Best packrafts 2026 are lighter, stronger and more capable than ever before. From ultralight hiking packrafts through to long-distance touring setups, the best packrafts 2026 now cover everything from wilderness travel and fishing trips to multi-day expeditions. After years of paddling different packrafts across rivers, lakes and Scandinavian adventures, these are the packrafts I think stand out most heading into 2026.
The best packraft really depends on how you paddle. Some people want the lightest setup possible for hiking into remote lakes. Others want comfort for spending all day on the water. For me personally, I look for a balance between weight, pack size, comfort, tracking on flat water, and how versatile the raft feels over different types of trips.
These are the packrafts that really stand out heading into 2026.
Best Packrafts 2026 – Best Overall Packraft Anfibio Delta MX
The Anfibio Delta MX is still my personal favourite packraft heading into 2026. Among the best packrafts 2026, the Delta MX still stands out for its balance between portability and touring performance.
What makes it stand out is how balanced it feels. It remains genuinely lightweight and compact enough to feel like a “real” packraft, but once on the water it paddles far better than many ultralight rafts.
For fishing trips, Scandinavian adventures, lake paddling and lightweight touring, it is incredibly hard to beat. The longer hull shape tracks beautifully on flat water while still packing down small enough to disappear into a backpack or the back of a small car.
One of the biggest upgrades recently has been the new DeckReady system and UniDeck setup, allowing you to add more weather protection without permanently committing to a full spraydeck system. Combined with TubeBag internal storage, it transforms the raft for longer expeditions and touring trips.
You can see the Delta MX here:
Anfibio Delta MX DeckReady
And the UniDeck system here:
Anfibio UniDeck System
For me personally, this is the raft I keep coming back to because it simply works for so many different trips.
Most popular – Anfibio Rebel 2K
The Anfibio Rebel 2K has become hugely popular because it hits a sweet spot between beginner friendly and genuinely capable.
It feels stable and confidence inspiring while still being versatile enough for rivers, lakes and general adventure travel. It also works brilliantly with TubeBag storage systems for carrying camping gear internally rather than strapping everything to the outside.
For many paddlers getting into packrafting properly, this is exactly the kind of raft that makes sense.
Best lightweight adventure packraft – MRS Microraft
The MRS Microraft remains one of the best all-round lightweight packrafts available.
It stays compact enough for hiking and travel while still feeling genuinely capable once on the water. The removable spraydeck setup works brilliantly in mixed conditions, and the hull shape gives a really good balance between manoeuvrability and tracking.
If you only wanted one packraft for mixed adventures, rivers, fishing and lightweight touring, the Microraft would probably be one of the safest recommendations on this list.
Best packrafts 2026 for long days touring – MRS Nomad S1 Light
The MRS Nomad almost sits in its own category.
This is the raft for people who spend long days “in the saddle” and want comfort and efficiency over distance. Compared to smaller traditional packrafts, the Nomad feels far more kayak-like once moving.
For crossing large lakes, multi-day expeditions and spending hours paddling each day, the longer hull makes a massive difference. You sacrifice some packability compared to ultralight packrafts, but the reward is comfort and paddling efficiency.
For touring, it is one of the best packrafts currently available. (Reddit)
Best Packrafts 2026 – gear hauler – MRS Surveyor
The MRS Surveyor remains one of the best choices for carrying larger loads and expedition gear.
Compared to smaller lightweight packrafts, the Surveyor feels bigger, more stable and more confidence inspiring once loaded with camping gear, fishing equipment or camera setups.
For anglers especially, it makes a huge amount of sense. The larger carrying capacity and wider hull help it remain stable and predictable once heavily loaded for longer trips.
Best traditional expedition packraft – Alpacka Mule
The Alpacka Mule still deserves a place on any best packrafts list.
Alpacka were one of the original companies that pushed modern packrafting forward, and the Mule remains an excellent expedition-style raft for carrying heavier loads while still remaining relatively lightweight.
Compared to some newer touring-focused packrafts, the Mule feels more traditional in design philosophy, focusing on wilderness capability and expedition reliability first.
Best classic wilderness packraft – Alpacka Classic
The Alpacka Classic helped define modern packrafting.
Even now, it still makes huge sense for wilderness travel, river crossings and lightweight backcountry adventures. It is simple, reliable and incredibly packable.
It is not the fastest touring packraft on flat water, but for remote travel and mixed hiking-and-paddling adventures, it still remains one of the purest packrafting experiences available.
Best ultralight packraft – Anfibio Nano RTC
The Anfibio Nano RTC is one of the most impressive ultralight packrafts currently available.
At around 1kg, it packs down ridiculously small while still remaining surprisingly capable on calm water and slower rivers. The RTC internal storage system also massively improves gear carrying without cluttering the outside of the raft.
For hiking-heavy adventures, wild swimming support, travel and ultralight lake paddling, it is incredibly impressive.
You can see the Nano RTC here:
Anfibio Nano RTC
Best Packrafts 2026 – Best tandem packraft – Anfibio Omega C2b+
The Anfibio Omega C2b+ is one of the most versatile tandem packrafts currently available.
What makes it especially interesting is that it can be paddled using either twin-blade kayak paddles or single-blade canoe paddles depending on seat positioning and how you want to set the raft up.
That flexibility gives it a very different feel depending on the trip. With kayak paddles it feels efficient and surprisingly quick on open water. Set up canoe-style, it becomes a relaxed touring and expedition platform for rivers and lakes.
It works brilliantly for:
- two-person touring
- fishing adventures
- photography trips
- expedition travel
- carrying heavier camping setups
You can see the Omega C2+ here:
Anfibio Omega C2+
| Attribute | Anfibio Delta MX | MRS Microraft | MRS Nomad S1 Light | Anfibio Omega C2 (+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Use | Lightweight touring | All-round adventure | Long-distance touring | Tandem touring |
| Pack Size | Extremely compact | Compact | Larger | Larger |
| Flat Water Performance | Excellent | Very good | Excellent | Very good |
| Hiking Suitability | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Moderate |
| Touring Comfort | Very good | Very good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Internal Storage Compatibility | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Fishing Suitability | Excellent | Very good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Multi-Day Trips | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
For most paddlers, the best packraft comes down to what type of adventure you actually want to do most often.
If you want the lightest and most versatile touring-focused setup, I still think the Anfibio Delta MX is incredibly difficult to beat. If you want a raft that can handle almost everything reasonably well, the MRS Microraft is probably the safest all-round choice. And for long-distance touring comfort, the MRS Nomad remains one of the best touring packrafts currently available.
