I can't help thinking about the Leatherman ad/survival story about the diver who was descending a line from a bouy to a wreck and his hand became impaled on a very large fish hook that was stuck in the line. The barb had him trapped there, but he used his leatherman to cut the hook in half to free himself.<br><br>I think I'd want a leatherman with me, maybe in a water-proof enclosure to minimize the maintenance needed to prevent rusting. I also like the idea of a whistle, compass, flashlight and fire as a "bare minimum" starting point. Next I would consider a signal mirror for daytime signalling.<br><br>And the suggestion of carabiners makes a lot of sense, not so much as survival gear, but just part of your general equipment (for the reasons given) along with some cord.<br>