Great Packrafting Films For Your Home Screen
We’ve put together a great compilation of films that incorporate packrafts just for you.
Photo: Rig to Flip | Cody Perry
Originally posted during Covid, but updated with more recent films.
Boredom. We know you’re feeling it, because we are too. With this in mind, we have put together a compilation of films that incorporate packrafts and couldn’t think of a better time to share them with you. Enjoy!
"Sheri"
If you haven't yet seen it, learn all about Sheri Tingey and how her passion for design and innovation revolutionized the outdoor industry.
Film By: James 'Q' Martin (and so many more - more about this film and the filmmakers here)
"River of Sorrows"
Photos and Film: Rig to Flip | Cody Perry
The Dolores River is going on a world tour! We're so excited to see The River of Sorrows featured in the Paddling Film Festival World Tour, and it'll also be streaming on Outside TV now. Trailer below, more about the film here.
"BlackWaters"
Chad Brown ofSoul River Inc and Love is Kingjust released a new filmBlackWaters, about five prominent Black men in the outdoor industry heading to Alaska's Gates of the Arctic National Park to fly fish (with packrafts!). They captured this important trip on film, for reasons all described. More about the film here.
"Guardians of Rivers and Life"
Story: Hayley Stuart | Photos: Felipe Zanotti and Paul Wilson - Rios to Rivers
The new trailer for the upcoming short film “Guardians of Rivers and Life” follows the Amazonian River Exchange Program in October, 2022, a collaboration between local grassroots organization the Commonwealth of the Beni River Basin Indigenous Communities, Amazonian River Allies Bolivia, and nonprofit Ríos to Rivers. More about the film here.
"Paddle Alaska"
Film & Photos By: Dmitry Surnin
Featuring: Jule Harle of Alaska Packraft School
"Paddle Alaska" is part of a three-part "Fueled by Kaladi" series, presented by Kaladi Brothers Coffee highlighting community members within their respective outdoor discipline. Jule is a unique individual from the Alaska whitewater community who recently published The Alaska Packraft Guidebook: Premier Rivers & Creeks in the 49th State as well as launching and operating Alaska Packraft School. Filmmaker, Dmitry Surnin, collaborated with Kaladi’s Wongi Kim to create this film and share it with you. More about the film here.
"Whatever Floats Your Goat"
Story and Photos by: Jack Elder
'Whatever Floats Your Goat' is a fun film about Nico Castellano and her critters who are out motivating people to do better. She hopes to inspire conservation, sustainability and mindfulness by meeting people in the outdoor places they love. More about the film here.
"Earning A River"
Story & Film: Jacob Kastrup Haagensen
The 'Earning a River' film is now available! Earning a River is a new 40 minute packrafting documentary, following six friends on a quest to paddle the beautiful Kaitum River in Lapland. Find out more about the film here.
"Paving Tundra"
Filmmakers: Jayme Dittmar and James 'Q' Martin
The Brooks Range is one of Earth’s largest roadless areas. In 2013, the State of Alaska proposed building a 225-mile industrial access road to facilitate the construction of an open-copper pit mine near the village of Ambler. This would be the largest road construction project in Alaska since the development of the Dalton Highway in 1974.
The Ambler Road would parallel five subsistence communities, cross 161 rivers and streams (two of them designated Wild and Scenic Rivers) and pass through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. The Ambler Mining District and proposed road serves as habitat for salmon, whitefish and sheefish as well as a crucial migration corridor for Alaska's largest caribou herd, the Western Arctic. Eleven Village councils have passed resolutions against the road’s development. We traveled 350 miles along the road corridor into the Brooks Range to question the meaning of progress and ask what may be lost if the tundra is paved to Ambler.
"The River that Flows Both Ways"
Story and Photos by Brendan Davis
Two friends embark on a source to sea packrafting adventure down the Hudson River. Find out more about the film here.
"Helen's Story" - A Bikerafting Film
Film by: Deane Parker
Follow her journey on the first bikerafting instructional course in New Zealand through Packrafting Queenstown. Find out more about the film here.
“Deer 139”
Filmmaker: Jayme Dittmar
Watch three women follow the 85-mile-long migration path of a scruffy, pregnant mule deer doe and learn to see the world differently in the process. They take on this adventure by packrafting, climbing and skiing their way along the migration path of this deer.
This film is presented by our friends at Artemis Sportswomen and the International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF).
“100 Miles”
Filmmaker: Cory Louma
“Everything here is bigger, larger, harder and tougher than it looks. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or how great shape you are in, if you come here, you’ll contend with the Alaskan factor.” For this group of anglers, that’s exactly what the doctor ordered. The goal of this expedition was simple – to use packrafts as a tool to explore and fish an extremely remote and braided river system, much of which is not accessible with larger rafts. The simple and no frills nature of packrafting offers the ultimate in flexibility and mobility.
This trip was not a first descent on an unnamed river. It was not some epic of mankind’s quest through the uncharted. But, after going 100 river miles without seeing another human soul, it felt like it. To revel in the unknown is the greatest thrill for an angler. And when it’s all over, the fishing, the adventure, and the solitude all culminate into a shared experience with the company you keep.
Read more about the 100 Miles film and Alpacka Raft’s involvement in the blog post and interview with producer, Cory Louma, at the link.
“Perspective”
Filmmaker:
Filmmaker Neil Irwin follows two intrepid explorers on a bike and packraft micro adventure through Amsterdam. It’s urban packrafting at it’s finest in this short film.
Read more about “Perspective, the packrafters involved and an interview with filmmaker Niel Irwin at the link.
"Broken Roads"
Annie Lloyd Evans and Huw Oliver took a trip to Knoydart, one of the UK’s least accessible peninsulas.
Check out the behind the scenes blog post about this trip at the link. If you have additional packrafting films to add to this list, send them our way at [email protected].