Alpacka Raft Introduces a Sea Kayak and New Flatwater Lineup
MANCOS, Colo. (Nov 4, 2025) - Alpacka Raft, the packrafting industry leader, today introduced its 2026 collection. After years of focusing on whitewater and all-around packrafts, Alpacka Raft has turned its attention to flatwater with three new models in this category.
The new lineup is led by the Aleutian, the first packraft specifically made for coastal sea explorations, and two additional flatwater-focused packrafts, the Zephyr for day trips and the Chinook for extended overnight flatwater expeditions. Together, these models expand the range of where and how paddlers can take packrafts, from casual lake outings to extended backcountry trips and coastal expeditions.
The Aleutian, Alpacka Raft's new sea kayak, is the highest performing flatwater packraft available. It offers the portability of a packraft with the efficiency, tracking, and ability of a sea kayak. The Aleutian comes equipped with Alpacka's Cargo Fly zipper, allowing for storage inside the packraft during overnight coastal expeditions. Its elongated baffled hull is tuned for long-distance performance, providing smooth tracking and stability over miles of coastal paddling. The Aleutian is outfitted with 4-point thigh straps, a foam backband, and a full-length inflatable floor pad to provide comfort and control. It also comes with a lace-in seat, spray deck, and removable skeg for efficiency, versatility, and speed on the water.
The Aleutian is the ideal packraft for traversing coastal waterways and can be taken into open water by expert paddlers. With a 12-pound build, it delivers the control and capability of a sea kayak in a streamlined, expedition-ready package. It's perfect for those who love to paddle the coast but don't want to deal with the weight or the racks for hauling their kayaks. This first-of-its-kind packraft retails for $2,150.
"Sheri (Tingey) has been working on the Aleutian for years," said Thor Tingey, CEO and co-founder of Alpacka Raft. "It's the flatwater version of the Valkyrie. Packrafting has always been about unlocking new possibilities on the water, and she envisioned this packraft years ago for fun trips along the Alaskan coast. Over the past several years, our focus has been on whitewater, but now, with the Aleutian, we are opening a new world of flatwater adventure. It's a packraft built to meet the true demands of coastal exploration, offering the efficiency, speed, tracking, and storage needed for coastal expeditions."
The Zephyr, another new model in the flatwater lineup, is designed for recreational paddlers who want an approachable yet high-performing packraft for flatwater adventures. With an elongated hull, it's designed for speed, efficiency, and tracking on flatwater. Lightweight and stable, the $1,200 Zephyr is outfitted with a lace-in seat, backband, and removable skeg, providing a comfortable fit, speed, tracking, and reliable handling. Weighing just six pounds, it's easy to carry and simple to paddle, making it the perfect choice for those looking to explore their local waterways.
The Chinook is designed for flatwater expedition paddlers and overnight flatwater river trips. It's for those who want to cover long distances with frequent portages, from the Boundary Waters to the Canadian Shield and beyond. This new packraft weighs as little as seven pounds and, like the Zephyr, features Alpacka's new elongated hull, which improves speed, efficiency, and tracking on lakes and flatwater rivers, but it also includes a spray deck and Cargo Fly storage, which keeps paddlers dry on longer trips where extra gear is needed. The $1,700 Chinook is equipped with 3-point thigh straps, a backband, and a lace-in seat for stability and paddling power, along with a removable skeg to improve speed and tracking. This combination delivers comfort and control across long journeys, while remaining light enough to carry between waterways.
Additional lineup updates include Alpacka's Expedition, redesigned with a longer, narrower hull and increased rocker based on the award-winning Mage packraft. The new version offers improved whitewater handling compared to the previous year's Expedition models. The fan-favorite Forager also gets an update, with a new solo-seating configuration.
With the Aleutian, Zephyr, Chinook, and Expedition, Alpacka Raft continues to advance design and expand what is possible with a packraft. From local lakes to ocean crossings, the 2026 collection opens the door to adventures that were once out of reach.
These new packrafts will be available at alpackaraft.com in January 2026.
About Alpacka Raft
Founded in 2000 by mother and son team Sheri and Thor Tingey, Alpacka Raft makes the world’s best packrafts. With packrafts designed and handmade by a talented group of makers in its Mancos, Colorado facility, Alpacka Raft packrafts have been used and trusted on expeditions by some of the world’s most well-known adventurers. Alpacka Raft is committed to building a diverse community of boaters and is proud to provide high-quality, living-wage manufacturing jobs in a rural, mountain-town economy. For more information, visit alpackaraft.com