Kokopelli Nirvana Packraft Review

Simon Coward Rafting
December 22nd, 2021 3 minute read

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Simon here from AQ Outdoors and Aquabatics. This article and video are a first thoughts review of the Kokopelli Nirvana Packraft.

I’m a long time whitewater kayaker and have spent many years paddling and teaching all over the world. This year I decided to try packrafting for the first time. I went into it thinking a packraft wouldn’t be much of a whitewater tool.

However, I was pleasantly surprised.

Kokopelli Nirvana River Test Environment

I've paddled the Kokopelli Nirvana packraft a handful of times up to technical Class lll whitewater in the Rocky mountains. It paddles really well. My first thought was that it felt very much like paddling a playboat – like a Jackson rockstar or something. This is especially the case as the Nirvana has a flat planing bottom.

Kokopelli Nirvana Paddling Characteristics

When you paddle the Kokopelli Nirvana it definitely wants to turn, which makes it really maneuverable.

Before testing,I wondered about its ability to stay up on top of whitewater features like waves and holes and such. But again, I was super pleasantly surprised, even without thigh braces. It does boof really quite well and is a dry ride.

I paddled the Kokopelli Nirvana packraft version without the spray skirt. It’s important to keep in mind that the self-draining floor version is limited in harder whitewater if you were continuously taking on substantial water.

For my purposes of simple backcountry adventures and goofing around with my kids in it, this has been a fantastic tool.

Kokopelli Nirvana Features

Pop-out Inflatable Floor

Pop Out Backrest

This is nice and easily adjustable.

Aftermarket Thigh Braces

The Kokopelli Nirvana packraft is short, compact, and light and small enough to put in a backpack or a bike pannier.

For those of you looking longer backcountry adventures, that's certainly gonna be an option with this packraft.

Kokopelli Nirvana Packraft Pros

This packraft is really lightweight but robust and could take a beating in whitewater. The paddling performance was really great.

The performance will only be enhanced once you get the thigh braces in it.

Kokopelli Nirvana Packraft Cons

There is one thing I did have a problem with. It comes with a bag that I believe is supposed to inflate it like a Therm-a-Rest pump. I couldn't make it work and ended up inflating it manually with the tube pump, which was no fun.

So something like a featherlight pump, or something like that, would be great when you’re in the backcountry. The standard pump is something that could create some bulk and weight.