The Whitewater Blog

outdoor blog Paddleboard blog paddleboarding blog SUP Blog waterfall blog whitewater whitewater arkansas river whitewater blog whitewater helmets whitewater kayaking whitewater paddleboard Whitewater paddleboarding whitewater rafting whitewater rafting gear whitewater safety whitewater SUP

Oct 08, 2024
0 comments

Finding your Whitewater Footing

When deciding what type of footwear to sport on the river, it may seem overwhelming. Everybody on the river is wearing something different. You have your sandal people, your close- toed shoe people, your tattered sneaker people, and even your barefoot people. Not to mention that you just saw multiple shoes floating down the river, which begs the question of how much you REALLY want to spend on shoes.

Tips for River Station Gear whitewater throw bags.

Nov 08, 2023
0 comments

Top 5 Tips and Hacks for River Station Gear.

If you made it this far we are going to give you a bonus hack! Buying gear from hard working small companies is a really cool thing to do. You are not only supporting your fellow boating friends, but getting sweet gear that was designed by boaters and made with love right here in Colorado. We offer good customer service and want to make you the best river gear we can. We work super hard day in and day out to keep that dream alive. Okay, maybe that wasn’t a gear hack but it kinda was! Maybe it was a shameless plug, but either way, we just want to make rad gear for people who want to stand out and look colorful and unique on the river. Thanks so much for checking us out and reading this post. Stay safe out there and SYOTR friends!

Oct 08, 2023
0 comments

New Outdoor Gear Store Coming to Cañon City, Colorado

Cañon City is getting a new outdoor gear store. Located in central Colorado, Cañon City is home to miles of commercially rafted and fished river, innumerable hiking and mountain biking trails, and world-class rock climbing. With so many opportunities for outdoor adventure, it’s high time an outdoor gear shop opened in the area.

River Station Paddling Shop will fill a much-needed role for Cañon City’s growing outdoor enthusiast population. Located less than a mile from Centennial Park and the Cañon City Play Wave and less than one minute from the popular River Station Take-out, River Station Paddling Shop will serve the whitewater and river communities.

Jun 28, 2023
0 comments

Why River Station Gear?

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!

Jun 25, 2023
0 comments

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.

Jun 24, 2023
0 comments

Beginners Guide to the Multi-Day Trip

Think about how much fun boating down a river is, now just add in backpacking, and you have the multi-day or overnight rafting trip. The upside is that instead of carrying all your gear on your back, you just strap it into your raft and push it down the river. This gives the option to either pack light and have a mobile boat, or get a little glamping in and bring ALL the necessities, plus extra fun and comfortable gear.

May 29, 2023
1 comment

Best Rivers to SUP in Colorado.

Make sure you are prepared. Make sure you know what to expect on the section of river you have chosen. Many river put-ins have signs to tell you the class of rapid to expect or if there are any dangers you need to be aware of. There are plenty of online resources to check the river flow level and read up on the local rapids. Take advantage of them and make sure you are comfortable with the sections you run and the current water level. Even if you are aiming to challenge your skill level, know what you are getting into.

River station gear whitewater safety cover photo for high water safety blog

May 09, 2023
0 comments

9 Tips for Running High Water

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.)

paddleboard Paddleboard blog paddleboarding blog SUP SUP Blog waterfall blog whitewater blog whitewater paddleboard Whitewater paddleboarding whitewater SUP

May 06, 2023
0 comments

Stand-Up Paddleboarding: From Flatwater to Waterfalls

Sam: Yeah, and it just so happens that's the biggest one that I've ever tried. It was a 20-foot waterfall…a really well-known, classic drop in the UK, and it's never been done on a paddle board before.

We sussed it out, had a look, made some decisions, and I remember saying it at the top, ‘This is actually going to be totally fine as long as my fins don't catch on that side,’ and I hopped on the board…

And the back of the board kicked out, the fins hit the exact [spot] I didn't want to hit, and then it just threw me over a 20-foot drop.

But, the water is so aerated and so pillowy that I literally didn't feel a thing…[In] the go-pro footage that was on my head, you can see me emerge, and then I say ‘Okay, let's do that again’