Inflatables have come a long way since we first ventured into the sea with a flimsy dinghy that only lasted a couple of waves before it sprung a leak and looked like it was trying to eat us alive.

As we started down the wild and scenic Rogue River in Southern Oregon, I was keenly aware of how goofy I looked floating next to fully loaded oar rigs. I was paddling a cranberry pink, 7-foot-long ...

Anna Popp is a New York-based associate editor at Travel + Leisure, covering all of the best travel products, from luggage to outdoor gear. She has been a travel writer, editor, and product tester ...