Description
Packrafting is often described as an out-of-the-box adventure sport because it allows you to combine both land and water travel in the backcountry. Yet, the Forager goes further and lets you think outside the packraft box with unrivaled durability, stability, and cargo capacity in a backpackable package. Want to keep it light? The Forager is light enough to backpack for two. Want to load it up? The Forager’s XL Cargo Fly will take hundreds of pounds of cargo and keep it safe and dry while improving stability and handling. Want to save hundreds on raft rental costs? You can pack a Forager and two sets of paddling gear into a single duffel and fly anywhere in the world for the cost of only a checked bag. Want to run whitewater? We’ve loaded the Forager up with 12-days of food and equipment, plus two Gnarwhals as spare boats, for a self-support winter run down the Grand Canyon, successfully paddling through all of the major rapids along the way. If you are looking for a two person packraft that can handle everything from a classic western river trip, to fly in trips to the remote areas of Alaska, to self-supported big game hunting, to backcountry drift boat fishing, to worldwide travel, the Forager has all your bases covered.
Due to the seating configuration, the Forager is best paddled with a canoe style paddle. However, it can be paddled by a single stern paddler with a kayak paddle so that the front paddler can fish, take pictures, make lunch, etc. We recommend the Aquabound Shred-Apart paddle with the Forager, with the 240cm version being preferred.
Self Bailing: The Forager is available only in a self bailing configuration.
Cargo Fly Zipper: Our Cargo Fly internal storage system comes standard on the Forager. Extra-large internal dry bags may be purchased separately. The Cargo Fly features an airtight zipper installed in the stern of the boat to allow you to store your gear inside the tubes. The system provides drier and more secure gear storage and improved paddling performance due to a lower center of gravity.
Hull: Proprietary 420-denier nylon, single side laminated with pigmented polyurethane film (Made in USA)
Floor: Proprietary 840-denier ballistics nylon, laminated on both sides with polyurethane film (Made in USA).
Seating: 200-denier oxford nylon and 210-denier high count nylons, with proprietary polyurethane laminate films (Made in USA).
Accessories: All grab loops and similar attachments are manufactured in house in Mancos, Colorado out of scrap floor materials and USA made webbing. Small parts and fasteners are Made in USA, when available, and sourced from industry leaders like Duraflex, YKK, and ITW-Nexus.
Sizing and Specifications
|
| Exterior Length |
124in | 315cm |
| Exterior Width |
43in | 109cm |
| Interior Length |
70in | 178cm |
| Interior Width |
18in | 46cm |
| Weight* |
13.4lb | 6.10kg |
| Packed Size** |
20x10in | 51x25cm |
| Max Capacity*** |
1000lb | 453kg |
*Weight includes all components except inflation bag, repair kit, and internal dry bags for Cargo Fly.
**Packed size is a reference measurement based on folding each lengthwise edge of the boat to the center and rolling from the bow. There are many other methods of rolling and folding the boats that will result in a different packed size that may be more or less efficient for packing depending on the situation.
***Max Capacity is the maximum total weight (paddlers and cargo) that the boat can reasonably carry in flatwater under ideal conditions. Actual capacity for any given trip will vary widely based on the paddler’s skill and water conditions. Please review our weight carrying capacity guide for further details.
Since we made the original Alpacka Raft in 2000, backcountry hunters have sought our packrafts out to access remote country and pack out big game. In one early tale, an Alaskan hunter drew a coveted bison tag in Copper River basin and loaded a “stubby” Denali Llama with the bison and then flopped on top of the meat and hide to carefully paddle himself out of the backcountry. Our owners, Thor and Sarah Tingey, have packed out multiple Dall sheep with packrafts.
Over the years, we have had many requests from hunters to make a packraft that could more comfortably handle larger loads like a moose while still remaining backpackable. This is where the Forager project started. We began by expanding the tube diameter and overall width for greater floatation and stability. We then added a self-bailing floor since it is too difficult to empty out a fully loaded bucket boat. Finally, we added a series of adjustable strap plates to give a huge number of low profile lashing points.
We began testing in the summer of 2016 and were immediately thrilled with how well the Forager handled both flatwater, whitewater, and heavy loads. Then we started thinking and realized how much more than a hunting boat the Forager was. We recalled fly in float trips the Alaskan arctic using 75-pound folding kayaks and inflatable canoes because they were half the weight of a full raft and thought of how much easier it would be to fly in and out with such a light boat, without sacrificing any on water comfort, performance, or gear capacity. Even better, the Forager would easily fit in a checked bag on a commercial airline. We also thought about hiking down into the Gunny Gorge with a two people and a Forager for a little fishing and sightseeing. Finally, we thought about taking a family float trip for the weekend and realized how easy it would be to pack the Forager up in the back of the car and take it out with two people and a dog or kids. When you start thinking about what you can do with a 13lb packraft that will comfortably carry two people and all of their gear on a multi week trip anywhere in the world, the possibilities are endless.
For 2018, we continued to refine the Forager design based on testing and new innovations. During 2017, our staff took the Forager on a hike in 3-day backcountry fishing trip in Colorado, an 8 day fly-in fishing trip in Western Alaska, and a 6 day trip down Desolation and Grey Canyons on the Green River in Utah. We also solicited feedback from our customers and professional reviewers. The main requests were more D-rings in the tie down system, a seat for the front passenger, and a more affordable fabric option. We’ve implemented all of those requests into the new 2018 Forager, plus we developed a new method of attaching the inflatable floor via zippers instead of the large fabric sleeve. Finally, in the course of developing the Caribou, we realized that the new bow design could be adapted to the Forager to provide a drier ride for the front passenger and better carrying capacity in the bow. The result is everything that was awesome about the original Forager with new refinements that make the comfort and performance better than ever. The ultimate test of the new design was a self-support winter trip down the Grand Canyon where the Forager carried all gear and food for two people, plus two spare Gnarwhals (just for fun!), and performed outstandingly through both the flatwater and huge whitewater sections.
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