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2025 Packing List – River Rafting & Camping Must-Haves for Women
Hey hey, I’m Lexi — your river guide, packing coach, and big sister for all things whitewater. This is my third summerhosting river rafting trips for women across the U.S., and let me tell you, it just keeps getting better.
By the end of this summer, I’ll have introduced 33 women to totally off-grid river life through my Glow Up Travel Trips. We’re talking wine at sunset, swimsuits all day, and campfire stories that turn strangers into sisters.
In July, I’m headed to the Salmon River in Idaho with my boyfriend. And then in August, I’ve got one of my women-only group trips to the Rogue River in Oregon — which, by the way, is almost full.
Want to join? I’ve got one spot left for this summer’s Rogue trip, and 10 spots left for 2026 ! Check out the trips here.
Now, let’s talk about packing for off-grid adventures — because yes, you can absolutely love adventure and care about clean socks, SPF, and looking cute in your river pics.
As someone who is obsessed with being comfy, clean, and a little stylish (even when covered in river water), these are my go-to gear picks for a rafting trip in the U.S.:
2025 River Rafting Must-Haves for Women
Table of Contents
Let's Begin With: What NOT to bring...
There is no storage at the offices or hotel. Whatever you bring has to come with you on the trip.
And everything you bring must fit into one grocery-bag-sized bag.
So for sure, dont bring your laptop. You can bring your phone for photos, but you’ll want a battery pack / external battery.
✧ What BAG To Use?
“Your bag should be the size of a grocery bag” says the rafting company and here’s why: Every morning, as we pack up, you will shove your bag into a bigger dry bag provided by the rafting company. All your things must fit in that bag! That dry bag will be taken down the river every day on the supply boat.
The size of bags I recommend is 30L (30 liters) to 40L, like a weekend bag or small duffle bag is best.
Good bag
✅ No bigger than 30L
✅ Flexible to shove in a big dry bag.
✅ Easy to carry over the sand.
Bad bag
❌ Bigger than 30L
❌ Do not bring a bag with wheels.
❌ Don’t bring a backpacking backpack (too big).
Here are some of my bag recommendations…
▸ Weekend Duffle
(Medium is as big as I’d go).
This is the bag I took on the river last year.
▸ Vera Bradley Weekend Bag
This is going to sound old-lady-ish, but I travel the world with Vera Bradley bags. They will outlast me!
Here are a couple more small camping bags…
▸ A Gym Bag
▸ A Weekend Backpack
PRO TIP: Don’t Use Compression Bags
Its best to roll your clothes and use the pockets inside your bag.
On the River: What to Bring on the Raft
My boyfriend and I once went on a rafting trip and there as this lady…who brought SO much on the raft every day including (but not limited to): A bulky bath towel, a day bag stuffed with a pharmacy, a portable beach chair, and snacks she never ate. She took up so much space in the communal bag every day that there was barley any room for others’ stuff. Ugh.
Don’t be that lady.
There’s not a lot of room on the raft, so plan to be minimalistic.
Bring a fanny pack like this or a draw string bag like this.
INSIDE THE BAG:
▸ What to bring on the raft: sunscreen, chapstick, water, a towel.
If you bring your phone on the raft (rather than leaving it in your luggage which is carried to the next beach by our gear boats)., make sure it’s secured in a waterproof pouch that floats.
▸ What not to bring on the raft: bulky towels, big backpacks, snacks (you will be fed plenty!), chairs, politics.
✧ Raft Bags
Some people don’t bring a bag on the boat. They just bring a towl, a water and chuck their phone & sunscreen into the communal dry bag.
Other people want to bring chapstick, a hat, epi pens (make sure you bring one if you need one) – and so, they’ll bring a mini bag like these.
▸ Water Resistant Case for Phone + Extras
▸ Fanny Pack
✧ A Water Bottle + Caribbeaner
Bring a water bottle that you can easily hook to the raft.
– Get it here ➙
Optional: Bring your own caribbeaner for convenience.
– Get it here ➙
✧ Sunglasses WITH a strap
My favorite outdoor sunglasses that make everything look pretty – but aren’t expensive enough to cry over if I lose them. – I love Knockarounds➙
✧ A Brimmed Hat or Visor
▸ Sun hat – Get it here ➙
▸ My Favorite Sun Visor – Get it here ➙
✧ Sunscreen
✧ SPF Chapstick & Powder
For the Lips: IF you don’t bring SPF for the lips, you will seriously regret it – Get it here ➙
For the Face: I take this on the raft and apply all day! – Get it here ➙
✧ A Long Sleeve Sunguard
Sometimes your skin needs a break from the sun:
▸ Sun Guard Top with a Hood – Get it here ➙
▸ Zip Up Rash Guard – Get it here ➙
✧ Trip Insurance
If you don’t have insurance that covers rafting, check out World Nomads.
✧ Secure Footwear
I recommend bringing:
One Sturdy Pair for Rafting
▸ I wore these classic Tevas last year – Get it here ➙
▸ This year, I’m trying these sandals out – the seem to have more grip for river rocks– Get it here ➙
One Slide-On for Camp
▸ Birkenstocks are my ideal shoe-choice: – Get it here ➙
▸ These Adidas Slides are so comfy and convenient on the sand: – Get it here ➙
And socks! Bring socks!
Clothing for the Raft
✧ Swimsuits
Bring 3 swimsuits. You won’t need more than 3.
Here are some of my favorite one piece swimsuits for rafting…
Pictured Above, the best two-piece swim suits for river rafting (in my opinion) are from Wild Isles.
Wild Isles
✧ Quick Dry Bottoms
The raft that you sit on is slippery and with a wet butt, it’s not always the most comfortable. So have some bottoms you can wear on the raft, but also that you can throw on when we hop off for hiking or lunch!
▸ Swim Skirt
▸ Quick Dry Shorts
▸ Sarong Beach Wrap
Get it here ➙
✧ Consider: A Swim Dress - it ticks all the boxes!
▸ Tummy Control Swimdress
▸ V Neck Wrap Tummy Control Swimdress
▸ Full Coverage Swimdress
✧ A Little Cover Up:
Nice to have when we hop off for lunch or chillin’ back at camp.
▸ 3/4 Sleeve Coverup – Get it here ➙
▸ Casual Summer Dress – Get it here ➙
▸ Button Down Dress Shirt – Get it here ➙
▸ Long Sleeve Blouse Beachwear – Get it here ➙
Clothing for Camp
Getting back to camp, it feels so good to change into comfy clothes after being wet all day. At camp, we will swim in the river, explore the woods (hopefully forage for mushrooms), hang on the beach, and navigate to the bathroom in the dark at night…
Here is what I recommend you bring:
▸ 1 cozy sweatshirt to wear by the fire:
▸ Flight light / headlamp:
Get it here ➙
▸ Or a hat with light:
Get it here ➙
▸ 1 cozy t-shirt:
Get it here ➙
▸ 1 pair active shorts:
Get it here ➙
▸ Quick-dry towel:
Get it here ➙
▸ A hang-around-camp cover-up:
Get it here ➙
▸ A hang-around dress (if you feel like it):
Get it here ➙
▸ Long Johns top & bottom:
Get it here ➙
▸ Easy little tie top:
Get it here ➙
▸ 1 pair of active leggings:
Get it here ➙
▸ 1 pair of active leggings:
Get it here ➙
▸ 1 pair of sweatpants:
Get it here ➙
▸ Breathable undies (important after a full day of swimsuits) Skims are the only undies I wear:
Toiletries
Something to know: I don’t wash my hair at all on the river. I come with clean hair, use dry shampoo, rinse in the river, and put my hair in braids. But if you do want to wash your hair, make sure your products are eco-friendly so we don’t poison the wildlife. If every rafter used their toxic shampoos, we’d totally pollute this place. So please keep that in mind!
✧ Face
▸ Waterproof Mascara:
Get it here ➙
▸ Aloe Face Wipes:
Get it here ➙
▸ Moisturizer for night:
Get it here ➙
▸ Travel Toner:
Get it here ➙
✧ Hair
Remember I said that I dont even wash my hair on the river – I just come with clean hair then dry shampoo + braids! But here’s why I do recommend bringing for your hair, in general.
▸ Mini Travel Containers are best! You can decant everything here: Get it here ➙
▸ (optional) Eco-Friendly Shampoo and Conditioner BARS: Get it here ➙
▸ A Wet Brush (for tangles that your hair will get being in the wind and mist): Get it here ➙
▸ UV Hair Protection: Get it here ➙
▸ Dry shampoo (Hair Dance is my fav): Get it here ➙
✧ Body Care
▸ Aftersun: Get it here ➙
▸ Eco-friendly Sunscreen: Get it here ➙
▸ Biodegradable wet wipes (for a pseudo shower on the days we don’t have a shower): Get it here ➙
▸ Hand Sanitizer: Get it here ➙
▸ Hand/Body Lotion: Get it here ➙
▸ We do have a toilet, but I recommend if you’re ever wanted to try a pee funnel, this one is the best: Get it here ➙
✧ Anti-Bug Stuff
Period Stuff
Use this link for $20 off: https://fbuy.io/knix/alexaweeks
Electronics & Entertainment
▸ Battery pack (20,000+ MAH is ideal): Get it here ➙
▸ Compact Journal: Get it here ➙
▸ Earbuds (remember to download music before as we won’t have wifi): Get it here ➙
▸ And if you need some travel inspiration, of course, bring my new book…
▸ Cash Tip for the Guides at the end of the trip (if you feel like it)
✧ Snacks & Food
On my trips – before we hit the river, we will stop at a convenience store to load up on wine, beer, and snacks. (I usually buy sun flower seeds).
But we will be eating WELL on the river, so bring only your favs that you can’t live without.
✧ Camping Gear
Your guides will bring gear for you: Tent, sleeping bag, pillows, and mat.
Want to come on my next river rafting trip?
I’ve traveled the world and river rafting in the USA is in my “top 3 favorite adventures ever’ list. You haven’t lived until you’ve been whitewater rafting off the grid for a week!
Ps. I’m afraid of everything – and this river trip is the perfect way to get outside your comfort zone while staying extremely safe. And if you’re still afraid, know that the minimum age for this trip is 7 years old. I’ll let that speak for itself in terms of safety…
And before you go, don’t forget that the perfect audiobook for a rafting trip is my new book, The One-Way Ticket Plan: Find and Fund Your Purpose While Traveling the World. It’s a juicy travel memoir mixed with expert “how to travel” wisdom.
xoxo, Alexa
The
One-Way
Ticket Plan
this book has magic powers
Find and Fund Your Purpose while Traveling the World
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I'm a bestselling author, hotel reviewer and pickleball player. I teach women how to travel the world solo without going broke or getting kidnapped.
In 2011, I left Seattle with just $200 in my pocket to travel the world solo. Today, I'm the founder and creator of The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide, the #1 travel guide book series for women - and the author of The One-Way Ticket Plan.
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