When you're choosing an outfitter for your outdoor adventure one basic consideration needs to be made with regard to outfitter size. While this concept is applicable in many areas, we'll focus on the whitewater rafting outfitter. We'll narrow the focus further by analyzing your options on the South Fork of the American River in Northern California and the outfitters that operate there.
Reasonably large outfitter can do anything a small company can do, but they won't for it would mess with their flow and they're turning the numbers they need and so they can be more rigid in their style and or offerings. This is not an indictment, simply a statement.
This does not mean you should book with a large company, nor does this mean you should book with a small company. It simply means, there are differences. You need to stop, look at your needs and use this article as a tool to help you make a decision.
First, we should agree, if you're looking to a professional whitewater rafting company, on a whole, they're going to have qualified guides and provide a professional trip.
In our world here, when we say large, we're speaking about outfitters that raft 1200 or more people per year down the river. A small company is going to do less than that.
With 33 outfitters on the South Fork of the American River, there are a lot of rafters. Consistently one of the top rivers rafted in the United States more than 60,000 commercial boaters went down the river in 2008. Of that 60,000 the largest company was nearly 10% of the volume and the smallest less than 1/2% of the total volume.
One of the biggest differences in a large versus small company is trip availability. A large company, because they're generally running a trip, can almost always take a one, two or four person booking. Whereas a small company may not be able to book you into a trip that's already going. The costs are prohibitive. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try to reserve with a smaller company, it simply means sometimes they cannot run the trip The flip side here, some of the larger companies fill up and their permits will not allow more bookings and a smaller company may have room on a trip.
A smaller company may have the ability to more easily accommodate special requests or customize your trip for you. A larger company cannot always make this accommodation because your party may be but a tiny fraction of the people that are rafting that weekend and in order to run things in a smooth manner they must adhere to their strict time schedules and routine. Again, neither large or small is bad, it's just in this case, the smaller company can often accommodate special requests because your party may be their trip and thus they can arrange it just for you.
All things equal between a small outfitter and a large outfitter you may want to give pause ans ask about the equipment. All outfitters will provide professional equipment but we know a smaller company that has turned all its gear over. The entire outfitter's gear is now specifically tuned to the river they run and the best rafting experience that river can offer. A larger outfitter cannot necessarily do this as they have huge numbers to get down the river and thus they run larger rafts to hold more of those people.
Fees: advantage big companies, if they choose to get into a pricing war. On the South Fork of the American River, as we mentioned, there are some 33 companies vying for your attention. Obviously they must be competitive with regard to price, there simply is too much competition. However, there are times where a large company can absorb more costs and run cheaper trips. A situation from 2008 comes to mind. A group asked for pricing from their normal rafting outfitter, a smaller company. The pricing was for 2 days rafting, 2 lunches, dinner, breakfast and camping. The small companies bid was $250, per person. They shopped their provider and found a larger company willing to give the trip for $199, they chose the larger company. While there are great differences between the two companies in customer service, guide attitude, equipment, the group opted for the lesser price. You must decide what your priorities are and then make your calls.
Perhaps you want to run another river or you want to bring 200 people to the river for a trip. A small company may or may not be able to make the schedules fit or may not even run the river you wish to see. A larger company may be able to do these things. However, if you have additional plans built into your vacation you may have requests of the outfitter you choose to meet the time requirements of what you're doing. A larger outfitter may not be able to meet your needs because of the schedules mentioned above or the person in charge is not authorized to make the necessary decision to make your special request happen. A smaller outfitter has a higher likelihood of the decision maker being at or near the river to make those decisions and to help you plan your trip.
A smaller company may be able to provide you a customer service experience straight from the owner. In general your experience carries more weight with a smaller company if for no other reason than there are less people to debase your response to the trip provided. Smaller most often equals a more intimate environment, larger more of a mass experience. None of the outfitters are hacks, all will have positive competent staff working to make you happy.
Size does matter, when choosing your rafting provider.
Reasonably large outfitter can do anything a small company can do, but they won't for it would mess with their flow and they're turning the numbers they need and so they can be more rigid in their style and or offerings. This is not an indictment, simply a statement.
This does not mean you should book with a large company, nor does this mean you should book with a small company. It simply means, there are differences. You need to stop, look at your needs and use this article as a tool to help you make a decision.
First, we should agree, if you're looking to a professional whitewater rafting company, on a whole, they're going to have qualified guides and provide a professional trip.
In our world here, when we say large, we're speaking about outfitters that raft 1200 or more people per year down the river. A small company is going to do less than that.
With 33 outfitters on the South Fork of the American River, there are a lot of rafters. Consistently one of the top rivers rafted in the United States more than 60,000 commercial boaters went down the river in 2008. Of that 60,000 the largest company was nearly 10% of the volume and the smallest less than 1/2% of the total volume.
One of the biggest differences in a large versus small company is trip availability. A large company, because they're generally running a trip, can almost always take a one, two or four person booking. Whereas a small company may not be able to book you into a trip that's already going. The costs are prohibitive. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try to reserve with a smaller company, it simply means sometimes they cannot run the trip The flip side here, some of the larger companies fill up and their permits will not allow more bookings and a smaller company may have room on a trip.
A smaller company may have the ability to more easily accommodate special requests or customize your trip for you. A larger company cannot always make this accommodation because your party may be but a tiny fraction of the people that are rafting that weekend and in order to run things in a smooth manner they must adhere to their strict time schedules and routine. Again, neither large or small is bad, it's just in this case, the smaller company can often accommodate special requests because your party may be their trip and thus they can arrange it just for you.
All things equal between a small outfitter and a large outfitter you may want to give pause ans ask about the equipment. All outfitters will provide professional equipment but we know a smaller company that has turned all its gear over. The entire outfitter's gear is now specifically tuned to the river they run and the best rafting experience that river can offer. A larger outfitter cannot necessarily do this as they have huge numbers to get down the river and thus they run larger rafts to hold more of those people.
Fees: advantage big companies, if they choose to get into a pricing war. On the South Fork of the American River, as we mentioned, there are some 33 companies vying for your attention. Obviously they must be competitive with regard to price, there simply is too much competition. However, there are times where a large company can absorb more costs and run cheaper trips. A situation from 2008 comes to mind. A group asked for pricing from their normal rafting outfitter, a smaller company. The pricing was for 2 days rafting, 2 lunches, dinner, breakfast and camping. The small companies bid was $250, per person. They shopped their provider and found a larger company willing to give the trip for $199, they chose the larger company. While there are great differences between the two companies in customer service, guide attitude, equipment, the group opted for the lesser price. You must decide what your priorities are and then make your calls.
Perhaps you want to run another river or you want to bring 200 people to the river for a trip. A small company may or may not be able to make the schedules fit or may not even run the river you wish to see. A larger company may be able to do these things. However, if you have additional plans built into your vacation you may have requests of the outfitter you choose to meet the time requirements of what you're doing. A larger outfitter may not be able to meet your needs because of the schedules mentioned above or the person in charge is not authorized to make the necessary decision to make your special request happen. A smaller outfitter has a higher likelihood of the decision maker being at or near the river to make those decisions and to help you plan your trip.
A smaller company may be able to provide you a customer service experience straight from the owner. In general your experience carries more weight with a smaller company if for no other reason than there are less people to debase your response to the trip provided. Smaller most often equals a more intimate environment, larger more of a mass experience. None of the outfitters are hacks, all will have positive competent staff working to make you happy.
Size does matter, when choosing your rafting provider.
About the Author:
Welcome to our 20th year Anniversary Celebration! Action Whitewater is taking 20% off each and every trip as their way of celebrating two decades of professionally run whitewater raft trips on the American River. Owned and operated by 24-year commercial raft guide, Christopher Pyle, Action Whitewater is geared and focused on providing you the best experience to be had on the river, from equipment to crew, we're all about you!
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