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Ok all you packrafters,

What are your recommendations? size, weight, durabilty, performance, comfort, price, etc.

@ddgrunning I just got a Kokopelli Rogue-Lite and have used it a few times on the Salt. It's easy and relatively light, and with the little battery pump is very easy to inflate. Doesn't pack down small, but I'm not sure any of them do. I'm pretty comfortable for about 2 hours, even though I'm too tall for straight legs. Trying to work up the courage to do a Verde River (Deadman -> Sheep Bridge) adventure this summer with it, and maybe some GC after that, so far it seems like it'll do the trick.

In my limited experience I have found the Alpacka, “Scout” to be a very capable raft for what I do. Perhaps on the lower end of rafts, in terms, of the people doing big trips and running fast water, but perfect for me so far. The Supai also seems to be a capable raft and is far lighter than any Alpacka, so that might be worth checking into as well. We had three Alpaka Scouts and a “Supi” on our last trip.

There is a 2-3 month wait on Alpackas right now FYI. Coincidentally, my new one finally got delivered last night.

I have the Supai Matkat and love it. I travel a lot for work and will often bring my backpack/gear and the supai to get in trips close to where work takes me; I primarily use it on mostly calm rivers/lakes to access backcountry trails/campsites. I've used it on a couple lakes here and on the colorado just fine but it's mostly seen water in the boundary waters/northeast part of the country. It works for me because it's under 2lbs and actually does pack up really small, which is nice; my backpacking gear takes up half my carryon suitcase and work stuff the other half. My guess is it's probably not quite as durable as the above mentions if the weight is any indication, but I've roughed it up a bit and haven't had to patch it yet.

Have a Klymit packraft.

0/10 cannot recommend. Leaked air right out of the box, handles like a drunk rubber ducky, and they lied about the weight rating. (Rated to 350 pounds, me and my gear were 260, and I had water pouring over the top where my weight put folds in the packraft, when fully inflated.) Also too small to carry a 60 liter pack and a 200 pound person comfortably.

It got me from Durfree Crossing to Durfee Draw in Chevelon (about half a mile of flat water) but even with no wind I couldn't get it to go in a straight line and it filled up like a bathtub with water, and I had to pull over and add air once.

Was okay for bobbing around and fishing from (real reason I took it) but only because the weather was hot and I didn't mind getting wet. Occasionally had to hop out, stand in waist deep water, and add air.

Pretty sure a large inner tube would have been just as effective, cheaper, and I'd have stayed dryer.

If you want lightweight, flat water only and are careful to avoid snags/tree limbs, the Supai Matkat is a solid choice. You could not build a packraft any lighter to hold an adult male w/gear.

If you plan on some light rapids and need a bit more durability, the Alpacka is a solid choice.

There's always the Explorer 200 if you want an adventure on the cheap and can risk a flat.