Can I bring a camera on my river rafting trip?

In the last couple years, cameras have become waterproof, smaller in size, and are more affordable than ever. This means they’re a great addition to bring on one of our rafting trips. However, some cameras are better suited for whitewater rafting than others. Below is some advice on cameras, angles to capture the best shots, and general advice.

Which camera should I bring?
An appropriate camera for our rafting trips are ones that are both small, and waterproof. A large Canon doesn’t really fit the bill – while certainly a great camera, it doesn’t pack very well and would be in constant danger of getting wet. A GoPro camera though, or any ‘action’ style camera works great as their housing is often submersible and they’re small enough to fit just about anywhere, even in a pocket.

Which camera mode should I shoot in?
Our trips are participatory, meaning you will be paddling and maneuvering the raft (under a guides direction) down the river and through the rapids. This means that both your hands will be unavailable for the majority of the time while in the raft. Because of this, we highly suggest that you set the camera to video mode. That way you can start recording before the rapid, and hit stop once you’re through. This allows the guide to have your full attention through a rapid, and additionally, you can then pick out the best frame or photo from your video clip.

How should I mount my GoPro camera?
For easy access, and to help guarantee that a camera won’t fall out of the raft, we suggest mounting your GoPro to your helmet. Many of our helmets come with mounts, but we suggest bringing a few just incase. Additionally, if you have one, bring a GoPro Grip/Handle – Just make sure it’s the floating kind. That way for other action sequences, (such as swimming for fun between rapids) you can capture a number of different angles outside of what your helmet POV will offer.

Why should I purchase photos if I already have my own camera?
While in-raft shots look great, they don’t capture what’s happening outside of the raft very well, such as dropping in on Carson Falls, or lining up for the wave train at class-IV Powerful Possum. Action cameras also have a fish eye effect to them, meaning they’re distorted, which doesn’t look as great for anything outside of a POV angle. Finally, our photographers are pros that use great equipment, and this equates to terrific photos.

Send us your footage, and we’ll send you a KRO pint glass
We want to see what you captured! If we use any portion of the footage you send us, we’ll send you a KRO official pint glass for free. Email us for more info.

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