Roman DialPackrafting! An Introduction and How-To Guide

Roman Dial's book is very informative and entertaining. I don't agree that vinyl rafts "---are simply too fragile" at least for some trips. In 1975 five of us "packrafted" the Rio Urique from the Umira Bridge to Urique in the Barranca del Cobre of Mexico. We used vinyl rafts that cost less than $10 each. We never deflated the rafts for ten days and only had one small leak that was fixed with duct tape. We strapped our packs in the bottom of the rafts and lay on top to paddle with our hands. We probably backpacked the rafts through boulder fields and cactus about 30% of the time (~20% of the distance). The vinyl rafts had the advantage that we just left them with the locals at the end of the trip. As a matter of history in the Fall of 1979 Pat (Patrick Allan) Morrow and two other Canadians "packrafted" from Umira Bridge to Urique using two vinyl rafts large enough to sit and paddle and one inflatable kayak. Pat Morrow is the first person in the world to climb the highest peaks of all seven continents.One subject that Roman didn't address, that is a matter of concern in the Grand Canyon, is when does packrafting on a river overlap river trips that require permits. In the Grand Canyon backpacking and river running have separate permitting systems. There is a discussion going on as to how much rafting should be allowed on a hiking permit. For many years inflatables (often air mattresses) have been used to cross the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. At least one person lost their life doing that.

As described by the eminent outdoorsman-writer Jon Krakauer in the preface, the book's author. Roman Dial, ranks high among the elite wilderness adventurers. He is also a pioneering proponent of packrafting.Packrafters enhance and accelerate their treks by including in their packs a lightweight inflatable one-person raft with a collapsable kayak paddle. Their little boats can transform trecherous water barriers into paddling playgrounds. Unexplored areas are suddenly readily accessible via rivers and lakes. With its small size, impressive utility, and addictive convenience, the packraft seems a hiking equivalent of an iPod.The book has two parts:1. The Philosophy, Equipment and Technique of Packrafting2. Packrafting AdventuresPart 1 covers packrafting's recent genesis, its requiredequipment, and how to poperly use the gear under varied water conditions. It also provides advice for planning your packrafting trip.Part 2 contains naratives of a few of the author's own packrafting adventures---in areas from Alaska to Mexico. The author, who has published articles and photographs in magazines that include National Geographic, Smithsonian and Outdoors, writes skillfully with a pleasant cadence. Consequently, his love and knowledge of the outdoors come across loud and clear. The book also boasts several beautiful photographs.I found it very informative, nice to look at, and fun to read.

Really an excellent primer for packrafting, and I think the only book out there on the subject.A few things that would greatly improve it in a second edition:1. Illustrations of gear tie downs, positioning of gear and packs, river techniques, etc. The book is filled with lots of good color photos, but it is lacking in the illustrations usually found in beginner books that help readers visualize what's being written and described.2. Boat outfitting, adding tie downs, and locations for carrying bikes, skis etc.3. Field repair of leaks, holes, tears etc.Fortunately, the Alpacka website has some good info on items 2 and 3.

I bought an Alpacka Packraft to explore EXTREMELY remote Canadian rivers and lakes. This book is a must read for anyone considering packrafting. It provides some great guidance as well as the appropriate "cautions" so you don't go out and fly through some "sweepers" or "Strainers". As I post this review in 2015, Cody, the author's son has been missing in Costa Rica since July of 2014. Keep the family and Cody in your prayers. Roman Dial has a GoFundMe page if you would like to contribute to the ongoing search efforts. He disappeared in an area that has illegal mining and other activities going on and may be "detained", so it is important the search go on despite the fact it has now been 7 months (as of this writing).

This book was a fun read. I was disappointed that I read through the whole thing in two days, but I guess that's a good sign. The book has great safety tips, awesome stories, and endless inspiration. Oh, and by the way, buy an Alpacka Raft now! Packrafting has since changed my life...

1st attempt to read the book, and half the pages have come loose. I love the book though, and Roman Dial is very thorough for his description on negotiating white-water with a pack-raft. I have typically just paddled harder to get out of difficult spots. The new alpacka designs with fat butt sterns pretty much prevent the back flips described in his book. This information is great, but some of it is about 3 years out of date. I wish the book was on itunes!!!

The Good - The author obviously has a lot of packrafting experience, which he has shared in this book. The tales of his adventures and the many photographs make for a good read.The Bad - The techniques covered in the first half of the book lacked clarity as they are described in walls of text, the book is sorely lacking in any illustrations. Also the book came apart at the spine halfway through the first read.

There is so little writing on the subject (apart from blogs and forums) this book is hopefully the start of more book length writing on the topic. It is informative and inspiring, blending practical knowledge with a wealth of great accounts of adventures from this intrepid and highly experienced explorer. As a relatively new sport, I recommend this read to any one interested in packrafting.

Great .read could do with some technical pics for visual reference good little story's of adventure packraft stylee