Maybe not a thread, but what we call here a separate Forum? Like "Around The Campfire", "Lending Library","Long-Term Preparedness"... We can ask for a new one - "Gear".

I like gear related discussions, not because of consumer kleptomania, but because I believe that from studying how this gear works, how it's different from another piece of gear (or from lack of this piece) for the same task, and how to use it effectively in different conditions, one can learn the skills (improvisation is the most important one) much deeper than having some basics read out of a book.

For example, I love alcohol stoves. I saw zillions of constructions, tried some from REI and of eBay, made several myself. I'm clearly understand the principles now. And I'm sure I can improvise such a thing out of anything at hands (not necessarily from a beer can, and not only for alcohol based fuel) with just a multitool or even without it.

A fun thing. There is a similar forum in Russia, which I'm visiting sometimes. Discussion of the most efficient EDC kit started with something like DR Kit, was finished in one week with common decision to carry only a single good knife. By the way, they have near 30 different Sub forums on a different matters of survival.