Thoughts on gear?

[NM SAR]

back to the OP's, question, I've tried leg rigs and come to the conclusion that while they're great for combat ops, they're not so good for SAR. (problems with chafing things I'd rather leave unchafed, and restricting movement)

If you need things more accessible than in your pack, I'd recommend a small chest rig like this: http://www.tacticaltailor.com/minimav.aspx

I ended up making my own by cutting the straps off of an old leg rig and sewing it to my orange vest. YMMV.