I have no experience with the Yak, but I’m 6’4" and find the Llama is a great fit. Keep in mind you can always move the seat forward or add thigh straps if it feels loose. I’m sure either boat could handle the weight in flat water. I’ve had myself, my girlfriend, and a pack on the Llama and run CIass II without incident. I don’t think a Yak would have been big enough for something like that, but I could be wrong. I’d say either boat would work fine for you.
I’m a bit shorter than you, but with the same inseam, and bikeraft with my Yak. It works, but it took a while to figure out the right position so the various bike parts didn’t get in the way of my paddling.
If you plan on lots of bikerafting with overnight gear, I think the bit of extra length in the Lama would be welcome.
Hi McNik,
This one’s a no brainer. Get the Llama.
I’m 5’10", 165lbs with a 32" inseam. I definitely prefer the Llama for bikerafting. Being a bit bigger than me I think you’ll feel pretty cramped with your bike, plus camp gear, in anything less than the Llama. Because of our guide business I’ve had the luxury of using all three sizes numerous times (Alpaca, Yak and Llama). And if I’m taking a bike, I take the Llama. The only time I won’t take it is if someone else is using it.
The cost of the slight bit of extra weight of the Llama pays off in greater benefits over the other models. In addition to the extra legroom you’ll find the Llama tracks way better than the others. The Alpaca works, but I only bring it if the packrafting portion of the trip is really short (and preferably on a river with decent current) and I won’t mind the lack of tracking or comfort. I figure the weight savings are more important on a long journey where there’s relatively little packrafting involved. On a lake or something else currentless, the Alpaca - compared to the other models - tracks like an inner tube. The Yak definitely tracks better, the Llama better still. So for long, currentless water - regardless of whether I’m hauling a bike - I prefer the Llama over the others simply for its superior tracking. I’ve also found the Llama more stable in the whitewater.
And if you’re hauling another person the Llama is the way to go. Even when I’m solo in the Llama without any gear or bikes I do not feel like I’m flopping around, especially if it’s calm water. As far as space savings go, the stuff sacks for these boats are the same size regardless of model and the boats tend to fill out the stuff sack no matter how you roll them up. So that stuff sack is gonna take up the same amount of space in your pack whether it’s the Alpaca or the Llama. Roman may beg to differ, especially if you’re rolling them up like him and foregoing the stuff sack. Then you may notice a slight gain in pack space if using the other models. Then again, a lot of folks strap them on the outside of their pack so they’re not really losing or gaining any pack space regardless of the model.
I really like the Sierra red.