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Here’s an alternative to a Boston valve. Works well with the inflation bag adapter (see my earlier post). Good airflow, and the valve creates an airtight seal. Only weighs 11g.
Cut the top off a carbonated drinks bottle, just below the flange. Sand the bottom flat.
Sandwich between a couple of discs of nylon with TPU coating on both sides, sealing the bottle top to the fabric with Seam Grip, then heat sealing the two discs together.
Add a third disc of the same double sided TPU fabric to the bottom, only bonding part of edge of the disc to the base, to create the valve.
The whole valve can be heat sealed to the TPU surface of the packraft.
In the right position, this also works well as a top up valve. To deflate, place an object (finger/spoon/twig) in the neck of the valve to open the flap.
If constructed well out of durable fabric, this should be a robust and maintenance free valve. Also easy to replace the cap should it go missing!
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There’s a Russian packraft boutique who uses this valve hack on their packrafts:https://www.birdypackraft.com/. There’s actually a lot of packrafting going on in Russia, if you know how to use Google translate or Deepl. Personally, I don’t like the Boston valve much. Its too bulky and too protruding. I would go for a bottle cap opening for bag inflating and deflating plus a topping up valve if I ever build a new raft.
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Any reason a bicycle innertube valve couldn’t be used? I’m contemplating a non-raft inflatable, and a bike valve would be handy.
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Bottle top valve installed in a seat. Some bottle tops (like this one from a Badoit sparkling water bottle) have a slightly lower profile. The valve is absolutely airtight without the screw top on, but deflates easily when the flap is pushed in with a finger tip. Works better than I thought. No going back now – I prefer this to the Boston valves I bought.
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