Welcome to the first in what we hope is a long lineup of watercraft reviews here at Flylords!
There’s something magical about getting out on the water. For one, it’s easier to get around and explore all the nooks and crannies of whatever lake or river you’re on. For another, you get to know a fishery a bit more intimately when you’re floating. Whether it’s discovering that break in the weed bed where big brookies hang out, a trough just out of casting reach from shore, or a series of sunken trees where big bass stage pre-spawn, you’ll discover all sorts of new places where a nice fish might be hiding.
The trick is picking the right watercraft for the job, and that’s where these reviews come in. We want to give you all the details on picking the best tool for the job. Whether you’re looking for an alternative to a drift boat, a packraft for hauling into the backcountry, or a budget option for chasing bass on the local pond, these watercraft reviews will help you make that decision.
The Craft in Question: Alpacka Rendezvous Packraft
Materials
210-Denier Nylon Hull and 840-Denier Floor
Weight
10 lbs
MSRP
$1850
Storage
Front Zipper Pocket for Internal Storage
Pros
- Light enough to pack in the backcountry
- Stable, even with two anglers loaded in
- Tracks well for a raft, and moves well on the water
Cons
- Front zipper compartment can only be accessed when raft is deflated
- Not stable enough to stand up in
Alpacka is a smaller company based in Colorado, and they’ve made a great name for themselves in the packrafting community. I know a few folks who packraft in Alaska on a consistent basis, and they’re big fans of Alpacka’s products. So, when I came across Alpacka’s raft designed specifically for fishing, I had to give it a whirl.
And if you’re unfamiliar, a packraft is exactly what it sounds like. These are highly packable rafts designed to be hauled into hard-to-reach places where hard-shell kayaks, drift boats, and canoes just can’t go.
The Rendezvous is specifically designed for fishing. Alpacka even goes so far as to say it operates “like a mini drift boat.” There’s a central area to sit on, and another rear seating area that’s designed to keep both anglers elevated and off the floor. The idea is that the angler in front should be able to stand up for limited amounts of time to throw casts, while the rear angler can handle paddling duties.
The layout itself makes sense, and even loaded down with myself, my fishing buddy Alex, and a load of camera gear, the Rendezvous felt fairly stable. The claim that this operates like a “mini drift boat” is a bit misleading, though. Both Alex and I found standing to cast almost impossible, as well.
That said, it moves surprisingly well on the water, and would be an excellent option for anglers who want to explore remote lakes or rivers that are largely flatwater but inaccessible to traditional boats. You can get in, paddle, then park on the bank and wade fish to your heart’s content before moving on.
How We Test
These watercraft are put through the wringer to see if they live up to their own marketing billing. Are they as comfortable to fish from, and as functional, as the companies claim? Are they worth the cost? Is there a better option out there for your hard-earned cash? Companies don’t pay us for these reviews, so you can trust you’re getting honest, unfiltered feedback based on our own hands-on experiences.
On The Water Results
I spent a few days with the Rendezvous on a few different bodies of water. I was most interested in how it would perform in the backcountry, to access lakes that I’ve always wanted to float on, but never had the right gear to do so.
For what it is, the Rendezvous is a good piece of gear. It’s a light, packable raft that you can inflate with the included inflation bag. Being a raft, it gets blown around very easily by the wind. Since it sits so high on the water, it moves quickly. You don’t have to paddle hard to get it going. However, that comes back to bite you when you want to sit over a point, weed bed, or other structure, and don’t have any sort of anchor with you. That’s true of all rafts, by the way.
The setup of the angler in the back paddling, and the angler in front fishing, worked well over my testing period. I was able to land some nice brook trout from the Rendezvous, and my buddy Alex put in his personal best grayling, too. The Rendezvous made quick work of accessing areas on lakes we’d never be able to reach from shore, and when the wind died down, we didn’t have to make too many adjustments with the paddle to stay in place.
While it felt plenty stable with both of us seated, neither my buddy nor I could comfortably stand up to cast. Alpacka says the Rendezvous is designed for short periods of standing for “quick, targeted casts.” I’d love to see those in person, because I don’t know how you’re supposed to stand and not go overboard.
We also had an issue with the raft losing air after a few hours, towards the end of the second day of extended use. The model Alpacka sent for testing is a dedicated media-review model, so it’s likely this packraft has been through quite a bit in its life.
The other issue we had was with the zipper. The Rendezvous features a zippered front compartment designed for storing gear, but it’s only accessible when the raft is deflated. That zipper wouldn’t close completely on the first attempt to inflate. Thankfully, Alpacka included instructions (which we actually read) that explained the zipper needs to be oiled from time to time to stay in operating condition. Some oil was included, and that fixed the problem immediately.
Where It Shines
The Rendezvous would be perfect for floating on flat rivers and stopping to wade. I also think I’d enjoy it more without another angler in the boat, although that means you’ll want an anchor of some sort along for the ride. That way, you can stay in place while fishing. It’s not possible to fly fish and paddle to stay in place; at least, I don’t think it is.
As a craft to get between places and to see more of a mellow river or lake, the Rendezvous is great. It moves easily on the water, and if you’ve ever paddled anything before, the Rendezvous will respond well. It doesn’t take technical skills to get this craft to perform.
Where It Doesn’t
Rafts are tough because they require your hands to keep them moving, or keep them in place (unless you have some sort of anchor system). For that reason, I’m not a huge fan of rafts as the go-to for exploring lakes, even though they’re light, nimble, and in the case of the Rendezvous, easy to pack.
If you’re going fishing with a buddy, and you’re willing to take turns fishing and paddling, then the Rendezvous can be a great way to explore places you haven’t been able to really fish before.
The Rendezvous isn’t really rated or designed for much use on rivers with large rapids. Flatwater sections of a river will be just fine, but you’d be better off looking for a different packraft if you wanted to explore rivers with a lot of whitewater.
The Final Say
The Rendezvous would be an interesting option for anglers who want a lightweight, easy-to-pack option that allows them to explore backcountry lakes. At 10 pounds (not including a paddle) it’s too heavy to take along for multi-day trips deep into the wilderness. But for a day hike into that cirque lake, it’s worth thinking about the Rendezvous.
Its drawbacks are that it takes an anchor system, or a fishing buddy willing to not fish for some stretches, to keep the raft in a good fishing position. It’s not quite stable enough, in my experience, for standing and casting, either. The price of $1,850 does reflect that the Rendezvous is made in America and largely handcrafted, but it’s the kind of money you’ll think twice about spending.