Aire Bakraft Review

[Nick Aschenwald]

I have had my Bakraft for a month or so now.
I have been out trying to take this thing through as much water as I can.
So far I have been very impressed with the Bakraft.
I will say its not the lightest packraft I have ever used, Aire says 7.2 lbs I got a hair more than that on my scale, and the inflation bag/system add another pound.
The inflation system is awkward and slow. I like the idea of seat/dry bag/inflation bag combo, but it's way to heavy and slow. I would have preferred a super light seat back and a regular inflation system.
The Bakraft is amazing in whitewater, technical rock/drop sections, and feels super stable. In my opinion these features along with being self bailing make the Bakraft way worth a little more weight.
It rides and cuts through waves like a Duckie.
I have bashed it into all kinds of rocks and so far it seems very durable.
I have been making laps on the Middle Fork of the Flathead from Schafer to Bear Creek and this boat does great.

I don't think this is going to be for the super ultra light guys but for people like me that seek out floating I think this thing is pretty awesome.

Sorry for the lack of pictures but I'm not much of a photographer.

[Nick Aschenwald]

Another fault i have discovered is the inflation valves. They are huge, the boat packs down pretty nice but then you get to the two valves and they are the size of base balls.

[Mike Schasch]

Do you have any experience with Alpacka rafts? Can you speak to the durability of the material in comparison?

[Ray Richardson]

Thanks for the review. I just took my new Bakraft on the San Juan River. Question for you: do you put all of your gear behind you, or do you tie any to the front? I noticed my boat bouncing a lot when I went through Class 2 rapids (with all my gear in the seat/inflation bag) and was thinking that more weight in the front might add stability. I have also not figured out how to inflate using the seat — so far the best success has been with a hand pump…

[Nick Aschenwald]

I think that the Bakraft will be as durable if not more durable than the Alpacka's. The material feels pretty bomber and i have taken a few big hits this summer with no problems so far. Also the dual layers will make it much easier to patch if you do get a rip. As far as balancing goes, i also noticed that if all your gear is stashed in the back, you end up with the nose bouncing up and down some. Sometimes if I have my Sealline Dry Sack with me I'll strap it between my feet in the front and that helps distribute the weight. That being said i have done lots and lots of miles with all my gear strapped to the back and haven't had any performance issues.

[Nick Aschenwald]

Ray here is a video that shows how the inflation system is supposed to work. https://vimeo.com/131304505 I will say that at first I really disliked the inflation system. But after a season of use i am getting pretty comfortable and fast with it. It still does have a lot of pieces and that makes me nervous. And it definitely is not the lighted system around. But i think its functional with lots of room for improvement. If any MYOG guys have come up with something better I would love to make something simpler and lighter.

[Nick Aschenwald]

I have a few updates after almost another full year of paddling.

Aire updated the inflation system, dramatically reducing the number of pieces. Now its just the inflation bag, small tube with the Summit 2 valve attachment, and a small pouch filled with foam that acts like a top off pump.

The inflation system still could use much improvement but it is way better than the one they first came out with. I get very frustrated because it takes me about 15 minutes longer to inflate the Aire then it does to inflate the Alpacka.

I am trying to make something myself that will be simpler, quicker, and lighter.

The problem with the whole inflation system is the Summit 2 valves. They are huge and make the boat much larger when packing it in a backpack. They also require a special fitting and a “top off” style pump with adds more pieces and weight.

I think they should just scrap the Summit valves and go with something simpler like Alpacka.

They did change the seat. Now they have a simple and lightweight seat, its a big improvement. It also allows for way more storage in the back of the boat. I move my seat up as far as it can and store my entire backpack behind me. I like not having the pack in front of me it makes reading the water much easier. It also makes the weight balance out almost perfect and I still have plenty of room up front.

After paddling tons of miles and doing many tough brushy portages, I still think this boat is awesome.

The way this boat performs on the water is incredible.

 

[Dan Ransom]

Good update Nick – my experience closely mirrors yours.  It is a great performing boat on the water, fast and nimble.  But the inflation system leaves much to be desired.  I ended up buying a k-pump for anything that isn’t expedition in length.  So much faster and easier, but obviously adds some weight.

The new seat is much better than the older for sure.  Overall, the boat is also much drier than other self bailers, because the floor can be inflated to pressure it doesn’t create a pool below your butt.  Feet are slightly elevated too which means they are drier, but less comfortable than the sitting position in the Alpacka self-bailer, which has a bit of a foot well so the feet are slightly lower than the butt, but end up in water.

Overall a really rad boat!

[Author]

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