Summer River Trip: What to Bring?

Planning a whitewater rafting trip this summer? If you're like thousands of other first time rafters, you'll be wondering how to prepare. Bringing the correct type and amount of gear will make your whitewater trip more fun, and will put you in good with the guides.

If you're planning a day trip, packing is easy. Bring clothes you don't mind getting wet, a good pair of river shoes or sandals, a sturdy hat and some sunscreen. Having a change of dry clothes for after the river trip is also a good idea.

Multi-day River Trip

Things get a bit more complicated, however, if you're planning a multi-day river trip. The main thing to remember: all the gear you bring is going to be carried by the guides rowing the boats. When you show up with lawn chairs, radios and 50 changes of clothes, you're going to get off on the wrong foot with the river guides. All that extraneous gear means more weight, which means more work.

The gear you bring has to fit into one or maybe two waterproof river bags. These bags are made a specific size so they'll fit on the raft. When you bring something that's going to require its own bag, or will fill most of one by itself, the item is too big and should be left home.

The guides will most likely tell you when you've gone overboard with gear, but it puts them into an awkward situation. Bringing too much gear is also a dead giveaway that you're a newbie to the whitewater rafting world. It's okay to be a newbie, everyone has to be at some point, but there's no need to advertise it in neon.

If you have an item you really can't do without and you know it's going to be too big, call the company beforehand and ask if the item can be accommodated. Whitewater rafting companies make their money in the spring and summer, so they'll do whatever they can to accommodate clients.

I remember one trip when a client wanted to bring a keg of beer down the river. He called and asked if it could be done. The owner said it would be possible but it would mean bringing another raft, and another guide, which would raise the trip expense. He was bringing it as a gift for one of his buddies; it was important to him, so it was worked out. If the client had simply shown up on the day of the launch with a keg of beer, he would've been laughed off the boat ramp.

When you sign up for a whitewater rafting trip, the guide company will send you a checklist of items you'll need. Depending on the length of the trip, they'll tell you how many changes of clothes you'll need, what kind of warm gear you'll need, what kind of sleeping bag and pad, and so on. Don't think of this list as a guideline but as gospel; follow it to a T.

Once you've done a few whitewater river trips you'll probably find the guide companies list of things to bring, as excessive. The waterproof river bag that looked so small at first will seem bottomless when you figure out what you really need and don't need.

Checklist

This is what I'll bring for the typical 3 night 4 day river trip in mid-summer: 2 pairs of quick drying river shorts, 1 pair of cloth shorts, 1 pair of socks (more if planning on hiking), 1 pair of dry shoes, 2 T-shirts, 1 sweatshirt, 1 medium coat, 1 lightweight rain coat, 1 pair of pants (sweat pants work great on the river), 1 hat, sunscreen, bug spray, sleeping pad and light sleeping bag, small pillow, toiletries, a good book, and a flashlight.

A lot of the gear listed I won't even use, like the raincoat, but if you need it you'll be glad you have it.

It doesn't sound like much gear but when you're on the river you don't need to change clothes each day. Wear the same quick drying shorts you wore the day before, chances are they're clean from being doused by whitewater all day.

Most whitewater rafting companies will provide their guests with tents, so don't feel you need to run out and buy one. But if you do, make sure you don't get the huge, bigger than your house, version. Tents are usually packed in a community tent bag, so you won't have to worry about stuffing it in your personal dry bag.

Something else to consider when packing your river bag: normally the bags are strapped onto the raft very securely with straps. They are squished and squeezed down to assure they don't shift during the day. If you have packed lotion or shampoo or some kind of squeezable container that can open with a squeeze, you may end up with a dry bag full of goo.

To avoid this keep your gel type goods, like toothpaste and sunscreen out of your dry bag. Normally the river company will provide you with some kind of case for these goods. If they don't, ask them how they avoid river bag messes, chances are they have some method.

Whitewater river trips are about being on the river surrounded by natures' beauty and mystique. You don't need a lot of extra gear dragging you down. Leave the extras at home and enjoy the river canyon.