Story by Lizzy Scully, photos and captions by Dave Gray and John Evingson, an excerpt from the history section of The Bikeraft Guide. Plenty of accounts of the history of fatbikes exist on the internet. But none address the true history of fatbikes or the fact that they developed hand-in-hand with packrafts. In this excerpt from The Bikeraft Guide, we…
This year we got to check out a lot of great gear, which we both reviewed and/or unboxed for The Bikeraft Guide. But we also read about excellent options elsewhere on The Radavist, Bikepacking.com and from our own gear rooms. This is the stuff we love most and think is perfect for the bikerafters in your life! We’d love to…
In the 4th in our series of The Bikeraft Guide Unboxing & More videos, we check out a cool new (to Lizzy) product that has changed the way she handles her phone in the backcountry! How Can You Make Your Phone’s Battery Last Longer in the Backcountry? Cold Case Phone Protector. Video & story by Four Corners Guides Packrafting &…
In the 3rd in our series of The Bikeraft Guide Unboxing (aka “Unbagging”) & More videos, we taste various breakfasts, coffees and dinners in the field made by Farm to Summit. As well, The Bikeraft Guide co-author, Lizzy Scully, visits the shop to talk with Louise Barden, founder and owner along with her wife, Jane. Farm to Summit: Delicious, Local,…
The Bikeraft Guide Unboxing & More (Reviews, How-Tos, Anything Goes) Checking Out Bedrock Bags Coconino Seat Bag, Tapeets Handlebar Bag & Their Custom Frame Bags: Where to Put Them & How to Pack them The Lowdown… In our second The Bikeraft Guide Unboxing video, Four Corners Guides Head Guide Thad Ferrell takes a look at three favorite Bedrock Bags Bike…
The Bikeraft Guide Unboxing & More (Reviews, How-Tos & Anything Goes) 1st Look & Review of The Ibex Indie Hoodie, Springbok Shorts & Journey Crew T for Bikerafting Adventures In the first of our series of unboxing videos for The Bikeraft Guide Unboxing & More (Reviews, How-Tos & Anything Goes), we’re unboxing Ibex’s Indie Hoodie, Springbok Shorts and Journey Short…
Is Bikerafting-Specific Gear Worth It? Probably Durango Bike Bags review and photos by bikepacker and adventure instructor, Sarah Carr. With their new lineup of bikerafting-oriented bikepacking bags, Kokopelli has imported the tough TPU fabric and Tru Zip waterproof zippers from the packraft realm into the world of bikepacking storage. They’re also the first company to make a full bike bag…
https://vimeo.com/735953971 New Award-Winning Adventure Film Out of New Zealand Features Bikes & Packrafts In 2017 a team of five adventurers set out on an attempt to carry mountain bikes strapped to packrafts in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Their plan? To paddle Class III through the jagged gorge of the Clarence River (aka Waiau-toa). And to access an unridden…
“The sport of bikerafting is growing and evolving, if not at a breakneck speed, at a steady pace. In the two short years since we’ve published the first and second editions of and sold 3000 copies of The Bikeraft Guide, our comprehensive how-to, stories about and history of bikerafting tome, more people have paired bikes and boats or want to…
A Roll-Top Improvement on an Already Stellar, Time-Tested, Ultralight Set of Nano Panniers Photos & Video by Steve “Doom” Fassbinder, adventurer & owner of Four Corners Guides. “Over the last 20 years of riding, having used just about every kind of gear-carrying scenario, I’ve found nothing better than the latest Revelate Designs Nano Pannier offering. If you want to do…
How to Safely Load a Bike Onto Your Packraft An excerpt from the safety chapter of The Bikeraft Guide, by Luc Mehl Loading a bike on a packraft dramatically affects handling and recoverability. The best way to compensate for this increased vulnerability is to choose destinations with fewer hazards and limit your exposure by staying close to shore or portaging…
Aqua Bound Just Made My New Bikerafting Paddle Review by Lizzy Scully, with input from Steve Fassbinder, Tyler Marlow and Spencer Harding. Photo by Lizzy Scully. Photo by Lizzy Scully. The Best Thing About the Updated Manta Ray Hybrid 4-Piece Paddle Aqua Bound says “The Posi-Lok™ ferrule is the gold-standard in paddlesports today, known for the secure fit, simplicity, and…
The Let’s Go Bikerafting! Spring 2023 Giveaway Brought to you by Four Corners Guides, a guide service based out of Mancos, Colorado.
ULTRALIGHT PACKRAFTING POGIES By Alejandro Strong, owner of the guide service Packraft Maine. I have never been a fan of gloves, mittens, and, least of all, pogies. I’m that person who takes of his gloves no matter how cold it is if I have to do anything with my hands. When I do begrudgingly bring my big neoprene pogies, I…
Do You Need a Stikine Bow Protector for Bikerafting? It Depends… Photos & review by Andrew Strempke. Stikine designed their Bow Protector to act as a barrier between a bike and packraft when bikerafting. Webbing loops at the corners fix the sheet to the raft, then additional webbing straps on the sheet provide attachment points for a bike. The substantial…
Historia y fotos de Waldo Aguayo Riquelme. ¡Lee la reseña en inglés! He probado las bolsas secas de Stikine en un viaje de tres días por los ríos San Miguel y Dolores. Concretamente en un modelo Alpacka Raft “Classic”, talla L. Cargado con comida y equipo para dos personas durante todo el viaje. El material resistente de la bolsa es…
Testing Internal Dry Bags on Colorado’s Dolores & San Miguel Rivers Story & photos by Waldo Aguayo Riquelme. Read the review in Spanish! I tested Stikine’s 70L internal dry bags on a three-day trip on the San Miguel and Dolores rivers, Colorado, while working for Four Corners Guides. I used them in an Alpacka Raft “Classic” model, size L, loaded…
Bikeraft Checklist Tips from a Canadian Multi-Sport Adventurer Canadian Adventurer Anthony DeLorenzo recommends making a bikeraft checklist and checking it twice, and then revisiting it years later. For his first big trips (and even big trips he does now), he lists all the gear he plans to bring and how much each piece weighs. “Starting out, spreadsheets are your friend.” …
Hurunui Bikerafting Brevet* – A Beginners Trip Photos, film & story by Deane Parker Bikerafting New Zealand A bike and a packraft have allowed me to pull off some cool short routes, inspired by some longer routes. I didn’t actually need boats on any of these trips, but I used them for access – to join some dots, paddle a…
Lost Coast Bikerafting In 2011 Maurizio Doro Naturaider attempted to do the Lost Coast, Yakutat to Cordova, arriving to within 10 miles of the end of the trip. Unfortunately he had to be rescued because he was out of food and had reached his limits. What a bold effort to do something only a handful of people in the world…
Bikerafting Alaska: How to visit remote regions? Photos and story by Zachary Tourville How to visit remote Alaska was a question that plagued me since my arrival to that state a year ago. On my first visit to Alaska, before actually living here, just traveling the roads felt remote. The reality, however, is that there are few roads in Alaska,…
Buy a copy of The Bikeraft Guide from one of our retailers: Resources & Retailers. The Bikeraft Guide Sneak Peak – Roman Dial’s Foreword Follow Roman on Instagram for some truly inspiring stories and photos and to learn more about his adventure books! While rafts are truly ancient, the bicycle as we know it is only about a century old.…
Follow Helen’s journey on the first bikerafting instructional course in New Zealand by Packrafting Queenstown in conjunction with Deane Parker- Adventure Channel. “Helen’s journey into bikerafting started when Helen and her husband discovered a book by Roman Dial and contemplated how many of their backcountry trips could be morphed into boating trips. Unfortunately before this plan could be actioned Helen’s husband…
A Short Film About Rock Climbing & Bikerafting Southern Utah, by Steve “Doom” Fassbinder A Foolz Errand: Bikeraft-Rock Climbing the Southern Utah Desert from Four Corners Guides on Vimeo. A Fool’s Errand: Catharsis, Mud and Tears in the Utah Desert When was the last time you went on a road trip without some app telling…
Diné Youth Go Bikerafting! It was a quiet dusty drive up the Moki Dugway. We passed Kane Gulch Ranger Station with the last of the evening’s sun thrusting the Bears Ears in full view when it dawned on me that I had no idea what we were about to embark on for the weekend. Caravanning…
This trip was done in early 2010. Four Corners Guides does not guide this trip, nor will we ever (sorry!) Nor do we ever rappel with bikes or lower bikes down cliffs in any of the areas where we guide. We do not have permits to do that, and we won’t ever apply for “climbing”…
Storytime With Doom: La Perouse Glacier & Roman’s Little Boat Hello and welcome to The Bikeraft Guide, The Ultimate How-To Guide, History Of & Wild Adventures Stories About Bikerafting. I’m Lizzy Scully, the host of this podcast and the co-author of the book, along with Steve “Doom” Fassbinder. This community multi-media storytelling project includes film,…
Lower Dirty Devil Bikerafting Flash Tour! This post was originally published on Doom’s blog April 12, 2011. Four Corners Guides now runs Dirty Devil Bikerafting tours, along with bikerafting on nearby Lake Powell. Want to read more Storytime with Doom tales, check out, “Foolz Tour: Aka Desert Therapy.” Want to join us on a trip…
Multi-sport adventurer, filmmaker and Kiwi, Deane Parker, recently came out with a new bikerafting film, “Forgotten Highways,” which was featured on Bikepacking.com. This short film documents a six-day journey during which Deane and his three partners explore New Zealand’s Whanganui River and learn about its history. Deane is one of, “The Bikeraft Guide,” authors. We…
Bikerafting the Navajo Nation – Storytime with Doom November 4, 2013 Ahoy!! Let the blogging begin!! Today we’ll take you on a Navajo Nation bikeraft adventure. Story & photos by Steve Fassbinder. The San Juan River Starting and finishing at the San Juan River takeout, my bike and packraft would assist in completing a three-day…
Putting Bike Wheels & Other Gear In/On Your Packraft This is the third of a series of 3 videos from our How-To Bikeraft Series. In this video, Doom discusses how to put bike wheels and other gear on a packraft. Please email us or ping us on Instagram or Facebook a with additional questions or…
Doom On Lashing a Bike Frame to a Packraft This is the second of a series of 3 videos from our How-To Bikeraft Series. Thanks to all the @thebikeraftguide followers who posed these great questions. Please email us or ping us on social media with additional questions or suggestions for videos. Stay tuned for round…
Doom On How to Deal With Wheels, Axles, Chains & Tie Downs When Lashing a Bike to a Packraft This is the first three in a series of How-To Bikeraft videos we are making for our multi-media and book project, The Bikeraft Guide. This How-To Video Series features multi-sport adventurer Steve “Doom” Fassbinder answering your…
https://vimeo.com/309767116 Bikerafting Greenland story & photos by Huw Oliver, film by Annie Lloyd-Evans. This story was published in The Bikeraft Guide, a community multi-media project and book written and assembled by Steve “Doom” Fassbinder and Lizzy Scully. Bikerafting Greenland: Even Flat Water Can Make Short Work of the Best Laid Plans
Doom’s Bikerafting Kit – The Gear, The Ciggies & The Polaroid Camera What’s in your bikerafting kit? My Bikerafting Kit for Travelling Alone in the Pamirs My objective when I set off alone to explore Tajikistan – Pamir Mountains, Central Asia – was to see the landscapes and people of the farthest reaches of the…
Southern Utah Say you were given the unfortunate choice of having only one place in the world to explore in your life; what would it be? Not a scenario that I would ever want to settle for, but if forced my answer would come without hesitation. Southern Utah. After nearly 20 years of living in the desert Southwest, I am…
Bikerafting & Bike Pushing Story & photos by Steve Fassbinder, originally published December 2103 I hereby dedicate this post to “the pushers,” literally, figuratively, and otherwise. Because, it’s the pushers that do the work, and it is they who push the limits of possibility. The pusher can equally steer you toward greatness, and prod you…
Wouldn’t want to get your shoes dirty… now would ya? In October 2016, Steve “Doom” Fassbinder embarked on a climb and packraft trip to the Curecanti Needle, near Gunnison, Colorado. His partners included Thad Ferrell, owner of King Fisher Fly Guides and one of Four Corners Guide’s partners, as well as Durango-locals Jon Bailey and Mark Williamson, and California guy,…
Doom (aka Steve Fassbinder) recently wrote a piece on his trip to Tajikstan for sponsor and long-time supporter, Revelate Designs. Read the full article here. “Dirt hut on Wakhan Afgan border: Had another bad sick night, shit the bed. Spent a long nice morning cleaning up doing laundry and napping. It’s worth mentioning that I received some very bad news…
