12 things that you should never pack for a river rafting trip – and what to bring instead

I will never forget my first river journey. The river took me under the red and orange-street valley opened by the ancient people Dinosaur national monumentRafting, it turned out, easy part. 210,000 jungle acres below 71 miles below the last undisclosed waterway of the Colorado River, you learn to go with the flow. On the other hand, there was another story, packing for four days of swimming and camp with the Yampa River.

But an adventure is never complete without some jungle snapheus, most of which can be avoided with A on the river Solid packing listThrough a stunning attack by hundreds Warm springs rapid Class IV Rapids, and always hydration, Right gear Makes all differences. “The best way to know what to pack is to pack, a lot of river trips,” Tom Kalanaschitz, says the director of the rafting guide and the visiting Mofat County for many decades.

Lucky to me, I had experts on hand to help – members of the Bureau of Land Management, a local wildlife refuge expert, a state park ranger, and other long guides and outdoor enthusiasts. From this community, once lies in coal mining and now moving towards external entertainment like Moab, I learned how to prepare and overcome the river obstacles. Next time, I will be ready.

River rafting trip required

Mistake: too much packing

Instead pack it: Lightweight dry bag

My first mistake-one makes the first-time-time-overpacking. Who needs to look good for squirrels and expert rafers sleeping on the beach? What is important to fit all your essential things for the week Same dry bagIf you are not organized then it will become the ban of your existence. The more you pack, the more difficult it is to move your tent down, roll your sleeping bag, defile your sleeping pad, and return all your items in.

Every morning, you will be carrying that dead-weight dry bag into the fleet, and every evening, it will come out of the fleet so that you can set it again to a new camp. So learn from my mistake – just when you feel that you have enough streamlined, go through your dry bag and remove some more items. Until you want to spend half your journey to get stuck in the tent, you excavated for Rainkot, which you packed. For this reason and for easy access, there is no other option Packing cubes,

Mistake: bring a windbreaker

Instead pack it: Ultralite Rain Jacket

On rafting trip, lighter the gear, better. Just before the journey, I was about to pack my windbreaker, thinking that “would never rain,” when a friend spoke and told me The lightest stretch rain jacket on the marketClocking in 95 grams. This ultralight wind and rain coat also overtaken their mother’s “shower test”, standing in a jacket above your clothes under your bathroom showerhead to make sure that it would keep it dry before a big rafting trip. Do not do so many raincoats, but it passes through a rapids with flying colors, almost immediately transmitted. And this is a good thing, because my last day rained on the river.

Mistake: many short-sleeve shirt packing

Instead pack it: versatile layers

The valley traps cold air and reduces radiation from the sun. After a day on the river, no camp wants to tremble around the fire, which is why it is necessary to bring layers. Soft and layers are caressed, it would be better you will sleep. In the huge valley, you never know what the weather is coming, but a good rule of thumb, until it is dead of summer, hot days, cold nights.

“Having a very hot coat on the bottom of the dried bag may cause powerful in certain conditions,” says Kalanschenitz. “The layering is correct on the target.”

On the last night of the journey, the wind came like a camps of camps, which was fluttering around my tent walls. It was the night when I needed another layer. it Light merino wool The correct solution with Thermal leggings And Wool crew socks,

Mistake: Strapless sunglasses packing

Instead pack it: corded sunglasses you can’t lose

Rapidly rapidly described as “metags”, I almost went under the water, but somehow remained straight. If I had fallen out, however, my sunglasses would have drowned first. As someone is sensitive to the Sun and at any time without color, I knew Ombraj’s corded sunglasses I was for me when I finally tried him.

After one of the owners, the company had a camel sitting on its sunglasses during a camel safari. He was not either a hot desert sun, so he removed the broken frame and tied a piece of twine behind his head to connect the epis. The rest of the story of Armless Ombraj Sunglasses is history. They are supercomplicable and are always perfect for losing their colors, on the river, mountain, or if you are like me.

Mistake: Pack your soft knit shorts

Instead pack it: Quick-Draw Shorts

One thing you can make sure is that you are going to be wet. So I do not make the same mistake by wearing cotton shorts. Nobody wants a fleet butts all day. Think quickly, dry, light and loose. Synthetic or wool mixtures are your friends on the river. It is considered fun to be split. “Quick-dry materials are the best,” Brian St. George, Colorado Associate State Director of Bureau of Land Management, which was behind the top of my boat.

Mistake: forget the straps

Instead pack it: molluskin adhesive

Water shoes There are clear choices on a rafting trip – Chakos did a good job for me, but he was not an ideal choice for hiking with Riverbank based on my blisters. You do not want to be in pain when searching for hygliffs and waterfalls in the valley. But a partner covered me with him Mole Skin TapeNikki Horn, a refugee manager of the brown park National Wildlife Refuge, says, “I never go rafting without it.” His tape can be better than band-ed.

Mistake: only sandal packing

Instead pack it: fast-drying, closed-foot shoes

In this, for the day’s increase and chili river nights International Dark Sky ParkThe closed toes go a long way in walking and slightly walking. Bring a good pair of Hiking shoes, Sarvas Grippy, comfortable, supportive, fast-drying and light are mild. In addition, they double as a solid airport shoe, as they look well -organized and smooth.

“The same can be said for shoes, usually I wear sport sandals (Chakos) on the river and when I am hanging around the camp fire, something strong and more protective.”

Mistake: Packing only 18-Wat Power Bank

Instead pack it: powerful, multi-device power bank

As liberation as it was to go without internet service for the week, I still had to find a way to complete a time limit on which I came back. This meant that after the camp fire talks, writing offline at night. I learned why you get Best power bank on the market- Biolite charge 100 maximumIt can charge five devices at once and is super compact and portable – only slightly larger than a standard cell phone.

Mistake: Packing a water bottle without a holder

Instead pack it: water bottle sling bag

No one wants a dreaded dehydration headache in the middle of the forest, which does not have water flowing in the sight. Less than your life, your Water bottle The worst thing to forget can be, even one day on the river, where the rays of the sun are unforgivable.

But forgetting is foolish if your water bottle always slips around your neck. This guarantees that you will be hydrated on hikes, hikes, camps around and your tent. And in additional storage This small sling bag Is perfect for Electrolyte pack And Sunscreen,

Mistake: A cotton tea packing

Instead pack it: moisture-digging UPF Hoodi

A sunburn and a soaked T-shirt convinced me to wear Eco Hoody by Outdoor Research Every day on the river for the rest of the journey. It became another Go-Two item-Lightweight to keep me cool, for the protection of the sun with UPF15, especially for eight hours of eight hours on the river. Stretch, comfort, with anti-half (day four, it was important), all this in this shirt. For cooler days, try Steo’s hills hood to Pulovar“Cotton is wrong to dry rapidly,” says Kalenschnitz.

Mistake: Bad luck on grouver

Instead pack it: Ultra-Betheable Pants

Have I mentioned Grover? This portable wilderness camping toilet – whoever has to fit in the fleet – from its name to the grooves that the original small metal box was left on any legs that was sitting on it. The first time for everything. My, which did not last long, included hundreds of ants. I was never very happy to see a packet Summit wipes JungleIf only I wear them Hiking pants To keep me preserved.

Mistake

Instead pack it: Comfy Loungewear for Campsite

I happily eaten for my chafing shorts This overallWhich was very cute and not to wear around the camp fire, even if it was another item in my bag. They are made of breathing, quick-drying materials with a spontaneous and relaxed fit.

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