Alpacka Gnarwhal - Whitewater Packraft
Alpacka Gnarwhal - Whitewater Packraft
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The Gnarwhal is Alpacka's beginner/intermediate focused whitewater packraft. Its perfect for Lightwater and Class III whitewater adventures. The hull design is incredibly stable, forgiving and easy to paddle when things start to get wild and you need that extra bit of help to make it through the rapid upright. And when you fall out, the self-bailer means you don’t need to go to shore to reset.
When Alpacka first introduced the Gnarwhal in 2017, their goal was a packraft that could not only handle harder whitewater but could also make whitewater more approachable for the average paddler who didn’t have years of kayaking experience. And Alpacka succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. The Gnarwhal is one of the most successful models of all time, beloved by everyone from novices to pros.
Over the years, more advanced paddlers have moved on to the latest designs like the Wolverine, Valkryie and the Mage. This allows Alpacka to really focus the Gnarwhal on the beginner to intermediate paddler who wants the most forgiving, easy to paddle, and approachable packraft to learn whitewater paddling or just fun all-round packrafting.
Starting with the hull, Alpacka used the large volume 2024 Gnarwhal hull for the large and extra large sizes, which provide the most support and stability for larger paddlers. For small and medium paddlers we recommend the self bailing Mage.
Alpacka chose a self bailing configuration because that is the easiest to learn to paddle with. It has fewer parts to keep track of and no skirt to put on and take off. When you swim you can just self rescue and keep moving without going to shore to drain and reset.
The 3-point thigh straps are also new for 2025. They are lightweight, incredibly comfortable, easy to fit, and provide plenty of support for up to Class III/IV whitewater.
Finally, Alpacka have redone the sizing to be the same across all sized boats. Alpacka is using a true to size fit similar to your other outdoor gear and clothing. The goal is enough knee bend to positively engage your thigh straps, but with more relaxed position for better downriver performance. 2025 Gnarwhal sizing is generally about two inches longer than 2024 and earlier sizing.
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BEST USE and COMPARISON
WHITEWATER:
The Gnarwhal is Alpacka's most stable and forgiving whitewater packraft, but it lacks the performance features of the Mage and Valkryie. The self bailing design allows you to self rescue if you flip and continue floating without having to go to shore and reset with your spray skirt. We recommend the Gnarwhal for beginners looking to develop more confidence and experienced paddlers that are tentative or intimidated and want a more forgiving boat in technical whitewater.
LIGHTWATER:
The Gnarwhal is ideal for lightwater focused adventures. It's the highest performance model in our lightwater collection and ideal for the beginner to experienced paddler that wants the most forgiving and easy handling boat. The Self-Bailing build with 3-point thigh straps provides maximum control with minimum fuss for warmer water trips.
VERSATILE:
The Gnarwhal is a great versatile alternative to the Expedition for warm water. Its perfect for beginner to intermediate paddlers in lightwater and whitewater.
GNARWAHL VS MAGE:
The Gnarwhal is recommended for the beginner to intermediate whitewater packrafter, whereas the Mage is recommended for more advanced paddlers, or intermediate paddlers looking to improve their skills. The Gnarwhal is more stable and forgiving for beginner and tentative experienced paddlers than the Mage. The Mage is much faster, edges and holds an edge better, and rolls better than the Gnarwhal, but requires a higher skill level to engage these benefits. A beginner to intermediate paddler that wants to advance their skills and is not intimidated by a steeper learning curve in whitewater should consider the Mage.
GNARWHAL VS EXPEDITION:
The Gnarwhal and Expedition are mostly distinguished by their builds, with the Gnarwhal being a self bailer and the Expedition being a decked boat. In fact, the small and medium versions are the exact same hull. The self bailing build is preferred for warm water and skill development in whitewater where you can self rescue and keep paddling rather than going to shore to reset your spray skirt. The decked builds are warmer, drier, and more versatile for arctic climates like Scandinavia, winter paddling, and icy spring runoff.
FEATURES
ATTACHMENTS:
4 bow grab loops, 2 stern grab loops, offset D-Rings, ankle loops, 3 position thigh strap ladder plates, 3 position backband ladder plate
SEATING AND RIGGING:
3/4 Length Self Bailing Seat, Self Bailing Footrest, Foam Backband, Patented 3-point Thigh Straps
MATERIALS:
Proprietary TPU Coated 210d or 420d nylon hull and 840d nylon floor (Made in USA)
INCLUDES:
Inflation Bag, Stuff Sack, Cargo Fly Kit, 3-point Thigh Straps and Basic Repair Kit
BUILD CONFIGURATIONS
SELF BAILER:
The Gnarwhal Self Bailer is perfect for warmer conditions, quick entry and exit, and anyone that prefers a self bailing setup. The Self Bailing Gnarwhal tends to stabilize in when punching through holes which helps boaters navigate through tricky spots. If you swim, no dumping is required and you can just self rescue right back in.
CARGO FLY ZIPPER:
Alpacka's innovative Cargo Fly internal storage system comes standard on the Gnarwhal. The Cargo Fly features an airtight zipper installed in the stern of the boat to allow you to store your gear inside the tubes. The system provides drier and more secure gear storage and improved paddling performance due to a lower center of gravity.
Internal Dry Bags may be purchased separately and are designed to work with the Cargo Fly system. The bags clip in place along each side of the tubes with a side release buckle and allow for better organization and weight balance than placing the contents of your pack loose inside the Cargo Fly. They also act as additional balanced air chambers to make it easier to get to shore in the event of a puncture.
SIZE & SPECIFICATIONS
PADDLER SIZING CHART*
- Paddler Height
Small - Under 170cm
Medium - 168 - 180cm
Large - 175 - 188cm
X-Large - 186 - 198cm
*The Gnarwhal is designed for a true to size fit with enough knee bend to engage the thigh straps, but keep your legs more extended for better downriver performance. If you are in between sizes, the smaller size will generally provide more positive thigh strap engagement.
DIMENSIONS*
- Exterior Length
Small: 91in | 231cm
Medium: 94in | 238cm
Large: 100in | 255cm
X-Large: 103in | 262cm
- Exterior Width
Small: 34.5in | 88cm
Medium: 35in | 89cm
Large: 37.5in | 96cm
X-Large: 37in | 94cm
- Interior Length
Small: 43in | 109cm
Medium: 45.5in | 116cm
Large: 48.5in | 123cm
X-Large: 51.5in | 131cm
- Interior Width at Hips
Small: 15in | 38cm
Medium: 15in | 38cm
Large: 14.5in | 37cm
X-Large: 15in | 38cm
- Packed Size
9 x 22in | 23 x 56cm
*Due to the handmade nature of Alpacka's packrafts, dimensions are averages and will vary slightly from boat to boat.
WEIGHTS*
- 210d Base Weight
Small: 5.5lb | 2495Grams
Medium: 5.75lb | 2610Grams
Large: 6.25lb | 2835Grams
X-Large: 6.5lb | 2950Grams
- 210d Kitted Weight
Small: 7.5lb | 3400Grams
Medium: 7.75lb | 3520Grams
Large: 8.0lb | 3630Grams
X-Large: 8.5lb | 3860Grams
- 210d Complete Weight
Small: 8.25lb | 3750Grams
Medium: 8.5lb | 3860Grams
Large: 8.75lb | 3970Grams
X-Large: 9.25lb | 4200Grams
*Due to the handmade nature of Alpacka's packrafts and natural variances in weights between different colors and production runs in our fabrics, all weights are estimated and will vary from boat to boat.
**Base weight is the boat only. Kitted weight includes the seating and rigging. Complete weight is everything in the stuff sack at shipping.
WEIGHT CAPACITY:
The small and medium Gnarwhal sizes feature a medium volume hull and are recommended for paddlers up to 200lbs | 91Kgs. The large and XL Gnarwhal sizes feature a large volume hull and are recommend for paddlers up to 250lbs | 113Kgs. Cargo weight recommendations are 20-50lbs | 9-22Kgs for maximum whitewater performance, up to 75lbs | 34Kgs for general purpose, and up to 120lbs | 54Kgs for extended trips on larger rivers.