• Inflation Pressure For Packrafts Hair
• Inflation Pressure For Packrafts Women
• Inflation Pressure For Packrafts Age

WHITEWATER SERIES“ A packraft is a gateway tool that you can grow with and grow into. It’s a piece of equipment that evolves as your technical skills evolve. Instead of a means to an end, it becomes its own thing.”–Luc Mehl, Conservationist, Alpacka Raft AmbassadorThe Grand Canyon, the Elwha, Vallecito Creek, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, South Fork of the Salmon, and Bull Lake Creek. All epic Class IV-V whitewater runs that were once thought to be beyond the capabilities of packraft. All runs that have been ticked off in style by paddlers in the Alpacka Whitewater Series packrafts over the last decade. Change what you thought was possible in a packraft with the Gnarwhal and Wolverine, each proudly Made to Order in Mancos, Colorado.

The Gnarwhal provides unmatched stability and forgiveness for developing skills and confidence and charging hard in big volume rivers, while the Wolverine is the master of maneuverability, acceleration, edge control, and combat rolling in challenging whitewater. Prefer to paddle with a partner? Our Temper Assist Valve minimizes air loss while inflating and improves your ability to increase the air pressure in your packraft. It is not a true one-way valve that other inflatables may have, which requires a pump to engage the spring and allow air to pass through. The valve is a complement to our lightweight inflation bag and to the air capacity of your lungs.How the valve works:. To inflate, turn the blue dial counterclockwise to the closed position and thread the inflation bag onto the valve.

While using the inflation bag, the internal flap will close and prevent air loss as you near capacity. The flap will not engage until there is enough internal pressure to push against the flap. Remove the inflation bag after you have added as much air as you can with it. A hiss of air may still escape at this point. Blow directly into the valve by mouth until you have added enough pressure to make the tubes of your boat firm.

Thread the valve cap onto the valve to make an air tight seal. Before you launch, temper your boat in the water and add air until the pressure stabilizes, this may take a few times depending upon water temperature and the volume of your boat. To deflate, turn the blue dial clockwise to the open position to release air. Store your boat with the valve in the counterclockwise closed position.

This will release the pressure on the flap and prevent it from creating a memory from the open position.For more information, check out our How To Inflate Your Packraft video on our page.×. HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR BOAT SIZEYour sit length, not your height, determines your boat size. Follow these steps to determine your sit length:. Place the starting end of a tape measure against a wall and pull out at least 48-inches of tape. Sit against the wall on top of or right next to the tape measure and extend your legs out flat without pointing your toes.

We recommend wearing your preferred paddling shoes for this step. Have a friend measure the tape length to the bottom of your heels. Use a cardboard box if you don’t have an assistant. The distance from the wall to your heels is your sit length.Our recommended size is based on your sit length and the boat’s fit profile.

If your sit length is in between our recommended sizes, we recommend the following:. Classic: The Classic is sized for a relaxed fit, meaning that a typical paddler in the recommended size can fully extend their legs and not touch the bow unless they point their toes when sitting in the boat.

We recommend sizing down if you are in between sizes unless you want a lot of extra foot room. Expedition: The Expedition is sized for a performance fit, meaning that a typical paddler in the recommended size can press their feet against the bow when straightening their legs which provides better control than a relaxed fit and more all-day comfort than the whitewater fit. If you are between sizes, we recommend sizing down to achieve a whitewater fit (especially if you are thinking about adding thigh straps) and sizing up if you want more leg room for longer days on easier water. Whitewater Series: The Wolverine and Gnarwhal are sized for a whitewater fit, meaning that a typical paddler in the recommended size will be able to deeply bend their knees for maximum engagement in the thigh straps for the most secure high-performance fit. If you are in between sizes, we recommend sizing down for the highest performance fit and sizing up for a better all-day paddling fit.×.

On a long drive Jen and I became intrigued with the idea of making our own packrafts. The mathematician in me couldn't resist trying to identify the simplest design that could create a functional inflated shape out of a 2d material with minimal simple seams to make home production easy.

The math governing inflation of stretchable materials is still intriguingly unsettled. My mind has been keeping me awake as it searches for en elegant solution on par with the catenary curves used to keep the fabric in ultralight tarp shelters taut. Notably the packrafts appear to use this sort of valve.Partially Installed AIRE Summit 2 valve in a test pillow.For my material testing and prototyping I chose to purchase two along with and to use them with a pump and eventually make an inflation bag and mouth tube that fit into the main valve. This valve appears to be one of the smaller and lighter whitewater valves available and is also one of the cheapest at $9/valve.

It lacks a rubber gasket between the two sections and I've noticed some slow leaks against the rough surface of the thin fabric. For production I may use a double layer of fabric, a thin coat of or a gasket made from to ensure a good seal. Carmo Modular Valve System and FittingsImage fromDanish manufacture Carmo makes a line of urethane glue/welding compatible flanges, fittings and valves. These appear to be the valves and elbow jointed blow tubes used by for their well regarded pack rafts. The site states that small quantities are available in both PVC and Urethane compatible materials but they must be ordered and shipped from Denmark.

Some of the items of interest for DIY projects include:. (also available in ). and compatible.

for making inflation bags. that look similar to the ones used on some older rafts. I initially thought these would be one of cheapest and easiest options options and indeed the and use Boston style valve that are rumored to be compatible withThey are unfortunately difficult to source unless you have an old raft to cannibalize. Many places offer replacement boston valves but these don't include the flange to glue into the raft.The only source I've found for the entire valve including flange is from suppliers of Power Kiting equipment where an inflatable bladder is used to give a kite rigidity and allow it to be launched from the water. And fittings available though it is unclear if the stick on portion could be cut off and if the flange could be used with urethane glue.

Inflation Pressure For Packrafts Hair

These valves are also more expensive then the Aire valve I purchased from NRS but they do offer both boston and the simpler clear valves used on pool toys which might be nice for seats etc.Next: The Fabric. The final design for my raft will be determined in part by the materials I can source. I'm happy with the Aire valves for now so the next step is to identify a usable fabric and determine what types of seams can be easily made airtight at home. As mentioned above most modern packrafts are made from urethane coated nylon which allows a durable, flexible and light weight constructionMy initial experimentation was done with some and a. This setup has proven extremely temperamental to work with. The fabric has a thin urethane coating on one side and is only sealable coated side to coated side, limiting the designs you can make.

Inflation Pressure For Packrafts Women

This coating is also quite fragile and my test pillows frequently start leaking around the edge of seams where some combination of the heat of the iron and stress in the fabric would cause the coating to degrade.Further, the seams aren't particularly strong and can easily be pealed apart by hand starting from one of the corners. The uncoated side of the fabric is also prone to wetting out through prolonged exposure to water. Despite its small area this hot air welded seam can not be pulled apart by hand. It is also very resistant to peeling if one works to pull up one of the 'lobes' left by the shaped edge of the sample piece.Unfortunately this fabric is also only coated on one side and is even more air permeable than the heat sealable fabric. I think the ideal fabric for home tube construction with this method would be a nylon fabric in the 200-500 denier range with a thickish urethane coating on both sides.

A thicker 700-1000 denier double coated fabric would be nice for the floor. Such fabric is available in large quantities from custom manufactures but I've been unable to find it in small quantities.I'm also looking into adding my own coating using either (see ) or a paint on coating used to. These products could be applied either after construction or, if the result is hot air weldable, after cutting but prior to assembly.PVC coated fabric is another option but it is heavier and releases more toxic fumes during heat welding. Said.That fabric looks interesting. The denier is less then the 420 d heat sealable fabric from seattle fabrics but with the coating it is heavier per square yard (or meter) so it could be pretty heavy duty.I think with a double sided fabric you would have to heat inside the seam with an iron or heat gun then press together with a roller.Have you ordered some? I can't find shipping costs to the US listed on their site but might try and order some to try out.On a side note i've been experimenting with mcnett's tent sure for adding/reinforcing a urethane coating and it is pretty promising.stay tuned for a post on that. Said.its a little sevylor one man raft.

Inflation Pressure For Packrafts Age

Coated the bottom with a few coats of topside paint to toughen it up, and used a mincell sleeping pad (think the little $4 pads at walmart) cut to the shape of the bottom on the inside. With 3 grommets in the material where the floor meets the tubes for bailing. You still ride a little wet. But it self bails and that's what counted for me. I may give the fixmykite valve a try, and if that doesnt do it, I'll probably pick up a cheap air mattress with a boston valve just to cut the valve out.

I'll let you know how those fixmykite valves work.