Paddling Guides, Gear Advice & How-To Articles

River & Rapid Difficulty Ratings

You will encounter two different class rating systems for rivers and their rapids. Learn how these systems differ and where they're most commonly used.

Sea Kayak Safety: Pre-Trip Tips for Touring Kayakers

Sea Kayak Safety Starts at Home: Pre-Trip Tips for Touring Kayakers

How Sun Protection Works

Details on how sunscreens work and how they are tested.

Nutrition: Fueling the Fires Within

Learn the nutrition and hydration dos and donts to help you stay warm and safe as the weather and water get cold.

Backcountry Food Handling and Hygiene

Learn how to properly deal with food handling, hygiene, and cleanup while on backcountry or river trips.

High-Water Safety Guidelines

High water can dramatically change rivers and requires that we redouble our ongoing emphasis on safety. Learn more about the guidelines of high-water safety.

How to Prepare for Medical Emergencies When Boating

Learn how to prepare for medical emergencies when boating, kayaking, or rafting when embarking on journeys that take you outside the 911 system.

Life Jackets: Your Second Most Important Safety Item

Lets talk about the second most important safety item you should have on when you go boating. Thats your life jacket, or Personal Flotation Device (PFD).

Rafting Put-in Safety Talk

The basics of a good put-in safety orientation for rafters.

Rescue PFDs Aren’t For Everyone

Learn about the specialized features of rescue life jackets and PFDs, as well as when they should—and shouldn't—be used.

Wetsuit Repair and Care

Learn how to properly clean, repair, and care for your neoprene apparel and wetsuits.

Summit Valve Identification

Identify the Difference between a Summit 1 and a Summit 2 Valve.

Instructions: Stabond Adhesive

Learn to patch tears or holes in your PVC rafts or catarafts. hypalon repair, punctured raft repair, and neoprene gasket repair.

Boating Safety for Dogs

Learn the proper techniques for safety bringing your dog on the water or next river trip. And don't forget the dog life jacket!

Drys Suits Don't Make You Bulletproof

Your dry suit is only one piece of your boating safety system.

Gear Aid Aquaseal+NEO Contact Cement

Learn how to properly use and handle Gear Aid (formerly McNett) Seal Cement Adhesive, an industrial-strength neoprene cement.

That Time Mike Almost Drowned

Flush drowning is a real hazard, even when paddling with a well-trained, close-knit group. Learn lessons from this video to avoid a fatal outcome.

Leafield Valves

Information about the different types of Leafield valves.

Military Valves

Information about the different types of Military valves.

Hypalon Repair Instruction

Learn how to make repairs to your Hypalon raft, cataraft tubes, or your Hypalon raft floors with these detailed step-by-step instructions.

Halkey-Roberts Valve Types

Information about the different types of Halkey-Roberts valves.

Clifton Urethane Adhesive Gluing Instructions

Learn to fix a tear or hole in your PVC raft or cataraft with these Clifton Urethane Adhesive Gluing Instructions.

Clifton Hypalon Adhesive Gluing Instructions

Learn to patch or add d-rings, footcups, or carry handles to your Hypalon raft with Clifton Hypalon Adhesive Gluing Instructions.

Usage Guide for Clifton Accelerator

Adding Clifton Accelerator to Clifton Hypalon Adhesive gives maximum strength for repairs, increases heat and chemical resistance, and shortens bonding time.

Aquaseal/Cure Accelerator Instructions

Learn to repair your neoprene spray skirt, neoprene or HydroSkin apparel or gaskets with Aquaseal.

Inflatable Boat Material & Valve Reference Chart

Reference chart used to determine the correct material, glue and valves to use when repairing a boat from a specific manufacturer.

Multiday Rafting Trips

Learn what you need to consider when preparing for rafting trip that takes you out overnight. Multiday trips in a raft or cataraft let you to travel in style!

The Camp Kitchen

Camp Kitchen Tips for food packaging and storage, water storage and sanitizing, camp sanitation, food preparation, fire management and waste disposal.

ABCs of PFDs

PFD selection and Coast Guard Approval Ratings for PFDS

Boating with an Outfitter

Reasons for choosing an outfitter for your next outdoor adventure.

Adventure Medical Kits from NRS

Designed by physician and paddler Eric Weiss, Adventure Medical Kits are a necessity on the river and any adventure. Essential medical supplies are grouped in a dry bag for versatility. All kits come with first aid instructions and a list of items.

Beginners Guide to Kayak Terminology

Get up to speed on essential kayak-terminology: hull types, rocker, stability, chines, outfitting and more. Boost your comfort and confidence on the water.

Outfitting Your Touring Kayak

Learn how to outfit your touring kayak or sea kayak with the proper gear. If you're going to do overnight trips, there are some additional things to consider.

Inflatable Boat Use and Care Instructions

Learn how to properly care for your raft, cataraft or inflatable kayak. We include basics about mounting frames, cleaning instructions and repairs.

Inflatable Boat & SUP Guide

Specifics on NRS E-series, Otter series, Otter Livery series, NRS catarafts, NRS Patriots, NRS SUP Boards and NRS Inflatable Kayaks.

Raft & Cataraft Terminology: Essential Terms for Inflatable Boats

Master the key terms used for rafts and catarafts – learn boat-parts, floor types, tube measurements and accessories in this quick inflation-boat glossary.

Paddling Guides, Expert Advice & Outdoor How-To Articles