Let’s just say that rafting and other forms of paddling are alive and well along the Front Range. That was the take-home from this year’s Raftopia event, an annual multi-day paddlesports sale and fiesta held at Downriver Equipment in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
A crowd of nearly 600 attendees was on hand for the five-day sale and Saturday culmination of a raffle giveaway of a brand new NRS Otter 150 raft, with diamond plate Downriver frame, cataract oars, Canyon cooler, Jack’s Plastic Paco Pad, and more. DRE, which was purchased by NRS this spring, also gave away a free trailer to one lucky winner as well as countless other prizes to those in attendance
“Our Raftopia event was a great success this year,” says DRE’s Zach Svoboda. “It was awesome to see such a strong turnout and so much interaction between vendors and attendees throughout the day. It was well attended by customers and vendors and was a fun, high-energy kickoff to the season.”
Paddling Life was on hand to suss out what’s new from some of the vendors, a sampling of which are listed below:
Rocky Mountain Rafts: Raft manufacturer RMR was on hand, with owner and founder Denny Hugo manning the booth to highlight new offerings. Catching our eye, especially in this low-water year out West, was the 12-foot Phat Cat, 9.5-foot Thundercloud, and 10.5-foot Storm. RMR started in 2011 in Crested Butte, Colorado on the banks of the Taylor River, when Hugo, a commercial airline pilot, began tinkering with raft designs made of PVC. Keeping operating costs low. Since 2011, RMR has grown into one of the top raft manufacturers in the country. https://rockymountainrafts.com
Jack’s Plastic Welding: The hubbub at inflatable maker Jack’s Plastic Welding was all about the company helping the Artemis II land safely in the Pacific that same day. When Artemis II’s four-person crew landed safely in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego April 11 after becoming the first people to travel to the Moon in more than half a century, they owed their space capsule’s stability and flotation largely to Jack’s Plastic Welding, based out of Aztec, New Mexico, which fabricated the inflatable “front porch” the astronauts used when they stepped out of the capsule, as well as the “Orion collar,” the inflatable sponsons surrounding the capsule that kept it stable in the water. “The Orion collar went around the capsule in a donut to keep it from tilting,” says Jack’s Plastic sales manager Carlos Moreno. “The porch is what they stepped onto once the rescue boats arrived.” Both were made from Jack’s Plastic’s PVC, the same material it uses for its catarafts, drybags, and fight-over-at-camp Paco Pads.
Astral: Among other things, Astral was showcasing its new LoYak Shoe, the Loyak EZ HT, which elevates the classic best-selling Loyak silhouette with natural, high-performing materials. The barefoot shoe features a step-down heel for easy entry, a zero-drop wide-toe-box platform for natural foot positioning, and is crafted with breathable, odor-resistant HempTech and grounded by best-in-class G Rubber. Astral
Rapid Rung: Next to the good ol’ PaddlingLife booth was Colorado’s Rapid Rung, an inventive get-your-butt-back-on-the-raft-easier retractable ladder that affixes to oar frames. “We move a lot of them, and sold a lot at Raftopia,” says owner Zack Baird, who is also branching out into dingy market for sailboats. “Another bonus is that women don’t have to get wet to go to the bathroom.” The retractable ladder is made with PVC rungs that snap back up into place for easy access and entrapment-free storage. www.rapidrung.com
Gilman Grips: Sharing space with the Sawyer Paddles and Oars booth, Gilman Grips touted its ergo-shaped grips that mount to your oar handles, whose indexing lets you kiss oar rights goodbye forever. The rips, says designer Jeff Gilman, will mount onto any composite oar. Giving the indexing of a bent-shaft kayak paddle to rafting, we became a fan right away. www.gilmangrips.com
AIRE: Paddling Life partner AIRE was there promoting its complete Potato Line (including the Spud, Tater, and new Hot and Sweet Potato), as well as its new 130E raft, “where precision meets adventure.” With its high-rising pointed bow, straight side tubes, and narrow elliptical shape, this raft is engineered for precision, speed, and control in whitewater, whether you’re running R2 or loading up a full paddle crew. Outfit it with a frame and it transforms into the perfect vessel for multi-day expeditions — from steep creeking to big river adventures. And it’s backed by AIRE’s 10-Year No Fault Warranty. https://www.aire.com/products/130e
NRS: Venerable manufacturer and retailer NRS, which just this spring completed its acquisition partnership of Downriver Equipment Co., was on hand front and center, with its representatives both introducing themselves to DRE staff and regular customers as well as debuting their new Neutron and Pulsar Packrafts, their raft lineup, new apparel and PFDs, and two new IKs for the upcoming season. The IKs include the new Akamai (TPU-coated nylon) and Kaholo (PVC) for touring — both available in 110|125|145 sizing — revised with proprietary drop-stitch technology for improved stiffness, stability and glide. A new D7M valve also simplifies the inflate/deflate process while reducing roll-down size. “Down River and NRS have built a relationship based on mutual trust and respect over many years,” says NRS’s Mark Deming. “This is about solidifying that relationship for the long haul. Our goal is to maintain continuity, enhance service, and build long-term resilience—for our customers, industry partners, and employees. Down River will continue operating with its established identity and customer relationships, supported by NRS’s expanded infrastructure, logistics, and operational capabilities.” www.nrs.com
Dragon Raft Harness
Have a trailer with a winch, but always have a hard time lifting the nose of your raft up over the edge to get it started (or shorting out your taillights by having to back knee-deep into the water)? Or tired of putting unnecessary wear and tear on your raft’s front grab loop, where most winches attach? Do it solo and with ease with the Dragon Raft Harness, an innovative “Y”-shaped webbing rig that affixes to the frame under each oar clip, goes under the raft, and then daylights up front ready to pull your raft up from the bow. Inventor David Close designed it himself after getting tired of heavy lifting and backing trailers into the water. www.dragonraftharness.com
River Station Gear
These guys know their river gear. Based in Canon City and longtime raft guides on the Royal Gorge and other sections of the Arkansas River, the company makes gear that works, including cylindrically shaped, waterproof day bags that attach in front of kayakers’ legs for easy access. Their shape and easy access via a waterproof zipper makes them the best cockpit kit we’ve seen. Also, check their line of waistbelt throw ropes that unclip with a simple Fastex buckle, and more. www.riverstationgear.com
River Bent
Hell-bent on planning a river trip but need a little help? Look to River Bent, “The friendly guide to river running.” The Buena Vista-based company helps with getting permits, river trip planning info, shuttles, river meal ideas, gear reviews, and other resources for rafters, kayakers, and paddleboarders of all experience levels. We wish we had them to undo all the mistakes we’ve made along the way. (Uh, like having the ranger on the San Juan once have to take care of our dog for five days). https://riverbent.com
Mustang Survival
Mustang was on hand debuting a new line of Kids’ Rev Foam Vest PFDs as well as new drytops, inflatable PFDs, men’s and women’s apparel, and more. Especially cool: the new Men’s Taku waterproof jacket and bib, and the Elite 120 inflatable PFD. https://mustangsurvival.com
Other exhibitors included Sawyer, Maravia, Hyside Inflatables, Sport Trail Trailers, Kokatat/Shred Ready, HCRR (High Country River Rafters), Blue River Watershed Group, Over It, Small Craft Sales, and more.
Info: https://www.downriverequip.com
