# Alpacka Rafts



## Andy R (Jul 3, 2005)

Take a look at this discussion http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/the-worlds-lightest-kayak-9947.html


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## RonT (Mar 24, 2007)

Aha-- thanks.

So anybody actually own one of these things?

Ron


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## EP (Aug 23, 2006)

My brother and some of his buddies own Alpacka Rafts. I know that they love them. You can e-mail him at [email protected] He takes them everywhere and they seem to hold up and preform well.
Good luck, Eleanor


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## yojimbo (Oct 12, 2003)

In 2005 we passed a fella doing the Escalante (down in Grand Staircase), multiday desert float. Lots of sharp russian olive trees in the water, lots of rock scraping, etc. They must be pretty rugged, we certainly put some wear on our duckies. He was pretty happy at the 4 pound weight looking up the sand hill at Coyote Wash.


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## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

one of our clients took one on the rio espolon. we called it the raft tub. i wouldn't take one on more than class III.


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## RonT (Mar 24, 2007)

Thanks for the info. Emailed skeperry and thought i'd post the reply in case anybody else was interested:

Dear Ron
I am the proud owner of not one, but three Alpacka rafts. They are the
Destoyers of my Navy. I have nothing but good things to say about them. My friends and I have abused them and they seem to like it. On all acounts they are serious whitewater exploration vehicels, weighing in at around 4lbs they make the hike in alot more fun. If you like to do wilderness trips this is the boat for you. Try not to think of it as a "light kayak" because you will be let down by the lack of edge control. BUt it can be paddled through some heavy water. The person to talk to is Sherri at Alpacka raft. She is the owner/operator/designer of alpacka boats and a wonderfull person who understands river running. She is also working on some new models. Good luck hope to see you out on the water. Go to
www.alpackaraft.com to order your boat today. I am 6'1" and I like the big model.
All best Sam


>From: "Ron Treefoil" <[email protected]>
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: alpacka rafts
>Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2007 23:55:41 -0600
- Hide quoted text -
>
>Hello,
>
>My name is Ron, I got your email from your sister Eleanor on the Mountain Buzz forums
>(http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/alpacka-rafts-12543.html).
>I am curious about purchasing an Alpacka and wanted to talk to someone who owned one before I did. What do you use your boat for, and how does it do? I am looking for an all around sort of vessel for hard to access wilderness on any class of river. Much appreciated, no problem if you don't have time to answer.
>
>Thanks,
>Ron Treefoil


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## RonT (Mar 24, 2007)

Also found this site, for the interested:

Alaska Trekking

A couple who have done some wild, far out Alpacka trips in AK, combining hiking, river running, and pseudo sea kayaking. They have an eight month expedition coming up, from Puget sound to the Bering Sea...

Also a couple YouTube videos:

YouTube - Salty Schnitzel - Alpacka Rafting
YouTube - Alpacka Raft creek decent

Ron


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## bob gnarley (Mar 23, 2007)

*pack rafts*

Who are these guys? Four thousand miles, why? Props out to their huge sense of adventure and great Photography. I can't believe people like this still exist! Pack some food for pete's sake. The rafts do look perfect for the job. It's hard to belive they only weigh 4lbs. They must be tough. For anyone who is interested there are some great photos of these rafts in action on the web at www.alpackaraft.com worth a look. The youtube videos got my gears turning, I think these rafts might be the next generation of remote backcountry paddeling.


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## ToddG (Nov 29, 2003)

bob gnarley said:


> Who are these guys? Four thousand miles, why? Props out to their huge sense of adventure and great Photography. I can't believe people like this still exist! Pack some food for pete's sake. The rafts do look perfect for the job. It's hard to belive they only weigh 4lbs. They must be tough. For anyone who is interested there are some great photos of these rafts in action on the web at www.alpackaraft.com worth a look. The youtube videos got my gears turning, I think these rafts might be the next generation of remote backcountry paddeling.



Smells like


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## bob gnarley (Mar 23, 2007)

*spam*

yummy! I take back all that I said. Where can I sign up?


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## bob gnarley (Mar 23, 2007)

*culinary prowess?*

Senor Don ToddG whoever you may be. I am calling your nasal pasage into question. What seems to smell like "spam" a highly refined, processed American food product is not that at all. How long has been since you last opened a tin of Spam. Who stationed you as the authority on this very delicate task? My point bieng this is not spam at all. What you are smelling is raw, spam is not. What you are smelling is natural. I am trying to approach this with an open mind and yes I can see how the mistake was made. Was I a little too forward with my presentation? yes. What I am serving up here is not Spam. It is a unrefined, grass fed, free range all natural product; an unmasked portion of excitment about a new way to run rivers. This dish is bieng served up warm and siziling, but it isn't spam. It is fresh and has a new flavor. This flavor is new and beautiful, and I feel obligated to share this wonderful creation with all who care to induldge.


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## brendodendo (Jul 18, 2004)

*Bob Gnarley is little up front!*



bob gnarley said:


> These kids are crazy. They are running/swimming some insane class V. Not quite sure where they are finding these great creeks. Looks like fun if you can stay in the boat. This video was just posted today, what the hell is the deal with the name? saltyshnitzel? any ideas.
> 
> YouTube - Salty Schnitzel - Alpacka Rafting
> A must see for any creek boater or whitwater rafter. The revoultion is happening!!! They were not joking when they said wildlife reinvented.
> Late





bob gnarley said:


> Who are these guys? Four thousand miles, why? Props out to their huge sense of adventure and great Photography. I can't believe people like this still exist! Pack some food for pete's sake. The rafts do look perfect for the job. It's hard to belive they only weigh 4lbs. They must be tough. For anyone who is interested there are some great photos of these rafts in action on the web at www.alpackaraft.com worth a look. The youtube videos got my gears turning, I think these rafts might be the next generation of remote backcountry paddeling.





bob gnarley said:


> Sorry to bust your bubble, but my Friends and I slayed that turkey back in 01', in pack rafts. I am shure she wasn't a virgin then either. In fact I think the first D belongs to a tweeker from punkin center, an inertube and a case of beer. The thing is we were so immpressed with the canyon that we decided to keep it on the DL out of respect for it's beauty. Arizona is full of those type of paddlers so look before you shoot next time. P.S. your video looks awsome I loved it. NIce job keep up the good work. If you wana see some more AZ boatin video look no further.
> These rafts are no joke.
> 
> Look at this video
> ...


BG... Whats up? Your posts make no sense. Would you like to join me on my qwest for the Holy Grail... for You are for sure a knight of SPAMALOT.
(que music from monty python;s "The holy grail")



RonT said:


> Also found this site, for the interested:
> 
> Alaska Trekking
> 
> ...


Hey... Why not pay for some advertising on this site. I know that Andy R would love to see some donations made for his hard work. I doubt that you are much more that a sales rep... but come on now. Ya gotta pay to play. If not, take that pretend'n to be someone that your not crap and go away. 

ps. you posted as I was in the middle of this... I still have to say SPAMM.

Pay for an AD>


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## brendodendo (Jul 18, 2004)

Bob Gnarley I have to out you.

Feathercraft folding kayaks,pack raft,Wisper,Kokatat dry suits,Alpacka packraft,drysuits,kayak paddles,Whisper,Greenland paddles,Seattle
[email protected]
[email protected]
1(800)586-9318 or (970)375-1479

I'll say it again. Buy some Ad space or take it elsewhere.


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## ToddG (Nov 29, 2003)

So Busted!


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## bob gnarley (Mar 23, 2007)

Not shure if I am outed or not yet. Just wanted to set the record straight. I am no rep for anybody. Just wanted to share something I thought was fun with fellow river runners. I am nothing more than a guy who likes to run rivers. I have followed the Buzz for years. I use your site to look at colorado stream flows and evry time I sign on I look at whatever company you are advertizing for. So I guess I am frustrated with myself for misunderstanding what the buzz was all about. I thought that you were a place where people could get together and share ideas about rivers and talk about gear and what is happening in the world of boating. Over the past twenty years I have wacthed the sport evolve from my dad and his buddies laying up fiberglass aircraft carriers in their basements to the surfer shreder.inc world we see today. I remember doing eddy turns at South Canyon in my Dancer before the river decided to change it's course and form a surf wave. I am not resentful of this change in anyway, I stil love to paddle and love the people that paddle. It is a way bigger part of my life then you can immagine. I guess the problem is that the world of kayaking has become too big for me. Thank you for showing me. About the rep situation; I do not speak for or on behalf of any company. I do own a raft and enjoy paddleing it down lots of remote rivers that I could never get to in my kayak. The reason I regestered on this site was because I had come to the conclusion that I needed to become more involved with the paddeling community, nothing more. I do know the people at that Unnamed pack raft company and I do want them to do well with their product. I have no insentive to make these posts other than for myself. Sorry for plugging up your site with unwanted rubbish.


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## EP (Aug 23, 2006)

*Punishment for enthusiasm?*

I was really excited to learn about Alpacka Rafts. I think it's great that there is a boat that only weighs four pounds and that one can share this information on the buzz, promoting knowledge within the boating community. Just because these kids have bought rafts and are excited about what they do in them doesn't make them sales reps. You wouldn't kick me off for talking about the Agent and what a great boat it is and that everyone should get one as it has totally revolutionized my paddling. 

These guys are more like a can of pickled eggs then a can of spam!!!


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## bob gnarley (Mar 23, 2007)

*out of the closet*

I would like to start off by clearing some things up. Brendo and Todd's emails combined with some private messages about my post made me feel unwanted and that I was getting the boot. I know I was cocky and arogant but all I really wanted to do was generate a conversation about these bathtub boats and if they are real or not. Dose it count if you bounce down a river out of control, that sort of thing. I don't think packrafting is going main stream anytime soon and don't care if it dose or not. It is hard bieng gay(a pack rafter) in a strait(kayakers world). I would also like to apologize for the inconsistant first posts, I was playing dumb and that was bad tact. Bob Gnarley has nothing to do with Alpacka raft but has evrything to do with water in any form. In fact today he was spotted on Oahu's North shore surrfing in a pack raft, no joke. Bob Gnarley and his gay friends did run Salami creek years ago in a 20$ faft they bought at Wal-mart and returned afterward full of holes within the "all money back return period". We have also run many other southwestern rivers. So thanks for making me feel welcome again. I love bathtub boating and kayaking. Keep up the talk you guys.


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## Spank McDogal (Feb 13, 2007)

*Hypo-cayaker*

I find it funny that Todd G hazes the dudes alpaka post calling it spam, then the next day uses the picture window on the landing page to promote the Vacation to Hell-Does LVM or IR(or who ever puts this on) contribute to the Buzz???!!! And Brandy the riverboard queen's Avitar is basically a promotion for riverboarding. I for one knew nothing about the alpaka's, they seem pretty sweet in certain situations. Lets face it-can you really mulit-day off a river board??? I thought the river board guys and the tubers might befriend the alpaka guys just to striengthen their posse known as "People who float on wierd shit on the river." Hell, you might even vote the creature craft guys as your leader. Those guys have the biggest balls out of all of us. Anyway, the alpakas are cool, the guys in the video look like their having fun, isn't that what its all about....WTF???

Whats with the forum police anyway. Is it really a big deal to throw a little company a bone every once and a while-Most of the coolest gear we use came from little companies who struggled in the beginning. Are any of us going to not benifit from having the alpaka co around? Seems Like the perfect niche company to me. Let them have their 15 min of fame.

Anyway take it in jest hardshellers-your ego will still be there in the morning... Oh yeah...Spam rules!:mrgreen:


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## ToddG (Nov 29, 2003)

there's a well-known etiquette for communicating in online forums. the kayaking world is ages behind other online communities in this regard, but whatever ... the issue here is when a poster presumes to have no affiliation with a brand/product/service, & then posts (*repeatedly*) from this false "i'm such a huge fan of X" perspective. it's obnoxious, artificial & just comes off as cheese. obviously, if the guy was getting pm'd on the side, & someone went outta their way to sort out the his real affiliation, i wasn't the only one that smelled the spam.

thanks for calling me out, but the critical difference here is that i'm not selling shit. the service i provide, whether its TRL or VTH, is a free public service that comes at a substantial time/money cost to me ... it's a freaking blog. i put notices up because people respond *favorably* to that.

and, even if i were shilling, there's a name & a personality attached to my handle. i've been a member of the Buzz community since the first season frenchy fired this forum up. that transparency means that i don't hide behind anonymity. i own what i say & do. when i say something stupid, which i do pretty often, it's my name the comment is attached to. when people have complaints or praise for anything that i post, they're talking to a person, not a figment, "Spank". similarly, industry guys like Hobie, Craw, Don, etc. can get away with promotional stuff on the forum because they've been around & have earned the right to do so ..that, & they do it *tactfully*, unlike yer boy.

peace out chauncey,
t


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## Spank McDogal (Feb 13, 2007)

Posting the picture of the spam was not tactful-funny but not tactful. Calling the guy little up front and posting his affiliations or contact info or what ever the hell that was is not tactful. What would have been tactful would have been to pm the guy, call him on BS and give him a day or two to edit his posts. I’m not saying that wasn’t done or that process isn’t happening as we speak-but that’s not how it played out to the rest of us. Take this with a grain of salt, but practice what you preach. I see a lot of posts from you guys but didn’t see administrator anywhere on your or brendodendo’s handle. If it was such a big deal to the operators of this site I’m sure they have a protocol for handling it and would have done so.

As for the anonymity…someone’s got to police the police, right? 

Thanks for the thick skin-its all good.


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## brendodendo (Jul 18, 2004)

let me get this straight. I was slightly out of line when I outed (incorrectly) BOb G. I have tried to make peace with an email and a pm. Sure, i am untraditional on the body board and yes, i am promoting it as alternative river travel. I actually just got into the down river aspect of it last year. I have rafted for 10 plus years and was a dedicated kayaker for a couple of them, before i scarred the shit out of myself by getting in to some real trouble.

That said, All I was trying to do was figure out exactly what the motivation was behind a couple of inconsistent posts. I am glad to see that sam will continue to post in our community. I know first hand that alternative river travelers are looked at in strage ways by the kayaking community. reference: YouTube - Zoltan

I love everbody that I meet on the river. from Gnarley tubers and IK'ers to sledgers, rafters and kayakers. I see nothing wrong with how anybody decides to recreate on the river as long as it is done with safety in mind.

I hope that those involved in this discussion will post with conciousness in the future (including myself)

Peace and see ya on the river.

BP

Ps. edits are not allowed after 15 minutes or my outing post would have been modified.


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