Experimental Packraft Shelter Setup

[@ivanoutdoors]

I like the premiss of the idea. I think this could work with a Kokopelli Recon as they have heavy fabric but I'd be worried about abrasions and punctures on the Alpacas light weight fabric especially the top as it sits inverted. Letting a good deal of air out could work but in my experience a partially deflated Alpaca continues to deflate. The rain fly system is questionable in all but the lightest wind.

[@hoser7706]

Crazy shelter!! Impressive

[@DRpajamasmalfunction]

"You can tell how good an outdoorsman is by how well he slept the night before" -David Canterbury

[@erikhalfacre]

Pooling is definitely an issue. But in my experience (and I've done it a couple times now) sleeping on the fully inflated raft is quite comfortable. The floor kind of cradles you like a hammock while the inflated tube makes a good headrest. Thanks for the heads-up on the Mountain Laurel shelters. I intend to order one, but probably not this year just because the wait times on deliveries from MLD are pretty incredible.

[@JHypers]

I know what you mean. I looked into ordering one this time last year and saw how absurd the wait time would've been. Definitely one to place an order for off-season.

[@269sjb]

I like your style…nice job

[@unshakentomato5609]

I've been pondering the packraft as a bedding / shelter option as well. There's obviously plenty of specialized gear that could meet some of the needs you describe here (e.g. tarps, tents, etc.), but I notice that one piece of gear which you must have brought, but don't utilize, is your paddle. I've seen a few people modify paddles as trekking poles / staffs... I'm just wondering if it might provide options for supporting your improvised shelter (Then again, a long stick would probably work just as well). Personally, I've been caught in enough bad weather to worry about a real thunderstorm or multiple-days of rain, and want something to help keep me a little warmer and dryer. I don't think I'd want to go on any long trip without a decent tarp, and Tyvek or Polypro are so light and versatile I'm not sure why not to use them. Nevertheless, I appreciate your experiment, and perhaps some manufacturers will take heed of it in their designs. Incidentally, what do you think about the raft being propped up as part of the shelter itself?

[@Tentcampinghq]

Looks pretty cozy!

[@Ghostginthree]

Great ideas. Cool video and informative. Thanks

[@EventyrsorenDenmark]

Hi.Super nice video.Thanks a lot !!

[@toddwalsh3332]

There might be a way to use a deflated raft as a tarp but I would be concerned about putting a hole in it with this set up. They are really thin and made to resist rock abrasion not so much puncture. just a thought. I gave you a thumbs up over all and a subscribe. I like that your thinking outside the box .

[@michalhosek8846]

So, in a heavy downpour... Did you find yourself sitting in a puddle? With sealed but little used and punctured pad soaking water like mad? After a month of using, when the waterproofing of the bivi fades and down feathers turns into useless putty? I hope you did, for I dont want to be the only one who suffered it. :D P.S. I would be wery anxious about loosing the small string, so I got the straps over the walking sticks handles and twisted them. ... And then used "anxious string" on take-apart paddles to make a frame for lean-to shelter from !realy! waterproof poncho/tarp. :D Cheers man. :D You made me happy.

[@spyderspic666]

You sir are a GENIUS!!!!!!!

[@scottengland9708]

last time I went packrafting I made a coal bed to kerp me warm. I dug a 5 foot long depression in the sand, then built a fire in there. After it burned down to cinders, I covered it with 6 inches of sand. Finally, I bedded down on it. It kept me hot all night long with a 50° bag and an air mattress in 30° temps. I imagine that if I used an ultralight floorless tent while sleeping in my packraft in there, the warm air would fill the tent and keep me warm all night long in even colder temperatures. Sure a 25 oz floorless tent is extra weight, but you could get away with a smaller sleeping bag, andnot need a mattress unless you use thae mat for a packrafting floor anyway.

[@scottengland9708]

a simple emergency blanket draped over you would prevent water from pooling up. Use some tyvek emergency patching tape to secure your paddle segments to the sides of the emergency blanket to weigh it down.

[@DavidRoseberry]

Did you ever get to actually test this setup on your trip? How did it work out for you? It looks quite ingenious!

[@AlaskaMatt]

Nice shelter I will try it our here soon in kodiak

[@Paradigm2012Shift]

Very cool idea. Nice modifications to the jacket. Will this damage the packraft at all?

[@LastFrontierAdventureClub]

Being selective about your campsite is definitely important if you don't want to puncture your raft, but just sleeping on the overturned boat shouldn't do it any damage. If you deflate the boat though, and use it as a ground cloth, they puncture more easily than when fully inflated, so beware of that.

[@DRpajamasmalfunction]

Btw that looks fucking awesome

[@JHypers]

I doubt the raft would be comfortable to sleep on all night fully inflated. Deflating it a bit (not entirely) should add some comfort, but then again if it were to rain you very well could have pooling under the bivy. My mod would be to ditch the bivy and use a 'mid shelter that can cover the whole raft. Mountain Laurel Designs makes 'mids that weigh just as much or less than that bivy of yours.

[@mo-reesespieces9066]

Wow! Very cool idea. One question. What if a bear comes around? Would you have your weapon under the boat? Do you have a side arm in the sleeping bag with you? I had a bear come into my camp one night while on the AT and he just sniffed the rain fly. I on the other had was not so motionless as my rain fly. I do not think I could lay motionless while a bear was poking on me with his nose. Any thoughts on that? Peace, Mo

[@MatanuskaHIGH]

bears have never bothered me in 10 years camping here in the matsu valley

[@MatanuskaHIGH]

+matanuska high although fishing its a different story..along the rivers during the salmon runs the bears are around..but for the most part they want fish..not human meat..unless you are from the lower 48..they love lower 48ers meat..lol

[@Namdor2012]

Trouble if you get a decent rain the water will pool around your sleeping bag..Ultra Light tarp held up by putting a treking pole at each end secured by rocks and you have a tent...

[@scottengland9708]

have you had much pronlem with water puddling underneath you on the raft

[@LastFrontierAdventureClub]

It hasn't been tested in heavy rain yet, water does pool there though. A skirt of some kind could alleviate that problem easily though. If I had the time, I'd love to design a bivy with wings, specifically for sleeping on the overturned boat.

[@lonesurvivor5800]

wouldnt be easier to just toss a tarp in backpack? Still, neat idea for those ultralight backpackers :D.

[@LastFrontierAdventureClub]

Lone Survivor Probably so. This idea needs some refinement for sure, but I really feel that there is an opportunity for someone to develop an ultralight shelter system that uses the packraft as its foundation.

[@MatanuskaHIGH]

cuben fiber tarps...btw I live 3 miles from where you filmed this..

[@erikhalfacre]

I grew up about three miles from there as well.

[@dointherealme]

Genius!

[@erikhalfacre]

After talking to some folks about this idea, it had become evident that if there was heavy rain, it would pool on the floor of the raft. So if the bivy is actually waterproof on the bottom, not just water-resistant, it could still work. If it's not, I would be better off to just deflate the raft and sleep on it as a ground cloth, or just sleep on the ground. Since that's not the objective here though, I'm going to need to rethink this one a little bit still... or sleep slanted downhill.

[@vraymond108]

Very clever but god help you if during the rainy night you have to get up and take a leak. Also I have two of the Marmot Precip jackets but am not impressed with the waterproof qualities.

[@TruthTeller878]

REASON, EMOTION & TRUTH! An Alpacka raft, GLOCK 10mm pistol, waterproof matches, survival knife and water purifier will get you a long way floating in the wilderness!

[@dt2545]

А ботинки не промокнут? И спальник... :)

[@LastFrontierAdventureClub]

You could put your shoes under the raft to keep them dry ;)

[@dt2545]

Last Frontier Adventure Club hm, so that about the sleepbag? Or about yourself? Put under the raft too? :)

[@MrHatetheplayer]

that's actually really imppressive

[@drc1883]

sorry, this just looks ridiculous. If you tried this in the rain you'd be out of luck. Too time consuming. Just set up small lightweight tent and be done with it

[@TruthTeller878]

REASON, EMOTION & TRUTH! An Alpacka raft, GLOCK 10mm pistol, waterproof matches, survival knife and water purifier will get you a long way floating in the wilderness!

[@TruthTeller878]

REASON, EMOTION & TRUTH! An Alpacka raft, GLOCK 10mm pistol, waterproof matches, survival knife and water purifier will get you a long way floating in the wilderness!