This Is Packrafting

Willows and Hidden Stories: A Russian River Source to Sea Journey

The Russian River needs our attention and care. This year, my friend Billy and I set out to paddle all 115 miles of it, from Lake Mendocino to the sea. Not in a single epic push, but in sections — weekends strung together into one long conversation with the river. Because in truth, this journey isn’t just about distance. It’s about persistence, resilience, and listening to the messy intersection of human history and wild water.

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Lake Powell:  A Paddle of Contrasts

I became increasingly aware of sound on our month-long paddling and canyoneering trip this last October. I’d listen to the slip and splash of the paddle into the water, the ruffle of pulling the boats onto the shore, the sudden pour of water out of a dry canyon, or the churning of rocks in a wash as it began to flash flood.

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Conservation Tales: The Race to Find and Protect Patagonia’s Native Fishes

“One… two… three… four… five…” I need to stay calm, I can feel my chest getting tight as I force one agonizing paddle stroke after another. “Ten… eleven… twelve… thirteen…” How long has it been since the motor-boat dropped us off in the fjords, maybe twenty, no thirty minutes? “Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three.” My lungs are burning, but I know if I stop paddling, the wind and the tide will pull me even further towards the sea, away from the rest of the team.

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Skills & Knowledge for Coastal Packrafting Safety

When I saw the first images of the new Alpacka flatwater boats, specifically the Chinook and Aleutian, my mind started spinning with visions of wild coastal adventures. I started thinking about linking up coastal hiking routes on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

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Flatwater Packrafts and Refined Classics

Learn about the new flatwater lineup, plus changes to the Expedition and Forager.

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Arctic Alchemy Film

Rivers in Alaska’s Brooks Range are changing in ways no one fully understands. Arctic Alchemy follows Roman Dial—adventurer, father, and climate scientist, and so much more—into the remote backcountry as he investigates a mysterious phenomenon poisoning critical Arctic watersheds.

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2025 Dogs of Packrafting Photo Contest Winners

With a record number of photos submitted, the Dogs of Packrafting photo contest winners have been chosen. Check out some of the adorable finalists too.

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How to Packraft with Your Dog: a Guide to Adventure and Safety

If you’ve ever paddled solo and found yourself thinking, I wish my dog could see this, you’re not alone. Sharing the water with your dog is one of the most rewarding ways to bond, explore, and unplug together—and packrafts are the perfect stable, portable option for enjoying waterways with your dog.

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Creative Packrafting: No shuttle, no problem. Try Bus Rafting.

There is a public transit commuter bus that runs right past my home in Nederland, Colorado, down Boulder Canyon, and right past the Boulder Creek water park. I can’t toss a kayak on the bus, and certainly not my oar rig, but with a packraft public transit river running is open season.

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Cove to Cove: The Black Canyon of the Colorado River

“Oh, upstream? Strong move” should have been our first warning. Instead, we laughed like hyenas as the third person commented, “something upstream!” Boldly (and a little ignorantly) thinking that we understood the river better than all those city folks.

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Alpacka Raft's New Jonah Packraft

Get in the mouth of the whale with the new Jonah model packraft. Experience unmatched buoyancy and durability for ultimate whale-watching experiences.

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Valkyrie Voyage: An Epic Whitewater Adventure in Idaho

With a long weekend coming up we got scheming. The plan was to spend a few days boating with the prized run of the trip to be what looked like an amazing class IV/V creek.  Based off the few photos of the creek, the stoke was high and the gradient was steep. With no real gauges on the river the looming question of “is there enough water” floated overhead; a question that has been all too common this year.

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Packrafting & Outdoor Access for All

“Access” holds deep significance for both the packrafting and LGBTQ+ communities. For packrafters, it’s about breaking barriers to remote wild spaces. For LGBTQ+ individuals, it’s about gaining equal opportunities, rights, and acceptance. This trip explored these parallels while fostering skills, confidence, and connection.

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Following Footsteps of River Runners

John Mackay’s earliest forays into some of the most challenging rivers in NZ in rafts made on the side of the river based around 2 truck tire inner tubes. A catalyst for many things in my river running past, and the reason for the new film "Following Footsteps of River Runners"

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Meet the Mage

The new Mage is perfect for backcountry whitewater packrafting, check it out in more detail and see it in action.

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Rolling Up Your Packraft Tutorial

Some of you have asked, so we made a boat rolling tutorial for you. Check out these common techniques for rolling up your packraft

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Paddling Life Story: Chris Burkard Skiing and Pack Rafting Iceland’s Vatnajökull Ice Cap

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What's new for 2025

We put together a quick video sharing the news and 2025 updates, including a new model! Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming.

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An Overnight "Lightwater" trip in Colorado

Fun times were had by all on an exploratory overnight paddling trip on the Central West Slope of Colorado. Most had never paddled before, and everyone had an awesome time on their first paddling trip.

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Armida Huerta Adventure Fund

In March of 2024 Alpacka Raft lost our beloved friend and colleague, Armida Huerta. 

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