Sucks, doesn’t it.
Very impressed you made it back to climbing Ian.
The late Mrs OMM (how crass is that designation, wasn’t quite sure how to put it though, so went with “trying to be funny”), with the help of her Mum; stitched up a neoprene cummerbund/waist band thingy, that had a rigid packing foam “surround” or “case” for her bag. So she could climb, swim and deal with our (then) toddlers without too many “accidents”.
Bulky, but effective.