FAQs

All Alpacka Raft packrafts are handmade-to-order here at our facility in Mancos, CO. Lead times are listed and updated on our website here. These dates are not guaranteed and are estimates based on our manufacturing capacity, however supply chain issues may cause delays which we cannot predict or control. If ordering in anticipation of a trip, we recommend allowing at least a 2–3-week buffer. Custom Lab orders typically add anywhere from 1-4 weeks to the production time.

Our pricing does not include VAT or customs charges for international buyers. You will be responsible for paying all of these fees, which may be assessed by customs when your order is received into your country; the fees themselves vary depending on the country and order amount. We cannot mark shipments as a “gift” or lower the invoice value to avoid customs charges. Check with your country’s customs office to determine taxes and fees, and please note that our estimated shipping times do not include the time your order will spend in customs.

Each raft is created by hand here at our shop, which means that each raft has its own unique properties, including its weight. The weights listed on our website are an average from our over 500 custom build options, and we do our best to uphold the same standards for each raft we create. In addition, the fabric alone has a variability of 3-4oz per boat.

We are happy to make some custom modifications to some of our packrafts like additional tie downs and custom color selections (see our Custom Lab page for details). However, certain models are limited to specific fabrics and colors due to design and manufacturing limitations. Typically, we cannot take on custom design projects, especially in our busy season as we do not have the time and resources to dedicate to this task. You are welcome to submit a proposal to workshop@alpackaraft.com and we will do our best to assess the request.

If you plan to use a packraft for more rugged applications/in waterways with sharp obstacles, 420d is often worth the weight and price increase over 210d, but does add bulk so it's not as ideal for hiking purposes.

Yes, we offer Pro Deal discounts to folks who are employed full-time, year-round in the outdoor industry. Please email prosales@alpackaraft.com to get set up with the application. For those who may be in part-time or volunteer positions, we also offer the following discount opportunities:

10%* Military Discount (Veteran and Active Duty)

10%* First Responder Discount (SAR, Wilderness EMTs, Flight for Life, etc.)

10%** Educational Discount (for educators/use in outdoor classroom-type settings)

*Please note that this discount is intended for one packraft per year and will not apply to accessories or third-party items

**Educators can purchase multiple discounted packrafts on the same order

After receiving your raft, you may have some questions about basic set-up instructions. To address these questions, take a look at our How-To Videos page. Your packraft was shipped to you pre-rigged, so most of the set-up should be pretty straightforward, but please review the videos below first and then reach out to us with any questions.

• Whitewater Setup
• How to Inflate your Packraft
• Cargo Fly Internal Storage System

Our packrafts are designed for people who are hard on their gear. Part of our goal has been to create boats that don’t need a lot of attention both on and off the river, because we know how important it is to have gear that stands up to frequent use and keeps you on the water. For care, maintenance, and repair tips and tricks, check out our Care & Maintenance and Repair Guide pages.

Before long-term storage, wash the raft with fresh water. Get any sand, mud, and debris out of the floor area where it tends to collect. Air-dry the raft, making sure it’s totally dry before storage, and fold the raft loosely so air can circulate around it. The boat’s fabric breathes and resists moisture build-up from condensation better when it’s exposed to the surrounding air. Ideally, keep the boat in a cool, dry place. If considering outside storage in a garage or shed, we recommend storing your raft loosely inside a sealed container with small holes drilled in for ventilation, such as a Rubbermaid storage tub, as animals have been known to chew through the packrafts and accessory components when they are left out. We do not recommend storing your packraft in its stuffsack. If rolled too tight and put back in your stuff sack, discoloration and staining can occur on new or like new packrafts. To reduce UV aging, do not store your packraft in direct sunlight.

Take a look at our Long Term Packraft Storage video for storage tips and techniques.

Occasional accidents do happen, and being prepared for and knowledgeable about raft repairs is an important step in being a safe paddler. We have created a Repair Guide to address possible repairs, starting with diagnosing potential issues with your raft all the way to what to carry in your repair kit.

Take a look at our packraft repair and maintenance videos at the link.

Absolutely! Alpacka Raft packrafts have been used in many salt water and chlorinated conditions, from crossing ocean bays and playing in surf waves to practicing rolling in your public pool. Metal zippers on the rafts (found on the removable decks) can experience some corrosion if they are not cleaned well after salt water use. We recommend thoroughly rinsing your raft with fresh water after any use in saltwater or chlorine, and as always, allowing it to completely dry before storage.

Yes! Rafting with bikes, known as “bikerafting”, is becoming more and more common with our users. The large surface area and tie-down points on the front of our rafts provide a good platform for strapping your bike to the raft. The Caribou, is specifically designed to be lightweight and compact, while providing a very stable, wide platform and tie downs for strapping down a bike or other heavy gear. We also offer additional installed Bike Tie Downs, which provide four extra attachment points that are best suited for strapping the frame to the front of our other raft models. The Cargo Fly Zipper is a highly recommended upgrade for bikerafters, as it allows you to store your camping gear inside the raft with only the bike strapped to the front.

Here is a quick video on how to strap your bike to your packraft. Note, the front wheel just gets strapped to the top of the frame.

Yes! We’ve been packrafting with dogs since the beginning and our Ranger or Mule models are great for bringing a larger dog. Your packraft will have no problems handling abuse from dogs jumping in and out of the boat or on the seats. We can’t say the same if they try to chew the boat!  Just remember to pick paddling conditions where the dog can safely swim to shore if they fall out. We also recommend getting your dog a life jacket.

Check out this fun video with the Alpacka Raft shop dogs and tough as nails packrafts that we put together a few years ago.

Our packrafts feature our proprietary Temper Assist Valve which is not a true one-way valve. One-way valves have springs that keep the valve shut at all times unless air is being forced in. They are clever, but heavy and therefore less useful for packrafting.  We use Temper Assist Valves (TAV), which would be better described as "top-off assist" valves. They work via a little flap that is relaxed until the internal pressure of the boat becomes enough that it forces the flap into the surface of an interior seal. Its main purpose isn't to be airtight, but to hold the majority of the air in so you can successfully top off the boat and screw the valve cap on. It's totally normal for air to escape from the TAV (especially at a lower internal pressure), as long as no air is leaking with the cap secured in place. If air seems to be leaking with the valve cap screwed on, make sure there is a rubber gasket seated inside the cap. In an effort to encourage the flap to snap into place more easily, you can push on the stern of the boat as you are inflating and that may help. If you consider the air to be "dumping out" rather than "leaking" or "hissing", let us know.

You should be able to get your boat as tight as you need it to be with just your mouth, but we also sell a hand pump which adds additional air and allows for less tempering. We recommend watching these videos for more information on your valve/the tempering process.

Keeping your Cargo Fly Zipper clean and lubricated is imperative for it to function properly and remain airtight. Please review this Care & Maintenance video and reach out to us if you have specific questions. If you're wondering how often to lubricate the zipper, inspect it before and after you are on the water to ensure that it looks moisturized and does not start to appear dry and white. After long term storage, it will probably need attention as well. When lubricating, make sure to cover the area around the zipper as well as the housing above it. Keeping a toothbrush handy to brush any sand/grit away before opening the zipper is good practice & ensuring that the zipper fully closed when not in use will help to keep it clean.

Nothing to be concerned about here - you are likely seeing the residual adhesive that is used to properly position and tension the deck for permanent application and our recommendation is to leave it be. When you are looking at the boat from the top above the deck on the outside, the black urethane tape that you see outlining the deck is what is holding it on & it is permanently seam-taped into position. If you ever suspect that the seamtape is lifting/its integrity is compromised, please reach out to service@alpackaraft.com.

No, please refrain from doing so as it can affect future repair/warranty work. Our material already comes treated with UV protection from our supplier so there is nothing the customer needs to do beyond proper care and maintenance (cleaning - drying - lubricating).

It will be pretty tough to initially overinflate (never, ever use an air compressor!) but more importantly, you will want to release a little air from the packraft's valve when you take it out of the water and beach it up for more than a few minutes on a sunny day. The boat itself isn't as likely as the seats, backrests, floors, & footbraces are to build up pressure and potentially damage a welded seam or baffle. It's rare that the boat itself is impacted but you'll want to be mindful of all inflatable components when you subject them to pressure change. 

It depends on how you intend to use the boat; 200cm is ideal for more aggressive whitewater and 210cm for flatwater while 205cm is great for mixed use. Review our video for more detailed information. 

We recommend using Clifton Urethane Adhesive for most DIY applications - here are some helpful links for correct adhesive instructions: 

1. Clifton Urethane Adhesive LA 4123 | NRS 
2. Inflatable Repair Adhesives Guide | NRS *Please note that we recommend Acetone over MEK 
3. Clifton Urethane Adhesive Gluing Instructions | NRS