Favorite Whitewater Rafting Gear

StopStu’s Selections Of Great Whitewater Rafting Gear:

Before I begin, let me be clear of one absolutely fundamental fact—quality gear can decrease one’s risk on the river, but it will never substitute for one’s skills as a whitewater rafting guide. Before putting yourself at risk, and the lives of your fellow passenger rafters at risk, you better know what the hell you’re doing. If you don’t, then take a Professional Guide Course to learn the basics about rafting maneuvers and river hydrology.

That being said, Whitewater Rafting is a classic way to see the best a river has to offer as a group.

As an experience whitewater rafting guide with more than 15 years and 200 river—commercial and private—trips experience in the raft alone, I’ve guided a lot of rivers, at a variety of different flows, with many varieties of crews—from the experience to the beginner—and with a wide variety of rafts, gear, and equipment. The gear can be expensive, and yes, you can buy used, but that comes with its own problems—ESPECIALLY if it’s a used raft.

Raft technology has come a long way since this awesome sport kicked-off back in the 1940s using old surplus army bucket boats that remained in use through the 1960s. It was not until the 1972 Munich Olympics when Whitewater Paddling received a major boost in popularity, which encouraged major changes in both design and materials that completely changed the sport forever.

As for other gear, judge each gear item accordingly, but especially when it comes to PFDs and helmets, know that used versus new could mean the difference between life and death.

Whitewater Rafting List:

• RAFTS
  
• PFDs (Personal Floatation Device)
  
• PADDLES
  
• HELMETS
  
• PUMPS & DRY BAGS
  
• ESSENTIALS

When purchasing a good raft, remember one very important thing, don’t settle for anything short of quality. It’s true, there are a lot of specifics to consider when buying a good boat, and there are A LOT of very tempting substitutes, but if your focus is price instead of quality, I personally guarantee it will come back and bite you in the ass.

Take my word for it, don’t ever buy a used raft unless you know exactly what to look for. If you’re number-crunching, I get it, then ask the seller to first blow-up a boat to its max and let it sit for 48hrs–if all the tubes are still tight, it’s better than most. BEWARE of floors with LOTS of patches. To replace a floor is more than half the price of a brand new boat, so again, consider buying brand new, you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration from riding down the river with unexpected leaks.

KEY FEATURES I LOOK FOR:

• Quality of materials and construction
• Longevity and low maintenance
• Durability and reliability
• Weight and size
• Other Details:
  • • High rockers at bow and stern for more fun and play
    • At least 3 thwarts for anything 12ft and bigger.
    • Easy-to-remove thwarts
    • Leafield™ C7 valves
    • Self-Bailing floors

I don’t mess around when it comes to safety gear. And when it comes to picking a PFD (Personal Floatation Device) for whitewater activities, a good fit is just as important as the materials used, construction, and dependability.

For a good fit, it helps to get a jacket that has a variety of adjustment straps in order to make that jacket properly fit the person who wears it, and pass the Pull Test: where one pulls a person out of the water by their shoulder straps without that PFD jacket sliding and/or coming off. So naturally the construction and materials should be strong enough to withstand the forces of the pull without ripping apart. The jacket needs to be tight enough to pass the Pull Test, and thanks to the latest in designs for Whitewater PFDs, the jackets have become much more comfortable in spite of the required snug fit. And they’ve allowed for greater mobility of the arms,which is especially important for swimming and self-rescues.

Finally, it has to keep a person afloat in waters with heavy hydraulics. High Floatation vests used to be much bigger and bulkier, but thanks to the latest materials and design, vests have become more streamlined and still maintain high floatation.

These are my favorite vests and brands whether you are Guiding, Touring, or just need a basic commercial-styled vest for your fellow paddlers.

KEY FEATURES I LOOK FOR:

• • • Fit & Comfort
    • Floatation in water
    • Quality of materials and construction
    • Functionality and Features