Announcement
Postal Strike Ended (updated)
Canada Post is back to work now, and all of your orders are on their way to you. Let’s hope there aren’t too many delays as they try to catch up during the busiest time of the year! If you’re Read more…
Announcement
FedEx & Purolator Shipping Available
As the Canada Post workers strike drags on, I’m working to add new shipping options to the DIY Packraft shop. FedEx has been working for a while now, and the newest one is called Purolator. It’s a private courier company Read more…
How To
How to Buy a Gift Card
If you’d like to give the gift of packrafting to someone special this holiday season but you don’t know exactly what they’d like, consider giving them a gift card to use in the DIY Packraft shop! To purchase a virtual Read more…
Announcement
Postal Workers Strike :(
This is just a quick message to say that Canada Post workers are on strike and all shipping has been suspended. Estimated delivery dates shown on the Cart page are no longer accurate! Hopefully the labor dispute will be resolved Read more…
Announcement
Fabric For Sale
It’s been a long time since I sold any bulk fabric in the DIY Packraft shop (five years?!), so this is a bit of an experiment and I’m not sure how long it will last, but I have plenty of Read more…
How To
Back Band Assembly Instructions
I’m excited to announce that all the standard weight single-person DIY Packraft kits (Skeena, Telkwa, Atlin, etc.) now include parts for making a back band. Compared to a simple backrest cushion, a back band moves your seating position forward to Read more…
How To
Backband Attach Point How-To
Reclining against a packraft’s rear tubes is comfortable, but for whitewater paddling you’ll want to sit in a more forward and upright position. A backband makes that possible. This new video shows how to make and install attachment points for Read more…
How To
Slotted Attachment Point Video
I use this type of attachment point to secure the thigh straps to my packrafts, and because they’re low profile and only weigh 3 grams (0.1 oz), they’re a good option for securing things to your spray deck, behind your Read more…
Announcement
Price Reductions!
Just a quick post to let you know that as of now, all the DIY Packraft kit prices have been reduced! With everything else in life getting more expensive, I hope this comes as a welcome surprise. Check them out Read more…
Announcement
Thigh Straps Available Now
After many iterations, I’ve come up with a thigh strap design that works well, is comfortable, and has an installed weight of only 130 grams (4.6 ounces) including the attachment points. From now on, a set of thigh straps will Read more…
Gear Talk
Inflation Bag or Electric Pump?
I’ve always used an inflation bag to inflate my packrafts, but I keep seeing people mention that they prefer to use a little portable electric pump, so I decided to buy one and try it out myself. Using the pump Read more…
Customer Submission
Opie’s 2-Person Packraft Build Report
Due to its size, the 2-Person model is the most time-consuming DIY Packraft to build, and the most challenging model for a first-time builder. As you can see, however, forum member “Opie” did a great job on his! Opie posted Read more…
How To
New Inflation Bag Assembly Instructions
As part of my ongoing effort to improve the DIY Packraft instructions, I’ve completely remade the inflation bag assembly instructions video and webpage. Hopefully the changes will make it easy for you to understand how to put the parts together. Read more…
Review
New Heat Sealing Iron
This iron from Aliexpress was recommended by Bruce Campbell of Fairbanks, Alaska – a man of many great ideas! I bought one to try it out for myself, and I agree that it’s the best iron I’ve used for heat Read more…
How To
Inflation Bag Boston Valve Adapter
Evan Rodgers emailed to show me this simple and ingenious method of using a second Boston valve to create an inflation bag adapter that screws into the packraft’s Boston valve. Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Evan! Here’s what Evan wrote: Read more…
Uncategorized
Web Store Maintenace
Some of the software I use to run the DIY Packraft Shop has recently been updated to enhance security and functionality, so if you encounter any problems making a purchase, please contact me to tell me about the issue! Thanks Read more…
Product
Video: The Fabrics
I made this video to show the current fabrics that I use to make the Ultralight and the standard weight DIY Packraft kits. In the video, I talk about some of their properties and show how durable they are. If Read more…
Customer Submission
The first orange DIY Packraft
Customer Steve Gurney sent me these great pictures from his first trip in his DIY Packraft Skeena. Steve was one of the first people to order the new orange fabric, and I think it looks fantastic! The Caples River, near Read more…
Miscellany
$200 DIY Packraft Coupon at Charity Auction
It’s that time of year again! If you’d like to save some money on a DIY Packraft and give to charity at the same time, you can bid on a $200 (CAD) DIY Packraft coupon at my local Rotary Club’s Read more…
Announcement
Beautiful New Packraft Fabric Colors
I’m excited to announce that a fabric shipment has arrived with two new colors, orange and green (or pumpkin and sage, if you prefer)! These will be available as tube fabric in all of the standard weight packraft kits. Nikki Read more…
Announcement
Replacement Spray Deck Stiffener
The DIY Packraft spray decks use flexible plastic tubing to stiffen the rim that the elastic spray skirt fits over (the coaming), and several customers have said that the tubing I supplied with their kit is too flimsy to secure Read more…
Education
New Heat Sealing Video
As part of my effort to continuously improve the DIY Packraft instructions, I’ve made a new, more comprehensive video about heat sealing. It’s pretty long, but it’s everything you need to know, all in one place, and my hope is Read more…
Announcement
New Type of Airtight Zipper
I have just received a new shipment of airtight/waterproof zippers from TIZIP, and this time I ordered some MasterSeal 10 zippers in addition to the SuperSeal zippers I have been using since 2016. Both zippers are the same size and Read more…
Education
Packrafting Safety
Spring is here in the northern hemisphere and many of us are getting excited about packrafting trips we have planned for this paddling season, so now is a good time to think about paddling safety. Packrafting fatalities are very rare Read more…