Comprehensive Packrafting Question Thread (from those that actually packraft)
Long time, no see, maggots.
I now live in Austin and there are a number of "user-friendly" rivers (Santa Elena Canyon, Boquillas, Devil's River, etc.) that warrant getting my wife onto the water more. She's done some inflatable kayaking but nothing too crazy. I believe a packraft is going to be the easiest to convince her to get on the water. I've been hard-shell kayaking for years now, but she's very much a novice.
Can those of you who have actually pack-rafted chime in on must-have's about the boat and gear? I've seeing that the market has produced all kinds of offerings but some of them seem like pool toys. Should I only buy an Alpacka Raft? Can Kokopelli compete? Is a spray deck a must? And if so, does the "cruiser" style spray deck work fine or do I want one with more of a WW kayak skirt-type? Is it worth the extra money to do the interior, in-the-pontoon-style storage option? Are the tandem style options total crap? A recent review I read says that the Aire BakRaft is the way to go because it ferries, tracks, and eddies more like an actual kayak. Am I wasting my time on a packraft when this is an option?
Thanks in advance.