Filed under: iPhone, App Store
First Look: RiverGuide for Kayakers
Kayakers who want up-to-date info on river conditions now need to look no further than their iPhones (assuming they are brave enough to take said iPhones out to the river).RiverGuide for Kayakers (link opens iTunes), by developer Wayne Daley, provides real-time streamflow information throughout the U.S. The app has a very logical layout -- the first screen you see breaks the country into seven regions. Tapping on the appropriate region shows a list of states, and then tapping on the state displays an alphabetized list of rivers or river segments. For each river, RiverGuide for Kayakers displays the time and date that the streamflow information was recorded, the cubic feet per second (cfs) that the river is running, and a wave icon signifying high, medium or low relative water level.
That's enough information to make sure that you don't arrive at a river with your kayak only to find that the water level is at a trickle. However, RiverGuide for Kayakers also has a built-in newsreader for getting the latest scoop on general topics (whitewater, Olympic, or sea kayaking, and American rivers), or regional kayaking news.
At $1.99, RiverGuide for Kayakers is an absolute bargain for kayakers, rafters, or even fishermen who can use the up-to-date info. Be sure to check out the gallery! And be sure to keep your iPhone dry while you're out there on the river with an OtterBox or AquaPac.
Gallery: RiverGuide for Kayakers
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Steve said 4:08PM on 8-06-2008
I got this app when it was first released and use it everyday. Nice clean interface, and quick. It has thousands of rivers in the US and 250 rivers where I kayak in West Virgina.
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jP said 9:43PM on 8-06-2008
I am not a very active kayaker, but I do love going when I can. And I also love WV! Yeah!
SimonCaron997 said 4:09PM on 8-06-2008
Use it several times a day. After spending over $300.00 on my iPhone this is the best $1.99 I've spent to date. Nice to see some useful apps in the app store other than just games.
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Patrick said 4:10PM on 8-06-2008
I check gauge readings regularly from my bookmarks, but this app has a much nicer and more readable interface. No zooming, panning or crashing trying to get flow information with a browser.
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William said 4:16PM on 8-06-2008
Easy to use and fast, even over Edge network. Presents the river information in a nice readable format. And the news is a nice bonus to pass time at the put-in.
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Scott said 4:22PM on 8-06-2008
I wanted to know what rivers were covered in my area and within 2 hours, I had screenshots of over 100 rivers in Texas. Nice customer service provided by the company.
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jpons said 5:11PM on 8-06-2008
As others have stated this is the best money I have spent on the Apps Store so far. The developer (Wayne) is VERY responsive and has great plans for new features. I am certainly looking for updates as they become available.
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Jack Vaughan said 7:44PM on 8-06-2008
This is a fantastic app! The interface is very intuitive and the information accurate and up to date. I use it almost daily.
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Devon Shaw said 11:53PM on 8-06-2008
Bought it without even thinking, and just tested it to scout out my upcoming trip to Royal Gorge this weekend. VERY impressive work, incredibly easy to navigate and tells me almost everything I want to know. Map functionality and specific info on actual river runs (Such as "Boulder Drop" instead of "X to X" for example) are probably the only things I'd like to see in future revisions. WELL worth the two bucks to any fellow whitewater addict.
And for that matter, why hasn't someone come up with a tide app for surfers? Hmm...
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Dan said 11:58PM on 8-06-2008
This sounds cool. Remember to thank your U.S. Government for providing the data in the first place! Your tax dollars at work :)
(no I am not a federal employee...)
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Boilerblues said 7:52AM on 8-07-2008
Looks cool, but would be better with integration with American Whitewater's info on rivers.
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