(Archives) - 2017 Alpacka Scout

See the updated review (2022)

See the updated Alpacka Scout Packraft Review (2022 model) for a comprehensive look at a major update to the 2017 and 2019 models.

Introduction

Packrafts commonly fall into one of two categories:

Ultralight flatwater packrafts – smaller tube diameters, lighter fabrics, and fewer features.
- Advantages: light weight (usually less than two pounds), compact when stowed.
- Disadvantages: light fabrics don’t offer much resistance against abrasion, punctures, or tearing; smaller tube diameters and non-rockered designs aren’t stable in anything but calm, flat water; minimal (if any) seat.
Whitewater packrafts – larger boats with more durable fabrics and more features for load hauling and/or whitewater river use.
- Advantages: feature-rich for longer expeditions (tie-down points for packs, more comfortable seats), features for whitewater stability (longer, larger tube diameter, spray skirts, thigh straps, etc.), more durable materials (for rocky / brushy / woody rivers).
- Disadvantages: more complicated use (proportional to the number of features), heavier (5-10 pounds).

This review features the Alpacka Scout Packraft – a “bridge” boat that perhaps spans the gap between these two categories.

The Alpacka Scout Packraft offers the simplicity of the typical ultralight flatwater packraft (fewer features), but adds weight back in its tube (stern) design and fabric durability, allowing it to be an attractive option to those of us interested in a lighter and simpler boat for trips where we don’t need a whitewater packraft.

Alpacka Scout Packraft Review — Stock photos – courtesy of alpackaraft.com.

Features

Made in USA (Mancos, CO)
Double valves with a large-diameter dump-and-fill valve and an elbow mouth valve
Single stern grab loop
Optional inflatable seat
Included: inflation bag, stow bag, repair kit

Specifications

Recommended boater height: 5 ft 0 in (152 cm) to 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
External dimensions: length 72 in (183 cm) x width 34 in (88 cm)
Cockpit dimensions: length 41 in (104 cm) x width 16 in (41 cm)
Tube diameter: 10 in (25 cm) with enlarged stern tube
Tube fabric: 210-denier nylon with a double-sided polyurethane coating
Bottom fabric: 400-denier nylon with a double-sided heavy polyurethane film
Weight: 2 lb 8 oz (1.13 kg) – verified
Packed size: 5 in (13 cm) x 20 in (51 cm)

Review Context

I’m reviewing this boat in the following context:

For an additional 0.5 to 1.0 pounds of weight vs. ultralight flatwater packrafts (e.g., boats from Klymit and Supai), what does the Alpacka Scout offer that these boats do not in terms of gear-hauling ability, stability in moving water, and durability?

Likewise, although well outside the scope of the manufacturer’s intentions, I was, shall we say, curious about the Alpacka Scout Packraft’s performance in whitewater.

Description of Field Testing

During the course of this review, I used the Alpacka Scout on the following water types:

Stillwater (backcountry alpine lakes, various)
Small, brushy flatwater (Class 1) stream (Laramie River, Wyoming)
Large flatwater river (Class 1) (North Platte River, Wyoming)
Whitewater Class 2-3 (St. Vrain River, Lyons, CO)

In addition, I paddled the Scout with and without a backpack. When I used it with a pack, I simply stowed the pack in the bow of the boat (no tie-downs). Pack weight ranged from 15 to 30 pounds.

Performance Assessment (Video)

A complete performance assessment, including the strengths and limitations and a final commentary about the Alpacka Scout, are outlined in the following review video.

Compared To

Alpacka Alpaca Model Raft (Open Style)
- Weight: 5 lb 4 oz (2.4 kg)
- Primary advantage: more whitewater worthy, better for gear hauling
- Primary disadvantage: heavier
Supai Matkat Flatwater Boat
- Weight: 1 lb 12 oz (0.8 kg)
- Primary advantage: very light weight
- Primary disadvantage: less durable
Klymit Litewater Dinghy
- Weight: 35 oz (1 kg)
- Primary advantage: price, weight
- Primary disadvantage: limited gear hauling ability

Where to Buy

Buy the Scout Packraft at Alpacka Raft

Disclosure

Alpacka Raft LLC provided a product sample on a temporary loan for the purpose of this review.

This topic has 11 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 2 months ago by Kevin B.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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Sep 1, 2017 at 9:40 pm #3488473

Ryan Jordan
Admin

@ryan
Locale: Central Rockies

Companion forum thread to: Alpacka Scout Packraft Review (Video)

The Alpacka Scout Packraft bridges the gap between more fragile flatwater packrafts, and more durable / stable whitewater packrafts.

Sep 2, 2017 at 12:05 am #3488486

Richard Nisley
BPL Member

@richard295
Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

Ryan,

Thanks for the review and video… very interesting!

Sep 4, 2017 at 7:02 am #3488855

Duane Hall
BPL Member

@pkh
Locale: Nova Scotia

An excellent review. I am going to have a close look at this little raft. Do you have any recommendations for a back packing paddle for primarily flat water (with some wind generated waves)?

Sep 4, 2017 at 11:58 am #3488895

Philip Tschersich
BPL Member

@philip-ak
Locale: Kodiak Alaska

Last summer a few friends and I hiked and packrafted from Lituya Bay to the town of Yakutat along Alaska’s ‘Lost Coast’ (basically the shoreline in front of the Fairweather Range at the top of Alaska’s panhandle). It was about 100 miles and there are a LOT of rivers and estuaries to cross, plus we portaged up into a glacial lake to skip a section of really bad beach boulders, so packrafts were a necessary gear addition. Everyone brought standard Alpacas, Yaks and Llamas, but I opted for a Scout. I had added a very modest and removable splash deck made from silnylon and gear tie down loops to the Scout so I could handle rain and some small waves while putting my 40-pound backpack on the bow.

Overall the raft worked fine for the job. The lack of a rockered bow and small tubes meant that when paddling into a headwind on rivers I got sprayed by waves that were slapping the upper half of the bow tubes while my companions were staying dry. No biggie. The Scout was noticeably slower on flatwater than the other boats (perhaps because I was pushing a bow wave?), but I was the strongest paddler in the group so again, no biggie. I have a 31″ inseam and I cannot straighten my legs in the boat but I prefer a snug fit in my kayaks and rafts and would normally opt for bent knees anyway, so again no biggie, but the lack of foot room when wearing hiking boots was a bit of a bother. I used a NeoAir inflatable seat which kept my butt out of the water and was very light and raised me into a better paddling position.

If I were to do the trip again I suppose I might opt for the Scout. There certainly are downsides including cruising speed, paddler fit and comfort, and the ability to keep water out (the lack of a factory deck option and small tubes). On a shorter trip with less paddling on protected waters I would certainly grab it. But last summer when I did the entire length of Kodiak Island, I took my Alpaca.

Lituya to Yakutat video: Hiking and Packrafting from Lituya to Yakutat

Kodiak Island video: Hiking and Packrafting Kodiak Island

Here are some screengrabs from the first video showing my Scout which generally show the spray deck folded forward though it actually reached back to my waist. I had the only multi-color boat:

Sep 4, 2017 at 2:23 pm #3488929

Richard Nisley
BPL Member

@richard295
Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

Duane,

For casual lake trips, the Alpacka Ninja Paddle is ideal. For pushing the boat to its full potential, the 210cm-Werner Shauna (4-pc) is ideal.

Sep 4, 2017 at 7:47 pm #3488982

Brad Rogers
BPL Member

@mocs123
Locale: Southeast Tennessee

If Alpacka offered the Scout with a spray deck (or Kokopelli with the Hornet) I think they would sell well.

Sep 5, 2017 at 1:57 pm #3489131

brian H
BPL Member

@b14
Locale: Siskiyou Mtns

this is the most useful, interesting, entertaining review I can remember in my years of membership.

perhaps the nice video gets much of the credit. kudos.

whats up with not having a dry fly ready for those risers?

Sep 7, 2017 at 6:36 am #3489603

Duane Hall
BPL Member

@pkh
Locale: Nova Scotia

Thanks Richard.

Sep 10, 2017 at 8:03 pm #3490261

David Chenault
BPL Member

@davec
Locale: Queen City, MT

Well done Ryan.

I used a 2012 Scout on a whole lot of western rivers, recently selling it in favor of the now deceased Curiyak. If Alpacka has indeed cut a legit pound (though claimed at 3 lbs, the old Scouts were all 3.5-3.7) off the weight without sacrificing much if any durability that is an accomplishment worth lauding.

The genius of the Scout is that while it may come up short when deflecting waves or fitting people taller than 5’7″, it paddles like an Alpacka, which is to say that if you have skill, a good paddle, and the boat isn’t too full of water you can make it go wherever you want. I’ve paddled loads of class III, and probably a few creeks harder than that, in a Scout and so long as things weren’t too pushy and I didn’t mind getting wet and having to dump the boat often I did well. I found the old materials burly enough for anything I wanted to do, including late fall rivers at way-too-low levels.

I upgraded boats mainly because I couldn’t carry a bike with the Scout, and at my height big packs and skis were a no-go, too.

There’s a glaring hole in the market for something like a Curiyak with a simple, lighter deck. 4 pounds all up without seat would be ideal. A rig that could tackle simpler class III in colder conditions without absolutely mandating a dry suit. Based on my experience at the Packraft Roundup this summer there are plenty of people who want that kind of boat, but there are a lot more who want a sidecountry boat that is easier to learn on and not as massive to haul as a kayak. In many ways packrafting has, and will probably continue to, move away from its UL backcountry roots.

Sep 13, 2017 at 3:43 am #3490738

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

What PFD is Ryan using in the video?

Sep 6, 2018 at 1:50 pm #3554796

Michael Moomaw
BPL Member

@mmoomaw

Question: Is there a radical solution for long paddles and a big PDF? What about a mouth inflatable pdf (i.e. not CO2) and hand paddles? I guess no PFD is always an option where there are no rules and little white water. People will probably yell at you though…

Based on the review above I bought an Alpacka raft and have taken about a dozen trips. Very happy.

The raft itself is small and light but the paddles and pfd and big and heavy’ish (Aqua-Bound Shred Carbon and Astral V-Eight PFD). The raft fits in a day pack. The full kit requires almost a full sized packpack (I use a old Gossamer Gear G4). I know there are slightly lighter paddles and PFDs. I was thinking about a radical reduction.

Sep 6, 2018 at 10:51 pm #3554855

Kevin B
Spectator

@newmexikev
Locale: Western New Mexico, USA

Cut a tree branch to serve as the shaft for your hand paddles. I think supai gear or alpacka used to sell a kit of paddles that attach to hiking pole.

Durston or others have found ultralight aircraft emergency pfds similar to what you describe.

Or like me, just make the best of the lightest type III pfds and relish the dual use as a killer pillow and a ‘puffy’ vest when late spring snow in the Gila makes you shiver in camp
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