Note: I’m not recommending that you buy an expensive carbon paddle and then cut it up to make a packrafting paddle – if you’re purchasing a new paddle then you can probably find a 4-piece paddle that suits your budget – but if you already own a 2-piece paddle, or if you can find a high quality used paddle for a good price, then it is possible to modify it so it packs down smaller. See how in the video below.

This former kayak paddle weighs only 724 grams (1.6 lbs), packs down small, and converts into a trekking pole.


My favorite paddle was a two-piece carbon fiber Werner that I was given as a gift several years ago, but if you’ve ever tried to bushwhack with a two-piece paddle strapped to your backpack, or tried to take one on a flight, then you know how cumbersome those two long pieces are.

I thought I could get the best of both worlds by purchasing a four-piece paddle, and I wanted the best, so I ordered the Werner Pack-Tour M through my local paddling shop. I have to say it was a disappointment.

The Werner Pack-Tour M is expensive ($345 USD!), relatively heavy for packrafting, and has one long piece (31.5″ or 80 cm) that is too long to fit in most backpacks.

In spite of being four pieces, the Pack-Tour M has one piece that is so long that it doesn’t fit in my biggest (85 litres) backpack – even when the bag’s expansion neck is fully extended! That paddle piece is way longer than my regular packrafting backpack, plus I worry about it getting damaged if I take it on a flight. The Pack-Tour M is also much heavier than my carbon paddle – 300 grams heavier (10.6 oz).

For all those reasons, I decided to cut up my favorite paddle, buy some carbon fiber tubes, and turn it into a five-piece paddle that packs down small, weighs only 724 grams (1.6 lbs), and also converts into a trekking pole. It’s not quite as stiff as it was originally because there’s a tiny bit of flex in the joints, but it is still quite stiff and responsive, and I love it even more now.

If you’d like to see how another DIY Packrafter made his own 5-piece paddle from carbon fiber tubes and sheets, check out this post here.


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