Luggage systems
Also: carrying luggage
Luggage travels on the bow, in the boat or inside the tube itself. Each system has pros and cons.
- 1lashed on the bow
- 2TubeBags: zippers in the middle
- 3ISS: zipper in the stern, dry bags in the tube
- 4RTC: roll closure at the stern
Traditionally, luggage is tied across the bow. Larger boats take it in the footwell or behind your back. Modern systems use the tube as storage: TubeBags (Anfibio), ISS with TiZip (MRS) and Roll Top Closure (Anfibio Nano RTC).
According to the Packrafting Store, luggage in the tube lowers the centre of gravity, protects against wetness and wind and increases carrying capacity. But you can't reach it while paddling, and loading takes a bit longer. We compare the systems in detail in the guide Luggage in a packraft.
Sources and further reading
Research as of 13 Nov 2026. We have marked manufacturer information as such.