Product Description
The Gnarwhal is our beginner/intermediate focused whitewater packraft. Its perfect for Lightwater and Class III whitewater adventures.  The hull design is incredibly stable, forgiving and easy to paddle when things start to get wild and you need that extra bit of help to make it through the rapid upright. And when you fall out, the self-bailer means you don’t need to go to shore to reset. 
Recommended Uses
Whitewater
The Gnarwhal is our most stable and forgiving whitewater packraft, but it lacks the performance features of the Mage and Valkryie. The self bailing design allows you to self rescue if you flip and continue floating without having to go to shore and reset with your spray skirt. We recommend the Gnarwhal for beginners looking to develop more confidence and experienced paddlers that are tentative or intimidated and want a more forgiving boat in technical whitewater.
Lightwater
The Gnarwhal is ideal for lightwater focused adventures. It's the highest performance model in our lightwater collection and ideal for the beginner to experienced paddler that wants the most forgiving and easy handling boat. The Self-Bailing build with 3-point thigh straps provides maximum control with minimum fuss for warmer water trips.
Versatile
The Gnarwhal is a great versatile alternative to the Expedition for warm water. Its perfect for beginner to intermediate paddlers in lightwater and whitewater. If the Expedition is the most versatile Alaska packraft, the Gnarwhal is the most versatile New Zealand packraft.
 
Features
Attachments
4 bow grab loops, 2 stern grab loops, offset D-Rings, ankle loops, 3 position thigh strap ladder plates, 3 position backband ladder plate
Seating and Rigging
3/4 Length Self Bailing Seat, Self Bailing Footrest, Foam Backband, Patented 3-point Thigh Straps
Proprietary TPU Coated 210d or 420d nylon hull and 840d nylon floor (Made in USA)
Includes
Inflation Bag, Stuff Sack, Cargo Fly Kit, and Basic Repair Kit
 
Build Configurations
Self Bailer
The Gnarwhal Self Bailer is perfect for warmer conditions, quick entry and exit, and anyone that prefers a self bailing setup. The Self Bailing Gnarwhal tends to stabilize in when punching through holes which helps boaters navigate through tricky spots. If you swim, no dumping is required and you can just self rescue right back in.
Cargo Fly Zipper
Our innovative Cargo Fly internal storage system comes standard on the Gnarwhal. The Cargo Fly features an airtight zipper installed in the stern of the boat to allow you to store your gear inside the tubes. The system provides drier and more secure gear storage and improved paddling performance due to a lower center of gravity.
Internal Dry Bags may be purchased separately and are designed to work with the Cargo Fly system. The bags clip in place along each side of the tubes with a side release buckle and allow for better organization and weight balance than placing the contents of your pack loose inside the Cargo Fly. They also act as additional balanced air chambers to make it easier to get to shore in the event of a puncture.
 
Weight Capacity
The small and medium Gnarwhal sizes feature a medium volume hull and are recommended for paddlers up to 200lbs. The large and XL Gnarwhal sizes feature a large volume hull and are recommend for paddlers up to 250lbs. Cargo weight recommendations are 20-50lbs for maximum whitewater performance, up to 75lbs for general purpose, and up to 120lbs for extended trips on larger rivers.
Sizing & Specifications
Paddler Sizing Chart*
Paddler Height in Feet/Inches
Small  - Under 5'7"
Medium - 5'6"- 5'11"
Large - 5'9"-6'2"
X-Large - 6'1"-6'6"
 
*The Gnarwhal is designed for a true to size fit with enough knee bend to engage the thigh straps, but keep your legs more extended for better downriver performance. If you are in between sizes, the smaller size will generally provide more positive thigh strap engagement.
Dimensions*
Exterior Length
Small - 91in | 231cm
Medium - 94in | 238cm
Large - 100in | 255cm
X-Large - 103in | 262cm
Exterior Width
Small - 34.5in | 88cm
Medium - 35in | 89cm
Large - 37.5in | 96cm
X-Large - 37in | 94cm
Interior Length
Small - 43in | 109cm
Medium - 45.5in | 116cm
Large - 48.5in | 123cm
X-Large - 51.5in | 131cm
Interior Width at Hips
Small - 15in | 38cm
Medium - 15in | 38cm
Large -14.5in | 37cm
X-Large - 15in | 38cm
Packed Size 9 x 22in | 23 x 56cm
*Due to the handmade nature of our packrafts, dimensions are averages and will vary slightly from boat to boat.
Weights*
210d Base Weight
Small - 5.5lb
Medium - 5.75lb
Large - 6.25lb
X-Large - 6.5lb
210d Kitted Weight
Small - 7.5lb
Medium - 7.75lb
Large - 8.0lb
X-Large - 8.5lb
210d Complete Weight
Small - 8.25lb
Medium - 8.5lb
Large - 8.75lb
X-Large - 9.25lb
420d Base Weight
Small - 6.5lb
Medium - 6.75lb
Large - 7.4lb
X-Large - 7.65lb
420d Kitted Weight
Small - 8.5lb
Medium - 8.75lb
Large - 8.25lb
X-Large - 9.65lb
420d Complete Weight
Small - 9.25lb
Medium - 9.5lb
Large - 10.0lb
X-Large - 10.4lb
*Due to the handmade nature of our packrafts and natural variances in weights between different colors and production runs in our fabrics, all weights are estimated and will vary from boat to boat.
**Base weight is the boat only. Kitted weight includes the seating and rigging. Complete weight is everything in the stuff sack at shipping.