What to wear whitewater rafting… shoes, gear, and everything else!

So you’ve finally signed up for that whitewater rafting trip you’ve been thinking about and vibes are high!

As the big day approaches, you realize you have no idea what clothes you should wear, what shoes work best, or what gear is going to be provided.

You’ve come to the right place with these questions. Stick with me and we’ll pick the perfect outfit out together!

Step 1: Do I feel comfortable being active in these clothes? 

Unlike any rollercoaster ride you’ve ever been on, whitewater rafting is an experience that will require your full participation! Whether you’re in a boat full of people tackling the rapids together or in an individual inflatable kayak punching through waves yourself, you’ll be spending your time on the water playing hard AND working hard. This means you and your outfit should be ready for activity. Workout clothes or swimsuits are very typical. Just keep in mind that anything too tight or too loose could become uncomfortable when you’re paddling hard, getting jostled by big waves, or going for a swim. 

Step 2: Do I feel comfortable getting these clothes wet?

This next step is two-fold. First, you must determine if you’re comfortable with your chosen clothes getting soaked with river water. This is a very real possibility, even if you remain in the boat the entire trip! So while almost everything can be washed and dried good as new again, maybe leave your family heirloom cashmere sweater at home.

Secondly, it’s important to consider the material of the clothing you’re choosing for the raft. While an old cotton t-shirt from high school and your working jeans is great for an active day, it’s not gonna be the best option on the river. Cotton takes a very long time to dry and loses all of its insulation properties when it’s soaked. This means once you get wet, you’re staying wet… and cold! So avoid cotton materials! Opt instead for quick drying synthetic fabrics or wool. These will help keep you at a comfortable body temperature, even when you’re wet!

Step 3: Am I dressed appropriately for the weather AND the water temperature?

Okay no brainer: dress appropriately for the weather. You probably have some experience with that and know what you like to wear when it’s hot out vs. when it’s a cold rainy day. But water temperature? That one might be new for you, and it can fluctuate a lot depending on the river you’re visiting.

All rivers get their water supply from some combination of snowmelt, glacier melt, ground springs, rainfall, and dam releases. Because of this, some rivers stay consistently very cold all summer and require full wetsuits even on hot days, while others warm up with summer temperatures and can be rafted in swimsuits. Water temperatures of around 50 degrees typically starts to be the point where wetsuits and other insulation gear is recommended. Commercial outfitters know their rivers best and will often provide you with any additional cold weather gear you may need. It never hurts to ask and double check what’s provided!

At Wildman Adventure Resort, we raft on the Peshtigo and Menominee Rivers where we have some of the warmest whitewater found in the U.S. with water temperatures around 70-80 degrees for the majority of our season. We find that most people are comfortable rafting with us in shorts, t-shirts, swimsuits, or lightweight athletic wear almost all summer long. If you’re amongst the brave that join us for our early season or late season months, we provide everyone with full cold weather gear (wetsuits, splash jackets, and booties) before Memorial Day and after Labor Day at no additional cost. (Spring is usually when you’ll catch the BIGGEST rapids… trust us, it’s worth it!) If you’re really nervous about being cold in June, July, or August, we also have all of these pieces of gear available to rent all season long. 

What do I wear under a wetsuit? 

Good question! A lot of the same concepts we’ve talked about so far will apply again: something that can get wet, you can move freely in, and is made of synthetic quick-drying material or wool for added warmth. On top of that, it’s not a bad idea to wear something that hugs tighter to your skin to make getting in and out of the wetsuit as easy as possible.

Step 4: Shoes!

When thinking about what shoes to wear for whitewater rafting, it’s really important that they hit these key criteria:

• They can get wet.
• They stay securely on your feet.
• They offer good traction.
• If you’re rafting at Wildman: They are closed-toed shoes!

Here at Wildman, we both recommend and require close-toed shoes because we’ve found that they help prevent most minor foot injuries that could occur on a rafting trip. It’s a lot easier than you’d think to cut your foot on a rock in the river or stub your toe on a thwart in the boat. 

Based on this information, water shoes are a really great option, but don’t feel like you need to go out and buy a pair if you don’t have one already! An old pair of tennis shoes that you don’t mind getting wet works great as well. Additionally, we have water shoes for purchase or neoprene rafting booties for rent at both of our locations if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of figuring out footwear before you get here. We’ll make sure your feet are prepared for the rapids before we send you out there!

Some shoes are best to be avoided if possible. Crocs (in sport-mode) are great in the water, are close-toed, and have good traction when wet, but they slip off easily, making them the #1 pair of shoes that we lose on our river trips! They’ll work in a pinch, but they’re far from our top rafting shoe recommendation. Another common shoe we see are hiking boots. These definitely stay secure to the foot and provide good traction, but they can become very heavy and hinder mobility when they are wet. 

Step 5: What other gear is provided? 

So you’re feeling good on clothes and shoes, and you’re curious what else will be provided for you. At Wildman Adventure Resort as well as many other rafting outfitters, we will provide everyone with a whitewater rated PFD (personal floatation device, sometimes called a life jacket), a helmet, and a paddle. Everything you need for a successful adventure on the river!

Step 6: Show up at hit the rapids!

WHOO-HOO! You’ve now picked out the perfect outfit for rafting from head to foot and you’re ready to hit the rapids!

Not sure which whitewater rafting trip is best for you?

Give us a call at 715-757-2938 or shoot a message to our adventure consultants HERE. 

See you on the river!

About the author: As of 2025, Cassie is a 3rd year guide at Wildman. She’s got a knack for guiding rafts down the Menominee River, baking mouth-watering sweets, and writing code! She originally hails from Wisconsin, but can now call Chicago, New York, or Portland home.