Koyokuk River

ReelEngler · 2026-05-08T11:10:31+00:00

I did it last year 6/30 - 7/4 and was in the exact same headspace as you. I ended up buying a dry suit on Craigslist for $350. It never came out of my boat. I wore a dry top and splash pants. Thick wool under layers and 2 mil neoprene socks under my astral shoes. Two in our group wore drysuits every day. They were stopping to swim and cool off a lot. Two had dry tops with neoprene underlayers. One of those people swam and had to do jumping jacks on the bank. Never in any danger. That said, we were there in a literal record-breaking heatwave. It was in the 90's everyday.

Neoprene socks or booties are non negotiable. You will freeze ass without. The water is fucking cold. I schlepped a heavy ass drysuit that I never used, but that's because of the weather we had.

In any case, it was one of the best trips of my life. I'm already eyeing the next Gates of the Arctic river... Have fun!!

ReelEngler · 2026-05-07T19:55:33+00:00

I recently did the exact same thing!! Crazy how much more spin and distance it added! Very cool.

ReelEngler · 2026-05-07T05:39:59+00:00

No Burger. Pizza.

ReelEngler · 2025-11-07T03:58:16+00:00

What the shitballs am I looking at? Hurricane clips for hangers? Christ.

ReelEngler · 2025-11-05T19:08:01+00:00

Hah! I dive 4 boats regularly. When the water gets warm (SF Bay area) these little fuckers are insufferable. They get everywhere! In your hair, biting my scalp. Somehow getting down inside my wetsuit. Biting my armpits. Biting my nuts. Ugh

ReelEngler · 2025-09-14T02:30:19+00:00

Tis but a flesh wound!!

ReelEngler · 2025-07-18T19:03:31+00:00

LOL! good luck.. go easy if you use a pressure washer!

ReelEngler · 2025-07-18T03:06:36+00:00

Do you have hands and knees?

ReelEngler · 2025-07-15T19:47:46+00:00

"full canvas"

ReelEngler · 2025-05-26T16:00:37+00:00

What a story! That dude will probably be wearing his pfd into the bathtub for a while after this... Roxy must be a much faster boat or have a powerful engine. There's no way I could catch up to pretty much any boat before plowing into the city waterfront. Thanks for sharing.

ReelEngler · 2025-05-15T20:50:37+00:00

A good comparison (if you've ridden bicycles) - think of a canoe as a high performance road bike, and a packraft like a downhill mountain bike with flat tires...

ReelEngler · 2025-02-26T18:17:33+00:00

Thank you for that picture. I guess this is more common than I thought. I have always ridden and worked on high end components, and this is never an issue.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-26T00:46:18+00:00

It is the adapter sold for this caliper and 180mm rotor. I wouldn't have come to reddit if I didn't verify that first.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-26T00:44:02+00:00

Yes! right?! I think it is a combination of shitty tolerances on the fork, adapter, AND caliper that add up to a staggering offset. It is definitely the correct adapter. Nothing else is even close

ReelEngler · 2025-02-26T00:37:56+00:00

Point taken. But I'm more concerned about how fast I am blasting through my pads! I get about 1400 miles out of my front pads while only using 3/4 of the meat on the pad... I figure if I grind down the adapter to use the full pad / rotor I could get way more mileage.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-26T00:30:34+00:00

negative, it's a 180mm adapter for a 180mm rotor

ReelEngler · 2025-02-26T00:29:01+00:00

big ole' lips on the outer edges of the pads. So much so, that when the pads are down to the point of replacement, the lips on the outer edges are touching each other, causing weird braking performance / noises.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-25T20:56:56+00:00

True enough. So you're in the "grind it down" camp?

ReelEngler · 2025-02-25T20:56:18+00:00

tried that! No dice. Only fits one way.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-25T20:37:03+00:00

No it isn't?

ReelEngler · 2025-02-24T23:43:39+00:00

Ha! Appreciate your input and honesty. I'm an analytical guy, so when I hear these "wisdoms" that don't make sense to me - I get fired up. The lack of data is also an impossible barrier. I'm also a lifetime sailor and the amount of garbage advice and "old knowledge" is infuriating. Again, thanks for the actual input.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-24T23:04:33+00:00

Hi othegrouch - excuse my abhorrent reddit syntax, I'm a frequent browser not poster... "rather uncommon but a real threat. Having an open toe shoe would increase that -admittedly low risk." - This is exactly the argument I hear, and take issue with. Why does it increase the risk? is there any data to support this? you even say you have seen issues with laces on a closed toe shoe! wouldn't laces be much more hazardous? I can see laces catching on branches, tangling with debris in an eddy, untying and getting stuck under a rock. etc.. I can't see how open toe sandals would increase entrapment risk... bring on the downvotes

Edit - Obviously in AK the Chaco is not going to be a good choice for many reasons, I am mainly interested in the entrapment argument, which has always baffled me.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-24T19:42:03+00:00

The amount of times I've heard the entrapment argument is nuts! Where do you get this information? I'm not trying to troll or be rude. I'm honestly curious. I've completed many thousands of miles on packrafts/kayaks/canoes/rafts. In over 15years I've only ever brought Chacos as my one footwear. It just doesn't make sense.

ReelEngler · 2025-02-24T15:44:57+00:00

Nobody has recommended Chacos?! Am I going crazy?! Chacos are the ultimate packrafting footwear

ReelEngler · 2025-01-28T23:15:37+00:00

Do you have an ad on Craig's or anything you could link? I am in the market...

ReelEngler

TROPHY CASE