The Whitewater Blog
arkansas rivercampcampingcoloradocolorado businesscolorado raftingdry bagGrand Canyongroovergunnison gorgehip packhip throw bagkayakingnaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearPaddleboard blogpaddleboarding blogRafting StoriesstoriesSUP Blogwaterfall blogwhitewater blog
If you think you are capable of doing something within your limits and don’t because you're too afraid, that’s wrong. Not saying you should do things outside of your limits or even necessarily push your limits. I’m saying if you think you can do something, you should face your fears and at least try. The worst case scenario that you play in your head is 10 times worse than what is probably going to happen in reality. It can be tough to commit when afraid, but extremely satisfying when you succeed. Amelia Earhart once said “The fears are paper tigers.” and she’s totally right in most cases. Fear is a necessary part of life that keeps you safe. But when they can be overcome, you will grow tremendously.
arkansas rivercampcampingcoloradocolorado businesscolorado raftingdry bagGrand Canyongroovergunnison gorgehip packhip throw bagkayakingmesh bagsmulti-daynaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorspaddleboardPaddleboard blogpaddleboarding blograftingrafting gearRafting Storiesriver stationriver station gearriver station throw bagstoriesSUPSUP Blogthrow bagthrow bagstravelwaist throw bagwaterfall blogwhitewaterwhitewater arkansas riverwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater paddleboardWhitewater paddleboardingwhitewater raftingwhitewater safetywhitewater SUP
Our motto since day one was “Stand Out”. We built our whole company off of the idea to not copy others and stick to our own designs. We think that it is super important to be unique and not just recreate the same products that already exist. Really anything that you can dream up in your head you can make into a reality. Not all ideas are winners, but having bad ideas usually leads to good ones. We are all about doing RnD and making concept pieces that don’t exist in the world yet, or updating and improving on old systems. If you know about River Station Gear please share us with your friends and help our little business grow!
arkansas rivercampcampingcoloradocolorado businesscolorado raftingdry bagGrand Canyongroovergunnison gorgehip packhip throw bagkayakingmesh bagsmulti-daynaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorspaddleboardPaddleboard blogpaddleboarding blograftingrafting gearRafting Storiesriver stationriver station gearriver station throw bagstoriesSUPSUP Blogthrow bagthrow bagstravelwaist throw bagwaterfall blogwhitewaterwhitewater arkansas riverwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater paddleboardWhitewater paddleboardingwhitewater raftingwhitewater safetywhitewater SUP
Essential Gear for Raft Guides
There is a time and a place for everything. Rowing down your favorite rapid, on a remote section of river in your birthday suit can be fun. But generally speaking, you are going to want to at least keep your body protected from the harsh summer sun. Depending on the time of the season, there are lots of options for clothing.
arkansas rivercampcoloradocolorado businesscolorado raftingdry bagGrand Canyongrooverhip packhip throw bagkayakingmesh bagsmulti-daynaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorspaddleboardPaddleboard blogpaddleboarding blograftingRafting Storiesriver stationriver station gearriver station throw bagstoriesSUPSUP Blogthrow bagthrow bagstravelwaist throw bagwaterfall blogwhitewaterwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater paddleboardWhitewater paddleboardingwhitewater raftingwhitewater safetywhitewater SUP
1. Rig to Flip, Dress to Swim
This mantra is similar to “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst,” and is never more true than at high water. Be ready for a worst-case scenario by dressing your boat and yourself correctly. For example, you might want to rig a flip line across the bottom of your raft for help getting on top of it.
Likewise, consider rigging OS (Oh! Safety) straps across your thwarts and bringing extra spare paddles. If running an oar frame, ensure all straps are tight and tidy. Clip everything in and lock every carabiner. (Ensure you have no non-locking carabiners anywhere in the boat.)
campcampingcoloradocolorado businesscolorado raftingdry bagGrand Canyongroovergunnison gorgehip packhip throw bagkayakingmesh bagsmulti-daynaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorsraftingrafting gearRafting Storiesriver stationriver station gearriver station throw bagstoriesthrow bagthrow bagstravelwaist throw bagwhitewaterwhitewater arkansas riverwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater raftingwhitewater safety
Some states require river logs for commercial guides, including Colorado. But even in places that don’t, keeping a detailed log is a good idea. You never know when you might need to show a potential employer your river history. And a thorough guide log can save you from lawyers and State Park’s departments if, god forbid, something happens.
arkansas rivercoloradocolorado businesscolorado raftingGrand Canyonhip packhip throw bagkayakingmesh bagsnaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorsraftingrafting gearRafting Storiesstoriesthrow bagthrow bagswaist throw bagwhitewaterwhitewater arkansas riverwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater raftingwhitewater safety
It is always a good idea to find the correct place to throw a throw bag. Most of the time you will set safety in advance. Having one person walk down the bottom of a rapid and wait with a throw bag is a smart move. This way, if there are swimmers, you have a person in position to help. When you get to the bottom of the rapid, find a good place to stand. Flat, level and dry ground is your best bet. If you are balancing on a slippery pointy rock and bag someone, odds are you are going to be joining them in the river. Another tip is to look at the river's obstacles and features. If there is a downed tree or strainer, that may not be a good place to throw a rope. Look for a place with open, slower moving water. If you bag someone in very fast moving water, they may pull you in when the rope is weighted. Also worth mentioning, is you should never throw a bag from a moving raft. This is an uncontrolled environment and can cause quite a lot more danger.
arkansas rivercoloradocolorado raftingdry bagGrand Canyongunnison gorgehip throw bagmesh bagsmulti-daynaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorsraftingrafting gearRafting Storiesstoriesthrow bagwaist throw bagwhitewaterwhitewater arkansas riverwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater raftingwhitewater safety
5 Tips for Dealing With Stinky River Gear
Mesh is your new best friend. Storing and transporting your gear in a mesh duffel bag allows air to circulate through your things and keeps moisture from building up. The best duffel for keeping your gear fresh is an all-mesh style bag that doesn’t have a solid bottom. An enclosed bottom holds moisture.
arkansas rivercoloradocolorado raftingGrand Canyonhip packhip throw bagmesh bagsmulti-daynaturenature blogoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorsraftingrafting gearRafting Storiesstoriesthrow bagthrow bagstravelwaist throw bagwhitewaterwhitewater arkansas riverwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater raftingwhitewater safety
We all rely on each other to stay safe on the river. Sometimes this means setting safety for other groups. Setting safety involves waiting at the bottom of a rapid for the group behind you to make it through, and it often happens without asking or communicating about it.
When you see another group behind you, pull over, get your throw bag ready, and watch them run the rapid. Once they’ve made it, they’ll likely wait for the group behind them. Of course, if they don’t make it, you might have to jump into action to help get a boat, kayak, or people out of the water.
coloradocolorado raftingdry bagGrand Canyonkayakingmesh bagsmulti-dayoutdoor blogoutdoor gearoutdoorsraftingrafting gearthrow bagthrow bagswhitewaterwhitewater blogwhitewater kayakingwhitewater safety
3 Essential Bags for Whitewater Rafting.
In this discussion we will talk about 3 essential whitewater bags to bring with you. First up, the throw bag. Essential to keep one accessible. You never know when a bad situation is coming and it is best to be prepared. Second, a dry bag. Dry bags are very important if you want to keep your clothes dry. Getting to camp and finding out your change of clothes is wet is a real bummer, and in colder months could be dangerous. Lastly, a good gear bag. Obviously rafting requires lots of gear and organization. Having random gear spread out all over the raft is never a good idea. Down below we will go into details and break down the specifics of why these bags are essential.