven’t had a chance to paddle the new 2-person DIY Packraft yet, but here are a few more pictures that show the new seat design (just one of them, because I’ve only made one so far). Hopefully I’ll have a Read more
Weight: 3.0 kg / 6.6 lbs (with 560 GSM floor, no seats, no zipper, and no attachment points added yet) Internal Length: 201 cm / 79″ / 6′ 7″ External Length: 340 cm / 134″ / 11′ 2″ Internal Width: 40 cm / 18″ External Width: 106 cm / 42″ Read more
Ken S. sent me a build report with excellent photos and detailed descriptions of his V3 DIY Packraft build, including tips about what worked for him and what didn’t. I’ve turned it into a web page here. It will be most useful as a reference for people who have purchased Read more
TL;DR: Should DIY Packraft give free stuff to online reviewers like Backpacking Light? I’m the type of person who likes to research the hell out of products before I make a purchase, so I regularly read online reviews and watch review videos, and as a consumer I know how helpful Read more
Check out the new 816 gram (1.7 pound) DIY Packraft!
These two new fabrics have been added to the shop to replace the older 40D “ultralight” fabrics, and will be used in the long-awaited update to the Ultralight DIY Packraft kits. They are currently only available in yellow (TPU one side) and black (TPU both sides). I’m quite pleased with Read more
Several months ago I received an email expressing interest in the DIY Packraft kits from TJ Miller, Director of the Department of Health, Physical Education & Recreation at the University of Alaska Anchorage. TJ had grand plans of getting his senior students to build packrafts and use them on an Read more
Please note that Nikki and I will be travelling between August 10th and the 24th, so no orders will be fulfilled between those dates. I will have limited internet access so I may also be slow to respond to emails and forum posts. Orders that have already been placed will Read more
Tim from www.cubenmaker.com recently sent me these pictures of his newest creation, which is version two of his lightweight pontoon katayak! The text below is Tim’s, with only minor editing on my part. Click to enlarge the pictures, and also check out Tim’s website to see several more lightweight boats he Read more
Here’s a video showing how I make tie-downs for the outside of the packraft. Written instructions with downloadable patterns are posted here. The video shows how I attach them to an existing packraft – if you attach them before making your packraft, you can use the measurements posted here, and Read more
Adam DiPietro documented the build of this beautiful red and black V3 DIY Packraft, and he sent his pictures and comments to share with everyone! I’ve posted the full report here. Thanks, Adam!
Check out this stowable spray deck that Dom Adcock added to his V3 DIY Packraft! I’ve posted more detailed pictures of the construction process on a dedicated page here. (Photos by Dom, used with permission.) Excellent work, Dom!
Here in the northern hemisphere, summer is getting closer and people are dusting off their paddles and planning trips for the coming months. If you want to meet other packrafters, share stories, and learn from their experiences, check out these events! If you know of another packrafting-related event, post the Read more