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Can You Bring Your Phone Whitewater Rafting?
Explainer · Rafting
Usually you can, but many outfitters would rather you didn't. If your phone comes, it needs a waterproof case, a secure spot your guide approves, and no strap around your neck.
The real question isn't whether a phone is allowed. It's whether it's worth bringing on your trip, given the water, your outfitter's rules, and what you'd lose if it went in the river.
What's happening
What a rapid does to a phone
Many commercial whitewater trips run Class III and IV water. American Whitewater's Safety Code describes Class III as large waves and features requiring skilled maneuvering, and Class IV as powerful rapids with hazardous features. A raft in that water bounces, takes waves over the tubes, and sometimes puts people in the river.
That's hard on a phone in three ways: water, impact and loss. OUTDOOR, a Swiss rafting operator, puts it bluntly: phones and cameras will not survive in a wetsuit pocket on Class III–IV whitewater. The fourth problem is attention. Wildwater Rafting warns that being distracted by a phone, or trying to take a photo at the wrong time, can increase the risk of the trip.
Organized by SKÖ
Four checks before your phone comes along
Work through them in order. A "leave it" at any step is a good answer.
Check 1What does your outfitter say?
Discourages it: take that seriously. OUTDOOR tells guests to leave electronics at base and has lockers there; Wildwater says it will never suggest bringing a phone.
Allows it: ask how guides want it carried, and go to check 2.
Check 2Is the trip Class III–IV, or calmer?
III–IV: expect waves, impacts and swims. The case, the attachment and your guide's okay all matter more.
Calmer float: less punishing, but the same rule applies: sealed and secured, not loose in a pocket.
Check 3Do you need it on the water, or only after?
For photos: many trips have a photographer at the big rapids. Wildwater says you'll almost always be able to buy the photos; OUTDOOR includes one with each booking.
For calls: don't count on it. OARS says cell service generally isn't available in many river canyons it runs, and In a Raft calls service inconsistent.
Check 4Could you live with losing it?
No: leave it at base. Wildwater sells waterproof cases but doesn't guarantee them or insure your device, and OARS says belongings are carried at the owner's risk.
Yes: bring it, set up as below.
Organized by SKÖ from the OUTDOOR, Wildwater Rafting, OARS and In a Raft pages cited in this guide.
If it comes
Six things to do before you launch
Each one is credited to the outfitter that recommends it.
- Test the case at home. In a Raft says to test first to verify water won't sneak in.
- Back up your photos and contacts. OARS recommends it before any river trip.
- Turn on airplane mode. Wildwater asks guests who bring a phone to do so.
- Tell your guide it's on board. OARS says guides may suggest secure storage.
- Make it float and easy to spot. In a Raft suggests a flotation attachment in a bright color; OARS suggests testing a floating case in shallow water.
- Keep it shaded. OARS notes overheating or freezing can damage a phone.
Questions
Phone and rafting FAQ
Will a waterproof phone case survive a whitewater trip?
Not reliably. A case can fail from a dirty seal, a closure that isn't fully shut, or impact, and outfitters that sell cases say they don't guarantee them. Test it at home, keep it secured, and decide whether you can afford to lose the phone.
Can I use my phone as a safety device on the river?
Don't plan on it. OARS says cell service generally isn't available in many of the canyons it runs. Your safety on the water comes from your life jacket, your guide and the briefing, not your phone.
Can I get photos without bringing my phone?
Often, yes. Many operators station a photographer at the major rapids and sell the photos afterward. Ask when you book.
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