ALASKA RAFT CONNECTION BOAT RENTALS TRIP PLANNING

ALASKA FLOAT TRIP PERSONAL GEAR LIST (page 1) * WHAT TO BRING & WHY CLOTHING AND BASIC OUTDOORS GEAR - What to Bring and Why Outdoors Clothes Information for Alaska Float Trips: Clothing for Alaska raft and kayak trips should be made of synthetic fibers well known for their capacity to wick moisture away from your body, elevated warmth to weight ratio, and rapid drying properties. These synthetic fibers include Polypropylene, Capilene, Synchilla, Polartec, Polarfleece, Microfleece, synthetic piles, Thermax/Coolmax, Polarguard, polyesters, Nylon etc.  NO COTTON!  NO COTTON!!  NO COTTON!!!!  Cotton and fibers with similar properties retain the body's moisture holding moisture against the body.  These uncomfortable characteristics can take the entire trip to dry, and once wet becomes heavy and packs poorly.  Cotton is pretty much dead weight for Alaska waters and your float trip experience.  Generally speaking, bring at least one full change of clothing. It is nice to have a dry set in case the rivers, rains, or your own body sweat saturate the clothes you're wearing.   (* Look around an outdoor site or store like R.E.I., Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, or local outdoor retailers for these materials ranging from high dollar to practical valued brands.) Raingear for Alaska River Float Trips: IT RAINS IN ALASKA! Sometimes it will rain steadily throughout your entire trip. Whenever it rains it is normally at least a little chilly or downright miserably cold. On a remote wilderness float trip, Alaska's sometimes-unfavorable weather can introduce demoralizing discomfort as well as introducing the hazards of hypothermia. Many Alaska guides over the years swear by heavily rubberized  overalls and hooded jackets like those designed for commercial fisherman that are tough, dependable and won't easily tear out. Classic old school Semi-permeable fabrics like Gore-Tex, Entrant, Pore-tech, etc. are okay for day excursions or light intermittent precipitation, however, with hard driving rains or constant spray while sitting in a boat... water will eventually pass through these WATER RESISTANT materials. Whatever you choose - tough, long cut and oversized, waterproof raingear is what you want.  - Newest developments in Triple Laminates and some micro-coated Semi-permeable fabrics make fine choices today... These most recent, genuine improvements are materials like dive/dry suit grade Gore-Tex, and other breathables that are used in the fabrication of high-tech waders, one or two piece whitewater dry suits, and so on. (*Other significant mentions that are versatile and comfortable: Cabela's DRY PLUS, MT050 or comparable fabrications from Browning, Columbia, Remington, Walls, Mossy Oak, 10x, etc. &   highly recommended Helly Hansen Impertech Rain Gear) -  Less expensive alternatives to keep you comfortable is process utilizing semi-permeable plastic lamination bonded to synthetic shell-like garments like Frogg Toggs.  These cheaper laminates have billions of microscopic holes in the fabric process that provides pretty good, inexpensive breathable raingear and wind protection.  Using this method other manufactures have created quite effective, very economical, and lightweight rainwear.  PVC coated  Helly Hansen Rain Gear can be had at great bargains, and will keep you dry. Waders for Alaska River Float Trips: Old-school closed-cell neoprene waders of 2mm-5mm thickness or the popular, lightweight, easily packed, and more comfortable multi-layer/laminated breathable waders designed for sport fishing and a pair of felt soled wading shoes are strongly recommended.  Neoprene waders are pretty cumbersome to wade around in, hard to pack, take awhile to dry out clamminess, and can be hot on a nice summer day, nevertheless, in really wet, cold to frigid conditions they can be advantageous. Newer generation laminated Breathable fabrics like Gore-Tex products are far more favorable for all around comfort, versatility, safety, and better mobility. Wearing bib-style chest waders with a waist belt coupled with a whitewater-paddling top becomes one of the most durable, dry, safe, and warm and versatile combinations available for Multi-Day Alaska River Float Trips. - WE CAN PROVIDE YOU BREATHABLE WADERS BUT NOT FELT SOLE WADING SHOES - Wet Suits, Dry Suits, and Immersion Gear on Alaska's Wilderness Rivers: Wet suits are hardwearing, less expensive than dry suits, and do offer sensible protection. Whitewater specific dry suits are more desirable overall when compared with wet suits and immersion gear for continuous exposure to Alaska's cold-water conditions. Wearing a wetsuit or immersion gear for the duration of an entire wilderness river float trip will be often uncomfortable, especially putting it on wet midst an already chilly morning. With the exception of perhaps rugged portages or running the fiercest of white water sections that risk tearing out a dry suit; experienced river runners in Alaska's more demanding waters will wear a dry suit over using wet suits or immersion gear.  Whitewater dry suits are expensive, but if you ever go into a river averaging 37-45 F you'll be much better equipped to deal with the circumstances. (Continued on next page)

ALASKA FLOAT TRIP SUGGESTED PERSONAL GEAR LIST (page 2)

ALASKA RAFT CONNECTION BOAT RENTALS TRIP PLANNING         ALASKA RAFT CONNECTION  RAFT & KAYAK SERVICES        ALASKA  RIVER DESTINATIONS AND FLOAT TRIP DESCRIPTIONS         ALASKA RAFT CONNECTION CONTACT & INQUIRY        ALASKA RAFT AND KAYAK  TRIP ASSISTANCE TOUR LOGISTICS AND EXPEDITION SUPPORT

ALASKA RAFT CONNECTION
1120 East Huffman Road PMB # 537, Anchorage, Alaska, 99515 United States of America
Tel: (907) 250-2271
Email: alaskaraftconnection@gmail.com