For the maiden voyage of the V3 DIY Packraft, Nikki and I spent the weekend visiting some glaciers!
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- V3 DIY Packraft
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- V2 and V3 DIY Packrafts
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- Toe of the glacier
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- Glacier
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- Salmon heading up-river to spawn
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- One grizzly bear
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- Two grizzly bears
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- One grizzly bear fishing
3 Comments
Bruce Campbell · August 30, 2017 at 7:06 pm
My favorite seat back, and the easiest, is a Crazy Creek folding camp chair. Not exactly a back packing item, but I can set a 2″ thick square boating flotation seat pad into the raft, top it with the crazy Creek chair and my daughter is up above the water and happy. Commercial versions that support the back and wrap around the hips are not popular among the hardcore here in Fairbanks. I bet Matt can develop something much better! The whitewater hardcore I know prefer a good kayak back band, supported with attachment loops or D-rings high on the inside of the raft. If using D-rings, they also attach their thigh braces to the same point. (I’m still looking for nice 1″ (25mm) aluminum D-rings, chrome rust, and the Titanium ones are a bit rough edged (DutchGear.com)). If using webbing one has to think through the connection so knees and back straps are connected and pulling against each other, not both building pressure on the side attachment patches in opposite directions.
Can’t wait to get my V3 built! Lets see, 1000D or 420D, that’s the question?
Allen Failla · August 30, 2017 at 11:42 am
Wow! Some seriously awe inspiring pictures, we have a different setting of beauty here in Hawaii, so when I get to see authentic photos of such luscious and diverse, beautifully blanketed land it truly is a treat so thanks for posting them! How did everything go with the V3, were there any things you learned from the expedition?
Matt (Admin) · August 30, 2017 at 1:16 pm
Thanks, Allen! The main lesson was the value of a good back rest for lower back support, so I will be working on one of those in the future.