Last summer, when I told friends and family that I鈥檇 be rafting 225 miles from Lee鈥檚 Ferry听to Diamond Creek, Arizona, on the Colorado River, I received all kinds of remarks. Some said,听鈥淭hat鈥檒l be the trip of your life,鈥 while others noted, 鈥淭hat place will change you.鈥 While both听proved听true, most folks听were surprised to hear I鈥檇 be going in听the heat of July, and there was justified concern for heat exhaustion. With the chilly, 50-degree water discharging from Glen Canyon Dam听and temperatures soaring听over 100 degrees most days,听it took considerable听tact to regulate between such听extremes. As often as our crew would joke about joining the 鈥淕rand Canyon Swim Team,鈥澨齜eing in the water the entire trip just wasn鈥檛 feasible or safe. At high noon on day six, the reading at Phantom Ranch was 114 degrees. No number of dips in the river could turn that heat down. Luckily, I had gear along that kept me cool, protected, and comfortable for the duration of the adventure. Here are some of the essentials.
Patagonia Tropic Comfort II Hoodie听($59 and Up)
The heat of the Southwest鈥檚听sun can beat through cheap polyester T-shirts, so I opted to pack听something that was light but also provided long-sleeved protection鈥攖he听. Rather than lather up my skin with听SPF 50 every two hours, this was a great way to both听stay cool and avoid exposure to听harsh听rays. It dried off quickly but retained听a nice level of moisture between my skin and PFD.
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NRS Drag Bag ($35)
On a rafting听trip like this, hydration is a no-brainer. All of us on the river听accepted that our water would likely be boiling in our bottles and our beers would be sandy and warm鈥攗ntil someone showed up with听, that is. It easily held a 30-pack听of 听and chilled our half dozen water bottles throughout the day. Though we tried to remember to take it out of the water and secure it to the top of the boat during the big rapids, it may or may not have taken a ride听down the infamous while clipped to the outside of the rig. This bag is听durable and affordable, and bringing it with you听will put you in the running听for trip MVP.
Yeti听Panga 100 Duffel听($400)
I was skeptical that this zippered duffel could really听be submersible, but after a test run in the Atlantic Ocean, I decided to bring it along. Over the course of 16 days, it鈥檚听what kept my听key items鈥攁 sleeping bag, pillow, tent, cell phone, and journal鈥攄ry. 听is truly watertight, and you don鈥檛 have to dump all your stuff out to access things like you do with traditional roll-top bags. Thanks to its ample exterior webbing, it鈥檚 easy to lash a water bottle or second set of shoes to the bag听for easy access.
Adidas Terrex CC Voyager Parley Water Shoe ($90)
I鈥檓 a tried-and-true Chaco advocate, but on this trip I liked ,听because it added a layer of protection from the sun for my feet.听I was also听glad to have a closed-toe option for side hikes and better traction when cacti and snakes lurked with one misstep.听The soles of听this听shoe are听designed to be self-bailing and breathable, so they鈥檙e best worn without socks.
Jack鈥檚 Plastic Paco Pad ($215)
For this adventure,听a small camping air mattress suited my needs. However, the smart folks brought along these听. Based on their听shape and waterproofing, they听allowed my companions听to sleep on the boats, which proved to be the coolest place听at night. These pads听can also serve as a fun floating mechanism, turning a meager听rapid into something much more exhilarating.
StreamMachine Water Cannon ($22)
Even though it鈥檚听 from Walmart, the Water Cannon听played three crucial functions:听spraying the scalding rubber rafts so they were cooler to touch, rinsing ourselves down, and cleaning the sand from our boat. It proved its worth within the first few days, and everyone wanted to borrow it to douse their boats. Be mindful:听it鈥檚 still cheap plastic, so it bent from the heat under direct sunlight. (StreamMachine听also makes a more durable one of these, .)
Hala Atcha听SUP ($1,300)
While we all anticipated the burly whitewater, it was easy to forget just how many flat sections we had to row. This 听provided our group with a new way to play around in the river when things were more mellow.听It performed best in the crashing waves听but could also be surfed in some of the small holes off听the current. At nine feet six inches,听it was a great board for everyone to jump on. But it did听pose听two听drawbacks: it took听up a large amount of raft storage space听when inflated听and required听its own pump. Depending on your skill level, riding a SUP in the听whitewater may turn out to be听half paddling and half swimming, so in terms of keeping cool, it was worth bringing along.