When we caught wind that Alpacka was taking its award-winning packraft concept to the world of sea kayaks, we were intrigued. For all their advantages, by their nature the design of packrafts has never really lent itself that well to tracking on the flats. They’re just too short and bulbous. So, we immediately got ahold of a couple prototypes and tested them this summer in Alaska’s Resurrection Bay out of Seward, and again this fall on Colorado’s Animas River. Here’s how they fared:
The Impetus of the Design
Alpacka head designer Dustin Partridge gives the credit for both the concept and the design to Alpacka founder Sheri Tingey.
An Inside Peak at the Aleutian in Alaska
On this trip, we were staying at Kayaker’s Cove, a cabin equipped with an arsenal of regular hardshell sea kayaks for day touring. So we took turns with the new Alpackas, the Aleutian and Chinook) as well, hopping in and out of them for crossings, coastal cruises and jigging for rock fish (though I’m always leery pulling barbed hooks up near inflatables). And every evening, we returned to our cabin with grins as wide as our rockfish for happy hours on the deck, wood-fired saunas, and meals from our rockfish.
Designed for expert paddlers tackling open water and coastal expeditions, the Aleutian combines speed, efficiency, and stability in a sleek and slender-baffled hull. Designers say its performance is the flatwater equivalent of the Valkyrie, delivering smooth tracking and nimble handling for long journeys. Ours came outfitted standard with 4-point thigh straps, foam backband, full-length inflatable floor pad, lace-in seat, spray deck, and Cargo Fly, and (standard now), a removable skeg. (Note: On a later trip in October I got in it again with designer Dustin Partridge on the Animas River near their headquarters in Mancos, Colo., after they added a removeable skeg; as expected, it upped the tracking coefficient considerably.) Optional rigging includes the spray skirt and internal dry bags, the latter useful if you plan on going on a multi-day journey.
At first glance, it looks like a standard Alpacka packraft, but with elongated ends. But then you get in it and paddle and find that there’s a lot more to its design. It tracks far, far better than you would expect, which is paramount to making miles on the flats.
No one realized this better in our group than Betsy, who was in it a little longer than expected (mis-navigating the route to a waterfall, I had the group paddle across a bay instead of following the coast….“No need to bring a lunch,” I had said). The blunder turned a three-hour paddle into a six-hour one.
But for Betsy, a triathlete, who was in the more streamlined Aleutian at the time, she kept up with us hardshellers easily the whole time.
“It tracked really well and handled great,” she said. “I didn’t notice any loss of air, and the water was super cold. Also, we put in and took out on some pretty rocky shores, which is saying something. And it’s super light, I love the weight of it.” All in all, she gives the 12-lb. craft an A+ rating “with a few minor revisions.”
Her advice on the early version: “It’d be nice to have a cord to stop the seat from sliding back.” She also suggested adding cargo loops for gear, which they did. Her only real knock: “I got a tiny rub spot on my thumb from it running against the seam.”
She also agreed with us that, despite the spray skirt not having bungee material on its stern, it stayed on perfectly. “I really like the cockpit rim and sprayskirt,” she said. “It stayed on super well. I was bone dry. I had shorts on and didn’t have a single drip.”
I echo her sentiments on the craft, taking it out on several excursions myself. The first thing you notice is its light weight; carrying it down a set of stairs from the porch where we inflated it, down to the cobblestone shore, was a snap, even with one hand (which freed up the other for paddle and PFD). While at first I was ginger getting in and out of it on the rocky shore, I didn’t need to be; it was way tougher than expected, not showing even any marks after bumping against sharp ocean rocks.
The Other Two Boats in the New Flatwater Lineup
The Chinook:
This one came in blue just like the nearby glaciers. The Chinook is designed for expedition paddlers as well, and built for long flatwater journeys even with portages, but coming in a hair more rec-orientged than the Aleutian. Still, with its elongated hull as well, it’s faster and more efficient than a typical river-oriented packraft and tracks better on flatwater. Outfitted with 3-point thigh straps, backband, lace-in seat, spray deck, Cargo Fly, and removable skeg, it’s built for flatwater expedition paddling when hardshells won’t do the trick (i.e. having to fly or hike in). As with the Aleutian, its skirt stayed on well, it was light and fast, and it tracked better than any more river-oriented packraft. “And both seats are super comfy,” says tester Betsy.
The only minot concerns: the footbrace we used seemed a hair too small, with the narrow foot width making the soles of our Chacos overlap. This one also had the standard four cargo loops, making it easier to rig gear atop the hull. As with all Alpackas, the cornerstone is its weight, especially when you compare it to typical hardshells. It clocks in at just 7-9 lbs. Optional rigging for it also includes a spray skirt and internal dry bags that slide inside the tubes.
The Zephyr:
Designed for recreational paddlers, this entry-level flatwater packraft features a new elongated hull for faster, more efficient performance and tracking on lakes and flatwater rivers, making it a packraft that’s great for any flatwater adventure. Outfitted with a lace-in seat, backband, and removable skeg, it weighs just 6-7 bs. And delivers comfort, stability, and budget-friendly pricing for exploring flatwater at ease. While it’s an open version of the Chinook and does not include a Cargo Fly or spray skirt, it still packs a packraft punch for packability and light weight. More for day trippers who just want to get out on flatwater, it’s great for anyone who just wants to get out and paddle (newbies, experts, and those who just don’t want to lug heavy kayaks around or on and off their cars.
Info: https://alpackaraft.com
