Eclipse Adventure by Ross Bernards Last fall my wife Lauren, our roommate Peter, and myself ventured to Hanksville, Utah to witness the annular solar eclipse so I could photograph the cosmic wonder. It was a truly magical experience, even though I didn’t capture it the way I had hoped. I knew I had to try again with the total eclipse in Texas this spring, especially since the next total eclipse wouldn’t happen for another 20 years in the USA! Besides, we are always looking for an excuse for an adventurous road-trip.     Driving down to Texas also gave us an additional opportunit ..read more

Hawaii: A Dream Paddling Destination on the Brink by Eric Bergdoll For most people, mentions of Hawaii bring up visions of expansive sandy beaches, expensive accommodations, and big waves. For others it brings up connections to complicated politics, an illegal military occupation, and a residual frustration among some Native Hawaiians. Frustration that comes for good reason. Hawaii, before US occupation, was a highly functional, educated, and independent monarchy. In the 1800s, the literacy rate among Native Hawaiians was 98 percent. 1887 brought about the “Bayonet Constitution,” , orchestrate ..read more

Chasing Alaskan Foliage on the Chickaloon River by Tyler Stallings and Nick Coulter. Alaska: The last frontier, The birthplace of Packrafting, and one of the few truly wild places left in North America. Nick Coulter and I started our trip off with a detailed Itinerary, a plan to paddle 5 class III rivers in 6 days, and three checked bags full of packrafting and camping equipment. We landed in Fairbanks, bought food, some camp fuel, and an ample amount of bear spray, then raced towards our first night's camp; The paddle first river we planned to paddle was 4 hours from the airport and hund ..read more

Paddling Paradise: Escaping Winter in Baja by Melany and Evan aka Outofthisvan Last January, we escaped winter by heading south to Baja California Sur, Mexico for 8 weeks of sunshine, sand, and paddling. While relaxing on the shore is nice, what's a trip to the beach without an adventure out on the water? Lucky for us, we were able to bring along our Rogue R-Deck packraft and Chasm-Lite inflatable paddle board.  Evan and I, along with our dog Penelope, live full-time on the road in our Promaster van. As outdoor adventure enthusiasts, storing all our gear is a challenge. With limit ..read more

Packraft Fly Fishing written by: Matt McCourtney Packrafting & Fly Fishing Guide Packrafts are small, lightweight, easy to transport, deploy, and maneuver. They allowing you to access water you usually would not consider or dream off. The most rugged pacrrafts fold up to the about the size of a backpack and weigh in around 5-15 pounds. They inflate in minutes and are ready to hike into remote areas or simply push off from traditional access locations. I have been fly fishing remote backcountry waters for over a decade now.  Getting myself into some pretty tricky ..read more

Last winter Ryan, Mike, Haruka and I finally met up for a canyoneering trip we’ve been dreaming of for a few years. The four of us have run several canyons together in the Pacific Northwest, but this was one really special for several reasons. First, it’s a really unique canyon and waterfall that terminates right in the Columbia River which is one of the largest rivers in the US and is the border between Washington and Oregon. Second, we'd made plans to do this canyon at least three times but every time we got shut down by weather issues. Third, it has never been done before, so heading into t ..read more

TLDR: Here’s what you need to know about planning for your next multi-sport adventure trip, from research to fitness to packing, and more… Multi-sport adventure trips are one of the best ways to experience a variety of your favorite activities alongside new adventures and athletic experiences. For adventure-seekers and adrenaline junkies, multi-sport adventure travel can be a fun yet physically challenging way to spend time off in nature. But when it comes to getting started, what should you know?  Kokopelli is here to help you get your bearings. Here are six steps to planning your outdoo ..read more

TLDR: Packrafting involves rafting, backpacking, and, when taking multi-day excursions, camping. You’ll have to make sure you pack enough for all of these activities, accounting for emergencies. You’ll also need to know how to roll or fold your packraft while not in use. We explore all of these things in this blog post! There’s nothing quite like the freedom and wonder of hiking to a remote river or scenic lake, then being able to paddle down to a secluded campground, staying the night laying out under the stars, and doing it all over again. Multi-day packrafting excursions can be exhilarat ..read more

Kayaking is as much an outing as it is a low-impact exercise activity. And with so many natural wonders to explore across the United States’ various system of rivers, lakes, inlets, and oceans, it’s no wonder that since 2010, the number of kayakers in the U.S. has been steadily increasing. But when it comes to finding the perfect kayak, where do you start? Combing through this buying guide for kayaks should help. We’re here to help you choose the right boat (not to mention the perfect playlist for a day spent paddling). Ready to get rolling (on the river, that is)? Let’s go! TLDR: When choosin ..read more

When it comes to kayak paddles, size matters. But bigger isn’t always better. Thankfully, it’s not too hard to determine the right paddle size for you. It is important to size your paddle correctly, though, because doing so will make the paddling experience much easier.  There are also a number of other factors that matter when choosing a paddle other than size alone, including paddle shape and material, shaft shape and material, and more. Let’s paddle into the depths of this topic further so you can uncover how to size a kayak paddle quickly and easily. TLDR: What size paddle is right fo ..read more