The packraft is much more than a kayak: it is an open door to adventure. Light, compact and surprisingly resistant, the packraft allows you to explore rivers, lakes and coasts combining hiking with sailing. If you like walking, discovering hidden corners and experiencing nature from a different perspective, read on.
In addition to being perfect for calm trips, the packraft has also established itself as a very good option for whitewater kayaking. Its great stability, manoeuvrability and resistance make it suitable for class III and even class IV or V rivers with the right equipment and knowledge. Thanks to its low weight and compact size, it can be carried as hand luggage on a plane, making it the perfect boat for trips abroad. It also facilitates portages in rivers with impracticable sections and allows you to combine it with a bike (bikerafting) for solo descents in which you pedal up and paddle down, opening up possibilities that would be unthinkable with a traditional kayak.
The main advantage over whitewater kayaking is that the initial learning curve is much more pleasant with the Packraft, thanks to its better primary stability. Another great advantage is the operation we call self-rescue: in the event of a swim, unlike in kayaking, you don't need to be able to do the skimming manoeuvre, but you can self-rescue, alone or with the help of your companions, by getting back into your packraft. Emptying a packraft of water is not the same as with a kayak! It is a much simpler manoeuvre.
Here is a complete guide to understand what a packraft is and how to get started in this outdoor sport and leisure activity.