Pack raft

[chief joseph]

I am new to this forum and am a hiker/fisherman/backpacker. I have been searching for an affordable {preferably under $100} pack raft for high lake fishing. It seems that some of the previous product options have been discontinued and all I can find are high dollar item. Anyone has any suggestions? I live in the north end of Seattle. Thanks.

[Mick Scott]

Boy – I can’t think of anything resembling a “pack raft” for under 100.

I think you have to up the budget by a couple hundred dollars to get something that is truly “packable”

Since the Curtis raft is no longer available I opted for an Alpaca raft.
They are expensive – but bomb proof and will last a lifetime if you take care of things. Mine weighs four pounds without paddles and packs down to roughly the size of a 3 person tent.
It was definitely a purchase I had to talk myself into. I figured I’d pay $3 bucks a trip (10 trips a year) for a raft for the next 30 years.
I think I made a wise decision considering the quality of the boat and the piece of mind of having a boat that is rugged and that you would have to try to pop.
Check out this youtube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pvMIXSTnNY
If you cant pop it dropping waterfalls don’t worry about flat water!

[Sandy McKean]

Mick is right about a truly packable raft (at reasonable weight….say 2 to 3.5 pounds), but one can get a larger, and certainly heavier, blowup boat (at 6 to 8 pounds) for a $100 or so. All depends on what kind of backpacker you are.

[Mick Scott]

Just make sure you don’t leave that heavy boat in the bushes for next time – pack it in – pack it out.

There is nothing worse than getting into a beautiful alpine lake and finding someones trash(boat,frying pan,etc)

When I find that kind of stuff cached in the woods I cut it up into small pieces and pack it out.

[chief joseph]

Thanks for the replies, and I definitely want a lightweight, durable raft, so I will likely have to bite the bullet and shell out the bucks. On NWHikers I saw a pic of a guy who had a Sevylor pack raft, they no longer make it, but it probably cost less than $50. I have heard Sevylor rafts can be problematic, this guy must have got lucky and is really careful with it.

[Jacob Waller]

At the Winter Social earlier this year I won a flytepacker raft. It weighs just under 2.5 lbs and retails for about $300. Less expensive than the Alpacka rafts, but not as durable either. However, for floating around a lake its plenty durable enough. I’ve bumped into the occasional sunken tree branch or other debris with no damage. I’ve used it about 6 times so far and am very happy with it.

http://flyweightdesigns.com/FlytePacker.aspx

Jacob

[chief joseph]

Thanks, Flypacker e-mailed me back and have a new design coming out soon for $300, I think I will go with it, especially after hauling a 30+ lb pack 6 miles yesterday, weight is definitely an issue.

[Joshua Cowart]

I had the smallest Sevylor pack raft. I gave it away. It was heavy and I just never could justify that much weight for anything but short trips. Used curtis rafts are what you want but good luck finding one. They go up for sale on ebay sometimes.

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