Kwok Wah Lai

The bond made with Aquasure is much weaker than welded TPU, but in this case you are not relying on the Aquasure for a structural bond, only to make it airtight where the TPU is partly damaged. I would not use Aquasure between the seam strip and the tube fabric – even damaged TPU will be stronger, so simply reheat and reposition the seam strip,…[Read more]

Don’t worry – it doesn’t look too bad!

In this situation I would first remove as much cardboard as possible by heating it with the iron and scraping it off carefully with a knife, a little bit at a time (or peel it all off when it is hot if it will come off in one piece, but I think it won’t). Then reheat the folded/wrinkled area to release the…[Read more]

Good idea!

Yep, the TPU is what makes the fabric airtight, so if it’s damaged that could cause it to leak – check those spots first. Cheers!

Right on! The packraft looks great and so does the backpack – well done!

I’m sure people would be interested in more detail about the backpack, so if have any assembly shots or more photos showing how you attached things, I’d be happy to post them on the blog where more people will see (with credit to you, of course).

Enjoy the summer while it lasts!

The undamaged fabric is airtight, so you definitely have at least one leak somewhere. The first question to consider is whether or not it’s worth your time trying to track it down. Based on some quick math and an average lung capacity, the rate of air loss you’re seeing is equivalent to roughly 1/2 litre (1 pint) per hour, or 8 ml (0.25 oz) per…[Read more]

Great scenery, and fantastic work on the packraft! I love it!

Congratulations on finishing your kit!

I think you’ll have difficulty finding a paint that adheres to the TPU and is flexible enough that it won’t flake off. Even flexible polyurethane paint can’t handle the folding (I’ve tried it).

The Seam Grip plus pigment idea @legslegum mentioned will probably work.

A permanent marker could also work.

You…[Read more]

You bet! Just shoot me an email.

Hmm, yeah, I would apply some Seam Grip+WP or Aquaseal over these areas to prevent it from getting any worse. You could either cut away the part that has delaminated or glue it back down – it looks like there’s still plenty of fabric there so I wouldn’t be worried about the strength being compromised if you do cut it back (the seam strips are much…[Read more]

Great work, Aaron, and thanks for the feedback!

Just a note regarding the seats, for anyone considering a DIY Packraft build: I’ve totally redesigned the seats for 2021 so they’re much easier/faster to assemble and much less likely to develop leaks.

Gorgeous!

Thanks for your interest in the Ultralight kits 🙂

I am planning to offer them again in the future, but sourcing fabric is an endless headache, so I’m not sure when it’ll happen.

Very interesting! Thanks for this.

Mountain Equipment Co-op has several paddling jackets/pants combinations, as well as one-piece drysuits to choose from – that’s probably your best bet in Canada (though I haven’t used any of them). One has a spandex collar, which sounds intriguing.

I took a gamble on a no-name drysuit I found on Amazon a few years ago for a ridiculously cheap…[Read more]

Wonderful!

I’m not familiar with that product so I can’t recommend it. I recommend Seam Grip+WP, Aquaseal, or Aquasure (all made by Gear Aid).

Thanks! Beautiful work – I hope to see it in the wild when you’re able to travel north!

Yep, that sounds about right (see the “Note” about sealing different fabrics together on the Heat Sealing page). You don’t need to join 450 to 450 in any of my designs, so don’t worry about that. Cheers!