DIY Packraft

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    • Instructions – 2-Person Kits
    • Instructions – Atlin Kits
    • Instructions – Chilko Kits
    • Instructions – Skeena & Telkwa Kits
    • Instructions – Ultralight Kits
    • Roll-Top Drybag Kit
    • TIZIP Zipper Installation
    • Attachment Points & Tie-Downs
    • Footrest Assembly
    • Top-Up Valve Installation
    • Thigh Straps Installation
    • Back Band Assembly & Installation
    • Boston Valve Installation
    • Inflation Bag Kit Assembly Instructions
    • Packraft Fishing Rod Holder
    • Find & Repair Leaks
    • Spray Skirt Assembly
    • Spray Deck Assembly
    • Heat Sealing Iron Modifications
    • Pack, Carry, and Store a Packraft
    • Instructions – V3 Kits
    • Instructions – V2 Kits
      • Overview
      • Step 0.5 – Practice Heat Sealing
      • Step 1: Joining Tube Pieces to Floor
      • Step 2: Joining Tube Pieces Together
      • Step 3: Join Completed Tubes to Floor
      • Step 4: Double-Layer Floor or Joint Reinforcement
      • Step 5: Installing a Boston Valve
      • Step 6: Center Seams (last step!)
      • Making an Inflatable Floor
  • Blog
    • All
    • 2026
      • Meet the Chilko Self-Bailer
      • New Footrest Kit
    • 2025
      • MasterSeal Zippers in Stock
      • Introducing the Skeena XL
      • Tariffs on DIY Packrafts?
      • New Spray Deck Option
      • Removable Spray Deck
      • Iron Modifications
      • Off-Grid Heat Sealing Irons
    • 2024
      • Postal Strike Ended (updated)
      • Postal Strike – Good News
      • FedEx & Purolator Shipping Available
      • How to Buy a Gift Card
      • Fabric For Sale
      • Back Band Assembly Instructions
      • Backband Attach Point How-To
      • Slotted Attachment Point Video
      • Price Reductions!
      • Thigh Straps Available Now
      • Inflation Bag or Electric Pump?
      • Opie’s 2-Person Packraft Build Report
      • New Inflation Bag Assembly Instructions
      • New Heat Sealing Iron
      • Zach Schiada’s Telkwa Build Report
      • Video: The Fabrics
      • The first orange DIY Packraft
      • Inflation Bag Boston Valve Adapter
    • 2023
      • $200 DIY Packraft Coupon at Charity Auction
      • Beautiful New Packraft Fabric Colors
      • Replacement Spray Deck Stiffener
      • New Heat Sealing Video
      • Packrafting Safety
      • New Type of Airtight Zipper
      • Drybag Kits Now Available
      • Heat Sealing Forms For Sale
      • Bikerafting Gear & Tips
      • Customer Tips & Build Reports
      • New Payment Methods
      • Save $20 on a Skeena Kit
      • New Year, New Packraft Models?
    • 2022
      • All Kits are In Stock
      • Fabric Update (Dec. 13)
      • Hurry! $200 DIY Packraft Coupon Charity Auction
      • Ultralight Packraft Kits In Stock
      • An Online Packrafting Course
      • First Fabric Shipment Arrived!
      • Fabric Status Update
      • Packraft Trip Video
      • Pre-Orders Available
      • Packraft Kit Pre-Orders?
    • 2021
      • Only a Few Kits Left
      • State of Emergency – Possible Shipping Delay
      • $200 DIY Packraft Coupon Charity Auction
      • Customer Build Report
      • Current Order Processing Times (updated)
      • How to Modify Your Order
      • Packraft Kit Availability Update
      • Online Packrafting Clinic
    • 2020
      • My Month-Long Packrafting Trip
      • Get Email Updates
      • I’m Back/Fabric Delay
      • Now Closed Until September
      • Today: Last Day to Shop ’til September
      • July 9: Last Call for Kits
      • Packraft Camping Video
      • DIY Packraft Closed for ~August
      • Video: How to Roll, Carry, and Store a Packraft
      • Packrafting Paddles & PFDs
      • Pandemic Update/FAQ
      • Bulk Fabric Sales Suspended
      • Notice: Colored Seats
      • Postal Service Suspended to 60 Countries
      • Coronavirus & DIY Packraft
      • New Packraft Floor Fabric
      • Ken’s DIY Packraft Fleet & Telkwa Build Report
    • 2019
      • How to Choose a Packraft (not just DIY)
      • $200 Coupon in Online Charity Auction
      • Backcountry Meal Planning
      • Spray Deck & Spray Skirt
      • A DIY Packraft Logo?
      • Book Review: Packrafting, by Molly Absolon
      • Book Review: A Long Trek Home
      • Convert a Kayak Paddle to a Packraft Paddle & Trekking Pole
      • The Perfect Ultralight Packrafting Water Shoe
      • Packraft Weight Capacity
      • First Look: Skeena
      • Website Redesign in Progress
      • New Video: Iron Temperature & Timing
      • Iron Modification Video
      • Success! New packrafts tested.
      • Surprise: Another New DIY Packraft Model
      • The Silicone Roller: my new favorite tool
      • Packraft Fishing Rod Holder
      • More 2-Person DIY Packraft Pictures
      • First Look: Updated 2-Person DIY Packraft
      • Ken’s DIY Packraft Build Report
      • The Online Review Economy
    • 2018
      • New Ultralight DIY Packraft – First Look
      • Two new fabrics in the shop
      • 14 Day Alaska Group Trip
      • Travel Notice: August 10-24
      • Tim’s Pontoon Kayak, Version 2
      • Tie-Down Video Posted
      • Convertible Spray Deck
      • Packrafting Events, 2018
      • Privacy
      • Camouflage Fabric in Stock
      • Website Speed Maintenance
      • Book Review: The Wilderness Paddler’s Handbook
      • Inflation Bag Video
      • New Seat Construction Video
      • FAQ Reorganized, New Content
      • Zippers & Green Fabric Back In Stock
      • Backordered Products Resupply Timing Estimates
      • New V3 Assembly Video (password protected)
      • Heat Sealable Boston Valves in Stock
      • Backordered Products Resupply Timing Estimates
      • Iron Modifications (more Forum gold)
      • Whitewater Fittings, a Packraft “Trailer,” and More
      • Back from Vacation
    • 2017
      • New Paddling Video
      • The DIY Packraft Kit Tester program
      • Holiday Notice
      • A Few New Videos
      • Another Improved Tie-Down
      • Bruce’s Voyageur 2-Person DIY Packraft – First Float!
      • Overseas? Save money by using a “freight forwarder”
      • V3 Kits Now Shipping!
      • How Fast is a Packraft?
      • V3 DIY Packrafts will start shipping early October
      • Lightweight Fishing Float Tube
      • More photos of the new V3 DIY Packraft
      • Paddling the V3 DIY Packraft
      • First Pictures of the new V3 DIY Packraft
      • Inflation bag kit instructions posted
      • New DIY Packraft Design Available Soon (and a small rant)
      • Inflation Bag Now Available as a Kit
      • New Seat Kit Instructions Posted
      • Review: Model Airplane Heat Sealing Irons
      • Quick review: New 40D Ripstop Fabric
      • Two New Fabrics Added to Shop
      • Fabric is Here! Actually and in Reality!
      • Fabric Shipment Update
      • Good News/Bad News
      • A Few Photos
      • 10% off Coupon Code for Group Orders
      • Another Fabric Shipment Update
      • New Shipping Options, Free Shipping Code
      • Now Using “Stripe” and Supporting Multiple Currencies in the Shop
      • Forum Spam – Private Messaging Disabled
      • Another *%#@ Fabric Delay!
      • Airtight zippers are back in stock
      • Time-Lapse Video of DIY Packraft Construction
      • Alternative lightweight inflation valves
      • Fabric Shipment Update 4
      • Fabric Shipment Update 3
      • Spray Deck Plans (V2)
      • New Fabric Update 2
      • Update: New Fabric
      • DIY 5-Piece Carbon Paddle
      • Inflatable Floor Guidelines
      • Improved Top-Up Valves in Stock
      • Tim’s Pontoon Boat
      • A few Multi-Color Kits Left (until resupply)
      • Field Repair Tape added to Shop
      • New Spray Deck (Pictures!)
      • Crowd Sourcing Green
      • Aquaseal and Seam Grip added to Shop
      • New Option: Self-Bailing and/or Inflatable Floor
      • Video – Finding & Fixing Leaks
      • Photos – Vancouver Island Paddling
      • TIZIP Airtight Zippers now in Stock
      • Video – Tomi testing his new DIY Packraft
    • 2016
      • Airtight zipper installation instructions posted
      • New Forum Added to Site!
      • Kit Instructions Finished!
      • New How-To Video
      • Second Instruction Video for Kits
      • Review: $25 Heat-Sealing Iron
      • Making Tie-Downs: Instructions Posted
      • Airtight Zippers Pre-Order Sale!
      • “Whitewater” Packrafting – Just for Fun
      • First Instruction Video for Kits
      • Colour Choosing
      • Video Showing How Plans & Kits Work
      • Fabric Comparison Video
      • New Plans Shipping Now
      • Update on Fabric, Kits, New Valves
      • Punctures, Leaks, & Repairs
      • Fabrics Coming to the Shop (Updated August 23)
      • Google Translate & a DIY carbon fiber paddle
      • Follow DIY Packraft on Instagram
      • Alpine Paddling
      • Inflation Bag
      • DIY Heat Sealing Iron
      • The DIY Packraft World Map
      • New Seat Design
      • New Facebook Page
      • Yellow Packraft Finished!
      • New Larger Packraft Plans!
      • Buoyant and Stable!
      • New How-To Video Posted: Joining Curved Seams
      • New How-To Video: Joining Side Pieces
      • Lake Paddling & 2-Person Test Video
      • New Video Up – Tracing and Cutting Your Fabric
      • Plans Available Now
      • DIY Packraft intro Video
      • 813 grams (1.79 pounds)!
      • DIY Packraft Pictures and Details
      • Plans Available Soon
      • Update
    • 2015
      • Coming in 2016!
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Matt (Admin)

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  • Profile picture of Matt (Admin)

    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Flaking/peeling floor in the forum DIY Packrafts 1 week, 5 days ago

    Hmm, I haven’t heard of anything like that before, but it kind of sounds like the previous builder spread some kind of sealant over the fabric, thinking it would provide extra protection, but it didn’t stick to the TPU very well. Does that fit what you’re seeing?

  • Profile picture of Matt (Admin)

    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Inflation Bag Boston Valve Adapter 1 week, 5 days ago

    Hi William, that’s great!

    I’ve never heard of an o-ring failure on a Boston valve, so replacements aren’t something I’ve looked into. If you’re concerned about it, maybe bring a small piece of rubber that you could cut a gasket out of in a pinch (like a resistance band or a balloon or something like that). Alternatively, you could buy an extra…[Read more]

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    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Meet the Chilko Self-Bailer 2 weeks, 6 days ago

    Hmm, unfortunately the geometry wouldn’t work out, but that’s great to hear!

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    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Meet the Chilko Self-Bailer 3 weeks, 4 days ago

    Ha! That’s a great idea 😀

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    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Meet the Chilko Self-Bailer 1 month ago

    Thanks!
    If all goes as expected, the spray deck should be the same or a similar price to the other spray decks.

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    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 1 month ago

    Awesome, thanks for posting! I can probably do a multi for you next week – send me an email to discuss. Cheers!

     

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    Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 1 month, 3 weeks ago

    Tariff Refunds! If you’ve been following the US tariff drama, you may know that the US Supreme Court deemed many of the tariffs illegal back at the end of February. […]

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    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Meet the Chilko Self-Bailer 2 months ago

    Thanks! The rivers are flooding here, but I hope to be able to do that soon!

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    Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 2 months, 3 weeks ago

    New Footrest Kit The new Chilko whitewater packraft kit will include an inflatable footrest, and I’ve decided to offer the footrest as a standalone kit too, so those […]

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    Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 3 months, 1 week ago

    Meet the Chilko Self-Bailer After binning more prototypes than I care to admit, the Chilko whitewater packraft is finally here! As you can see in the pictures below, its […]

    • Profile picture of Eli
      Eli replied 3 months ago

      Heck yeah finally! 😀

      • Profile picture of Jameson
        Jameson replied 1 month ago

        Well, it looks like I will need, or at least want, to build another boat this fall! 🤞
        That is one great looking boat!
        Do you have an approximate price for the spray deck when it releases? Or is it too early to speculate?

        • Profile picture of Matt (Admin)
          Matt (Admin) replied 1 month ago

          Thanks!
          If all goes as expected, the spray deck should be the same or a similar price to the other spray decks.

          • Profile picture of Jameson
            Jameson replied 3 weeks, 4 days ago

            Excellent! I will probably be waiting until the new year to do this as a winter project. I am also hoping that my health and wellness benefit through my insurance will consider this a healthy activity and they will reimburse me a portion of the cost. It certain promotes a healthy lifestyle which saves them money in the long-term.

            • Profile picture of Matt (Admin)
              Matt (Admin) replied 3 weeks, 4 days ago

              Ha! That’s a great idea 😀

    • Profile picture of BigFatRick
      BigFatRick replied 2 months ago

      This looks sweet, Matt! Competition with the Mage at 30% of the cost, and over a pound lighter. I would love to see some footage of it in whitewater.

      • Profile picture of Matt (Admin)
        Matt (Admin) replied 2 months ago

        Thanks! The rivers are flooding here, but I hope to be able to do that soon!

    • Profile picture of Uncle Fred
      Uncle Fred replied 3 weeks, 2 days ago

      Somehow I missed this announcement. Great to see your leg straps and inflatable floor designs mature into a new boat!

    • Profile picture of lwschaef
      lwschaef replied 2 weeks, 6 days ago

      Looks awesome Matt! Do you think it would be possible to modify it to have smaller diameter tubes by using more overlap when sealing the tube fabric to the floor fabric, or would that mess up the geometry of the boat? Would love a whitewater focused boat that paddles more like a kayak, and lower volume tubes would help (I know this is really difficult to pull off in practice). Regardless, awesome work and I’m glad to see you’re still putting out new rafts! My skeena is one of my prized possesions and I’m glad to see the diypackraft dream lives on.

      • Profile picture of Matt (Admin)
        Matt (Admin) replied 2 weeks, 6 days ago

        Hmm, unfortunately the geometry wouldn’t work out, but that’s great to hear!

  • Profile picture of Matt (Admin)

    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Tariff Info for US Customers 3 months, 3 weeks ago

    You don’t have to do anything yet. UPS will pay the fees to US Customs on your behalf, then UPS will try to contact you by phone and/or email to get you to reimburse them. If you don’t hear from them in the next few days, let me know and I’ll ask Purolator for the UPS tracking number (they don’t automatically send that to me). Once UPS contacts…[Read more]

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    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic New users say "Hi" here to prove you are not a Spam Bot in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 months, 3 weeks ago

    Welcome!

    Just scroll down to the bottom of the topics list when you’re logged in and you should see a form to create a new topic there.

     

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    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Heat-sealing tools in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 months ago

    Hi, some people have used hot air welders successfully, but I tried it and couldn’t get it to work well myself. I found that I needed three hands, and it was difficult to direct the heat only on the areas I wanted to weld.

    I’m not sure if an iron will work on the banner vinyl material you have.

     

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    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Ultralight backrest and backband in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 months, 1 week ago

    I don’t normally include the back band parts with the ultralight seat kits, but I can if you want. I think it would work fine, but I haven’t tried it, so I’m not 100% sure. Just send me an email if you’re thinking about ordering one and you want those parts.

    Most of the weight savings in the ultralight seat kit comes from the seat bottom, which…[Read more]

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    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Tariff Info for US Customers 4 months, 2 weeks ago

    There are still no tariffs on DIY Packraft kits because the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement is still in effect, and I provide a certificate of origin with your order showing that it’s made in North America.

    After the US Supreme Court’s decision that the “emergency” tariffs are illegal, Trump replaced those tariffs with a different type of…[Read more]

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    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Layering fabrics? in the forum DIY Packrafts 5 months, 3 weeks ago

    Yes and no… You can layer fabrics together to make something stronger, but you can’t iron directly onto TPU without making a mess, so at least one of the fabrics has to be coated on only one side. The woven fabric is less resistant to abrasion than the TPU (and soaks up water and dirt, etc.), so depending on the application, that may or may not…[Read more]

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    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Dry Bag Score Line Mistake in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 months, 1 week ago

    Hi troc, thanks for the feedback – I will try to make that more obvious.

    I think it will be easier if you simply trim off the red fabric and make a sandwich like you described. Remember you will need to extend the strip past the edges of the bag so you can attach the buckle. If you’ve trimmed the end flush with the edge of the bag, you can splice…[Read more]

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    Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Paddling flatwater with a dog in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 months, 2 weeks ago

    Hi Sam,

    Other than the Ultralight, any model will handle a 50 lb dog without popping. For alpine lakes, I would probably choose an Atlin (the largest size), because it’s wider in the foot area so there’s more room to share between the two of you. If you were going to be paddling with the pup for hours at a time, I’d consider a Skeena XL for even…[Read more]

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    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, New Type of Airtight Zipper 7 months, 1 week ago

    Hi Sam, I’m not opposed to the idea, but I’ve never used canoe float bags and couldn’t tell a good one from a bad one, so someone would have to send me a pattern. Cheers!

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    Matt (Admin) commented on the post, New Type of Airtight Zipper 7 months, 1 week ago

    Hi Stephen, thanks for reminding me about this. I initially thought I would do a bow bag kit, but then I realized I couldn’t offer one at a reasonable price compared to what was already available elsewhere, but your comment made me go and take another look around and it looks like things have changed (in other words, everything is expensive now!).…[Read more]

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Recent Posts
  • Tariff Refunds!
  • Meet the Chilko Self-Bailer
  • New Footrest Kit
  • Tariff Info for US Customers
  • Discount at Charity Auction
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