Reinventing the Raft: Alpacka Rafts
ROW YOUR BOAT...or one-man packraft (courtesy, Alpacka Raft)
Sometimes it’s true: If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself… or better yet, ask your mother to do it. When Thor Tingey returned from a remote Arctic trip through northern Alaska's Brooks Range "absolutely beside himself" with the inadequacy of available one-man rafts, he asked Mom to build him one.
Sheri Tingey’s experience certainly made the proposition reasonable. She had spent her life kayaking and skiing, and in 1968 she began a successful ski clothing business in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, back when it was a hotbed of outdoor gear innovation. Years later, much to her son’s delight, she turned her talents to building the perfect, packable one-person raft. Her company, Alpacka Raft, makes three sizes of ultra-light inflatable one-man packrafts designed for wilderness boating, and a fourth boat with a rowing frame. Word of these boats is spreading like wildfire and radically altering the face of front- and backcountry travel.
Alpacka’s packrafts only weigh between four and six pounds, sans paddle. They compress down to the size of a tent and inflate quickly and easily. They’re heavy-duty and practical, and meant to be low-maintenance even after substantial abuse. Backpackers find that the boats actually handle best with a heavy pack strapped across the bow, opening up trekking/floating itineraries that were once inconceivable. One couple even recently completed an ambitious year-long 4,000-mile odyssey from Seattle up the Aleutian chain by foot, packraft, and ski. The boats are so easy to carry and inflate, you can toss one in your luggage, along with a collapsible kayak-style paddle, and you’re ready for an impromptu float trip. They’re great for lake fishing and creek boating—you'll get plenty of use on flat water, highly technical whitewater, and everything in between.
The Alpackas cost a pretty penny—a boat, paddle, and peripherals will cost close to a grand—but they’re worth it. You can bike or backpack up and over mountain ranges, then float out on creeks or rivers. You can quickly and efficiently cross waterways to access hiking and fishing territory formerly too inconvenient to warrant the effort. Or get creative: Toss your boat in the placid little river flowing through town, avoiding every red light and traffic jam between you and the pub.
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Alpacka rafts are expensive, the cheapest one is almost $800 without a paddle, but they are extremely durable and compact.
I saw a post in another blog thread that talk about getting a discount; with a large order of alpacka rafts. I was wondering how many rafts had to be ordered to recieve a discount.
Posted by: Sujan P (Australia) | January 16, 2009 at 11:40 PM
There is a creek in West Virginia that goes through some of the most inhospitable country you have ever seen.
It is called Seneca Creek and after about 5 miles of nice trail the trail disappears up to the mountain ridge top and it becomes very rough.
Packing with a raft like this would be ideal in this area as the terrain is almost impassable.
Posted by: ForestWander Nature Photography | December 26, 2008 at 10:34 AM
This would make portaging in the Boundary Waters a joy. Now I know what to do with my forthcoming economic stimulus check.
Posted by: Brian | December 04, 2008 at 03:05 PM