Hatch provides all your essential camping and rafting gear, so all you need to bring is your personal items such as clothes, shoes, sunscreen, and cameras. In your Activity Manager under “View Info and Documents” check out the Gear Checklist for a list of our recommendations. We encourage you to use your judgement – if there’s an item you don’t think you’ll use, check in with us and we can explain why it made the list, then you can choose to bring it or leave it. If there’s something we didn’t list that you can’t live without, bring it – just keep the 25lbs. limit in mind.
You’ll definitely want to keep the weather and your personal comfort in mind as you pack. If you run on the colder side, you might want to bring gear that will keep you warmer when you’re hit with those cold river splashes. If you run warm, you might be able to omit some of our warmer recommendations or bring some cotton shirts instead of only quick-drying ones.
Your comfort level will also determine the quantities of items you bring. Some people are perfectly comfortable in one t-shirt for the whole trip, while others feel more comfortable with 3-4 for a 7 day trip. Unless you’re traveling during the colder season, it’s best to keep your gear light – you can always rinse your clothes in the river if they need it. (Though if you’re the one t-shirt guy, you might want to bring a backup just in case.)
We are always happy to answer questions about gear. We’d much rather you ask us now and feel comfortable on the river than end up without something you need or weighed down by a bunch of stuff you don’t.
Watch out our 4 Minute Packing Guide video to get started!