DIY Packraft Materials

[dlee56]

I’m having a hard time tracking down some heat sealable tpu nylon fabric to use on a diy pack raft. I’ve seen the kits from “DIY Packraft” but can’t find any fabric itself to make my own design. Does anyone have some insight here?

 

[TaperPin]

I don’t know anything about DIY rafts, but are you thinking of TPO roofing? It’s heat sealable, available in different thicknesses, and tough, but I don’t know if that’s the stuff.

Vinyl coated polyester (VCP) is what the heaviest duty industrial tarps and many commercial inflatables are often made of and it can be attached to itself with vinyl cement - maybe heat sealable, but it doesn’t ring a bell, but maybe I just haven’t paid attention to that use.

Hapalon coated nylon is also used for weather resistant covers, tarps and commercial inflatables. I have no idea how it is attached to itself.

 

[Htm84]

I think Seattle fabrics has some tpu fabrics. I pretty sure the DIY guy sources his stuff overseas.

 

[Mt Al]

As Htm84 wrote, Seattle Fabrics has TPU fabric. I've also done Alibaba (felt like I just confessed a sin...) to get some TPU fabric that I didn't need quickly. The minimums weren't too bad from some vendors.

 

[Divide93]

Similar fabric is used for snowshoe decks, drysuits, inflatable companies, etc. It is not and easy process if one is unskilled at it, and the repair process for hypalon and PVC material is different and one needs to know what they are doing. I , personally, having the skillsets to do the above would opt to purchase a ready made packraft, but ymmv!