Pack Rafts
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: MQQSE
25-Jul-18
Does anyone have any experience with pack rafts for hunting in Alaska or elsewhere? I’ve used inflatable canoes in the past for moose hunting on remote lakes. I am looking for a lighter weight option to allow me to paddle across and along the edges of the small lakes I will be hunting in September. Overall weight is a major consideration.
From: IdyllwildArcher
25-Jul-18
Your very best option is the Alpacka Forager. It was specifically designed to carry a man, his gear, and a moose. It's not cheap, but it's the best. It weighs 12 lbs. It's the lightest, most durable raft you'll get for this kind of scenario, but it comes with a price tag.
EDIT: If you want it for September, you need to order it now. They individually manufacture them for each order.
From: wildwilderness
25-Jul-18
If you are not intending to go down a river with rapids you can get by with something less expensive than an alpaca. You can look at a Dave Scadden packrat 330
From: thedude
25-Jul-18
Pr 49. Raft is 15 lbs prior to paddles and air pump but has 800 lb capacity so it’s more like 600 performance load. I’m taking mine on a 14 day solo sheep hunt in a few weeks.
From: Nick Muche
25-Jul-18
X2 on the PR49. Love mine.
From: wildwilderness
26-Jul-18
A PR49 Seems like a load for a solo sheep hunt where people shave ounces. Is it a float hunt? I can see how the PR49 would be great for a fly in float hunt, especially for moose or multiple caribou. Out of curiosity where are you sheep hunting?
From: MQQSE
26-Jul-18
Thanks for all of the info so far. I am hunting moose in south central Alaska. I mainly want some sort of water transportation to allow me to circumvent some of the brush choked shorelines and shorten some of my hikes each day. Inflatable canoes work well, but these light weight rafts may allow me to cut weight. I am just not sure how easily they paddle vs just float down a river.
I can pack the meat to the waters edge and call for a pickup as I have done in the past, so the need to transport meat probably isn’t factor on this hunt.
A two person raft would be best.
From: MQQSE
26-Jul-18
Here is the heavy canoe I used in the past. In this example I had good success camping on one side of the lake and paddling across to hunt. The lake was quite wide but rather narrow.
Here is the heavy canoe I used in the past. In this example I had good success camping on one side of the lake and paddling across to hunt. The lake was quite wide but rather narrow.
From: thedude
26-Jul-18
Wilderness the raft is for access on the float leg before I do my 20 mile trek into sheep country.
