Just a note to remind anyone who is planning to hard-tie gear to themselves, belts or PFD, please use some type of breakaway mechanism. You can use a plastic carabineer just as Matt is using, plastic coil or other mechanism. Please do not use 550/paracord or other difficult to break line/cordage. If you use a carbineer to directly hook the item onto yourself, belt, PFD, use a plastic or locking carbineer, but make sure it does not dangle, where it would get caught in something. Many individuals drown each year from having an item (whistle, knife, etc.) hard-tied to themselves via their belt/PFD getting caught in a rock, submerged tree limb, etc., which forces the individual under water. Swift water is frequently under judged by individuals in terms of the tremendous force generated, even when it appears to be slowly moving. One item of less importance: Velcro will sometimes not hold well when wet. Pete