SALT LAKE CITY — A sport which has remained largely underground for the past 10-15 years has emerged as a rising star in the outdoor recreation world: pack rafting, a dynamic hybrid between a kayak and a raft.

As pack rafting is a new activity which is not yet commonplace, understanding what pack rafts are, how to use them, and how to care for them may be intimidating. Kelley Smith, CEO of packraft retailer Kokopelli PackRafts, told KSL.com how to get started and where to go once you do.

What is pack rafting?

“[A pack raft] is an ultra lightweight, inflatable raft,” Smith told KSL.com. “It weighs only 5-10 pounds, and it can be rolled up as small as a roll of paper towels.”

There are hundreds of different uses for these watercraft, including backpacking, fishing, canyoneering, bikepacking and general river running. Smith explained that many people like to backpack to high alpine lakes, where they inflate their pack rafts and enjoy fishing and paddling. Some like to go canyoneering down a deep slot canyon in backcountry remote Utah, getting to a river and inflating the raft to float out. Bikepackers across the midwest have been putting rafts on their handlebars until they get to a river or lake and inflate the raft, put the bike on and float out.

“Really, pack rafting is a vehicle for the water to be used in multi-sport applications,” Smith said. “That’s the traditional use of a pack raft — expeditionary, overnight, multisport travel. But if you think about it, the boats are so small and lightweight you could use them in a lot of different ways. Now, many people are using them for adventure travel.”

Owners of a pack raft can fly and bring their boat and paddle with them. Breakdown paddles and highly collapsible pack rafts can be folded up and shrunk down to fit in a carry-on suitcase, according to REI. You can expect a pack raft and all its gear to weigh about 10-15 pounds total.

“In addition to that, we are seeing a lot more applications in the military,” Smith said. “Something that’s so lightweight and compact allows special forces groups to jump out of airplanes and have it included in their packweight so when they hit the ground they have a vehicle for crossing rivers and navigating terrain via waterway.”

How pack rafting fits in with traditional river running

“Every time I go out to rivers, I see more and more groups,” Smith told KSL.com. “Sometimes they are exclusively packrafts, and other times they are big raft groups that bring two or three pack rafts, as well, to let people go through the rapids on their own individual craft.”

Smith explained that the type of user wanting a pack raft may vary. Sometimes, it includes those who want to learn to kayak but are concerned about using hardshells because they are hard to exit in the event of a flip. Kayaks are also less stable, while pack rafts are rounded and harder to upend.

Another type of user may include people who want to paddle in the mellow river flows and then jump on the big raft for more dangerous rapids. The sport provides another way to experience the river on traditional rafting trips in addition to providing a new form of rafting for adventure paddlers.

“Pack rafts can be used in lake, ocean and river settings,” Smith told KSL.com. He added that there are a few basic things to understand before ever taking a pack raft out on any body of water:

• Wear personal protective equipment: Ensure that you always bring a Personal Flotation Device (life jacket) and a helmet, as well as wetsuits, dry suits and other equipment as needed depending on the weather. “It’s amazing how many people say it’s a slow stream so they don’t wear a helmet,” Smith said. “If you were to flip over, or a gust of wind flipped you over and you became unconscious… You need a helmet.”
• Know the body of water and its features: Always do research and ensure you understand the difficulty of your undertaking before using a pack raft on any body of water. Rivers, in particular, present a lot of danger, according to Smith. “Before going out on a river you need to know if it’s a Class I, a Class III or a Class IV, and then make sure your paddling skills match the classification of the river you’re going to. The river features are going to be things like knowing how to go in and out of eddies, knowing what a hole is, what a sleeper is, what a strainer is.”
• Know your equipment: Understand your boat and your paddle fully before taking on anything dangerous. Canoeing and paddle boarding, for example, will not prepare a user for a pack rafting expedition, according to Smith. “For pack rafting we use a traditional kayak style paddles, which means it has two blades (one on the right and the left) and you paddle on both sides,” he said.
• Start small and build your confidence: “Start on flat water and make sure you’re comfortable with how the raft paddles,” Smith said. “Then go to a slow section of river and practice turning, going into eddies, coming back out of eddies — and keep building on your confidence that way instead of overstretching and getting into a dangerous situation.”

Basic care and maintenance of a pack raft

Another benefit to owning a pack raft is that they require minimal upkeep to help them remain in good condition, according to Smith. All of Kokopelli’s pack rafts come with a standard repair kit, which involves a simple peel and stick patch to adhere on any fissures or holes that may appear from damage or degradation over time.

“It’s very user-friendly from a repair standpoint,” Smith said.

The only part of a pack raft requiring consistent care over time are the zippers, and only if you intend to keep them watertight, according to Smith. To do so, simply use a lubricant on each zipper after every use and it will extend their longevity over time.

“After going on salt water, rinse it off and get the salt water off,” Smith said, adding that, “Pack rafts are OK in UV light, but you don’t want to store them outside. They’re good out on the water; but if you were to just store them outside in the sun for a year, you’re going to bleach it and see a lot of deterioration in the outer coating.”

Best places to go pack rafting

“Every trip I do has something special about it, and I try to never do the same trip twice,” Smith told KSL.com, in regards to the best locations for pack rafting. “There’s so much opportunity in all the different rivers out there, and so many varieties of trips, you never have to go on the same trip twice.”

Smith added that his favorite places to go pack rafting include southern Utah and Slovenia, based on his own experiences with their beauty and remoteness.

• Southern Utah: “The rivers down in southern Utah are so remote that I can go out there and won’t see anyone for four or five days,” Smith said. “It’s an incredible experience to be on a river, paddle 8-10 miles per day, and pull up anywhere camp.”
• Soca River in Slovenia: “It’s one of the most beautiful river systems I’ve ever seen,” Smith said. “It was opened up by the fact that I could fly from here in Denver over to Europe with the pack raft and paddle in my suitcase, drive down there, and then I could paddle the same boat I use here on another continent. That was pretty special.”

Outside Online suggests a variety of other superb options for pack rafting around the globe.

Learn more about pack rafting through these resources:

• REI’s introduction
• The Outboud’s guide for beginners
• Outside’s top seven pack rafting destinations
• Alpacka Raft pack rafting retailer
• Kokopelli Packrafts

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Editor's note: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The owner and operator of this site do not recommend or endorse any specific products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned in the article. Reliance on any information provided by the site owner and operator, is solely at your own risk. Always make sure you have the proper equipment, physical condition and experience level before trying any outdoor activity. And be sure to always check the weather conditions before heading out onto any body of water.

Cara MacDonald loves to write about the outdoors, science, health, environment, politics and tech. She is currently attending Pepperdine University Law School in pursuit of a media law degree. Contact her on Twitter @carammacdonald.

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