14 Splash-Ready Gear Picks for Raft Guides & River Dads: Father’s Day 2025

From Rescue PFD & UV-blocking layers to camp-tested sleep systems, this gear kept up on back-to-back river trips—and passed the Dad test with flying colors.

By Joshua Berman

Whether you’re paddling mellow desert water or punching tasty drops in the Rockies with your kids, the right gear is what separates an epic river trip from a soggy sufferfest. Here’s our curated pick of 2025’s best-performing apparel, safety gear, and camp comforts to keep you dry, cozy, and ready for whatever the current brings.

When you’re living out of dry bags for days on the river—or hauling gear into remote high desert canyons—you quickly learn what pulls its weight. I tested much of this gear on two back-to-back Colorado River trips through Ruby-Horsethief Canyon, guiding middle schoolers from Shining Mountain Waldorf School, where I work as Director of Outdoor Education. For two weeks, we paddled, portaged, camped, and cliff-jumped through wind, rain, and blazing sun.

From synthetic sleeping bags that stay warm on damp nights, to headlamps and radios that work when you need them most, these are the Father’s Day gifts that work hard—just like Dad. If he’s the kind of guy who considers “poop kit assembly” a bonding experience, you’re in the right place. Here’s the river-tested gear Dad deserves—or Mom! Or any trip leader in your life who’s earned a little gear upgrade; this list is for them.

Paddle and Power Gear

ISLE Pioneer 3 Inflatable Paddle Board ($555): Stable enough for beginners, agile enough for lake cruising, and durable enough for rough handling, the ISLE Pioneer 3 has become a favorite for everything from yoga poses to paddling with kids and dogs. I tested this board out multiple times at McIntosh Lake in Longmont—sometimes at golden hour, sometimes with one of my teenagers on board, and few times with our 10-pound chiweenie perched at the front like a ship’s figurehead. Whether I was in classic SUP stance, kneeling in canoe pose, or sitting in the clipped-in kayak attachment seat, the maneuverability blew me away. At just 24 pounds, you can carry it under one arm but it’s very rigid when fully inflated. Between the generous deck space, front and rear bungee tie-downs, and smooth, straight glide across flat water, this board quickly became a go-to for spontaneous after-dinner paddles and weekend outings alike. Includes a paddle, hand pump, travel bag, center fin, and leash.

Fanttik X9 Cross 4X Portable Air Pump ($129.99): You’ve got your paddle board, but time is of the essence and inflating by hand will eat up too much of your session. The solution? A Fanttik air pump. The X9 Cross makes inflating paddle boards, car tires, camping mattresses—or anything else that needs air—fast and easy. It brought our 10.5-foot board from zero to 15 PSI in minutes without overheating, and has built-in presets for different items, plus a deflate mode for pack-down. Bonus: It can inflate a car tire in about a minute and doubles as a flashlight and emergency power bank. What blew me away is how compact this thing is—it fits easily in a day pack or gear bin, yet delivers serious power when you need it. For dads who are always getting asked to pump up bikes, balls, and pool floats, this little workhorse pays for itself in saved time and sore arms.

Astral Indus Type V PFD ($281): I upgraded to the Indus after my swiftwater rescue course last summer, drawn by its serious float power—22 lbs. of buoyancy, a full third more than Astral’s legendary GreenJacket, a popular PFD with raft guides for its clamshell storage pocket. Some guides I spoke with weren’t crazy about the Indus for this reason (the loss of the clamsheel), but it has a side-stash front pocket, and small storage spots on the hips as well, which I used for small items. Designed for high-flow whitewater, the Indus is Astral’s first freestyle-inspired high-float jacket, using something called “FoamTectonics architecture,” that feels tight and secure without restricting motion. It’s a pullover entry with a “Rope Ready” space behind the front panel for a smaller throw rope. I appreciated the extra flotation while swimming a capsized canoe above Black Rocks on the Colorado—and while hucking myself off a cliff, into a deep eddy with a bunch of middle schoolers.

Rocky Talkie 5 Watt Radio ($180 each): Communication was essential for our group as our boats spread out along the Colorado River and we sometimes lost sight of each other around the bends; or when I took the students hiking up a wash for their solos, and needed to check in with my teammate back at the boats—and these weren’t even emergency situations. The Rocky Talkie is a backcountry-ready radio with a compact, rugged design and a 5-watt GMRS signal with up to 4 miles of range. It has a shatterproof screen, waterproof housing, and a six-day battery life. It comes ready to clip and go with a steel gator clip, backup leash, and both short and long antennas. Add that to built-in NOAA weather alerts and standard USB-C charging; packing a couple of these is a smart call for off-grid crews who want to stay connected—without relying on spotty or nonexistent cell service.

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River Camping Gear

Big River Dry Bag ($79.95) If you’re hauling group gear through wet canyons or lashing dry bags to the floor of a raft, the Big River Dry Bag is a go-to workhorse. Made from tough 420D nylon with a triple-coated base, this bag can take a beating against canyon walls, sand, and stray paddles. They come in five sizes—5L to 65L—and four colors. I used the largest on our Ruby-Horsethief river trips, loaded with my personal gear and any bulky items that students couldn’t fit in their own bags—and everything stayed dry throughout. The oval shape makes them easier to pack (and less likely to roll off the boat), and I loved the white interior for quickly finding things in fading light. They have solid lash points and a reliable roll-top. I’ll be picking up a few more sizes for future trips.

Luno AIR+FOAM Pro Camping Mattress ($279.99) This is the mattress I didn’t know I needed until I laid it out on bare rock beside the Colorado River and woke up feeling like I’d slept in my own bed. Combining self-inflating foam with an air core, the Luno AIR+FOAM Pro inflates in under a minute and was really comfortable—even when my “campsite” was a tilted slab of slickrock under the stars with the sound of rushing Rocky Mountain snowmelt for a white noise machine. It’s firm enough for side sleepers, and deflates and rolls up easily into a tight cylinder. I used it inside a tent, on open ground, and I’ve used it in the back of the minivan. If you’ve ever wrestled with a too-soft inflatable or regretted a closed-cell mat on night one of a river trip, this is a sweet cushy upgrade.

Sea to Summit Hamelin REVIVE Loft Sleeping Bag ($169–$199) This cozy synthetic mummy bag from Sea to Summit thrives in damp river environments thanks to RCS-recycled insulation that stays warm even when wet (although mine stayed dry throughout the trip because of the above Big River Dry Bag). Dual zippers make it easy to vent sandy feet or shift positions without twisting up the bag, and the roomy “contour” shape adds comfort without extra bulk. The bag compressed down smaller than I expected for a synthetic fill, and even after stuffing it hastily into my dry bag each morning, it lofted back up perfectly each night. Ideal for side-sleepers and midnight bathroom missions.

BioLite Solar String Lights and Lanterns ($19.95-$79.95): I always string lights to mark the path from camp to our groover setup—because nothing says “responsible trip leader” like helping middle schoolers find the bathroom in the dark without getting lost or stepping on a scorpion. BioLite’s new 18-foot Solar String Lights will be perfect for this bathroom path, and for lighting other spots around the campground. The warm white LEDs can charge all day while lashed to the boats, and then emit enough gentle illumination for safe midnight missions. The Luci lanterns ($19.95-$59.95) are equally clutch—inflatable, waterproof solar lights that pack down to almost nothing and work great as kitchen or tent lights. Whether Dad’s planning summer car camping trips or multi-day river adventures, the Luci Original (75 lumens, 24-hour runtime, $29.95) handles reading time and camp tasks, while the Luci Charge models keep devices powered too.

NEMO Stargaze EVO-X Chair ($179.95): Yes, it’s pricey—but hear me out. After a full day of paddling, hauling gear, and keeping the chaos in check, this chair delivers the kind of riverside reward every dad deserves. The Stargaze EVO-X swings, auto-reclines, levels itself on uneven ground, cradles your head, and feels more like a hammock than a camp chair. Built tough with a steel frame and dual cup holders, it packs into a roll-top carry case that’s easy to lash down and sets up in seconds. My only criticism is that if you’re playing guitar by the campfire, the side supports force a modified cradle between your legs, but they’re still wide enough to get your campfire jam on (and there is no obstruction for a mando, uke, or banjo).

Tailwind Rapid Hydration Variety Pack ($21.84): I like to pre-hydrate with these before getting on the river (or traikl), and I always keep extras on hand for students who fall behind on their water intake during long, hot paddle days. Tailwind packets taste clean without that artificial sweetener aftertaste that makes you grimace mid-gulp. The variety pack has 15 packets of five flavors, so you can switch it up throughout a multi-day trip. It mixes clear (with 16-24oz. of water each) without chalky residue and claims to hydrate nearly three times faster than water alone with this blend of electrolytes and Vitamin C.

River Footwear & Apparel

Astral Rassler 2.0 Water Shoe ($150): The Rassler 2.0 is the gold standard of river footwear: grippy, tight, supportive, and rugged enough to handle slick portages, steep trails, and raft rigging in the shallows. I wore mine for eight days straight on the Colorado River—plus during several muddy training days at McIntosh Lake—and they held up like champs (but smelled like… let’s just say they needed some airing out). The canvas uppers drain fast and dry quickly, while the rubber outsole sticks to wet rock better than anything I’ve worn. Astral offers several lower cut versions as well if these feel too confining, but I really wanted the extra ankle support and coverage.

Teva Hydratrek CT Sandal ($100): New for Spring/Summer 2025, this closed-toe sandal is built for both river and trail and was inspired by the grip and agility of tree frogs (actually). So far, in my limited testing at the local lakeshore (I didn’t have these bad boys on the Colorado River last fall, as they were just released this spring), the “Sticky Spider Rubber” outsole and water-dispersing tread live up to their description; the goal is traction on wet rocks, algae covered boat ramps, and muddy portages without fear of damaging dad’s knees and ankles on missed steps. These Hydratreks are lightweight, provide great coverage, and I anticipate them being my go-to grab for paddleboard outings and more.

Smartwool Active Mesh Hoodie, ($105), Active Tee ($65), and Active Lined 7” Shorts ($90): These three items are part of Smartwool’s Active Collection, born out of their famed New Zealand Merino sheep and refined with recycled poly; these items hit the trifecta of breathability, moisture-wicking, and comfort needed on the river, where prolonged dampness and temperature changes can happen by the minute. I wore my hoodie nearly every day on the water—perfect for long paddles when you need both sun protection and airflow—and it dried quickly after surprise splashes. The tee layers smoothly under a PFD without clinging or smelling funky by day three. And the shorts are really lightweight, soft, and stretchy, for paddling, scrambling, and camp chores.

PAKA Alpaca 3-Pack Sock Gift Box ($59) is a cozy upgrade for dad for when those shriveled dogs get out of the water; they’re soft, sustainable, and made from royal alpaca fiber—as cushy as cashmere and naturally moisture-wicking, odor-resistant, and hypoallergenic. I like saving these for the tent for sleeping—but also used some for hiking up side canyons. This version comes gift-ready in a box with a nice presentation. Each 3-pack includes a mix of crew and graphic socks and a note from Sebastian the Alpaca. They’re machine-washable and backed by a lifetime guarantee.

—Joshua Berman is the author of Moon Colorado Camping: The Complete Guide to Tent & RV Camping and is both Director of Outdoor Education at Shining Mountain Waldorf School and an Experiences Host Hiking Guide for Airbnb. His website is https://joshuaberman.net/