Packrafting isn’t yet a very popular method of outdoor adventuring, but it should be. There’s something soothing, yet invigorating, about spending the day navigating waters as they wind through the wind through mountains, meadows, canyons, getting off every few hours to explore and to camp out the night. It’s that love of uncharted waters that inspired the folks at Kokopelli to create the Rogue Packraft.
This one-person inflatable raft combines an ultra-lightweight design with a comfortable, buoyant shape, that makes it perfect for long adventures and excursions on the water. Every detail and specification is meant to cut down on weight while remaining bulletproof and durable, from the lightweight inflatable material to the Kevlar reinforced bottom and diamond ripstop seat.
And light it is; the standard Rogue weighs only 7.5 pounds, while the Rogue Light less than 5 pounds. The outside seams have double-reinforced seam tapes, while the floor features V-tape reinforcement. Deflated, the Rogue rolls up to a size small enough to fit on the front handlebars of a bike (so you can combine packrafting with bikepacking, we suppose). Behind the seat is a kayak-style backband. Completing the kit is a 4-piece paddle that breaks down and packs up to take up as little room as possible.
As mentioned, the Rogue Packraft comes in both a regular and a Lite version. The Rogue is 90” long, while the Rogue Lite is 85”; both are 37” across. That’s ample roam for storing gear and maintain balance. You can also get a spraydeck and a tizip for additional cost. It’s available on Kickstarter and shipping April 2018; unfortunately the Early Bird specials are all gone, but you can still get the Rogue for as little as $725 – $100 off. Which is still pretty reasonable for a raft of this weight and design. Grab one and act out your inner Huckleberry Finn.
