The Concept

TRAFT began as an inventive concept for a single piece of outdoor gear that could serve multiple purposes.

The idea was to create a lightweight hybrid packraft and shelter system that could function as both a watercraft and a tent or sleeping system. It was envisioned for hiking, rafting, camping, and relaxing on the water beneath a shaded canopy.

The Design Challenge

Combining a packraft and shelter into one product required the different functions to work together as a unified system.

The design needed to balance portability and packability with the form and structure required for use as a watercraft, sleeping shelter, and shaded canopy.

Our Approach

Utah Contract Sewing developed the product concept in Salt Lake City, refining how the packraft, shelter, sleeping area, and canopy could work together.

The development process translated the initial invention into a physical product that could be evaluated, refined, and prepared for prototype production.

Prototyping and Production

After the initial design development, UCS worked directly with factory partners to produce physical prototypes.

These prototypes provided an opportunity to evaluate the system as a complete product and refine the relationship between its different functions. The project then progressed into a limited production run.

The Result

TRAFT was developed from an unconventional outdoor-product idea into a physical, multi-use gear system.

The completed project included design development, factory prototypes, and a limited production run, demonstrating how a specialized concept can move from invention through production.