NRS Expedition Rafts – Designed for Professional Outfitters

Built for the demands of Outfitters, the NRS Expedition rafts are designed for tackling serious whitewater. The most popular size, the 13-foot E-132D, was given the Gear of the Year Award from Outside Magazine in 2009.

A Look at the Rafts

The E-132D model has main tubes that taper at the bow and stern, self-bailing floor with quick-draining holes, fourteen 2" D-Rings, and six EasyCarry™ handles. All E-Series NRS Expedition rafts are backed by a 10-year warranty for retail use, and 5 years for commercial use.

Features/specs on the NRS E-132D:

• Length: 13'2"
• Width: 6'6"
• Tube Diameter: 19.25"
• Center Compartment Width: 35"
• Frame Width/Length: 60" x 73"
• Kick/Rocker (Bow/Stern): 24"
• Weight: 133 lbs
• Capacity: 6 – 8 paddlers
• Air Chambers: 8
• Leafield C7 /A7 Pressure Relief Valves
• Weight/Denier: 48/1670
• Hull colors: Blue, Red, or Yellow
• Warranty: 10 yrs Retail, 5 yrs Commercial
• Price: $4,525

NRS Rafts - Factory Direct

Construction on the Expedition Rafts

The hull fabric is 1670-denier/48 oz. Pennel Orca®, which makes the NRS Expedition rafts very durable against abrasions, chemical spills, and harsh UV rays. An additional layer of HD40 floor armor located on the bottoms of the tubes and floor increases the protection to make the NRS E-Series inflatable rafts virtually bombproof. The main tubes have four separate air chambers for extra protection and continued buoyancy in case of an emergency. The easy-to-inflate Leafield™ C7 fill valves are located on the tubes, thwarts, and floor, and a Leafield A6 relief valve protects the floor automatically from over-inflation.

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The NRS BAT™ (Batten Attachment Thwart system) allows the paddlers to add or remove thwarts to any position, or remove them completely to add a rowing frame. The NRS E-132D Expedition raft can accommodate 5 of the 7 optional Frames, including a 54" fishing frame, the Bighorn I, the simple Longhorn, and more.

Other Lengths of the E-Series

NRS inflatable rafts come in a variety of prices from $3,975 to $6,575. Some rafts feature tapered “diminishing” tubes to provide more cargo room and easier paddling. Lengths and designs include:

• E-120 — 12'
• E-130 — 13'
• E-136 — 13'6"
• E-140 — 14'
• E-142 — 14'2"
• E-150 — 15'
• E-152 — 15'2"
• E-160 — 16'
• E-162 — 16'2"
• E-176 — 17'6"
• E-180 — 18'

Too Much Raft?

The reviews are solid and there are not many rafts that can match what the E-Series can do. If you have already decided against a PVC/urethane bladder raft and want to go with a Pennel Orca boat, you will not regret getting one of these NRS Expedition Rafts. However, it may be more raft than you need. While the E-Series is designed for professional outfitters, private owners can opt for a self-bailing Otter Series inflatable raft for a lot less money. (If you plan to float only on calm water, the standard floor Otter Livery is the best choice.) If you need to save money, check out the Revolution Series that uses a new lightweight fabric that is better than PVC but less expensive than Pennel Orca.

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