Wolverine

Wolverine Description

The love child of the Gnarwhal and Alpackalypse, the Wolverine is the perfect blend of quick engagement, predictable edge control, and precision handling to hit those tight lines that make the difference between just making it to the bottom and running a rapid with style.

Wolverine Specs and Features

  • Structure: Inflatable

Alpacka Raft
Wolverine Reviews

Read reviews for the Wolverine by Alpacka Raft as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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5

The Alpacka Expedition and…

Submitted by: paddler1662865 on 10/5/2021

The Alpacka Expedition and the Wolverine are the same boat with different features. The Wolverine has thigh straps and the Expedition does not. Since early 2020, I have purchased and used two Wolverines for various rafting adventures. Both of my boats have spray skirts without the self bailing option. These adventures include a 50 mile trip down the San Juan River in southern Utah, the lower Escalante/Lake Powell in Utah, Split Mountain daily on the Green River in Utah, South Fork of the Payette in Idaho, the Snake River, the North Fork and Buffalo River, and the Bear River in Wyoming. The wave conditions range from flat to class 3+.

My Wolverines have held up without a hitch. Presently, I have not had any holes, tears, or other wear. I have taken care to baby the T-zip zipper, since sand or other debris can make it less than airtight. That service includes ample zipper wax and a toothbrush to clean the teeth. The Wolverine/Expedition has two internal drybags that come with the purchase. The bags easily encompass the backpacking gear that I often bring (HMG 4400 Southwest breaks down with accompanying sleeping systems, food etc.). When filled with gear the Alpacka boat sits a tiny bit lower in the water and is less likely to flip due to the added ballast.

The Wolverine handles well; it turns on a dime. I find ferrying and lateral movement across rivers to be quite easy. However, it can flip. I have had some opportunities to "take a drink" when on a challenging rapid (e.g., Lunch Counter on the Snake). Particularly, the Wolverine can flip when hit with lateral waves; I have found that it does very well perpendicular and obliquely angled to wave fronts. Parallel waves show a higher chance of flipping.