AIRTIME River Gear grew out of AIRTIME Kite, a family-owned business in Hood River, Oregon that has been repairing kites, building bladders, and working with inflatable structures since 2001. Over the years we’ve developed a deep understanding of valves, bladder construction, materials, and what it takes to build inflatable products that last.

The idea for the inflatable bimini actually began more than a decade ago. While experimenting with a concept for an inflatable rooftop tent, we started working with a double-arch inflatable structure. Looking at the design, it quickly became clear that the same concept could work incredibly well on a raft.

In the summer of 2016, Brogan built the first prototype and took it out on the river. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. Hot summer days—especially 100° afternoons on the John Day—became much more enjoyable under the shade.

Trip after trip, other boaters floating past would ask the same questions:

“What is that?”
“Where do we get one?”

Those reactions convinced us the idea was worth pursuing.

Over the following years we continued refining the design—testing materials, improving the mounting system, and sourcing better components to make the system stronger, simpler, and easier to use.

Finally in 2025, we decided the design was ready to bring to market.

In the summer of 2026, we launched AIRTIME River Gear.

Today our goal is simple: build innovative, lightweight inflatable gear that improves time on the water.

Designed in Hood River, Oregon. Built in the Pacific Northwest.