What is Packrafting?
The fundamental objective of packrafting is to explore areas that are otherwise inaccessible to others. Hikers are shut down once they encounter a river or pond that cannot be crossed, and paddlers are out of luck once the water ends. Packrafting incorporates the best of hiking and paddling in a sport that is enjoyable for just about any person a sense of adventure and a willingness to try something new. If you’ve had negative experiences in the past paddling other boats, you will be thrilled to jump in a packraft and feel how stable, responsive and light weight they are. Though many might consider packrafting to be a relatively new sport, it has been practiced in some manner by a select group of explorers dating back to the Franklin Expedition.
Outside Online Magazine details the history of the sport in their article “A Brief History of the Packraft”. In this article they summarize packrafting effectively:
“One of the most exciting tools to emerge for the outdoors in recent years is the packraft – a small, surprisingly tough boat that rolls up to the size of a tent, fits in your backpack, and is redefining wilderness travel. Seasoned adventurers and weekenders alike are incorporating the rafts into ski traverses, mountain bike epics, or quick Saturday hike-and-floats.”
In 2002, a company based in Colorado named Alpacka began designing and constructing single and multi-person boats to support packrafters in their quest to access previously inaccessible parts of the backcountry. Recently, Kokopelli has entered the market with a line of lake and whitewater boats that are highly stable, capable of being portaged with relative ease, and maneuverable in many types of water, from flat to Class III+. In our operations, we use boats from both manufacturers to provide our clients with the highest quality equipment available in the industry.
As Alaskan adventurer Luc Mehl states “All those little blue lines on the map? I’d never looked at them before… but now they’re trails. And you can connect them!”
Check out the full Outside Online Magazine article at https://www.outsideonline.com/1969191/brief-history-packraft