1. Overview: What to Wear for Rafting

What To Wear White Water Rafting.The key to outdoor life is the right clothes that warm you up quickly when you get too cold and cool you down when you get too hot! Does that sound complicated?

What To Wear White Water Rafting. In short, the right outfit for a rafting trip is layers. It’s perfectly normal to put on a jacket when you’re cold and take it off when you’re too hot.

The trick to choosing the right gear for a rafting trip is to keep it small enough to fit in your bag for a multi-day expedition, or to limit yourself to what you can carry with We’ll discuss the best gear, why it’s best, how to carry it, and how to pack for the trip and the day – no matter what river you’re rafting on or what climate you’re in!

2. First Layer: Clothes for a Day on the River

What To Wear White Water Rafting. The first layer for a rafting trip is the same whether you are going on a day trip Most of the items you will need for the day are already in place (hat, sunglasses, shirt, shorts, etc.).

Even on a day trip, a rain jacket is a handy addition for any days in inclement weather. Tie it around your waist until you reach the rafts, or bring your own small, waterproof daypack if the tour operator does not provide one.

For day trips, most tour operators and guides provide a group bag per raft for storing such items. On longer rafting trips lasting several days, you will have access to all of your personal belongings at camp and a smaller, personal dry bag or “ammo bag” for storage during the day

Where you can store your supplies and/or essentials like lip balm, sunscreen, medications, cameras, etc.

3. Day Trip Essentials

Most of the items you will need for the day are already in place (hat, sunglasses, shirt, shorts, etc.). Even on a day trip, a rain jacket is a handy addition for any days in inclement weather.

Tie it around your waist until you reach the rafts, or bring your own small, waterproof daypack if the tour operator does not provide one. For day trips, most tour operators and guides provide a group bag per raft for storing such items.

4. Multi-Day Trip Packin

On longer rafting trips lasting several days, you will have access to all of your personal belongings at camp and a smaller, personal dry bag or “ammo bag” for storage during the day, where you can store your supplies and/or essentials like lip balm, sunscreen, medications, cameras, etc.

5. Understanding Hot/Cold Rivers

What To Wear White Water Rafting. Understanding Hot/Cold Rivers: Many rivers are so-called “pool-drop” rivers, where long, calm sections (pool) alternate with short rapids (drop).

This means that you will stay dry in the pool part of the river (except for occasional swim breaks, water fights or rain showers) and wet in the drop part.

What To Wear White Water Rafting. This is repeated as you move down the river through each pool and drop. In these situations, wetsuits are not recommended over layers of clothing.

6. When Not to Use Wetsuits : What To Wear White Water Rafting

What To Wear White Water Rafting. This is repeated as you move down the river through each pool and drop. In these situations, wetsuits are not recommended over layers of clothing.

7. When Wetsuits are Recommended : What To Wear White Water Rafting

There are certain rivers or seasons where wetsuits are recommended by the organizer.

Wetsuits are intended for situations where you are constantly wet, have little time to dry off, or are at risk of overheating between rapids (e.g. due to air temperature/season, rapids in rapids, etc.).

In such cases, the wetsuit operator will usually provide them or at least offer the option to rent one. Tip from the guide:

If you are wearing a wetsuit, it is recommended that you wear swimming trunks (or boxer shorts, etc.) over it so that you don’t slide around on the raft like a wet sea lion! The guides do this!