Maximizing Space: How to Pack a Packraft for Your Next Adventure
TLDR: Packrafting involves rafting, backpacking, and, when taking multi-day excursions, camping. You’ll have to make sure you pack enough for all of these activities, accounting for emergencies. You’ll also need to know how to roll or fold your packraft while not in use. We explore all of these things in this blog post!
There’s nothing quite like the freedom and wonder of hiking to a remote river or scenic lake, then being able to paddle down to a secluded campground, staying the night laying out under the stars, and doing it all over again.
Multi-day packrafting excursions can be exhilarating. But let’s be real, when you’re out in nature, a lot can go wrong too — so it’s best to be prepared. Then again, you don’t want to overpack. So, what’s a packrafter to do?
Don’t worry — in this blog post, we’ll cover what and how to pack for your next packrafting trip. We’ll also share tips on how to fold or roll your packraft for easy carrying. So, let’s get right to it!
How to Pack for a Multi-Day Rafting Trip
Packrafting involves two main activities: hiking, and rafting. Multi-day rafting trips, on the other hand, add camping into the mix of “land” activities. So if you plan to take a multi-day rafting trip, there’s a lot more you’ll want to bring with you.
There are the basics, which include:
- Your boat & paddles
- Dry bags & bow bags
- Your backpack
- Straps to fold or roll your packraft
- A Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
- A safety knife
- An emergency kit
- Sunscreen, bug spray, and lotion
- Zipper lube for your packraft zippers
Multi-Day trips require that you also pack backpacking & camping gear, including:
- A tent & camping pillow
- A satellite communicator for messaging, weather reports, and SOS communications
- Wet wipes, toilet paper, hand sanitizer
- A USB power pack
- Food & water bladders
- Portable water hydration system
- …And more!
- A sleeping bag with compression bag for easy storage
While every packraft differs slightly and the bags you choose will ultimately have an impact on how you pack and where you store things, dry bags are your friend! You can fit most items you’ll need for camping and backpacking either in the raft or on top of the bow of the raft.
For multi-day excursions, Bound for Nowhere recommends using bow bags, which keep essentials like your phone and wallet right within reach.
How to Pack a Raft for Camping & Hiking
Packing supplies for your trip and knowing what to pack is one thing. Learning how to actually pack up your raft when you’re backpacking around is another. Here’s a step-by-step guide to rolling or folding your raft up.
How To Roll a Packraft Up
- Locate an area to lay your packraft down with no sharp objects.
- Remove the majority of air. In many packrafts, including the Kokopelli Rogue Lite, there are screw-style valves to release air. In other packrafts, there may be a Zipper.
- Fold side pontoons to the middle of the packraft (“hot-dog style”).
- Fold packraft in half (“hamburger style”).
- Roll from the fold, forcing air out as you go.
- Once rolled, grab one of your compression straps, inserting the webbing through the two D rings, then fold back over into the middle of the two D rings to secure.
- Cinch down on the strap to tighten. Repeat steps 6 & 7 with the other strap. Lastly, make sure that the two straps are evenly spaced.
How To Fold Up a Packraft
- Locate an area to lay your packraft down with no sharp objects.
- Remove the majority of air.
- In a linear fashion, fold the outside ⅓ to the middle of the packraft (“hot-dog style”).
- Fold the opposite edge over the top of the packraft (“hot-dog style”).
- Fold the back end of your packraft ⅓ towards the middle (“hamburger style”).
- Fold the front third over the back third (“hamburger style”).
- Once folded, grab one of your compression straps, inserting the webbing through the two D rings, then fold back over into the middle of the two D rings to secure.
- Cinch down on the strap to tighten. Repeat steps 7 & 8 with the other strap. Lastly, make sure that the two straps are evenly spaced.
10 Put-Ins To Explore On Your Next Multi Day Rafting Trip
Now that you know how to pack a raft, here are 10 Put-Ins That Take You From Vanlife to Packrafting in Minutes. We hope you get a chance to enjoy one of the scenic destinations with the help of the tips from this blog post!