How to Choose a River Raft

Take a rafting trip in a rented raft with guides, if possible. Talk to the guides about buying a raft, and what you should look for. Learn as much as you can about maintenance and operation.

Determine the type of river rafting you are going to do. Consider how many people you are usually going to be taking, how much equipment, how long the trips and what type of river.

Visit an outdoor outfitting store and ask for a clerk who knows a lot about white-water rafting.

Discuss your needs with the clerk and ask to see what they have available.

Ask to see the rafts under consideration in their fully inflated state. Once the raft is inflated you'll have a much better idea of how much room you have to work with.

Ask about the safety features of the raft. Ask about the size of the buoyancy tubes. Smaller buoyancy tubes handle better, but larger tubes help prevent water from coming on board.

Make sure the raft has multiple air chambers.

Decide whether you want cross tubes (thwarts) on the raft. These take up room but are good to sit on, especially when paddling.

Consider the material the raft is made of. Cotton is the least expensive, but it also decomposes the fastest. Nylon doesn't deteriorate like cotton, but is subject to tears and is quite heavy. Dacron Polyester is twice as strong as nylon, but also twice as heavy. DuPont Kevlar is the strongest and most expensive material available, however it's difficult to repair and fairly rigid.

Ask about warranties on the raft before you buy it. You definitely want one.