The Best Packrafts of 2024

The Alpacka Expedition ($1,725-1,825) is the modern incarnation of the original packraft Alpacka launched way back in 2000. Now, it offers 20 years of improvements and a clear focus on the big wilderness that’s the heart of the sport. If you only owned one packraft for the rest of your life, the Expedition wouldn’t be a bad choice — as it was the best overall in our testing.

The Expedition comes standard with a whitewater spray deck and internal storage via a waterproof TiZip — a long zipper that provides access to the interior of the packraft tubes. And at 10.6 inches, the tubes of the performance Rally Hull give the boat amazing performance in both flatwater and serious whitewater.

The boat strikes a nearly perfect balance between weight and functionality. It’s light and packable enough to carry on a long trip, yet perfect for nearly all types of serious paddling. And while it previously came without, every new build is kitted out to the nines with white-water specific features such as four-point thigh straps, foot brace, and spray skirt.

We loved the removable whitewater deck, which kept us nearly as dry as the standard spray deck in big water. It allowed for an open boat configuration with ample room for a kid (or dog) on lazy days at the lake. And, uncommon in many rafts: It’s available in three sizes to fine-tune your fit.

With a bloodline that goes back to the very beginning of packrafting, the Alpacka Expedition has been refined and followed the trajectory of the sport to produce a boat that’ll be enjoyable for just about anyone to saddle up in.

The XPD ($799) is Kokopelli’s rough and tumble river runner, and at sub-$800, it’s a comparative steal when looking at other full-featured packrafts. Based on Kokopelli’s Rogue-Lite design and done up in a burly material, the XPD is a budget raft that’ll take a beating.

During our testing, we paddled a loaner raft for Class III whitewater laps on a small Wyoming creek and on a Snake River fishing trip. It worked very well for both, and we were thankful for the extra air pressure and durability as we rode over rocks and logs.

Kokopelli designed the XPD using 1,000-denier reinforced PVC material. Compared to lightweight rafts, the material feels more like a commercial whitewater rafting boat. It’s meant to be versatile and stand up to heavy use. And you should get more mileage from the XPD than some of the lighter rafts on this list.

It’s considerably burlier (and heavier) than the Rogue-Lite and Twain rafts we’ve used. The material also allows you to inflate the raft to a higher psi (3 versus 1.5). We found the additional air had us sitting higher in the water than Kokopelli’s Rogue Lite, which was preferred.

Newly revised for 2021, the XPD gained a removable 9-inch fin that attaches at the stern with an American Standard Fin Plate. This greatly enhances the raft’s tracking ability, which is something that many packrafts suffer with.

At 13 pounds, this raft can be stashed in a pack or duffel and carried to the water easily, and it’s ideal for shorter approaches. You can carry it several miles, but if that’s your main use you should opt for a lighter raft.

Kokopelli includes the Nano Barrel pump (additional 2 pounds) with the XPD, which you need to inflate the packraft. It’s a well-designed pump that folds, to a degree, for easy packing. However, it’s not as light or packable as other options.

Kokopelli claims you can inflate the raft with the Feather Pump or inflation bag as well. However, the psi won’t be as high and they aren’t included with the raft. Inflation and setup are easy if you’ve used a packraft; if not, it’s still pretty straightforward.

When fully inflated to 3 psi, the area where you sit is pretty snug. Our three testers were average-sized or smaller men and women with an athletic build. If you’re a larger person or have wider hips, it could be a tight squeeze. Releasing a little air pressure would help make it roomier.

Overall, if you don’t need an ultralight boat and want to try packrafting, the XPD is a good choice. To make an analogy, this is a “car camping” packraft, not a “backpacking” packraft.

The Kokopelli XPD is less expensive than other rafts on the list, but we acknowledge that $799+ is still a huge investment for gear. It’s made for several water types, is built for adventure, and should last a long time for the price.

Paddling the Grand Canyon in a packraft? This is your boat. The Alpacka Gnarwhal ($1,525-1,775) is both the highest-performing and most forgiving whitewater packraft we’ve ever paddled. Heck, it might even be the best solo boat of any type we’ve paddled for whitewater.

The high-volume Gnarwhal can be configured as either a self-bailer or decked boat. And both options come standard with Alpacka’s exceptional four-point thigh strap, whitewater backband, and foot brace. To top it off, the oversize butt is fitted with a TiZip for internal storage. And you can purchase two custom dry bags that clip inside to hold your gear.

In whitewater, the boat’s extra high volume makes it great for beginners in just about any water. Experienced boaters will find it capable in technical steep creeks and high-volume runs of Class IV/V water. It can surf waves, battle roll (with an experienced paddler), and bash through monster holes.

At 9 pounds, the Gnarwhal won’t be ideal for long cross-country traverses that require anything other than water time, but the large tubes more than make up for it in paddleability. This is one stable and forgiving boat.

If you’re looking for a white-water machine like the Gnarwhal but want a boat that’s a bit more playful, the lower-volume 10.6-inch tubes of the Alpacka Wolverine make it a predictable edging and all-river-fun kind of boat. Either will maximize your enjoyment of the froth.

About the size of a loaf of bread when packed and inflating in under 60 seconds, the Rapid Raft from Uncharted Supply Co ($479) sets itself apart from the majority of other packrafts. While we were first skeptical, once you get the hang of it, it’s downright easy to get this boat filled up in under a minute.

That impressive fill time is thanks to the raft’s unique closure collar, which operates in the same way as your waterproof compression sacks. Simply get a running start, loft the raft, and roll down the collar to seal in the air. Then, top off with the integrated one-way tube, and the Rapid Raft is ready.

Ideal for an alpine lake or quick river crossing, the Rapid Raft is quite stable when paddled, and we found it to punch above its weight class when it came to ability in the water. We wouldn’t hesitate to bring this raft along on any alpine fishing trip, or long traverse that only requires a brief river shuttle to cross.

Since there’s no seat on the Rapid Raft, we did find our backsides catching a chill while paddling alpine lakes this autumn. Tossing a bit of padding down there can help, and we found that adding a simple Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat made paddling more enjoyable.

Despite our best efforts, we did find that the seal of the closure collar was never quite perfect, and a stream of tiny bubbles followed us wherever we paddled. Thankfully this is a very slow release, and a quick top-off from the inflation tube kept us on the water for hours.

Compared to other ultralight flatwater boats like the Klymit LWD or Alpacka Ghost, we found the Rapid Raft to be the best balance of features and weight, and you simply can’t beat the ease of inflation and deflation.

Primordial packrafting asked a lot from those early boats, but there was always a desire for a reliable raft that could be carried across the expanses of Alaska and similar landscapes. While Alpacka Raft has come far since then, the brand figured that a back-to-basics boat with all-new tech would round out the line nicely.

The Alpacka Refuge ($1,325) is just that: a packraft that gives up little in any metric but only weighs your pack down a bit more than 7 pounds. Spec’ed out with a standard whitewater deck, internal storage, and all of the rigging to get you through wilderness Class III, this boat is ready to go places.

Compared to a boat like the Kokopelli Rogue R-Deck, the WW Refuge easily takes the lead in a number of facets. While the floor material of the Rogue is reinforced 210D, Alpacka Raft uses a stronger 840D nylon in the WW Refuge. The weight difference is still in favor of the WW Refuge (7 pounds vs. the Rogue’s 9.1 pounds).

Then there’s the full whitewater rigging, including thigh straps, foot brace, deck, and skirt system, which provides plenty of control over the boat when maneuvering through rough water. During our testing in Washington State, we found the boat to be highly nimble when taken to the edge of its abilities.  

A TiZip comes standard with the WW Refuge. However, we will note that the WW Refuge is a smaller boat than the Rogue, with a smaller cockpit and total overall length/width. Designed with the same shape and materials as the Scout, the Refuge trades weight and packability for durability.

In our opinion, the Alpacka Refuge makes an ideal second boat for those who already own something like the Alpacka Classic or Kokopelli Nirvana. It fills a niche for long-haul expeditions where weight matters. It won’t wilt under heavier water, but is still light enough to be carried for many miles.

Let’s start with the impressive number: 2.25 pounds. To say that the Alpacka Ghost ($750) has trimmed the fat would be misleading; we’re unconvinced this ultralight boat ever had any fat on it to begin with.

Made with a 70-denier ripstop nylon hull and a 200-denier nylon floor — what Alpacka calls the “practical minimum” — this gossamer vessel straddles the line between light and silly light and was created for the ultrarunners, canyoneers, or anyone who might find themselves with a calm expanse of water to cross.

The Ghost is cut from the same design as the Scout, only 2 inches shorter, and still uses the same 10-inch tubes. It’s decidedly spartan without a seat, but tossing a pack underneath you should provide some insulation.

You really won’t want to run this boat into anything that isn’t liquid — which makes it ideal for flatwater alpine lakes, slot canyon water crossings, or a quick river shuttle.

Packed up, the Ghost compresses into an 11-inch x 5-inch roll, making it disappear into packs. For those who are leading the bleeding edge and pushing limits, this packraft will open up new routes and new possibilities.

Read Review: Alpacka Ghost Review: Minimalist Alpine Lake Exploration With an Ultralight Packraft

Are you looking to run whitewater laps on your favorite rocky river? Then you need the Kokopelli Recon ($999). This boat isn’t light. At 18 pounds, this is not the boat to backpack with. But what it lacks in lightness, it makes up for in rugged durability.

Constructed of 1,000-denier reinforced PVC, this bad boy can easily bash into rocks and bounce down low-flow rivers. And since PVC can be inflated to a higher psi, the Recon excels at charging through holes. If you’ve ever wished for a mini whitewater raft, this is it.

And, just like a whitewater boat, all Kokopelli boats come with commercial-raft grade Leafield D7 valves, a great step up in terms of durability and functionality.

While the Recon doesn’t come equipped with a set of thigh-straps, we highly recommend them to increase overall maneuverability. Thankfully the boat does come pre-rigged with all the necessary rigging attachment points.

The Recon has an improved EVA backband (complete with a snack-friendly pocket) and reinforced drain holes to prevent tearing on sticks and rocks. It also comes complete with Kokopelli’s Nano Barrel pump and reinforced D-rings.

All in all, this is a bomber whitewater boat that’s built to withstand it all. Available with or without TiZip storage.

The Alpacka Forager ($2,200-2,300) is the culmination of the desire to create a sub-15-pound two-person boat capable of thriving in the world’s biggest whitewater and expeditions. With 16 lash points, built-in self-bailing, a TiZip for internal storage, and a “wave breaker” bow (our name for it), the Forager is ready for any adventure you can imagine.

Despite the massive inflated size, it packs down to a modest 20-inch x 10-inch roll that will fit in a decent expedition pack. The boat is a bit sluggish compared to many of the other two-person boats on the market, like the Kokopelli Twain. But it is easy to paddle with either kayak paddles (for long flatwater sections) or canoe paddles (for more intense whitewater control).

Many will use this packraft for paddling large western rivers, or fly-in backcountry hunts where packing out a moose is no small feat. Thankfully, the large squared-off bow of the Forager is prime for lashing dang-near anything, including bikes.

Dig the profile and capacity, but only need space for one paddler? Check out the Ranger ($2,000), the single-captain version of the Forager.

If you haven’t paddled a self-bailing packraft before, you’re doing yourself a disservice, and the MRS Viking Self Bailer ($1,049) is a killer option for taking a paddle on the wet side. MRS as a brand is up-and-coming, and the Viking absolutely impressed us with its whitewater chops.

Designed as a heavy water boat, the Viking is dialed up with everything we’d expect to see in a whitewater raft, including a 4-point thigh strap system and large 11.4” tubes. The self-bailing floor means that waves taken over the bow wash through the boat, and provide a ‘planted’ feeling when powering through big waves and holes. This feeling does come at the trade-off of some maneuverability, however.

The 11 drainage holes on the underside of the Viking feature unique directional baffles that resist water flowing into the boat, but allow it to pass out of it. Think of them as one-way valves, and after paddling the raft through some techy and splashy boulder gardens we found the drainage to more than keep up.

The seat system on this raft is made up of a ¾-length floor and separate footrest, which creates a well for the paddler’s ankles to sit in. Bracing in this way feels like you’re a part of the boat, and while paddling on the North Fork of the Nooksack River in Washington State, tester Nick Belcaster noticed the difference. “Self-bailers feel like they’re glued to the water, and the Viking really feels stable when you lean into it,” he reported.

There’s no denying that the Viking is a big boat (the lines are lifted from the XXL-version of the brand’s decked whitewater craft, the Alligator 2S Pro), and at 106” long, it’s larger than both the Alpacka Raft Gnarwhal (97” in large) and the Kokopelli Nirvana (90”). This added length certainly improves the boat’s displacement in swampy conditions, but is a bit long to really snap the boat around like we found we can in a Gnarwhal.

Compared to other whitewater self-bailing champs like the Gnarwhal and the Nirvana, the MRS Viking feels like it can more than hang. The inflatable backrest wasn’t our favorite (it’s too squishy to really brace against), and the all-black design will need a close-eye to ensure it doesn’t over-expand during portages, but for significantly less out-of-pocket than similar boats, the Viking styles all the same water.

The new Kokopelli Twain Lite ($1,099) takes the large and in-charge energy of the classic double-seated Twain boat and lops off a few inches to create a 1.5-person raft that not only has the extra room to support additional gear, bikes, or a pup, but also the stability to make loaded-down paddling manageable. 

At 110” long, the Twain Lite sports more of a kayak profile than traditional squat packrafts. In turn, it gains a great deal of flatwater trackability. The boat was designed as a ‘Class I and Lake’ craft, and after a few months on the water, we can say it excels in this realm. 

During our testing, we set out on a voyage across Diablo Lake in Washington State and found the paddling manners of the Twain Lite to be downright reasonable. The extra space in the bow easily stashed half of our overnight kit, with the rest saddled and strapped down to the top of the deck. The raft’s longer tubes improve its tracking ability and function more like a kayak than a traditional packraft.

In a new development for Kokopelli, the brand opted to borrow from their inflatable kayak line and equip the Twain Lite with a removable 4.5” tracking fin. At first, we were a bit skeptical of the efficacy this might add, but after a long day of paddling into a crosswind, we could definitely tell that we hadn’t needed to course-correct as much. Don’t need the fin? Just pop it out of the low-profile mount and stash it.

The Twain Lite has become one of our favorite boats to fish from. The long profile makes it stable when casting and landing fish. Plus, the extended bow makes an excellent place to stash landing nets or drybags.  

The bow of the Twain Lite is studded with the classic set of four webbing loops to facilitate lashing down the kit. The extended bow creates room for shuttling your steel pony while bikerafting. While the attachment is secure, we did find that the more narrow bow doesn’t provide as much real estate as something like the squared-off nose and larger tubes of the Alpacka Caribou, another uber-popular bikerafting boat.

If you’re looking for a load-hauling water shuttle (that’s still dang fun to paddle on its own), the Twain Lite is ready to saddle up.

This souped-up version of Kokopelli’s best-selling Rogue packraft twists the knob a bit further with the addition of a removable spray deck. Designed as the do-it-all packraft, the Rogue R-Deck ($1,199) lives up to the claim in our opinion.

Built on the Rogue chassis, this boat is still made from the same 210-denier TPU hull and tough Kevlar Aramid-nylon blend floor. When we paddled it for the first time on Washington State’s Skagit River, we were thankful for the burl floor as we skittered past woody strainers.

In terms of industry counterparts, this boat lands about into the same niche as the Alpacka Refuge: a lightweight and packable boat that lends itself to moving across broad swaths of landscape. The Rogue R-Deck doesn’t come standard with a TiZip like the Refuge does, but it is available as an add-on.

For full-fledged rowdy water paddling, you’ll want a spray skirt to keep water from topping your boat. The lightweight Alpine Ultralight Sprayskirt from Kokopelli makes an excellent companion for occasional splashes.

We don’t know where Kokopelli is getting their mondo-sized paper towel rolls, but we found their packed-size claim to be a smidge exaggerated. Maybe they’re just better at rolling than us. That said, the packed size and weight are still impressive for a boat of this caliber.

Being able to strip the skirt from this raft is truly a joy, and we’ve used it to paddle alpine lakes one day and suit up for Class II runs the next. The flexibility of the Rogue R-Deck makes it a packraft for those who want to run most everything without swapping boats.

An excellent entry point into packrafting, the MRS Microraft ($899) is similar to other ‘quiver-killer’ rafts such as the Alpacka Raft Classic or Kokopelli Rogue R-Deck, and is tuned for all-around ability in flatwater and simple Class I-II whitewater — but does it for a good bit less out of your pocket. After paddling on rivers and lakes in Washington State and British Columbia this season, we found the Microraft amenable to most waters.

Made of a 210D TPU nylon hull and 840D floor, the Microraft is a pretty standard recipe built with 10.4”-11” tubes, though we felt the material felt thinner than other similar denier packraft fabrics. The design has a good amount of early-rise rocker in the bow of the boat, similar to the Classic and certainly more than the Rogue, which aids in pushing out of rougher water and creates less resistance.

The stern sports a more flat profile, which aids in planting the rear of the boat during whitewater and we found helped it to not ‘squirt’ out as it pivots through the wave.

The seat on the raft is a simple inflatable backrest/seat that is about on par with other options in this type of boat (the exception being the Rogue, which sports a full EVA backband). We found it comfortable enough for flatwater paddling in North Cascade alpine lakes while fishing, but missed some of the support when the waters frothed up.

The C-type spray skirt that comes standard on this raft is a welcome sight (most other all-around rafts charge for the add-on), and it works a treat in practice, though does have a learning curve. The deck itself is zippered on three sides, with the fourth side affixed with Velcro that runs to the torso aperture.

Be sure to familiarize yourself first — during one of our test runs on British Columbia’s Cheakamus River, one of our paddlers had an exciting wet exit in a Class III rapid when he forgot how to split the skirt. “I eventually figured it out.”

One of our only issues on the Microraft was the WW deck-to-tube interface, which felt like it could rip off if yarded on the wrong way (it’s natural to want to grab the raft at this interface, which stresses the connection). The Boston valve used for inflation is also a little noisier than most, but in practical use, this makes little difference.

Beginners or just packraft generalists need a boat that’ll do most all of it, but very often these folks can’t shell out the big bucks on specialized rafts for every type of water or trip. The MRS Microraft makes a strong case for itself, and besides some cosmetic imperfections, should be a packraft that will lead many forward in their paddling trajectory.

It may not be the sleekest boat on the water, but we’ll say this: you’re 100% more likely to catch fish if you’re aboard the Klymit Lite Water Dinghy ($200). At least that’s how it felt last August as we plied the dropoffs of Upper Eagle Lake — a zone we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to access.

This ultra-light, -packable, and -cheap packraft settles in somewhere between a high-end pool toy and packraft wanna-be, but despite looks, we found it to be an admirable paddler on flat water. And there’s no denying the access it provides the eager angler.

Made of a 210-denier polyester, this raft eschews the common TPU-coated nylon for its build, as well as any conventional packraft shape. The arrow-shaped design enhances tracking, though only so much. This is still a wiley boat to paddle.

Because the boat is reversible, the seat sits in the middle of the tubes, and while this improves paddler positioning, it doesn’t leave much tube height to avoid getting swamped. It’s best to be content getting a little wet when using the LWD.

Speaking of the seat, we were impressed to find an inflatable seat integrated into the LWD — something that other lightweight boats like the Uncharted Supply Co Rapid Raft or Alpacka Ghost go without. Paddled side-by-side we found a much colder backside in these boats versus the LWD.

What’s the best packraft? The one you’ve got with you. And at a featherlight 2 pounds, 12 ounces, the Klymit Lite Water Dinghy goes dang-near anywhere.

At 3 pounds, 12.8 ounces, the Alpacka Scout ($750) is among the flagships of lightweight packrafts. Stripped down to just the basics, the boat rolls so small that you can almost always find room in your pack for it.

Best of all, it allows for unhindered access to remote mountain lakes, streams, and canyons that you’d otherwise never really explore. It has a simple “open boat” design, with no spray deck or self-bailing options.

The Scout can also be fitted with a TiZip for a little extra cash. We highly recommend this option if you are planning to use it on the river for shuttling your kit around.

One downside is that the Scout only comes in one size. It will likely be uncomfortable for people on the bigger side of the spectrum. It also only comes equipped with two lash points, although more can be added.

There are a lot of other great boats in this category besides the Scout. Most notably, the 6-pound Kokopelli Rogue-Lite ($899) boasts an inflatable seat and extremely robust construction for both flat and mild whitewater — and more room than the Scout.

Light on both the back and the wallet, the Kokopelli Hornet-Lite ($550) makes an excellent packraft for those who are looking to break into the sport, or want another raft for plunking around on backpacking trips.

At 5 pounds, 3 ounces, the Hornet-Lite won’t weigh you down too much at all, which it accomplishes by using a 70-denier TPU in the tubes and a 210-denier in the floor. We will note that while the Hornet does have a seat, it isn’t compatible with any of the backbands that Kokopelli offers on their other packrafts.

Compared to the Rogue-Lite, this boat offers many of the same features, but at a significantly lower price ($899 versus the $550 of the Hornet-Lite). The flip side is going to be durability, as the 70-denier material of the Hornet will decidedly keep you out of anything in a river for fear of a puncture.

But for paddling around a lake after rucking in? The Hornet-Lite is keen on it.