Outfitter Choice
Choosing an Experience & Outfitter
1. Narrow the field of options: Before beginning to search for the right river rafting trip or experience, determine what is within reach and meets your goals. Rafting trips range from several hours on a local or regional river trip to 2 weeks in the Grand Canyon. Although spectacular to look at, the Grand Canyon is not an option if you only have 3 days or $300 and a 2 hour float will not provide the “complete escape into the wilderness” style experience that you may be seeking.
2. Do your homework: Time spent choosing a river trip, and really knowing what to expect, can save your family vacation. Some river rafting trips are scenic floats with little or no whitewater. Other rafting experiences can provide continuous action and be very challenging. A limited few offer both.
3. Use available resources and organizations: There are many organizations such as America Outdoors (the association for professional outfitters), Adventure Gateway, Rafting America, Rafting.com and All About Rivers that can help you find and/or eliminate outfitters. These organizations have developed around the goals of awareness and increasing quality within professional outfitting. These five are the largest and most active organizations in the river rafting and outfitting business. Each one has unique ways of informing the public about river trip options and outfitters that serve those rivers. Almost any reputable outfitter would be a member of one or more of these organizations. Most of the industry leaders are members of many. A few are members of all.
4. Know what you want: Even once you've selected an outfitter, most whitewater rafting companies have multiple river trip options. Major outfitters typically offer trips on numerous rivers or several sections of a river. You will still have many choices in time, cost, and paddling challenge. Narrow down those options using web sites, talking to friends, and talking to group members. Thoughts for discussion include where you will be traveling, how much time and money do you want to devote to this experience, what is the comfort level of each participant, and what style of trip matches your trip goals. Once you have narrowed it down to two or three options, a call or email to the outfitter can help you make that final decision.
5. Ask questions of your outfitter: You will want to consider experience, the selection and training process for newer guides, commitment to guest satisfaction, cancellation policy, and even higher risk incidental services like transporting guests to and from the river.
6. Listen for details and hype: All outfitters will most likely say their guides are the best, well trained, fun, safe, etc. They may say their trips are the longest, they have more rapids, or their equipment is the best. Pay attention to details they willingly provide. Look for outfitters who can provide specifics such as, “Our guides attend a guide school followed by 10 days of river training” or “each guide is required to have advanced first aid training to advance past the first year.” Basic First Aid & CPR are the minimums almost all river outfitters are required to have. Almost all single day trips use the same stretch of river and whitewater rapids. Multi-day trips can vary more significantly. Variations in number of rapids or length of trip in miles should be viewed skeptically and clarified.
7. Equipment is a factor: Quality commercial rafts are designed to last about 10 years. Brand new rafts don’t mean as much as well maintained rafts. Personal gear such as a PFD (personal floatation device) should be on a regular cleaning schedule.
8. Controlling Risk: Whitewater rafting is a sport that includes risks. Your #1 goal should be to find an outfitter that will expose you to the experience while reducing the risk involved in doing so. An outfitter that focuses on controlling risk versus promoting the ways they can increase risk and exposure identifies a key point in the selection process. For those experienced enough to seek increased risk, there are many river options that challenge physical and mental strength to the edge but with the goal of overcoming it versus throwing yourself into it.
9. Evaluate the whole package: Since there are so many variables and options don't let one item determine your choice but instead a combination of all factors. The outfitters that are leaders in the industry will stand out in many if not all areas. Balance consideration of cost with risk, travel time with trip goals, and trip options with group members. You might spend slightly more money but feel much more relaxed, travel farther but enjoy the actual experience much better, or raft less days on milder rapids but include more friends who might not have participated.
There are enough river rafting experiences available for many lifetimes. Each brings its own challenges and memories. We hope to share with you in some of those memories and great adventures!
