ColoradoboyYes, they're all like that, but worry not -- they're normal once you're inside on the water :-) I hope you enjoy yours!
I got mine last year but didn't get a chance to try it out until early fall -- it was a lot of fun! I'm so looking forward to all the ice melting here in Minnesota.
It doesn't track well at all, but I never expected it to either. It's just super fun & super easy to take this down to the local park, inflate, and go enjoy being on the water. When I paddled vigorously I got water in the "boat."
I never would have bought a "boat," but at the price point I said, "why not?" And of course that meant buying a lightweight lifejacket as well. So now l have a way more comfortable life jacket that doesn't stink like rentals often do.
We have a lot of lakes in Minnesota, but not all of them are accessible by canoe / portages, so this packraft is a nice way to access them (or other lakes that require long portages). Also bonus is that the length is short enough that it doesn't have to be registered $ in MN. All canoes, kayaks, inflatable kayaks must be registered if they are 10' or greater.
Anyway, hope you can get out on the water soon and have fun!
CardamomteaYeah, it doesn't track like a boat with a keel - it's much more like a whitewater kayak than a sea kayak. But I found it tracked somewhat better if I had some weight in the front - a loaded pack, a kid sitting there or even my own feet. It was more relaxing to lean back against the raft with little weight on my feet, but if I sat more upright, with more weight on my heels, then it tracked a bit better.
DavidinKenaiI'll have to try it with my backpack in the front. I've been puzzling over how to keep my pack dry. I use a trash compactor lining on the inside, but I'd like to keep the outside dry if possible. Any thoughts?
rodgerWell finally bought a 65L drybag from Sea to Summit, but even though it's huge, it's long & tube shaped, and won't fit my 40L backpack inside when packed... back to the drawing board...
ColoradoboyYes, definitely a consequence of it being a 'two dimensional' pattern. However, if it were 3D like a burlier raft (alpaca, etc) it would necessarily weigh and cost more.
Does your boat bend/wrinkle weird like mine before you get into it?
I got mine last year but didn't get a chance to try it out until early fall -- it was a lot of fun! I'm so looking forward to all the ice melting here in Minnesota.
It doesn't track well at all, but I never expected it to either. It's just super fun & super easy to take this down to the local park, inflate, and go enjoy being on the water. When I paddled vigorously I got water in the "boat."
I never would have bought a "boat," but at the price point I said, "why not?" And of course that meant buying a lightweight lifejacket as well. So now l have a way more comfortable life jacket that doesn't stink like rentals often do.
We have a lot of lakes in Minnesota, but not all of them are accessible by canoe / portages, so this packraft is a nice way to access them (or other lakes that require long portages). Also bonus is that the length is short enough that it doesn't have to be registered $ in MN. All canoes, kayaks, inflatable kayaks must be registered if they are 10' or greater.
Anyway, hope you can get out on the water soon and have fun!