04/27/2026
🎧Episode #18: Packrafting Throw Bag Showdown: Best Lightweight Rescue Ropes, with 4Corners Riversports Owner Tony Miely:
Your host, Lizzy Scully, is calling in from Scullbinder Ranch in the wild heart of Southwest Colorado — and yes, her life is exactly as adventurous as it sounds. Lizzy and her husband Steve Fassbinder run Four Corners Guides, a packrafting instructional guide service, and if that weren’t enough, she also serves as president of the American Packrafting Association. Basically, if it involves a tiny inflatable boat in a remote place, Lizzy’s your person. This episode has a special treat: a deep-dive gear review from expert paddler, gear guru and all-around nice guy Tony Miely. Tony puts six throw bags through their paces — because when someone’s swimming a rapid, you really don’t want to be fumbling with a bad bag.
Tony reviews six throw bags for packrafters. The Sockdolager Equipment bag features a large mouth and optional waist belt, while the River Station Gear 60-foot bag offers a reliable Cordura shell, which uses water-resistant quarter-inch Dyneema line. Among ultralight options, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear is the lightest but has a snug, slower-deploying hip pack. The River Station Gear hip pack is more versatile with accessory pockets, despite a shorter 55-foot rope.
Heavier-duty choices include the Salamander Golden Retriever, which has an eight-foot pigtail for boat-clipping, and the robust WWTC Classic 20-meter bag, which uses 3/8-inch rope for professional rescues. Weights for these bags range from 0.9 to 2.2 pounds, with prices between $62 and $190. Tony prefers the WWTC and Sockdolager for their ease of throwing, noting that conical shapes and wide mouths improve performance.
Watch or listen to the entire podcast here: https://fourcornersguides.com/2026/04/23/packrafting-throw-ropes/
