Equipment
Whitewater activities can not be imagined without a special neoprene wetsuit. These clothes have two very important duties: they protect from the cold water and hypothermia, and also guarantee protection against smaller bruises and cuts.
The wetsuit itself if about 3-4 mm thick and made of a rubber-like material, which has small, micro pores filled with air. Don’t be fooled though: they are not waterproof! This special material lets water in and also retains it, so the water stuck inside the wetsuit takes over our body heat and keeps us warm. Under the neoprene, we recommend wearing only a swimsuit.
An important accessory is the shoes, which are also made of neoprene and have strengthened soles.
The most important task of the helmet is the protection of the head. Also, we have to highlight two areas: the temple and the back of the neck. An injury to any of these body parts, without the helmet, can be life threatening. This risk of this can be fully eliminated
by wearing the helmet properly. A good helmet is stable, it doesn’t move side-to-side and not lastly: its color matches your personality! :))”
The life vest is probably the most important protective gear, as it protects your life directly. You can’t swim in whitewater, because there are boulders and rapids, which can cause serious injuries. The life vest allows the guest to swim to shore or get back in the boat after falling into the river. What is a good life vest like? First of all, it’s made for extreme sports (not sailing of surfing) and its buoyancy is bigger than its flatwater counterparts. Secondly, it should have a vivid color and should be the right size.
The type of boats you can find while whitewater rafting are the following:
the rafts and the trekking/outsider boats. The rafts are made for 4-12 people, who are sitting on both sides of the boat, and the guide is stirring the boat while sitting in the very back. anyone has seen a boat like this, they know: this is not an easy task!
Trekking/Outsider boats: The other kind of boats are suitable for 2-4 people. The most important difference to rafts is that these are more narrow, as the people are sitting behind each other with bent knees. Of course, you can also choose to have a guide sitting in the back of the boat.
It might seem strange at first, but the paddle also belongs to the group of protective gears, and it also fulfills its primary job. With the paddle, you can keep away the rocks and other hurdles. Also, if the boat loses balance, the paddle helps regain it. Because of this, the whitewater paddles are made of stronger materials than its flatwater counterparts.
Of course, we don’t only use it for paddling: you can splash your friends with it!
