Choosing The Right Boat

A raft with a frame will be your choice if you take out large parties on either day trips or weeklong expeditions and need to haul lots of gear. Just remember that rafts with frames are much more difficult to transport and setup than inflatable rafts w/o frames. Because of this, if you plan on using the raft a lot, you might consider getting a trailer for it to avoid the time and hassles of constantly having to set up and take down the raft.

Inflatable rafts with frames will also be your choice of vessel if you plan on running Class IV+ whitewater if you have a crew with limited experience (paddling). The toughness and durability of these rafts will allow the raft to survive the mean encounters with obstructions that occur in whitewater rafting.

Inflatable rafts are ideal for both solo anglers and float parties up to 8 people (depending on the raft's size). These inflatable rafts handle whitewater up to Class IV or V (depending on the skill level of your crew) and provide plenty of room and comfort for day trips. For solo paddlers, these inflatable rafts (just remember to get a good one!) also work extremely well for multi-day floats. Non-rigged inflatable rafts also provide for very easy setup and are immensely portable.