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Ryan's River Journal (June 2009). As I teach and watch my 11-year old son, Chase, to packraft, I can't help but think that the Alpacka Ultralight Paddle is a godsend. He's not yet grown into the full sized kayak paddles, and the little Ultralight gives him confidence on the water.

A packrafting paddle is not a particularly special thing. It's simply a kayak paddle, capable of being broken down into two or four pieces for easy stowage while inside or attached to a pack.

I usually look at three key factors (other than length) when selecting a paddle: weight, durability, and blade surface area.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

  • INTRODUCTION
  • Weight
  • Durability
  • Blade Surface Area
  • The Alpacka Ultralight Paddle
  • FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
  • PERFORMANCE
  • Raftpacking
  • Packrafting
  • CONCLUSION

# WORDS: 2430
# PHOTOS: 1

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