Superb staff, great planning and schedule, nice accommodations, and especially outstanding raft guides including Luke on the south fork who learned and knew all our names and taught us to paddle as a team , Michelle who shared history and tidbits and Jan (pronounced Yan) on the middle fork who told us Viking stories and expertly kept us on the raft as he led us down a rapid bumpy wet escapade . The meal staff was lovely and accommodating. The front reception staff warm, welcoming and professional, and the river guides we had were tops! We especially loved Luke Jan. read more

this was my 2nd time rafting with AWE but 1st time on Middle Fork American River. It was such a blast!! The rapids are very intimidating but the professionalism of the guides with AWE make it not scary at all! They are very thorough with their instructions and safety to make sure everyone has a great time and gets down the river safely. Our guide was Pablo. He was so kind and professional. He's unbelievably skilled at navigating all of the rapids. I love that in all the photos, he is back there smiling while the rest of us look quite unsure of whats coming next. It was especially fun watching the guides skillfully take the rafts down a 30 ft waterfall. Lunch was great....everything made for a memorable day! Cant wait to return! read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

The only company I raft with on the American. Best guides, carefully selected and trained. Adherence to safe fun. Many of the guides have decades of river expertise. Shoutouts to Carol, "No Flip" Duffy, Eric, Claudia, Lizbeth, Christian, so many others. Quality, top to bottom. Best thing to do in this world is raft, and AWE is the best to do it with. Stop reading this drivel and go rafting with them! read more

Our guide got our boat stuck on rocks 3 times. One of the times the boat filled with water to the top. I was thinking about when it would be time to jump ship. Somehow we got unstuck and didn't flip. Our 11 year old was with us and it said it's a trip for families with kids age 7 and older. Remember, anything can happen on the river. But we were hoping for fun not actually scary. At the end of the trip he said my son could float down the rapids in his life vest but the rapids were too big and the water went over his head! The guide should have picked a ripple not a rapid. Our guide was really really nice, but we didn't have the best experience. Maybe it's not his fault because that's the chance you take on a white water trip? We were supposed to raft again the following day and we went home instead. read more

My friends and I had an excellent time with AWE for a full-day South Fork beginner trip. I booked through the phone which was super easy. Prices are comparable to other companies in the area. I was informed that I could add people to the trip up until the day of the trip, unfortunately that is not the case and they actually set up the rafts the day before, so any changes should be made at least a day before. Email confirmation was helpful but I wish it also included info on what's allowed/recommended to bring into the raft itself (wasn't super easy to find on the website). In addition to their recommended list, I would recommend bringing a small bottle of hand sanitizer because there is no handwashing area during lunchtime and no utensils because lunch is a tortilla wrap style meal. Waiver can be filled out the day of the trip. Life jacket and helmet is mandatory (brownie points for AWE washing helmets between uses). Use the restroom beforehand - at the halfway mark/lunchtime there is only 1-2 pit toilets available and likely a line for it. Overall I had a great time in the river and our guide Michael was fantastic. read more

Duffy and crew were absolutely amazing. we chose North Fork and we were not disappointed. Five stars read more

This is the best whitewater rafting experience you can ask for! My friends and I have had a lot of fun every time we've gone with this company. Make sure to ask for No Flip Duffy to be your raft guide!! If you're looking to have a good time, you won't be disappointed. read more

Such an amazing experience. Our guide Tom (the little Tom) went out of his way to make sure we all enjoyed our day. He was funny, super knowledgeable, and made sure we got the most out of every rapid. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a guide on the American River. read more

This trip was amazing! We did the Middle Fork of the American River and it was fantastic. The guides were all great and full of personality. Our guide Stephie, was fantastic! Very knowledgeable on the river, personable, and impressively multilingual. Stephie guided my kids and with capable confidence and has guided whitewater trips all over the world. I would highly recommend this company and their guides. read more

Went white water rafting today, middle fork, it was amazing. Eddy was an amazing guide and the guides are so experienced. It was s fun trip and will be going back next year. They provided lunch as well which was great. They provide transportation from Raleys in auburn to the site and back after wards. Awesome trip read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

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This is my third time rafting with American Whitewater Expeditions, and this is the first time I'm writing a review for them. Last Sunday, I had a rafting trip on the Middle Fork route. Our guide was Pablo. The last two times I had rafting trips with them, the guides I had were good, but Pablo was exceptional. He was witty and made sure we were 100% safe. Even though there were the notorious rapids of Tunnel Shoot, which usually flip rafts, Pablo navigated our raft so that it was constantly afloat. We will definitely request Pablo again for our next rafting adventure and those funny memories happened on that raft with my siblings and friends will forever remain in our thoughts. read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Middle Fork Tunnel Shoot - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

Friendly staff, allowed us to add someone last minute, and accommodated our boys' "teen boat" request when another group bowed out. Our guides were friendly, fun and kept us safe on the Chili Bar Run trip. The boys loved the break for rock jumping. We will be back for another trip before summer is over! read more

American Whitewater Expeditions was such an amazing experience. All the staff are kind, cheerful, funny, and skilled in what they were doing, and helped us have so much fun. We went on the middle fork and had blast! And the scenery was majestic and so beautiful. We left the Bay area on a thursday after school and camped there. The campsites were clean and also the bathrooms were really nice and clean. we woke up the next morning and were given really helpful directions by a staff member Duffy who is super awesome! For On the water we were given clear, easy directions by Fernando, a very expirienced rafter having worked in different countires on many rough rivers. read more

The five of us had a terrific day on the South Fork with Tara. She was an experienced, patient, teacher. One of our team experienced a case of heat fatigue and she handled it wonderfully. Tara allowed our friend to sit in the raft comfortably without having to row. We all had a lot of fun and I would recommend this company to everyone. When I made reservations, I was not informed that if we raft with American, we can get a free night camping. If I had known that, we may have camped there instead of where we ended up. read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

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Our guide Vince (pictured in the photo kneeling) was incredible! From start to finish, he made our South Fork American River Class II-III trip fun, safe, and memorable. He knew the river like the back of his hand, showed us how to paddle properly so we could try spins (360s), and made the ride exciting while still easy to follow. On top of that, he shared fun California history, pointed out unique rock formations, and kept us engaged by quizzing us along the way. The entire experience was a perfect mix of adventure, learning, and laughs. At the end, they give you the chance to tip your guide so don't forget to bring cash or Venmo. This was by far the best white water rafting experience we've had, and we'd love to go again with Vince as our guide! read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Our Guide, white water rafts, friends - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

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I can't recommend this place enough. The entire team was helpful, friendly and professional. Our guides were amazing, the photographers were on point and my son told me he liked this trip over great wolf lodge and Disneyland. High octane thrills at very budget friendly prices. We will be returning every year for sure read more

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We went rafting on Monday,June 16th. I am 68 yrs old and went with my two adult step daughters. I can not say enough it was a blast. Exciting, beautiful country and an amazing guide.(Andres) Andres was very experienced, funny, informative and very kind. We took the South Fork Gorge half day trip. From beginning to the end it was about a five hour trip. Highly recommend this trip I will be back soon. read more

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Did the South Fork years ago, and finally did Middle Fork twice this summer. Once with Erick, and the second time with Pablo. Both guides were amazing. We couldn't have asked for better experiences. Will be back for the North Fork next year! read more

Wanted to publicly thank AWW for a great water rafting experience. The Staff was ultra helpful and friendly. They WERE so well organized. Julieann was our river guide. She was AMAZING! She is very professional (remember this is a extreme sport very dangerous). She did a great job of safety checking us always and explaining our paddling instructions. Plus she was so great with her knowledge of the area. We talked about the history of the river and all the plant and wildlife surrounding the river. We had a simple lunch. Build your own Wraps! Cookies and lemonade. Highly recommend using AWW. read more

First class operation. Camp site was great. My wife and two sons (18 & 15) rented the 8 person tent which worked perfectly! Breakfast and dinner provided which was convenient and good. Bathrooms (showers and toilets) were very clean! For rafting... what a day! We did Middle Fork so Class III and IVs. Pablo Chole was our guide. He was fantastic. From Costa Rica, he's guided all over the world. His stories were great. It was the 4 of us plus Chole. After first couple rapids and assessing us, he pushed us to not "get down" and instead "lean back" on the next ones which made it more exciting! Great couple days! Highly recommend it! read more

Absolutely so much fun!!!!!! Just do it! these guides are TOP NOTCH! Duffy is freaking awesome - and Jonathon is an amazing guide, too. We went with a large group today and every single one of us had a blast! cannot recommend this company enough. Fun + safety and a wonderful lunch, too. These guys really care about your adventure .... GO GO GO!! read more

I had an AMAZING experience with American Whitewater Expeditions. We did the Middle Fork stream which was class 3-4. Our tour guide was Julianna and she was awesome! She was so knowledgeable about the history of the surrounding area and the plants. She also had a lot of fun tricks for us to do. The lunch that was provided was so delicious after hours of paddling. We had a big group so it was fun that the guides set up the rafts to splash the other boats. All of us have paddling experience so it made it a lot easier for us to set up going down the rapids. I would definitely book another trip with them! I had a blast. read more

Nic was our guide for the Middle fork today and I have to say after 3 years of coming to American whitewater expeditions, Nic was the best guide we've had from his information on every turn of the river to the amount of fun everybody had at every rapid. Also big shout out to Luke my friends who were in his raft today had an amazing time. read more

First time white water rafting and was most definitely fearful of my life but having Emily and Micaela as guides made it a breeze and it was dope and more fun than i ever expected it to be. I'll definitely be back! About halfway down they fed us lunch (tortilla wrap type deals) and that ghost pepper mustard was CRAAAAZY. Scotty's cookies were bomb too. Definitely coming back w the whole family! Thank you Emily, 6 stars if and Micaela is the moral support lol read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

My second time this summer rafting and camping with this company. I can't say enough good things about them! The staff is friendly and helpful, the food is fantastic, and the guides are the most professional and fun I've been around. I booked a three day trip (Middle Fork one day, South Fork two days) and camped at Coloma Camp. The guides are from all over the world and are the best and most experienced you will find on the American River. You will have fun and you will be kept safe at the same time. I have my favorites but you will discover your own. I turn highly recommend a multi-day trip to experience all the American River has to offer. I just hope I can wipe this smile off my face by the time I return to the office tomorrow. PS: The photos are from my trip last month. I need to grab this week's photos. read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

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These guys are awesome. My family had an incredible and unforgettable experience!! We did the 2-day rafting tour. It was my 2nd trip ever going, my husband's 3rd and my 16 year old son's 1st time. Prior to this trip, the last one I went was 9 years ago. I learned that there is a huge difference in me physically between the time I was in my late 30s vs my late 40s. Campsite was included, but you need to bring your own gear. We are big campers, so it wasn't a problem. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was included, for day 1, and breakfast and lunch on day 2, so no need to bring cookware and food. The food is really good, too! Let me talk about the staff. These guys really think about everything. They are above and beyond friendly, helpful, funny and most importantly, they do what they can to keep you safe, so that you have a good time. Day 1 was in the South Fork, which was a Catergory I-III. Chri-Chri (Christian) briefed us on what we are about to experience. He was hilarious! He kept us very relaxed and laughing. But I will tell you- listen to what he tells you about water safety. You may need it. Laura was our guide. She is from Argentina and was very kind and sweet, and made sure that we were good to go by checking our gear. Great conversation and great fun. I will say she was very patient as we were on the boat with a bickering couple. It added to the entertainment of the boat as they were funny and nice, but sometimes I wished we had a little bit of silence from them so that we can hear the light spring breeze while enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Sometimes it was tough to hear Laura because they talked too much and too loud. I will admit, the couple gave us plenty to talk about afterwards. My son had the hugest smile on his face when we were done. Little did he know, the real adventure was on day 2. Day 2 was in the Middle Fork and it was a Catergory III-IV. Cam was our guide. He's such a fascinating dude from New Zealand. He's been rafting all over the world. These rapids will get your heart throbbing and your arms paddling, and I'm glad we had this dude to do it with. We had a different couple on this trip with us and they were a serious upgrade from the couple from day one. There's no way I would want to hear their bickering when we are trying to get through some of these rapids. Cam told us exactly what to do with the paddles. All the rapids get your heart racing, and sometimes your boat goes flying and you can hit some rocks that get the boat bouncing. And guess what? My son and I flew off the boat while we were going down Kanaka Rapids. But we both listened to what the guides told us to do. STAY CALM. Swim to the nearest boat, try to stay to the middle of the river, keep your mouth closed because water can fly towards your face. (I'll admit, I took a couple mouthfuls before I reacted properly to this part) Since we were in the middle of the rapid, we were flowing faster than our boat, so it was tough to swim against the current to get to our boat. So I swam to the boat in front of ours and was going so fast that I got under that boat and had to walk my hands under that raft and follow it til my head popped up and the lovely folks in the other boat pulled me up. I had lost a water shoe as I went down the rapids, but the funny thing was 5 minutes later, my shoe showed up and one of the gals from the boat that pulled me up got my shoe for me. Who said you need a prince to feel like Cinderella? Hey, sometimes you fall off the boat, but you get back on it and keep flowing. My son and I talked about what our favorite part of our adventure was and to be honest, it was the part when we both fell off the boat. Yup, it was out of our comfort zone, and nothing got our heart pumping more than that. We laugh about it even, and we'll still talk about this when I'm in my 80's. There are people that go on this adventure with barely any to no experience. So if you are one of those people who wonder if you can handle it, YES you can. Really pay attention and listen to your guides. It kept me and my son safe. They are awesome and know what they are talking about. There are parts of it that can be a little hairy if you have physical issues. I personally have a hip issue, so I had to take it easy, when we were walking the boat down to the water in the beginning and a time we had to get off the boat and hike over the rocks to watch our instructors take it down Catergory V-VI part of the course. That was so fun to watch, btw. Thanks, American Whitewater Expeditions! We will always have a special place in our hearts for the great memorable experience! read more

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Excellent, improved organization of the whole day activities that includes gathering to sign waivers, gear distribution, transportation, rafting, lunch, more rafting, transportation back, refreshments and dinner for those selected. All of that is accompanied with instructors professionalism, smiles and positive attitude. All of this gets improved year by year. Thank you, American Whitewater Team! read more

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Had a blast on the middle fork expedition! Marcello was an awesome guide!! A purely professional outfit if your considering a whitewater adventure go with American Whitewater!! read more

Great time. Duffy was a great guide and really knew his stuff. Definitely recommend for a 6-7 hour event.

This was an absolutely fabulous rafting trip on the South Fork American River half-day run. I can't wait to do it again! Our guide, Tara, is an international rafting champion and a great teacher and guide. Stunning scenery and fantastic fun!!! read more

What a phenomenal experience for our teens and their Japanese exchange student buddies! The guides were fantastic, and our kids couldn't have had a better time. My son tends to be an indoor sort of kid, contrary to the rest of our family, and this has completely changed him. Our family will be visiting this venue again very soon. A+ read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Kids having the time of their lives whitewater rafting - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

Had a wonderful time in the Middle Fork of the American river. Had some cool rapids and also had some peaceful relaxing moments. I personally do not believe you have to be overly athletic to participate. Our guide Houston with a J :) F#%^ing awesome. Knew the history and geography of the river and the canyon. As well other rivers around the world. Extremely well spoken and knowledgeable. Had a sense of humor and a great personality. Walked away with way more knowledge. Kept a 16 and 17 year olds attention the whole time. Tough task!!! He converted the youngest who didn't want to go, to can't wait to go back, as my wife and I can't either. Highly recommended. See ya next year Houston with a J. Thank you Mat, Danielle, Karson and Konnor read more

Whitewater rafting has long been on my bucket list and after the amazing amount of snow CA received this past winter I knew I had better do some research and find a tour that would fit my needs. After booking a South Fork Whole River Day Trip tour online I was emailed the driving directions, what to bring, what to expect, and other pertinent information. Arrival was a bit confusing as to who my guide was and what the instructions were. There were crowds of people milling around, the guides seemed a bit overwhelmed. *Maybe assign groups a number or letter and then have guides and guests meet in that designed area?? Since the water temps were still cold, guests were required to wear a wetsuit which was cold and wet when I put it on because it had not dried from the day before. I know I was going to get wet, but putting on a cold wetsuit was not a pleasant thing to do. Guests were given: a wetsuit, a light jacket, a helmet, paddles, and a life vest. This became awkward to manage, plus I had brought a water bottle. I left my phone in the car and the front desk held onto my keys. All guests then loaded buses and we went on a 25 minute drive down some very windy mountain roads. We were given instructions on safety and the run down for the tour. Once off the buses we met up with our guides and loaded up. The tour took a lunchbreak which was much needed. It was serve yourself buffet style. There was a composite toilet up a small hill~as usual the line was pretty long. After lunch we were back on river for more rapids. Then 4 mile lazy float. A jet ski was supposed to tow us along the lazy river to shore, but it broke down so we paddled the rest of the way. Once loaded up we got back on the bus for a VERY fast ride back to camp. Unloading the items we had used that day was a bit hectic. The guides were yelling and pointing where to leave things. There were groups of peolpe walking every which way, bumping into each other in various stages of undress. I got my keys, changed into dry clothes in my car then I bought some AWE merchandise. Similar to Disneyland, pictures from the trip were available for purchase. The photographer only accepted cash so I took his information and Zelled him the $60. I'm thankful for the high quality pictures that he took of my group. I felt safe and in experienced hands while out on the water. Our raft of 4 guests and 2 guides (one was in training) did a lot of talking, laughing, and storytelling. It may sound cliché to say, but I did feel like I was back at summer camp. Thanks to AWE for a memorable experience. read more

We had a fantastic day-long, class 4, rafting trip on the American river with Julie as our guide. From beginning to end this company and guide were excellent. Our family has been on several prior trips in other areas, with other guide services. This was our best experience and I would highly recommend American Whitewater. Our guide, Julie, was top notch! read more

Highly recommend! Great friend/family/,team bonding activity! I felt completely safe and had a blast! I was worried at first because of all the summer, drought hot days in california, we happened to book it on the one day that was rainy and cold. We were told to arrive at 8am, and don't be late! Because there's other groups who will go in the same shuttle and this is a 6-7 hour rafting trip. Upon arrival, I was surprised that we were provided wet suits but thank goodness because the water was freezing. Tbh, I was worried about the sanitary conditions a bit but at the end of your trip, they sanitize and clean everything you used. The wet suits and jackets were a life saver! Yes the water was cold! But the wet suit kept us very warm. They also provide a helmet! The only thing they don't provide is water shoes so I would actly recommend to buy them before your reservation. Flip flops are not recommended and you're going to be very uncomfortable in your regular shoes. You WILL get soaked. Most of the ppl in my group were first timers and we went on the level 3 route. There's a lot of fun rapids but also a lot of calm waters in between. Our group will even feel comfortable bumping it up to level 4/5 next year! Beware, this was a workout for my back and shoulders! They provided us lunch which was pretty filling! Tortilla wraps with some deli meats and the usual toppings. They also baked us cookies which I had to admit I loved whatever recipe they used! Our guide was Oscar and he was super friendly and great! I felt Oscar tried his best to make it so we hit all the fun rapids areas and got as soaked as possible! Make sure to tip your guide!! The photographer was also great. It's pretty hard to get action photos but we got a handful that we actually liked. All the guides have so much personality and there's a guide per boat. They were hilarious and professional at the same time. Really great vibes and can't wait to do it again! read more

I went with them last Sunday down the Middle fork of the American River. it was sooooo fun! Our guide Marcelo was very experienced and kept us safe throughout. there'a a 4+ rapid and lots of 4s so it's super exciting. I would definitely recommend them and go with them again. The width of the raft is wider so less likely to flip. read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

I rafted with three girlfriends this summer. We stayed in the cabins (very comfortable and well equipped). But the main thing I want to write about were our two guides, Marcos and Pablo. They were EXCELLENT and made sure our experience was safe, memorable, exciting, and FUN. And let me say it again, they kept us safe! They managed to keep us in the boat on both the south and middle forks of the American River. I am grateful for the hard work they put into guiding, expertise, sense of humor, and smiles. They made sure we had a wonderful experience. read more

American Whitewater Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Coloma, California

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This was my first rafting experience, and did not disappoint. We conquered some level 4's right off the bat, our guide helped us prepare of how we go about it. It was great to be around nature, and meeting new people. The rafting adventure pushed me physically, and mentally but in a good way. The time goes by fast too. I think we were out there for like 6 hours, but only felt like an hour. Good adventure for the summer time, because you are going to get wet. I can't wait to do it again. Tip: bring a bit of cash with you, they appreciate tips at the end. read more

This year was our second year rafting trip with American Whitewater Expeditions. It's become a tradition for us, but they unfortunately dropped the ball this year. I'll start out by saying their employees that assist you over email are always prompt with responses, kind and helpful. Their guides are always fantastic, know what they're doing and easy to conversate with. Our guide this year was from Brazil. I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember his name, but he was fantastic! He and our transport driver, Chib, from the 6/24 middle fork trip gave so much history on the area during the trip on the water and the drive over. Really enjoyed that! Last year, we did the South Fork and found ourselves wanting some more excitement, so we opted for the Middle Fork trip this go around. It was a blast. The rapids came almost immediately after getting in the water, and tunnel chute was quite the experience! Unfortunately, this is where the company really fell short. On their site as a part of the Middle Fork trip, they list: "Trip Photography Package Option - Share your Adventure Photos are taken at Tunnel Chute Rapid and are available online after your trip." Imagine what an absolute disappointment it was when we realized at the end of trip that they never mentioned the pictures. When we did the South Fork, they had their own photographer on a kayak that took pictures and you purchased them afterward. This go around there was no photographer with the group. There was a drone when we put in at the river, so it initially seemed that may be the means of photos. When I reached out to AWE via email at the end of trip, I was told the company hotshot imaging takes the pictures and was given a link. There were no pictures for that day when I went to their site. As advised by AWE when I noticed this, I reached out to Hot Shot Imaging who later confirmed they didn't shoot any pictures of the Middle Fork that day. What an absolute disappointment! AWE should have coordinated this service with Hot Shot Imaging. The fact that I had to reach out to AWE regarding where to get pictures was a red flag, this information should have been given at the end of our trip or emailed, and then for there to be no pictures at all despite them providing a link...such a let down. The experience of rafting with AWE has always been a pleasure, but I don't think we can return after the ball was dropped with pictures. They advertised it as part of the trip and didn't provide it. The pictures are such a big part of the fun. Another let down was the bbq dinner this year. Last year it was fantastic, this year they skimped on portion size and the beer and wine options were not as great as the previous year. For $30 per person, we definitely expected more than one slice of beef. The dinner was something we could overlook for all fun we had, but can't overlook the pictures not being taken. read more

Want to know where I've been rafting for 15 years, at this company. Just came back from two day rafting with Christian, my favorite guide, but all the guides are incredible. I continue to come here year after year because they are safety conscious, extremely friendly and accommodating, and I've never left here feeling anything less than blessed in my rafting! South fork gorge? Amazing family fun!!! Middle fork , how many folks can say they rafted thru one of only two tunnels in the world to raft thru? I think it was 2008 I started rafting here, and I've gone every year since. Only change is now, I'm bringing friends who are getting hooked too. Don't choose another company, don't short yourself, raft with the best!!!! read more