How to Pack for a Multiday Rafting Trip

So, it’s happened. You got invited on your first multiday rafting trip, or perhaps booked a commercial river trip adventure, like our Women’s Idaho Main Salmon Rafting trip. Whether you have no experience with rafting or are a former guide that is feeling a little rusty, I’m here to tell you all the secrets of packing for your rafting trip.

I’m entering my 8th season a professional multiday rafting guide. I’ve worked trips ranging from 2 to 25 days, though most of my trips on Idaho’s Salmon River are 6 days long. I’m going to break down the components of my pack, then give you a list for what I bring in each. Full disclosure, I bring SO much stuff on river trips. Unlike most outdoor adventures, you don’t have to carry everything on your back, so I encourage you to be playful with your packing list. Water colors, face paint, a glittery sequin dress, a tambourine—whatever is gonna bring a bit more fun to your river trip should come!

I do include some links in here, they are all my personal preferences, no sponsored links!!

All the bags!

 I break my river trip packing list into four sections: Clothes Bag, Sleep Kit, Day Bag, and Ammo Can.

1. Clothes Bag

I use a Watershed Yukon, ~54 liters, for my clothes bag. It’s a little stuffed on cold trips and a little empty on hot trips. My essentials for a 6 day trip are:

River clothes

-2 pair quick dry joggers

- shorts

-2-3 sun hoodies

-2 pearl snap/button up shirts

-3 crop tank/bra tops

-sarong (useful for so many things: as a skirt to change under, sun protection for your legs/shoulders, etc)

Camp Clothes

-sundress

-skirt

-biker shorts

-camp shirts (t-shirt, long sleeve, Hawaiian shirts)

-hoodie

-flannel

-costumes

-socks, undies (I do not wear either of these on the water, just another layer to be wet)

-sarong (useful for changing and protecting your legs/shoulders from the sun

-double front/work pants (cold trips)

-puffy jacket

-rain jacket

-wool top, bottom, and socks (yes, I bring these even when the forecast is 100 degrees!)

-packing cubes to keep things organized

I scale this up or down for shorter or longer trips. I rotate my clothes around on a trip so I’m never wearing the same top/bottom combo (not essential, but makes me feel less grungy!)

We love sun protection! Sun hoodies, joggers, and hats every day!

2. Sleep Kit

My sleep kit used to fit in a ~50 liter dry bag, but now I pack a ridiculously large sleeping pad, so I use a Watershed Colorado (~75 liter). I have a pretty bougee sleep kit, but quality sleep is important out there! On cold trips, I also throw extra layers in here if I’m short on space. To pack more efficiently, I put all this stuff loose in the bag instead of using individual stuff sacks:

- sleeping bag (I bring a zero degree, because I run cold)

-down blanket for cold trips or twin sized sheet for hot trips

-down pillow (compresses well and is so comfy) with silk pillowcase (cause I can)

-silk sleeping mask (great when the full moon is blaring our in June when the sun comes up early)

-backpacking tent

-sleeping pad*

-large trash bag to isolate a wet tent if needed

*note about sleeping pads: I have used both Paco and Aire pads (large, waterproof, semi-inflatable pads that can double as a cooler seat). I have also used a small blow-up pad (Nemo Quasar) and a large camping blow up pad (Thermarest MondoKing, but Nemo Roamer is also popular). As I’ve gotten older and more sore I like the large camping pad best, but it’s pretty bulky and a lot of effort to blow up.

I sneak extra costumes into my sleep kit! Always worth it!

3. Day bag

This is your accessible “carry-on” bag for anything you might need access to during the day. What I put in this bag varies a lot with the time of year, but I always keep a rain jacket and sunscreen in here. I use a Watershed Ocoee, which is ~10.5 liters.

4. Ammo can

You can purchase these at an army surplus store, they are cheap, waterproof, and very durable! I use a 50 cal size. You can also use a watertight box like Lifeproof, but I actually haven’t had good luck with these being 100% waterproof, and they are more expensive.

-toiletries kit:

            -toothpaste, toothbrush, and floss

            -salve or heavy duty cream for cracked feet/hands

            -beef tallow for face (amazing for the skin after a day of being beat by the sun and wind!)

            -facewash and soap, shampoo/conditioner for trips longer than 10 days

            -comb

            -detangler

            -hair ties

-first aid supplies (in addition to bringing a full first aid kit)

            -cloth tape (actually lasts for a day on the water, unlike a bandaid)

            -allergy meds and benadryl

            -KT tape

            -electrolytes

-lighter

-books and journal

-battery pack

-cellphone and headphones

-glitter!

-spare sunglasses

Other Rafting Trip Essentials

Shoes

-rain boots (nice for camp on cold trips)

-hiking shoes

-river shoes (I use Astral Rassler, which has a very secure heel cup, but have also used Astral Brewer. A pair of old tennis shoes work great too!)

-flip flops

-Bedrock sandals (lightweight, very secure, my main shoe I wear on the water)

Rain boots are super nice on cold trips!

General

-ballcap, visor, and strawhat

-sunglasses (I really love my Ombraz for whitewater because you won’t lose them in a swim)

-2 insulated 1 liter water bottles

-strap kit (if rigging a boat), 4-5 locking carabiners

-drysuit or splash gear*

-whitewater helmet for Class III+

-PFD, I personally always wear our PFD on the river, and recommend you do too!

*a full drysuit is expensive and you might not get a lot of use out of it, depending on where you live and how much you raft. A splash jacket (or a rain jacket) can be worn alone or paired with splash pants. Personally, I carry a drysuit in spring and fall, my rain jacket always, and sometimes splash pants for colder trips.

Have fun out there!

A note about dry bags for rafting trips:

Dry bags are how you keep your stuff, well, dry, on the river. Commercial outfitters will provide these for you, but if you’re getting after it on your own, dry bags will probably be the most expensive luggage you’ve ever bought. The three most commonly used brands on river trips are Watershed, NRS, and Jack’s Plastic.

I have not had good luck with rolltop bags keeping things dry in wraps and flips, and over the years, ended up converting to a full set Watershed duffel dry bags, which have a plastic snap gasket closure. If you had to buy just one nice bag, I would recommend starting with the Watershed Colorado, which is large enough to fit all your clothes and sleep kit for a 3-day trip.