What to Wear on the River

Our best recommendations so you don’t have to stress while rafting or kayaking!

When you’re making plans and getting ready to go rafting, a few general questions come up. One of the most important questions that needs an answer is: What do I wear on the river?

Rafting in ColoradoWhen you rent gear from Colorado River Rentals there are a few things you can go ahead and check off of the list. A big perk of renting with CRR is that we provide some of your needed river gear. If you rent a raft, duckie or SUP with us we will also provide you with a paddle and a PFD (personal flotation device). In our minds, rafting without a PFD is very unsafe, so please make sure to use one of ours or wear your own.

Other clothing that we recommend are splash jackets, splash pants or wet suits.You may be thinking that you may not need a splash jacket or wet suit because a lof of the rafting season takes place over the summer months, however the current and rapids are 95% dependant on snow melt making the water quite cold even over the warm summer months. If you don’t own either of these items we also have them at CRR for rent.

Other appropriate attire to wear under your wetsuit and splash jacket would be your swimsuit or just some comfortable clothes that you don’t mind if they get  wet. Popular river attire would be shirts or pants made with vapor wicking technology. These are shirts designed specifically for getting wet and drying in a timely manner. The wet suit and splash jacket shield off a lot of the water but it is impossible for them to keep you completely dry. If you are worried about being cold, fleece under a waterproof item is also a good bet.

Another important part of rafting is appropriate footwear. While you’re on the river you need to have on footwear that is secured to your foot. This means anything that is strapped onto your foot such as Chacos, Tevas, Keens, water shoes and old tennis shoes. We have found that Flip flops and Crocs are not best suited for the river. You do not want to experience the pain of walking on rocks and gravel barefoot. Neoprene booties are also a good idea if your feet get cold.

Last but not least, we recommend sunglasses, hats or helmets (if you see fit) and comfortable, dry clothing to change into after you are off the river.

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