What to Bring on a Delaware River Trip (Packing Checklist)

Packing right makes the difference between a great day on the Delaware and a miserable one. Forget the wrong shoes and you're limping across river rocks. Bring your phone in a pocket instead of a dry bag and it's toast. None of this is complicated — it just helps to know what to bring for a canoe trip or tube float before you're standing in the parking lot wishing you'd thought it through.

Here's what actually matters, from someone who's seen everything that can go wrong go wrong on a river day.

What Should You Wear on a River Trip?

Quick-dry clothes — board shorts, a rash guard, a lightweight shirt. Cotton feels fine at the start and miserable after it's soaked. You're going to get wet regardless of whether you want to.

• Shoes — water shoes or old sneakers you don't mind trashing. Not flip-flops. Flip-flops float downstream without you.
• Hat — a wide brim beats a cap if you're on the water for hours. The sun on the river is relentless.
• Sunglasses with a strap — the river doesn't return sunglasses. A cheap strap saves an expensive pair.
• Sunscreen — apply before you go, bring more. Water reflects UV, and tubers especially are out there for 3 to 5 hours with no shade.
• A light layer — if you're going in May or September, water temps can be chilly and you'll be wet. A thin fleece or jersey for the shuttle ride back is worth the bag space.

What to Bring in Your Cooler?

Yes, bring one. Coolers are welcome on canoe, kayak, and raft trips. For tubing, there's a cooler tube add-on available — you tether a small dedicated cooler tube to yours and float it right alongside you.

Pack drinks, snacks, lunch if you want. The Kittatinny-to-Portland tube run is 4 miles and can take up to 5 hours — you're going to want something to eat at some point. A few things to keep in mind:

• No glass on the river — this is a firm rule. Cans only. Pack accordingly before you leave home.
• Keep it secured — on a canoe or kayak, coolers can fit in the hull. On a tube, the cooler tube add-on keeps it from drifting off.
• Ice your drinks the night before — a cooler that's already cold when you pack it keeps things colder much longer.

How Do You Protect Your Phone and Valuables?

Best move: leave anything you don't need in the car. Keys, wallet, anything irreplaceable. The river doesn't care what it's worth.

For your phone — if you're bringing it, a dry bag is the only reliable option. Waterproof phone cases and zip-lock bags work okay for splashes, but if you flip a canoe or go for a swim, they're not going to save a $1,000 phone. A quality dry bag costs $15 and you can still see the screen through most of them. Clip it to a thwart or a D-ring so it doesn't float off.

• Dry bag — the actual solution for anything electronic
• Waterproof case — okay for quick photos, not for submersion
• Clip/carabiner — attach the bag to the boat so it doesn't drift if you set it down

What Should You NOT Bring?

Just as important as what to pack is what to leave behind.

• Glass containers — bottles, jars, anything glass. Not allowed on the river, full stop.
• Jewelry you care about — rings, earrings, necklaces. River bottoms are forever.
• Anything you can't afford to lose or get wet — camera gear, expensive watches, cash, prescription glasses without a strap
• Flip-flops as your only footwear — see above. They will leave you.
• A full change of dry clothes on the boat — keep those in the car for the ride home. Don't risk them on the water.

Does It Matter What Trip You're On?

A little. The basics are the same, but the setup is slightly different depending on your craft.

Canoes and kayaksgive you more storage. A canoe can fit a full-size cooler in the hull alongside your gear. You have more surface area to keep things secured and dry. If you want to bring more stuff — bigger meals, more layers, extra gear — a canoe trip is the easier format for hauling it.

Tubesare simpler by design. You're on an open ring, so anything you bring needs to either be on your body, in the cooler tube add-on, or in a secured dry bag. Don't bring more than you can manage. The simplicity is part of the appeal — you're floating, not hauling.

Raftssit somewhere in between. They're bigger than a tube with more space for a group to spread out, but you're still in an open raft and things can get wet.

Want More Logistics Before You Go?

Packing is just one piece of planning a good river day. For everything else — what to expect when you arrive, shuttle timing, and trip-specific details — check out our trip guide or browse the FAQ before you head out.