My grandfather still lives in a rural area (didn't have electricity until the 1950's.) Most he ever carried was a homemade pocketknife and maybe a pack of matches. Then again, being intimately familiar with your area makes a big difference. You know where the water is, the seasonal temperatures, edible plants, etc, etc. Part of why we seem to carry so much stuff is cause we don't have that intimate understanding of the land that most of our parents, grandparents naturally had. Many people in 3rd world locales still have that familiarity. I guess being poor also has something to do with it, you just make due with whatcha got.