A week-long river trip made possible by Big Boys Toys.
It was a typical day at the office: emails flooded my inbox, scores of articles needed fact-checking & copy-editing, and innumerable mistakes to atone for. My transition to the professional world had not been a smooth one, and I had begun to feel like I wasn’t yet cut out to join the ranks of the gainfully employed. I’d been an inside dog for too long, and I knew if I didn’t get out soon, I was sure to implode. About mid-morning, amidst putting out fires I had started, my phone began to ring. I figured it was a good time to stretch the legs, so I picked up and headed out for a walk.
“Dude, we pulled the permit.” Gil said.
“What permit?” I quizzed.
“What permit? What other permit is there to pull in this state? The Smith!" Gil exclaimed. "Five-day trip the last week of April. You in?” It was music to my ears. It was exactly what I’d been looking for.
“You bet I’m in. Text me the details, I gotta get back to the office.” Walking back in, I was revitalized with purpose and ready to work. That was, until Eli asked, “What’re you gonna bring for a boat?"
Throughout my early 20s, I spent summers paddling and rowing hordes of tourists down some of the most picturesque rivers in the American West. While I always looked forward to half- or full-day whitewater trips, my favorite outing was always a multi-day overnight. Handsome gratuities and free food aside, there’s a magic that accompanies these excursions into the wilderness. Being a part of a floating civilization, rising each morning as sunlight creeps over the canyon walls, and the camaraderie that can only be forged outdoors—the worse the weather, the better the bond.
I’d never seen a rental shop run smoother, and hell, I used to work in one.
I’ve since “hung up the paddle”—who knows for how long—and my summers of 80-plus on-water days are behind me. It’s bittersweet, but for the best. I’m fortunate to not seasonally reside in guide housing (i.e., broken-down company vans) anymore, but there’s one perk of the job I miss tremendously: unfettered access to company rafts and gear whenever I wanted.
Eli’s question rattled around my mind. What boat would I bring? All those years with rafts at my disposal had spoiled me, and my enthusiasm turned to uncertainty. My buddy Duba and I spent the next several weeks trying to scheme our way into finding a rig that would suit us, but time and again, we came up short. Great rubber, but no frame; good frame, too many patches; decent boat, but no oars; looks great, costs double our monthly incomes combined. On and on it went, and seemed as though the trip would slip through our fingers. We didn’t have the money for a new raft, much less oars, frames, dry boxes, or coolers; and the used options were going fast.
Then, like divine intervention, an idea came to us. Cheaper than any boat we could find, with all the bells and whistles we would ever need and even a trailer to boot. It was so obvious! We felt like fools for not thinking of it sooner. I grabbed my phone and dialed up Big Boys Toys.
Located in Four Corners, Big Boys Toys has been the premier outdoor-rental authority in the Gallatin Valley for over 20 years. No matter the time of year, they’ve got the gear you need to play outside in a big way. From snowmobiles to driftboats, golf carts to UTVs, jet skis, inner tubes, rafts, trailers, RV’s, and all the camping gear you could ever need. Yup, they’ve got it all—and for a reasonable price, too.
My father used to say “The two best days in a boat owner’s life are the day he buys it and the day he sells it.” If that's the case, then why not rent it?”
What sets this operation apart from other rental shops in the Bozone is their customer service and keeping things simple. When I called, the owner, Ethan, was quick to answer and excited to get us on our way. I was nervous that such a request on such short notice—one week before the trip—would have been prohibitive. “Next Monday?” he asked. “Sounds great. We’re closed on Sundays, so just swing by Saturday night and we’ll get you set up.”
Pick-up was a breeze: no hassles, red tape, or overly complicated waivers to bog through. The raft was already tied down to the trailer and rigged up with a frame, dry box, 75-quart cooler, patch kit, pump, and anchor. All I had to do was drop it onto the hitch and drive away. I’d never seen a rental shop run smoother, and hell, I used to work in one.
The morning of the trip, we watched our friends struggle as they pulled their rolled-up rafts from truck beds, pump up the boats by hand, and carry them down to the water. Meanwhile, Duba and I leisurely tied down our bags, backed up the trailer, and slipped the boat into the river. From the put-in to the take-out, everything went out without a hitch. Sure, the fishing could have been better, but I didn’t care. I’d come to float Montana’s most pristine river, to drink up the splendor of a multiday trip with close friends, and to get away from all the stress that’d been bogging me down.
It had been about a year since my last overnight trip, and the Smith did not disappoint. The feeling of experiencing a river for the first time is an unparalleled affair. As we rounded each bend, we marveled in the spectacular scenery as the canyon walls towered above our heads. It seemed as though the landscape that awaited us beyond the next corner was always more breathtaking than what we’d just seen. We traded stories with one another, cracked jokes & beers, and reveled in our good fortune. Along the way, there were many late nights, sunset hikes, and even a couple hasty mullets cut beside the campfire with river knives and trauma shears. With nowhere to be, and all day to get there, we took our mornings at a leisurely pace. We’d look for sheds, eat our breakfast, rig the boats, and plan our stops for the day. It was Montan-gri-La.
That trip gave me the reset I needed, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Big Boys Toys. It reminded me of everything I love about this fine state, and our duty as Montanans to protect it. Most of all, it strengthened my belief that life’s better with a boat—especially when it comes without all the hassles of ownership.
At the takeout, we listened in as our friends again struggled to pack up their gear, deflate and re-roll their rafts, and complain about having to clean everything when they got back to Bozeman. Once again, Duba and I hung back, relishing the ease of our situation by comparison. We hoisted the raft onto the trailer, strapped it down, and hit the road. After a quick lunch in Helena, we were back on the highway and dreaming of a hot shower and warm bed. Around Three Forks, I gave Ethan a call letting him know we would be back at the shop soon. “Sounds great, just drive through the gate and drop the trailer off,” he said. It reminded me of something my father told me when I was young: “The two best days in a boat-owner’s life are the day he buys it and the day he sells it.” To that I say, “Why not rent it?”
From summertime floating to winter riding, you can bet that Big Boys Toys has you covered. Spend less time worrying about the logistics and more time making memories outside. Give them a call at (406) 201-7259 or visit bigboystoysrentals.com.
