No matter the size, speed, or length of a river, when a paddler sets out to explore the river’s features, they will need to take with them a variety of essential river rafting gear.
Before jaunting onto the river, it will be extremely important to determine how many days the paddler wants to explore. Knowing how many days he or she wants to the explore the river will help the paddler adequately size how much camp gear they should bring for the expedition. Once the paddler determines how many days they’ll be exploring, they can begin concentrating on the essential camp gear they will need, which includes: dry bags, sleeping gear, and cooking gear.
Dry bags
Dry bags are essential because they will keep the camp gear dry, even if the canoe or kayak flips over, or if the weather becomes rainy and nasty. Some dry bags are only 20 gallon-sized bags. Whereas other dry bags can have a much larger capacity. It’ll become quite evident that not everything will fit into two or three different dry bags. However, that’s not a problem, as the essential items that need the most protection are sleeping and cooking gear.
Tent & rain canopy
A small 1-2 person tent and a rain canopy are essential components for housing the sleeping gear. A sleeping bag and a battery-powered lantern are also necessary for sleeping. All of these could fit into one dry bag, leaving another dry bag for cooking gear.
Cooking gear
Cooking gear, like waterproof matches and a lighter, needs to be small and possess the ability to be easily cleaned. A small propane-powered grill, along with 1-2 extra tanks of propane, would suffice for food preparation. An iron cast skillet would serve well as a portable way to cook food. Additionally, a filet knife and a can opener are always considered essential cooking gear. Lastly, food items need to be prepackaged or otherwise prepared beforehand.
With knowledge on essential river rafting gear, you’re ready to check out some of the best rafting locations in the US: Outstanding Whitewater Rafting Destinations of the US.
Featured Image from Hatham/Unsplash
