Great idea on the custom ear plugs! Beaded security ties are little zip ties that have a 15lb break strength -- they are great for securing things like whistles to your pfd but will break away if they get snagged on something. The can also be used to secure carabiners in your pfd pocket so they don't fall out accidentally but can still be instantly ripped out when needed.

You didn't mention the most important items... Swift Water Rescue training and PRACTICE. Having all the rescue / safety gear in the world, won't do sh!t for you, if you don't know how to use it. Recommend taking an ACA Level 3 SWR course (or equivalent), and doing refresher training / practice each year. Any way, here's my normal safety gear load-out In/On PFD (currently Astral Green Jacket): •THREE LOCKING carabiners •THREE SMC pulleys •TWO Pre-Tied prusiks, line diameter sized to work with whatever throw rope carried •ONE 6' Spectra sling •ONE Rescue knife (CRKT Bear Claw) •ONE Fox 40 whistle, or other high-decibel "pea-less" whistle, attached high on shoulder strap with bungee cord In Boat or PFD: •ONE Throw Rope, minimum length 50' (15 m), minimum diameter 3/8" (9 mm) for nylon/ polypropylene line, 1/4" (6 mm) for Spectra & other static lines Around Waist, underneath spray-skirt: •ONE Guide Belt (aka flip line) - 15-20' of 1" tubular webbing, with a small loop tied at each end. Sized so that it wraps around your waist four times, with a FOURTH LOCKING carabiner as a buckle. You want it snug, and high up on your waist to decrease any snagging hazard. This is a very handy piece of kit to have when you need to get "hands on" as fast as possible, as it is always on you, unlike the throw bag. In Dry Bag, or Dry Box, secured inside kayak: •ONE very basic first aid kit (contains lifeboat matches and striker) •ONE emergency blanket •ONE Heavyweight polypro fleece balaclava (cartied all year, to help prevent / treat hypothermia) •ONE Energy bar •ONE half-life bottle of water (in addition to whatever amount of water I've brought to consume during the trip) •SEVERAL FEET of Heavy-Duty Duct Tape (or Gaffer's tape, 100 MPH tape) - Wrapped around middle of paddle shaft, or wrapped around one of the water bottles. For field-expedient repairs of boats and people. I prefer the Gorilla Brand for strength & stickiness, even when damp.

Nice video! I love all the ideas here in the comments too. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is that what you carry isn’t necessarily going to be the same for every situation. I understand having some key items always with you just in case, and so you don’t have to remember them, but if you are paddling a remote run you will want a lot of stuff that is not necessary on a roadside run.

One other thing - maybe not in the PFD, but when you go out on expeditions or rivers with possible wood - a Pocket Chain Saw - they are super light weight, small and carry easily and much quicker with way less fatigue when cutting wood. Cheers Adrian.

Cheers buddy great insight

Thanx for this video! Personally I have the Aqua Lung Squeeze Lock Knife and it's fit in front of my pfd to have access to it all the time in case of been hooked under water!

well done. had to use ear plugs. before videos....all trial and lots of error.

electric lighter, rubber chunk from bicycle tire tube(fire starter even when wet), food bar item, life straw or water purification, hand warmer, knife

Others have asked, but I didn't see a response on your thoughts for a fire starter. Secondly: the space blanket works nest if there is some sort of a heat source under it - if you get really cold and are wet and stuck in the wilderness, you may not be producing enough heat just from your body to not be hypothermic. In caving, canyoning the "heat kit" always has some sort of a heat source. Even one of those small tablet-type candles will increase the temp under the space blanket a lot in a matter of minutes. I had to use it several times and it works great. Not to mention having an injured person that needs to wait for a while to be rescued, it's essential to keep him/her warm.

Instead of earplugs i´m using surfer drops. That´s a mix of alcohol and vinegar. 70/30. Or Ethanol-Glycerol. Put in the ears before and after. No problems anymore. Even while playboating the ears stay warm. It´s like impregnated. Never realy liked the plugs.

Good selection of gear, but I always carried a paddle hook in my boat - makes it much easier to catch that run away kayak.

Thoughts on cowtail tether? I noticed you didn't include it in your essentials

don't see why you would put the space blanket into the pfd, you can always have it in your boat with your first aid kit. because it never is a matter of seconds for these. only thing else that might be interesting to add ist a pully, so you can instantly set up a hoisting system without having to fetch anything else than your throwback. other than that...well i found it pretty hard at times to get to my wistle while wearing a full face helmet, so attached it to a piece of string and shoved it into one of my velcro pocket, however i with a zipper instead of velcro i dont see how you could just rip it open without damaging the zipper. so kind of a special case.

flintstone fire starter & OB (menstrual) to start a fire and to stop wounds from bleeding, zipties for everything,

Who’s off to the Hurley Classics this year?

You don't carry any pulleys? I noticed most top level guys like yourself never carry their knife outside on the PFD. Do you lose them there?

What about a folding saw...