Here's some food for thought: I dumped a drift boat in "Hells Half Mile" on the south fork of the Calawah back in the late eighty's. I was wearing bouyant neoprene waders and was able to swim to shore fairly easily. The episode fueled my feeling invincible on OP rivers.

A few years ago I quit wearing neoprenes in favor of hip boots in the boat. This latest tragedy on the Sol Duc has forced me to think about what would happen "IF" I dumped my boat tommorow wearing just hip boots. I think it would be safe to say my chance of survival in rapids with water filled hip boots would be nearly ZERO!!!! Think about this people.

I am going to purchace an inflatable vest to wear on the Sol Duc and Calawah river from now on.