Hi, I am a intermediate whitewater kayaker. I’m new to this community, I was thinking about buying a packraft for overnight backpacking up rivers for runs. Although it is a bit expensive for me, so I was thinking of buying a large durable river tube for $100. I was wondering If any of you know from experiance how paddling a packraft compares to paddling a river tube on up to class IV- bigwater and technical creeks?
To quote a famous tennis player: “You Cannot Be Serious!”
I’ve packrafted down rapids plenty o’ times, and tubed down plenty smaller ones (usually on a bright summer day with a cooler of beer somewhere near), but I’ve never tried paddling with an innertube. I’m not even sure how you’d make that work. I won’t say it can’t be done, but I’m more than a bit skeptical.
Just curious, looks like no one around here really knows. I’ve seen thousands of people run class III on inner tubes around here in Utah, I know about the Gnar Tubers of Colorado who have been paddling up to class V for the last few years without any serious incidents, although I wouln’t do it. I have tried paddling an inner tube before, it is extremely easy to manuever. So I can see running class III as ok with the proper skills and safety equipment and a good tube. Does anyone live in Utah and has a packraft I could go boating with them and test it out?