Alpacka Raft THIGH STRAP AND BACKBAND Installation Instructions

Table of Contents

Download this manual

THIGH STRAP AND BACKBAND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Safety Warning: Thigh straps are inherently dangerous and the use of thigh straps can result in

serious injury or death. You are responsible for your own actions and decisions. Before using

thigh straps in any water, get proper training and practice for the type of water you will be

boating and learn to properly and safely wet exit the boat. Always wear a helmet when using

thigh straps. Always double check the condition and function of your thigh straps and backband

before every use and discontinue use and replace any worn or non-functioning parts. Always

follow Alpacka Raft's Safety Warning (http://www.alpackaraft.com/buyers-safety-warning-

release-of-liability/) and the National Paddle Sports Association's Safety Standards (available on

our website). Thigh straps are not recommended for use when a bicycle, backpack, or other

large items are strapped to the bow of your packraft.

Figure 1

1. Inflatable Footrest (this is half the size of

the foot pillow that was included with

your self bailer to allow your heels to

drop, which gives more control and

comfort with the thigh straps).

2. Two Thigh Straps

3. Backband with 4 straps and two

attachment cords.

The Backband is designed to be left either

permanently in the boat, or removable by

unthreading the four attachment straps from the

tri-glide buckles. Each strap can remain in the

boat for travel.

Step 1 - Attach the Rear Support Straps to the

Boat

Remove the two rear support straps from the

backband and thread each one through the strap

plate in the stern of the boat (if you have a back

rest pillow that came with your boat, remove this

as it uses the same strap plates). The straps

should be threaded so that the loose end faces

the stern (Figure 1).

Table of Contents

Need help?

Do you have a question about the THIGH STRAP AND BACKBAND and is the answer not in the manual?

Page 1 Thigh straps are not recommended for use when a bicycle, backpack, or other large items are strapped to the bow of your packraft. Your thigh strap and backband kit will include: 1. Inflatable Footrest (this is half the size of...
Page 2 Loop the loose end back through the nylon common loop as shown in Figure 2 so that the loose end now faces the bow of the boat. Figure 2 Step 2 – Attach the main backband straps to the top loop of the main strap plate. A 12”...
Page 3 Figure 5 Attaching the Inflatable Foot Brace Attach the inflatable foot brace to the red tab in the front of the floor of the boat with the inflation valve and the metal attachment hook facing up. Inflate the foot brace so that it is wedged snugly in the bow of the boat (Figure 6).
Page 4 Figure 8 Step 3 – With your knee in position, eyeball the location of the attachment points on the strap plates on the top of the tubes. There are 4 attachment slots on each plate. We recommend that the straps wrap around the knee, so place the forward (towards the bow) strap one position towards the stern and the rear strap one position towards the bow (Figures 9 and 10).
Page 5 Once setup, the system can be tightened from the forward (bow/shin) and rear (buckle) positions, to create a nice tight fit. (Figure 12) Once the thigh straps are fit, the backband can be tightened to create the whole system. You should be able to exit and refit the thigh straps with only minor adjustments at the fastex buckle end.