On the River

Essential gear to make your river adventure a success.

// by Dina Mishev

On the water, lash Stoic’s Hybrid Backpack Cooler to your raft or SUP. On land, wear it as a backpack. Either way, the 28-liter soft-sided cooler has an attached bottle opener and holds up to 24 cans, which it will keep cold for hours. $150; backcountry.com

We didn’t think Yeti’s Hopper Flip 18 soft cooler could be improved upon … but then we met the brand’s SideKick Dry Gear Case, a small waterproof gear bag designed to attach to the Hopper’s gear loops, or your belt. Hopper Flip 18, $300, SideKick Dry, $50; yeti.com

Red’s Long Sleeve Pro Change Parka EVO looks like overkill for on-water or post-paddle warmth in the summer. And with its super, super fleecy interior, it is. But when we get cold on the water, we get really cold, so we appreciate all the fuzziness. It’s also waterproof and breathable and cut big enough to allow for you to change underneath it. If you don’t bring it with you, stash it in the car at the take-out. $229; red-equipment.us

Why do we feel like we’ve been waiting our entire lives for sunglasses that float? Finally, Dragon Alliance has a line of sunglasses with H2O Floatable technology. We love the polarized Flare LL model for its large lenses. $209; dragonalliance.com

Dermatone’s Sport Sunscreen Lotions include the only SPF 50 lotion we’ve used that feels light enough to use every day. If you don’t need quite that much protection, the SPF 30 is even lighter. Both are water resistant for 80 minutes and moisturize while they protect. From $17; dermatone.com

When you want maximum sun protection, consider Ibex’s Sun Hoodie. Made from the brand’s lightest-weight fabric, the merino wool top features an anatomical hood for full coverage and thumb catches to keep sleeves in place, and is odor-resistant. $140, ibex.com

When you don’t want to worry about electronics getting wet, go for a Sea to Summit dry bag. The brand’s Big River dry bags are super burly—abrasion resistant and with double-stitched, fully taped seams. The company’s Clear Stopper dry bag, is our pick when we need to see our gear quickly and easily. From $28; seatosummit.com

We thought summer was hot enough and a neck gaiter would only make us hotter, until we met Buff’s Coolnet UV Neck Gaiter, which uses a fabric designed to keep you cool and that also includes SPF 50 sun protection. $24; buff.com

SKI Magazine said Stio’s Eddy Shirt is “the greatest shirt ever made.” We could not agree more. As perfect for a spring ski day as a trip down the river, the Eddy (available in men’s, women’s, and kids’ styles) protects you from sun and wind and is quick-drying.  $129; 10 E. Broadway Ave., stio.com

Available in 12 ounces in two different shapes—one that accommodates a can of beer, the other a can of hard seltzer—HydroFlask’s Cooler Cups are dishwasher safe, BPA- and toxin-free, and work as can coolers or beverage cups. From $25; hydroflask.com

We’ve never thought much about the hats we wear on the water. Thankfully, Dakine has. Its Kahu Surf Hat has an extended front brim (with a foam insert that makes it float!), a removable chin strap, and a soft interior lining that wicks away moisture. $50; dakine.com 

The closed-toe construction of Chaco’s Odyssey protects toes. The shoe’s sole uses super-grippy rubber and features a tread design optimized for wet traction to protect the rest of you from a slip and fall. $100; chacos.com

Stio’s CFS Board Pant (for men and women) is as stretchy as it is durable (and it’s super stretchy thanks to a blend of polyester and spandex), dries quickly, and has a zippered back pocket. $99; 10 E. Broadway Ave., stio.com JH