IN STOCK - 2022 Alpacka Gnarwhal

Ships within 1-3 days, with free delivery to ALL countries within the European Union and to the UK and Norway (Includes all import duties and VAT.)

When Alpacka Raft launched the Gnarwhal in 2017 they once again redefined what we all thought was possible in a packraft. With its next generation Rally Hull design, ergonomic seating, and Alpacka Patented 4-point thigh straps, the Gnarwhal is the most stable and forgiving whitewater packraft. Ideal for building skills and confidence, carrying heavy loads, and charging hard on high volume whitewater runs.

Powerful or playful, addictive or intimidating, enlightening or terrifying, clean or chaotic. Whitewater can be the ultimate in contradictions, but the Gnarwhal will be there when you need it most so you can get to the bottom of the run with more laughing and less swimming.

Advanced paddlers get the most from the Gnarwhal by setting up early and paddling hard, making it ideal for high volume rivers and messy features that require speed, power, and stability to clean. Novice and intermediate paddlers will get the most from the Gnarwhal’s unmatched stability and forgiveness, which makes rapids fun so that you can focus on developing your technique and building confidence without worrying about getting flipped every time you make a mistake.

The Gnarwhal is built with Alpacka's Rally Hull, high-performance whitewater rigging,  and either a Whitewater Deck or Self Bailing configuration. The Rally Hull is Alpacka's highest performance whitewater hull with a center panel stern for stability and forgiveness and a rockered bow for punching over holes and carving eddy turns.

The Gnarwhal is higher volume than the Wolverine to maximize stability, forgiveness, and weight capacity. The whitewater rigging includes an adjustable foam backband, ¾ length seat and foot brace and patented 4-point thigh straps.

Trying to choose between the high-volume Gnarwhal and the mid-volume Wolverine?

You’ll love the Gnarwhal if you want a forgiving and easy to paddle packraft that takes the intimidation out of paddling moderate whitewater, if you want to charge hard in bigger water and features, or if you need to carry a large cargo load on a long trip.

You’ll love the Wolverine if you want to squeeze as much as you can out of every run with our most engaging whitewater packraft that likes to hit every eddy and play feature, and boof off every lip.

Both the Wolverine and Gnarwhal can be reliably rolled by skilled boaters with thigh straps, but the Wolverine roll is a bit easier for most people.  The Gnarwhal and Wolverine are sized to fit most average sized adults, but larger and heavier (over 182cm and 100kgs) paddlers will fit better in the Gnarwhal while smaller and lighter paddlers (under 170cm and 75kgs) will fit better in the Wolverine.

Alpacka Gnarwhal - Best use:

• Whitewater paddling up to class 4

Alpacka Gnarwhal - Features:

• Manufacturing: Hand made by Alpacka Raft, in Mancos, Colorado, USA
• Shape: Rally Hull Tube
• Diameter: 11.7-inch
• Fit: Whitewater (See sizing and specifications below)
• Colours & Fabric: Red 420D, Fireweed 210D, Forget Me Not 210D
• Valve: Temper assist valve for inflation and deflation
  
• Attachments: 4 bow grab loops, 2 stern grab loops, 2 double D-Rings, 2 ankle loops, 2 multi-slot strap plates, and 2 strap plates
• Seating & Rigging: 3/4 Length WW Seat, WW Foot Brace, Adjustable Foam Backband, Patented 4-point Thigh Straps
• Build Configurations: Whitewater Deck & Self Bailer
  
• Cargo Fly: NO CARGO FLY!
  
• Includes: Inflation Bag, Stuff Sack, and Basic Repair Kit. T Zip lube is included with boats that come with a Cargo Fly

Alpacka Gnarwhal - Materials:

• Hull: Proprietary 210 & 420-denier high count nylon, single side laminated with a pigmented polyurethane film (Made in USA).
  
• Floor: Proprietary 840-denier ballistics nylon, laminated on both sides with polyurethane film (Made in USA).
• Seating: 200-denier oxford nylon, with single side proprietary polyurethane film (Made in USA).
  
• Accessories: All grab loops and similar attachments are manufactured by Alpacka Raft in Mancos, Colorado out of scrap floor materials and USA made webbing. Small parts and fasteners are Made in USA, when available, and sourced from industry leaders like Duraflex, YKK, and ITW-Nexus

Alpacka Gnarwhal - 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. It is slightly slower than the WW deck version when punching through waves and small holes, but it tends to stabilize in these situations which helps boaters navigate through tricky spots. If you swim, no dumping is required and you can just self rescue right back in. The seating systems in the Self Bailer and Whitewater Deck are identical except the Self Bailer features a 18cm thick seat versus a 13cm thick seat on the Whitewater Deck.
• Whitewater Deck: The Whitewater Deck is ideal for staying warm in cold conditions and maximizing performance in difficult whitewater. The Whitewater Deck features a large kayak style cockpit, one-piece pex coaming, and an ultralight spray skirt. Because the Whitewater Deck will not fill with water when pushing through a wave or hole, it maintains more speed and can punch through larger waves and stickier holes than the self bailing configuration. The seating systems in the Self Bailer and Whitewater Deck are identical except the Self Bailer features a 18cm thick main seat versus a 13cm thick seat on the Whitewater Deck.
• Alpacka Gnarwhal - Size & Specifications:

The sizing below shows our recommended size based on your sit length and the Gnarwhals’s fit profile. To determine your sit length, sit against a wall with your legs flat (wearing your preferred paddling shoes) and measure the distance from the wall to your heels. The Gnarwhal is sized for a whitewater fit, meaning that a typical paddler in the recommended size will be able to deeply bend their knees for maximum engagement in the thigh straps for the most secure high-performance fit. You can size up or down for a more performance or relaxed fit.

Medium

• Paddler Sit Length - 99 - 109cm
• Exterior Length - 239cm
  
• Exterior Width - 97cm
• Interior Length - 109cm
• Width at Hips - 38cm
• Weight Self Bailer* - 3570grams
• Weight Whitewater Deck* - 4170grams
• Packed Size Self Bailer** - 51x19cm
• Packed Size Whitewater Deck** - 51x24cm
• Max Capacity*** 204kgs

Large

• Paddler Sit Length - 107 - 117cm
• Exterior Length - 246cm
  
• Exterior Width - 97cm
• Interior Length - 117cm
• Width at Hips - 38cm
• Weight Self Bailer* - 3690grams
• Weight Whitewater Deck* - 4260grams
• Packed Size Self Bailer** - 51x20cm
• Packed Size Whitewater Deck** - 51x25cm
• Max Capacity*** 204kgs

X Large

• Paddler Sit Length - 114 - 127cm
• Exterior Length - 254cm
  
• Exterior Width - 97cm
• Interior Length - 124cm
• Width at Hips - 38cm
• Weight Self Bailer* - 3820grams
• Weight Whitewater Deck* - 4350grams
• Packed Size Self Bailer** - 51x22cm
• Packed Size Whitewater Deck** - 51x27cm
• Max Capacity*** 204kgs

*Weight includes all components except inflation bag and repair kit.

**Packed size is a reference measurement based on folding each lengthwise edge of the boat to the center and rolling from the bow. There are many other methods of rolling and folding the boats that will result in a different packed size that may be more or less efficient for packing depending on the situation.

***Max Capacity is the maximum total weight (paddlers and cargo) that the boat can reasonably carry in flatwater under ideal conditions. Actual capacity for any given trip will vary widely based on the paddler’s skill and water conditions. Please review our weight carrying capacity guide for further details.