Whitewater Rafting
Whitewater rafting's latest news and product reviews. Paddling Life keeps you informed on what's new in whitewater rafts, rafting competitions, rafting industry news, and much more.
Paddling Industry News
River Advocate Herm Hoops Passes Away; Watch NRS Film The Salad Days
Herm Hoops, a long time river runner and advocate for the Green and Yampa rivers near Dinosaur National Monument, once wrote, “A river trip...
Paddling Gear
Canyon Cooler Prospector 103 – Best Rafting Cooler Ever?
Touted as "A premium expedition-sized cooler for rafting & demanding adventures".
A cooler built specifically for whitewater rafting.
What does that even mean, built specifically for...
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Destinations
Lord of the Fork Race (Spoiler: Dane Won) Kicks Off KY’s Biggest Kayak Weekend
It’s East Coast extreme kayaking race season, COVID be damned. And it kicked off the last weekend of October on Kentucky’s Russell Fork. Every...
Paddling Industry News
“He Could Sell Shit to a Cow:” Watch Tribute Video to Martin Litton
Some say he rowed with an angel on his shoulder. But renowned conservationist and dory aficionado Martin Litton was the angel on the shoulder of...
Paddling Life Exclusives
How to Use, Setup, and Clean a Groover.
Groover duty. It's a dirty business but someone has to do it.
Bringing a groover on a river trip is a necessary evil and many...
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Inflatables
Catching Up with AIRE Co-founder Alan Hamilton
What better place to run into one of Idaho’s, and the rafting industry’s, most passionate, productive and accomplished players than the banks of Idaho’s...
Events
Grizzly Creek Fire Hits Rafters on Colorado River
Things heated up for rafters on Colorado’s Shoshone Canyon section of the Colorado River when a fire broke out near Grizzly Creek, forcing commercial...
Accessories
Top 6 River Adventure Books (and One to Grow On)
(Compiled by Michael Hughes/Northwest Rafting Co.) With the pandemic cutting into shared time outdoors, now is the perfect time to start in on the reading...
Accessories
Duh, Why Didn’t I Think of That? Witness the AIRE “Cataroller”
You might not find them on AIRE’s website or your typical REI catalog, but if you’re an avid catarafter looking for a leg up...
Destinations
Meet Alpacka Packraft Stud Stanley Mulvany (with Podcast!)
Want to get to know one of the packrafting world’s most ardent — and well-aging — paddlers?
Look no further than New Zealander and avid...
Events
Back to China for 2021 IRF World Rafting Champs
IRF World Rafting Champs 2021 and 2022 Dates/Locations Announced Following the postponement of the International Rafting Federation's 2020 World Rafting Championship (WRC), the IRF has...
Inflatables
How To Buy A Whitewater Raft
Selecting The Right Whitewater Raft For Your Rafting Needs
Whitewater rafts come in a variety styles, shapes, and sizes. Each tailored to specific whitewater needs....
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Paddling Industry News
Costa Rica is Navigating Rough Waters with Coronavirus and Tourism
COVID-19 has turned the world of eco tourism upside down. We’re all Paddling a First Descent. Watch this video on Costa Rica rafting operator Rios...
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Whitewater Rafting
Is Whitewater Rafting the Safest Outdoor Activity During the Coronavirus Pandemic?
According to the LA Times, whitewater rafting could just be the safest outdoor activity for a family to get outside this summer. It might...
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Canoeing
Permit System Comes to Lower Gunnison’s Dominguez-Escalante Canyon
Flatwater aficionados in Colorado might see another one of their favorite non-permitted multi-day floats fall victim to regulation again (like Ruby-Horsethief on the Colorado),...
Destinations
A Packraft for All Occasions
Packrafts are taking the paddling world by storm…
...for good reason. They’re stable, maneuverable and tough, and light enough (some weighing under 5 lbs.) to...
Paddling Life Exclusives
Lessons Learned About Post Corona Life and a Life on the River from a Guide
Emily Little grew up in Northwest Washington, but found her passion for whitewater on the Rogue River. She learned to kayak at age 12...
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Destinations
Help Save the Zambezi’s Batoka Gorge!
Anyone who’s ever paddled the Zambezi River’s Batoka Gorge realizes it’s some of the best action-packed whitewater on the planet, packing an entire Grand...
Destinations
Couple Returns from the Grand to “Different World”
(As first reported in the Steamboat Pilot & Today, by Shelby Reardon) When Steamboat Springs residents Patrick Keogh and Michelle Johnson concluded an 18-day rafting...
Destinations
A Corona Note from an Outfitter: We’re all Paddling a First Descent
The world finds itself in uncharted territory in the crisis of the coronavirus pandemic. Longtime river adventurer Rafael Gallo gives some words of comfort...
Destinations
Grand Canyon, Canyonlands, Dinosaur Closed to River Running
As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the southwestern United States, the following is an update on closures and restrictions throughout the...
Inflatables
Hyside Sells, Headquarters Moves to Utah
Hyside, a longtime maker of inflatable rafts and IKs, has sold after 38 years
The new owner, John Seiner, moving the operation to Layton, Utah. “It’s...
Canoeing
10 Paddling Skills Every Paddler Should Know!
Paddling Skill 1: Execute a J-stroke
This paddling skill will save your shoulder from having to do extra work. Don’t rudder while your partner pulls...
Events
Colorado team falls short in second speed record descent down Grand
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That was the paddling premise behind the U.S Rafting Team, which, despite a new raft...
Latest news
River Advocate Herm Hoops Passes Away; Watch NRS Film The Salad Days
Herm Hoops, a long time river runner and advocate for the Green and Yampa rivers near Dinosaur National Monument,...
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Emily Jackson on Finding Balance in Life
Balance is far more than something you find in your boat. It’s just as important — perhaps even more...
Don’t Think There’s Money in Kayak Fishing? Hobie Bass Open Series Pays Out $62K; Winner Ryan Lambert Pockets $30K
When the splashing ended, drags stopped screaming and wind finally subsided, Ryan Lambert’s name stood alone atop the leader...
Must read
Lord of the Fork Race (Spoiler: Dane Won) Kicks Off KY’s Biggest Kayak Weekend
It’s East Coast extreme kayaking race season, COVID be...
“He Could Sell Shit to a Cow:” Watch Tribute Video to Martin Litton
Some say he rowed with an angel on his...
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Paddling Adventurers, Start Your Engines: Big Agnes Announces Bob Swanson Memorial Exploration Grant
Want some financial help (think shuttle money and Mexican food) for your next great paddling adventure? Tent and sleeping system company Big Agnes recently announced its new Bob Swanson Memorial Exploration Grant, offering funding of up to $5,000 annually for trips and expeditions that represent Swanson’s spirit of adventure.
Hottest Gear at OR
The Outdoor Retailer Trade Show showcases new adventure products of all types, from the eminently practical to the downright esoteric, and the expo this August was no exception. PL sifted through the maw of hardware and came up with a list of schwag paddlers will be going ga-ga over from the upcoming fall sales through the end of the next season.
Aaron Bible - 0
Wilderness Systems Ride 135
The Ride 135 ($800) is a modified version of its predecessor The Ride and will definitely maintain its popularity with anglers.
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