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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic German Shipping and Customs Experiences in the forum DIY Packrafts 5 years, 11 months ago
Thanks for posting this, Harald. I will add a link to this post in the Germany section of the Will I Have to Pay Taxes or Import Duties page so more people will see it. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Punctures, Leaks, & Repairs 5 years, 11 months ago
Hi Tom, it wouldn’t hurt to apply some Aquaseal to all areas of damaged TPU. Personally, I only do so where it looks like the TPU might not be airtight – if it is only slightly melted, it is usually okay. Similarly, where I iron too long I usually do apply some adhesive to the fabric if it looks like there is any chance it might not be airtight.…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Alternative lightweight inflation valves 5 years, 11 months ago
Yep, that’s right. You’ll just have to cut out slots in the ring to accommodate the cap retainers.
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 5 years, 11 months ago
All this frightening news about the coronavirus pandemic is enough to make one want to pack a bag and take an extended packrafting trip deep into the backcountry – or at least hole up with some canned food and […]

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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 5 years, 12 months ago
Great work, Arnold! Thanks for posting!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, New Packraft Floor Fabric 6 years ago
Hi Guy – it depends on which fabric you compare it to, but I’ve added a table on the product page so you can see the weights of all the size/fabric combinations. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 6 years ago
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that I’m constantly working to improve the DIY Packraft designs, instructions, and materials.
Today I’m excited to introduce a new fabric that has been […]

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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Alternative lightweight inflation valves 6 years ago
They cannot; instead, the flange around the valve should be glued between two layers of fabric that are heat sealed together (as in the pictures above).
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic 2-Person Suitability for WW in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years ago
I hesitate to recommend a DIY Packraft for unknown whitewater conditions… so much depends on the conditions and the paddlers’ skill. I assume the race organizers wouldn’t send you into unsafe conditions though, so it’s probably not a bad option. It would be a lot of work to make something you’re not passionate about though, so it might make more…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Gluing something to a packraft in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years ago
I have tried many adhesives and do not recommend any of them, but two that other people have recommended (I have not used them because they’re not available where I live) are HH-66 and Stabond. They will stick to the fabric, but I don’t know if they’ll stick to a magnet. You may have better luck heat sealing a piece of fabric over the magnet to…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic 2-Person Suitability for WW in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years ago
In your situation I would rent packrafts for the event – much less stress and more time for training.
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 6 years ago
Ken S. recently sent me some pictures of his growing DIY Packraft fleet, which looks fantastic. He also sent some really useful feedback for me, which I have turned into the Telkwa build report linked below.
I […]

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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Internal Drybag Connector in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years, 1 month ago
You can iron attachment points to the inside of the floor piece where it’s exposed between the ends of the tube pieces… that’s probably easiest.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Help & Questions re: DIY Packraft Construction in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years, 1 month ago
It’s just double coated, and that’s where the extra weight comes from.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Help & Questions re: DIY Packraft Construction in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years, 2 months ago
Hi @peteh
This is a common occurrence and nothing to worry about, due to some variations between the fabric pieces each time I cut them. You can trim the edge(s) to fit between the dots/slits, but don’t trim all the way along the seam – simply start trimming at the required width and then gradually make the trim narrower and narrower until it…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Alternative lightweight inflation valves 6 years, 2 months ago
I prefer the heat sealable Boston valves because they are much easier to install.
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Alternative lightweight inflation valves 6 years, 2 months ago
Unfortunately you have to cut a hole in the cap for the air to flow through, so it wouldn’t be waterproof.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Help & Questions re: DIY Packraft Construction in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years, 2 months ago
Is it just me, or are these comments not nesting properly anymore? I’m replying to other comments, but I’m seeing my most recent comments at the top of the page.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Help & Questions re: DIY Packraft Construction in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years, 2 months ago
Yeah, that’s definitely the area that is most likely to leak. I find that a cup or two of soapy water on the floor of the packraft works well there – you can hold the packraft up so the water pools over the floor-tube joint and squeeze the tubes while rotating it slowly… the bulk of the water will stay at the lowest point (obviously), but a…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Help & Questions re: DIY Packraft Construction in the forum DIY Packrafts 6 years, 2 months ago
I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling discouraged! Are you sure it’s losing air, or could the pressure decrease be due to temperature changes? Can you elaborate on the situation and length of time we’re talking about?
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