MRS' New Collection of Ultralight Packrafts and Other Big News

We are so excited to interview MRS today!

Congratulations, MRS, on a very productive year. Could you share about the new line of packrafts that you have launched?
We launched the ultra-light series this year. Four products are included in the ultra-light series, which are mainly for use in flat water: Nitrogen, Minnow, Surveyor, and Surveyor-X2. Nitrogen is the lightest among all MRS packraft types, and weighs less than one kilogram. The Surveyor is slightly larger than the Minnow, and the X2 is the two-person version of the Surveyor. The Minnow, Surveyor, and Surveyor X2 all use 210D hulls, which are ultra-light and easy to fold, making them easier to carry on hikes.

What background story inspired you to create this new line of products?
Throughout our many years of production and sales, we have always enjoyed our in-depth conversations with our customers. We take our customer feedback and ideas very seriously, and throughout the years, we have heard their repeated desire to have ultra-light packrafts available on the market. Considering the need for this product series in our product line, we created this collection that we are proud to release in 2023. 

Could you give us a brief description of each of the new packrafts and their strengths?

• Nitrogen: with 70D hull, extremely ultra-light, suitable for those who pursue extreme ultra-lightness.
• Minnow: ultra-light, easy to fold, available in white and olive green, suitable for hiking.
• Surveyor: While reducing weight, it retains a streamlined design, making it the most comfortable boat among the lightweight categories.
• Surveyor-X2: The two-person version of Surveyor, suitable for families and parent-child outdoor travel.

What feedback have you heard from packrafters already about how the ultralight packrafts are broadening their horizons?
Paddlers that have used this series of ultra-light packrafts for outdoor cross-country hiking and paddling have let us know that they are charmed by them. They are so versatile and add so much value in being able to turn a day of hiking into a day on the water or vice-versa.

This series of packrafts is excellent in reducing the total weight carried in your pack. At the same time, you need to maintain them well and be more careful about potential punctures because they are thinner than our traditional packrafts.

MRS has recently entered into an official partnership with Adventure Race World Series. Can you explain how this will impact the future of adventure racing?
MRS is proud to partner officially with the Adventure Race World Series. Packrafting has gradually entered the competition stage of AR events. On the one hand, this change brings more professional paddlers in contact with packrafts. People will also learn more about this water sport by watching the events and will develop a strong interest in packrafting. This is a great step for the future development of packrafting. On the other hand, packrafts have also enriched the competition content of AR events. The packrafts are lightweight, foldable, and easy to transport, which makes them an excellent choice for paddlers in the competition.

Do you have any other updates our readers might be interested in?
We have also updated the Viking EVO self-bailer series this year. The innovative patented design is a highlight in the current self-bailing packraft models. For details, please refer to our official website.

What are you looking forward to in the new year?
Although the global economic situation and various aspects of our world have constantly changed in the past year, the sports industry, especially our water sports, is still booming. We look forward to our new products providing more choices for paddlers and to more partners joining water sports, especially packrafting, because packrafting is so much fun!

Any final messages?
In order to promote water safety education, we also invited senior instructor trainers from the American Canoe Association (ACA) to train a group of instructors for us this year. They also shared water rescue knowledge. MRS is committed to learning and promoting water safety. We benefited greatly from it and encourage all our customers to take a water safety course.

Thank you so much MRS for sharing with us today!