Inside: A Full Guide For What To Wear White Water Rafting.
White water rafting is such a random activity that so few partake in, but it’s a bold and wild outdoor adventure that it’s just simply so fun to do something different for once. Whether you’re on a family vacation or taking a trip with your friends, this is just one of those activities you can’t pass up if it’s a big attraction in the area you’re vacationing in!
If you’re bold and brave enough to make this venture a trip down the white water rivers, you need the right outfit to make the wild ride bearable. There’s specific gear that you need for this, so let’s dive into the practicals of what you need for this excursion.
Outdoorsy activities are so hard to dress for, if you’re not necessarily a local and partake in the sport regularly. As a total indoors kind of girl, it’s a totally different world dressing for different outdoor sports. So let’s hash this out and see what to wear for white water rafting.
Table of Contents
What To Wear White Water Rafting
While white water rafting sounds like you should really be geared up and in some sort of wetsuit or something protective from the elements, you really just need a few good standard pieces that will be really productive on the waters.
While you don’t need a full body wetsuit perfect for the wild waters that you surf on, you do need some great quick dry and water wicking pieces.
You don’t want whatever you plan to wear under your vest to be absorbing the cold water from the river and making this a colder experience than necessary. A swimsuit isn’t a bad idea to have on under your good water wicking outfit for the excursion.
As you’re packing and planning, make plans to stay dry and pack the pieces that are going to make it happen. Let’s get a little sporty with a plan, and dive into some of the specifics here.
What Pieces Should You Wear
We’ve got some of the general concepts down and have a vague understanding of what you’re supposed to be wearing to go on this white water rafting ride, but what pieces make up this general look you’re going for? Let’s look at some specifics you should keep in mind while shopping for everything you need.
Essentially you need to plan for each piece you wear to be covered in water… and river water at that, so don’t wear anything that can’t be ruined and don’t wear anything that will make you a little bit colder than you already will be.
Your tee or top should be able to wick away moisture, like a workout top or something of that nature, so as not to hold onto water more than necessary and get cold throughout the raft ride. Even if you’re out there in the summer, that water gets pretty cold so I know you’re going to want to take all the precautions to protect your body from the chill that will inevitably hit it sooner or later.
Athletic shorts made for hiking and outdoors activities tend to already have that moisture wicking technology, and some cargo pants have the same, if they’re a real and true sporting cargo pant, not a current trend piece that you can find anywhere.
Another good option if you want to stay away from the hiking shorts option is to use a good pair of athletic and workout leggings that are moisture wicking for workouts. If they’re meant to do away with sweat, they’re probably a good choice for white water rafting. Some of these athletic leggings come with temperature control too, if you start looking at something like ski gear– so if you’re planning to go white water rafting during some of the colder months and if you are naturally pretty cold like I am, temperature control is probably a good option for you as well.
I’m always freezing, so add in some cold white water rafting splashing, and I’m likely miserable. Give me all of the temperature controlled pieces, please!
When it comes to shoes, I of course want to wear my favorite tennis shoes for everything involving the outdoors and any potential walking distance, but seeing as it’s not likely for your feet to stay dry, we should probably look at some other options.
Shoes For White Water Rafting
There are tons of water shoes on the market that you can snag, like some lake shoes that would be good to have around just while you’re planning to be near water, or different hiking and outdoor sandals. This is a total personal preference, there isn’t a huge case over the difference between open or close toed shoes for this thing. If you have a pair of sneakers that you tend to use for dirty activities or that are already pretty messy and grubby, this might be another good time to enlist them.
Chacos or Tevas in warmer weather work great, keeping your feet dry and not ruining any particular pair of shoes. If it’s cold, I’ve discovered that there are some great neoprene or wetsuit booties for your feet to keep them warm and dry while in the cold waters. This is what I would call a great investment if you’re going in cold weather.
Cold, wet feet are where you can start to get uncomfortable on the ride and where you might start to feel the temperatures getting to you. So make sure you cover all the bases and keep your feet dry in order to really power through this trip!
What Not To Wear White Water Rafting
While the “what not to wear”s are covered pretty well by the what you should wear sections, it’s safe to say that all experts and professionals when it comes to the white water rafting community agree that we shouldn’t bring cotton on this trip. Wearing cotton is a big no, and it’s only going to make you more cold and it will do nothing to keep you dry.
So pitch the comfy tee shirt idea and get rid of those jeans– you need something a little more niche and specific than that!
Sports is the number one most specifically outfitted occasion, since it has pretty specific and specifications. When it’s not all about style, the outfit changes completely, obviously, and it’s hard to know exactly what you need until you’ve lived it and know what you’re supposed to be wearing to protect your body in all of the right ways.
Especially with something as crazy as white water rafting where you are literally on a wild ride and you need to be wearing something so protective. Hopefully this post was helpful in showing you everything you needed to have to be ready to go on this adventure and to do it well and safely.
Packing for trips and excursions can always be overwhelming, especially when embarking on something new. Take a look through here and snag everything you need on your white water rafting adventure and be ready to have the time of your life.
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