Gear Reviews: Five Good Products Made by NRS
Our friends at NRS generally make the lowest priced river gear on the market. Even though most of their stuff is designed to be low cost, some items are really good.
1. NRS Big Water V Youth PFD
There aren't many good high float PFDs for kids and I personally think this one is the best. It's designed for kids 50-90 lbs giving them 17 lbs of flotation. One of the best features are the big buckles that make this comfortable PFD easy to get on and off. I really like that it comes in bright red, orange, yellow, and green colors.
NRS Youth PFD
If you're looking for a high flotation, bright PFD for your kids this is the one!
2. NRS Longhorn Frame
The NRS Longhorn Frame is my favorite rowing frame for day trips. It's not the absolute best frame for day trips but its adjustability makes it my personal overall favorite day frame.
It comes with the NRS Oar Towers which are super easy to adjust for different rowers. These oar towers can also be loosened and and spun inwards making it easier to stack rafts on a trailer.
3. NRS Boulder Camping Dry Box
This plastic "dry box" probably isn't perfectly waterproof so if you are are likely to wrap or flip you might want to get something else. It is about as waterproof as most other "dry boxes" on the market so it's probably good enough.
The NRS Boulder Dry Box has two bomber handles great for carrying or rigging it to your raft. I prefer these plastic boxes to metal boxes since they weigh less and they hurt less if you fall on them.
The lid can also be used as a cutting board, card table, or place to wash/dry your dishes.
(IF you want something bigger, check out the NRS Canyon Dry Box)
4. NRS Low-Back Padded Seat
If you want to sit on a padded seat when you row this is your best (and probably only) option. Since this is the "go-to" rowing seat most raft frames have holes pre-drilled to work with this throne.
NRS Padded Rowing Seat
Be sure to follow the instructions that come with the seat so you don't strip the holes when attaching it to your frame.
5. NRS Big Water Guide PFD
There aren't many high floatation rafting PFDs out there so by default this is the best one. With a solid 22.9 lbs of flotation it handily beats most kayaking PFDs that typically have around 16 lbs of flotation.
NRS Big Water Guide PFD
This PFD looks a bit dorky and isn't the most comfortable but at least your head will be above water when you take a bad swim.
