Whitewater rafting is a fun and exciting adventure sport enjoyed by both casual vacationers and extreme experience enthusiasts. In order to have a good whitewater rafting experience, there are certain pieces of equipment that all rafters need to have. If you have the right boat, paddles, emergency supplies and personal gear, you can expect to run a river and complete the experience with nothing but positive memories.
Identification
Whitewater rafting always uses many of the same pieces of equipment, no matter what river you run. In addition to the raft itself, you will need paddles, a repair kit, pumping or bailing devices, safety gear, waterproof storage containers and appropriate personal equipment. On more technical rivers, where rafters are likely to encounter dangerous rocks head-on, helmets are a necessity. Cold weather and cold water rafting may require wetsuits or drysuits.
Types
Rafting boats come in three main types. Flat water rafts are stable and often large enough for more than a dozen people. A single paddler can easily control a flat water raft on a slow and calm river, and you will find such rafts used for non-technical river tours. Personal inflatable rafts are small and compact and are usually favored by hikers looking for occasional river excursions. While much less stable than other rafts, the inflatable rafts can reach remote rivers inaccessible by road. The most common rafts are whitewater rafts, used on rough water by a full boatload of paddlers. They are stable like flat water boats but are more durable and maneuverable.
Features
Whitewater rafts stay afloat using pontoons under the sides of the main boat area. For easier transport, you can deflate these pontoons when not on the river. Because water will enter the interior of the boat due to splashing from the rapids, a good whitewater raft has a self-bailing system that lets water drain out through the floor or the sides. Paddles should be lightweight and durable enough to withstand a hit from river rocks. Most rafting paddles are made of plastic or fiberglass and have a paddle blade at only one end. Other equipment traveling inside the boat, including a first aid kit, extra paddles and personal items in waterproof bags are attached to the boat, usually under a webbing in the middle of the raft floor.
Geography
You will need to choose your whitewater rafting equipment based on where you plan to use it. Rivers are classified, based on their technical difficulty, using a scale ranging from class I to class VI. While class I and II rivers are non-technical and accessible to all kinds of rafting equipment, class III, IV and V rivers feature fast currents and varying levels of whitewater that require stable but maneuverable boats, bailing equipment and safety gear. Individual rivers, regardless of technical difficulty, also pose equipment issues. Water temperature, river accessibility and rapid character will change the equipment you need for rafting.
Considerations
Personal items like clothing are among the most important types of equipment for whitewater rafting. Do not wear any cotton clothing, as cotton traps moisture close to the skin and can chill you quickly. Instead, wear clothes made of wool or of synthetic materials like polypropylene. You can get by with a swimsuit under shorts and a T-shirt for warm weather and water trips. For colder weather or water, you will need an appropriate temperature-rated wet or drysuit in case you get wet. Be sure that all personal items are attached to your person by wearing sunglasses with a strap, avoiding slip-on shoes and wearing a hat that will not blow away. While rafting, you will need a waterproof bag to store any extra clothing, money, electronics and other items that need to stay dry.
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