How does this work? How do I rent from you guys?
- Reserve your equipment through our online reservation system or over the phone at 406-272-6468. You can also email us at backcountrypackrafts@gmail.com and we can email you a payable invoice. Your credit card is charged for the rental equipment through stripe.com and is saved on-file until your rentals are returned. Be sure to reserve early if you can due to high spring and summer demand.
- Reserve the rafts for the full days you want the rafts in your possession. Example: March 16-18 would be a three day rental period including March 16th, 17th and 18th. The packrafts would arrive March 15th and you would need to ship them back on March 19th.
- Complete our rental agreement and waiver form– Every person in your group needs to sign their own legal waiver before the rafts can be shipped. Waiver’s can be signed online using this link. The credit card used to pay for the rafts will be kept on file in order to charge you for any possible damages, extra cleaning or loss (we will not charge it for any other reasons). If you’d prefer to have a different card on file than the one you reserved the rafts with, give us a call 406-272-6468.
- We ship you the rafts, guaranteed to arrive the day before your rental begins -OR- for local pickup near Browning, MT, you pick up the equipment the afternoon before the first day of the rental period.
- Have an awesome adventure!
- After your trip clean and dry off the boats completely (they tend to stink if you don’t dry them off).
- On the morning of the first day after your rental period roll them up and load them back into the box. Attach the provided, prepaid shipping label and drop off at the nearest shipping location (currently UPS is our primary carrier used).
What is your return policy on new gear?
You have to pay return shipping, but purchase price and shipping to you will be fully refunded- provided the gear doesn’t show signs of use and you notify us within 30 days after the gear arrives at your door.
Explain how shipping a packraft works?
Packrafts are made to be portable, so it is easy to ship to your location. We provide packaging and a return label so returning your boat is as easy as possible. We ship anywhere in the continental US, but we can always ship the rafts to your house and you can fly with the packrafts to an epic trip in Patagonia, New Zealand, Canada, Alaska or anywhere else you’ve always wanted to go (ask us about winter discounts for those of you going to the Southern Hemisphere during our winter).
How much does shipping cost?
The chart below covers our round-trip flat rate system:
| 1 Raft Round Trip Shipping | 2 Rafts Round Trip Shipping | 3 Rafts Round Trip Shipping | 4 Rafts Round Trip Shipping | |
| Montana 1-day | $40 | $50 | $60 | $70 |
| Western US- 2 day | $50 | $60 | $70 | $80 |
| Western US 3- Day | $60 | $70 | $80 | $90 |
| Eastern US 3-4 Day | $70 | $80 | $90 | $100 |
| Eastern US 5-6 Day | $80 | $90 | $100 | $110 |
The days listed on the chart represent business days it takes to ship packages via UPS Ground to that “zone” from our location in Montana. For clarification, a package shipped on Monday and arriving Wednesday is 2 business days in transit. Most accessories will not add to the shipping costs, except dry suits which are priced as half a raft for shipping costs.
If your group is larger than 4 rafts an extra box will box will be needed for shipping so rates start over for the 5th raft. Ex: 5 rafts to Wyoming is $140 ($90+$50). When booking online, groups of 5 or more may not auto-calculate shipping correctly so please call or email if you have a problem.
Shipping to Alaska or Hawaii will increase the price as well. Please call or email for an exact quote.
Do you charge for the days the packraft is in transit?
No, we only charge for the days you reserve the rafts. The shipping days are free to you.
When does the rental period begin and end?
The first day of the rental period is the first full day that you have your rental in hand through the day before you send it back to us. Essentially, reserve the raft for the days you want it in your possession. You’ll receive it in the day before and you’ll send it back the day after you’re done.
What services do you ship through?
We use UPS primarily, but sometimes USPS Express or whatever service gets your rafts there in time.
How do I keep water out of the raft? What are my options for spray skirt styles?
We basically have 3 styles: Self Bailing, Open and Whitewater. Self Bailing is like what the name implies, the water comes over the bow and drains out the sides. You sit on an inflatable floor. If you’re rafting during months other than July and August, you’ll probably want a dry-suit. Whitewater- Goes over your shoulders like a kayak whitewater skirt, attaches to specialized deck and keeps out 95% of the water that comes over the bow. The skirt itself is optional but the deck remains attached at all times so it is slightly more difficult to get in and out of than the other options. Open– this means that if water comes in over the bow, it stays in until you dump it out
Have your boats ever been late for a rental?
There have been a handful of times over the 7 years and hundreds of rentals that our rafts have arrived late. In all but a couple of those cases we were able to arrange and pay for an alternative option so the trip still happened. Over the last two years we have adopted the policy of adding an extra cushion day to both ends of the transit time and this has basically eliminated late packages. It never hurts to follow your tracking number, so that if there is a delay of some kind we have more options to address the problem.
What if I lose, destroy or damage a raft?
Check out the damages and loss section of our waiver. You may have to pay for the raft to be fixed or in the case of a total loss, you’ll have to pay for a new raft. Don’t stress though, we try to treat you like we’d like to be treated and won’t charge for normal wear on the boats.
What packraft brands do you carry?
We carry Alpacka brand packrafts. Although other packraft companies are putting out better models each year, Alpacka continues to lead the pack when it comes to design, durability and performance. They also offer the widest variety of rafts.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you cancel your rental with less than one month’s time before your rental dates, we are unable to refund your money but will let you bank your credit and reschedule through the next calendar year without an additional charge. If you give us notice one month prior to your rental date we can try to help you reschedule or simply refund your deposit minus 10% for processing.
What if I’m late returning my raft?
If gear is returned late, we will charge you twice the daily rate for every piece of equipment (raft, paddle etc.) for every day it is late. It sounds harsh, but you may be delaying, or even effectively preventing someone else’s trip by not returning your equipment on time. Days late will be based on when you ship and not when it arrives so the raft getting lost after shipping is not your responsibility. If the end date of your trip is up in the air, book it for the latest possible end date. In some cases we can extend your rental period while you still have the raft, depending on availability. You must contact us in advance and receive our permission in order to do this.
Besides Packrafts, what other equipment do you offer?
For full details on rafts and accessories, check out our equipment rates page. We offer spray skirts on several rafts, Paddles, Dry Bags, Dry Packs, Dry Suits and PFDs(personal floatation devices).
In case you were wondering, all our rafts come with a lightweight inflation bag and patch kit.
We also now sell a variety of accessories that may make your trip even better. Check out our used gear and our new gear sections in our online store.
What kind of safety gear do you recommend?
Life jackets and helmets are required equipment on our waiver. It is best to wear a life preserver at all times. Backcountry rivers can change fast and you might not have time to put your life jacket on before a big rapid if you are sitting on it. If you fall out of your packraft, you will most likely do so backward which means a whitewater helmet is highly recommended for any rapids. Lastly, many states require life jackets to be in your boat at all times and we have had renters get fined for not carrying them.
Throw ropes are also a good idea if you’re doing whitewater and we sell them in our online store.
What type of raft will fit me best?
As a general rule, if you’re on the line between sizes go to the next size up.
The best way to size yourself is measuring your sit length. If you’re selecting rafts for other group members you can generally go by height recommendations listed below and get a pretty good fit.
The chart below shows our recommended size based on your sit length and the Classic’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 Classic is sized for a relaxed fit, meaning that a typical paddler in the recommended size can fully extend their legs and not touch the bow unless they point their toes when sitting in the boat. You can size up or down for a more performance or relaxed fit.
- Size Small Classic- Formerly Alpacka Original- Heights Under 5’8″ – Sit Length 35-39in | 88-99cm
- Size Medium Classic- Formerly Yukon Yak- Heights 5′ 8″ to 6′ – Sit Length 38-42in | 97-107cm.
- Size Large Classic- Formerly Denali Llama- heights 6’ – 6′ 4″ Sit length 41-45in | 104-114cm
- Mule- Heights 6’2″ to 6′ 8″ and up to 280lbs- also ideal for packing along a dog, child, big game animal or otherwise heavy load.
For the Gnarwhal, 2-person and other specialty rafts, see the sizing chart on each as the fit is different.
Do I need to sign a rental agreement or liability waiver?
Yes. Each person using the rafts needs to sign a legal waiver. Here’s a link to the online waiver that you can sign electronically. If you are signing for a minor there is a section where you will list who you are signing for.
Do you offer group discounts?
Yes! Groups of 6 rafts or more who pay using 2 credit cards or less and shipping to one location will receive a 15% discount with a 2-day minimum rental and potentially 20% discount during the shoulder and off-season season. Contact us for more info. 406-272-6468 or backcountrypackrafts@gmail.com
Do you offer any other discounts?
Yes, if you’d like to receive notice of such discounts please subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page. We also offer discounts on our facebook page!
Do you sell used rafts?
Yes, check out our used rafts page and subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page to get an email when new rafts are posted. We sell the bulk of our used rafts between November and March.
Do you ship to Canada?
Yes! Sheila with Montana Adventure Shuttles 406-493-2345 provides shuttle service where she’ll drop you off or pick you up at either end. Please note, she does not move vehicles, just people.