Equipment Makes All the Difference
There are many things that make White Cloud Rafting a standout company. Staff, guides, great food, Stanley, Idaho, and an unparalleled passion for rafting all top the list. In addition, our customers are constantly commenting on the quality of our equipment.
Have you ever showed up after a long flight to get your rental car only to get stuck with a 2 door tin can because it was the only one left on the lot? Or try to rent some awesome new demo skies for the day only to get stuck with a pair from 1984? How about this one – ordered the special at a restaurant only to find out they sold the last one to the table next to you? Many of you know what I’m talking about and for the ones that don’t, it has happened to you, you just don’t realize it.
Well, the same goes for the rafting world. Equipment is key, and new and quality equipment can greatly improve the experience and enjoyment of your river trip. At White Cloud Rafting, we take equipment very seriously; you won’t find any rain parkas, wetsuits from the Michael Jackson era, or life jackets you saw in your dad’s fishing photos. We inspect, clean, repair, and discard any piece of equipment with flaws. In addition to taking care of our equipment, we also replace equipment after a few years to make sure we have the most up-to-date and advanced goodies on the market.
You ask how do we do it? Here is how and there is a method to our madness.
When a rafting trip returns from the Salmon River, everything is sorted and organized. Booties in a pile, life jackets, splash tops, wetsuits, etc. Three buckets are then filled – one with a special rafting equipment cleaner, one with diluted bleach (just enough to kill bacteria but far from enough to irritate the skin), one with rinse water. Life jackets always go in first, and are let out to their max size (this prevents wrinkles in the equipment and prolongs life). Life jackets get the “dip” first because it is the one piece of equipment that is furthest away from the skin and least dirty. All the jackets are washed and hung.
Next comes the splash tops, because it’s the piece of equipment second to least dirty, wetsuits, and, last but not least, the beloved booties. Even if you are part of the Salmon River Swim Team, (meaning you fell in the river) we clean the equipment day in and day out – even helmets get washed.
In addition to these daily activates, boats, paddles, kayaks, frames, everything is inspected from top to bottom to ensure top-notch quality, safety, and comfort to our guest. 303, a special UV solution, is applied several times throughout the rafting season to ensure UV damage doesn’t take place, ensuring maximum performance out of the equipment.
Okay, back to the 2 door tin car that you rented at the airport. Have you every tried to squeeze into a wetsuit that’s 3 sizes too small? White Cloud Rafting has all kinds of sizes, from XXXL to XXXS, ensuring maximum comfort for your rafting adventure. Our gear won’t leave your six-year-old feeling like the scene from the movie Big where he looks like he’s swimming in his clothes.
The last daily special that was given to the table next to you… we carry ample inventory of every size of rafting equipment and gear, ensuring we always have the correct size. Trust me – you don’t want to get stuck without booties on a cold day in Stanley, Idaho. That Salmon River water is cold. We also have enough inventory to outfit your kid’s entire soccer team with all the appropriate sizes, from head to toe.
It may all seem like a bit much and a somewhat trivial, but it’s one of the many things that makes White Cloud Rafting that much better than the next guy. So if you’re thinking about rafting in the Sun Valley and Stanley, Idaho areas, look us up. I guarantee your family will have a great time. You probably won’t even think about the equipment, but it’s all the little things that make the difference.
Until next time, see ya on water.