The Packraft backpack

Sometimes having a pack on the front of your raft is a pain, especially if there is any chance of flipping. Righting the raft with a pack stinks and it seems like dislocating a shoulder will happen before combat rolling a raft with a pack.

The addition of thigh straps allows the boat to be a backpack. Remove the spraydeck, connect bow and stern on bottom of boat, stuff in all your goodies, and wrap your raft with bow and stern lines around rafts midsection. Thigh straps are now great carry straps.

Pictured is my raft-backpack with spraydeck, paddle, lifejacket, dry suit, booties, inflation bag, and gloves inside. Did great on a three mile hike and I wouldn’t hesitate to take it on longer trips.

The only thing I have yet to work out for this setup is what to do with the inflation bag when rafting. Put it in the boat? Inside lifejacket? Any suggestions?