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Multi-Day River Trip Packing List
A multi-day rafting or river trip has two packing problems layered on top of each other: standard camping gear, plus everything needs to survive getting wet. Guide-written sources are consistent on the fix — a dedicated small "daily essentials" bag you keep in the same spot every day, real dry bags (not just a garbage sack), and a waterproof case for your phone and keys rather than trusting a ziplock. This list covers a self-guided or outfitted multi-day float trip; add a PFD rated for your specific water (Type I, III, or V) if the trip doesn't provide one.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Why these items are on the list
- PFD (life jacket). rated Type I, III, or V depending on the water — outfitted trips usually provide these, self-guided trips don't
- Dry bags. one per person minimum for clothing and sleeping gear, plus a small one for daily essentials
- Waterproof phone case or floating dry box. an Otterbox or ammo can, not a ziplock — guides specifically warn against relying on plastic bags alone
- Headlamp. camp tasks after dark, hands-free
- Sunscreen and sun hat. reflected glare off the water burns faster than expected
- Water shoes with a secured heel strap. for wet rocks and getting in/out of the boat
- Quick-dry clothing. cotton stays wet and cold for the whole trip once it's soaked
- Refillable water bottle. hydration matters more on the water than it feels like it should
- Camp chair. consistently mentioned as a comfort item worth the pack space
- First-aid kit. separate from the group kit if the trip has one — small cuts and blisters are common
- Sunglasses with a retention strap. so they don't end up at the bottom of the river
- E-reader instead of a paperback. guide tip: lighter, doesn't attract bugs to a headlamp beam the way a paper book does
The best source here is written by a working river guide sharing hard-won habits (the dedicated essentials bag, the e-reader trick) — genuinely good advice, but formatted as prose you have to re-read to extract the actual list. Turning that into items you check off while packing, shareable with the rest of your group so nobody double-packs the first-aid kit, is the useful next step.
When to use it
Interest in this peaks around March–June, so it helps to have it ready a little before then.