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, 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 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 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. 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 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 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 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 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: 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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! Read more
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 Read more
Note: There is a bug in the forum software that causes some people’s full names to be displayed next to their forum posts, even if they have selected the “Private” option next to the name field when they signed up. Read more
This is just a quick post to let you know that the 210D camouflage fabric is now in stock, so that means there’s nothing left on backorder. Now it’s just a matter of catching up on the orders that were Read more
This is just an FYI that I’m making some improvements to the DIY Packraft website behind the scenes, with the goal of making the various pages load faster for you. In theory, this should only improve your browsing experience, but Read more
I borrowed this book from my local library and I liked it quite a bit, so I thought I’d post a review here in case you’re looking for a paddling book. I might make book reviews an occasional feature of Read more