Small saws are properly addressed along with full size for the same reason some people think a space blanket is some magic kit from the folks at NASA.
I've carried just bowsaw blades in the past. But the wieght impact of a handle is negligable and properly packed it will not hang up on brush. And sometimes, even in a resource rich environment finding the right raw material can take far to long.
I took a naysayer for a hike to show him Miner's Lettuce after talking about wild edibles. My route has always been a haven for the plant. I couldn't locate a single specimen. I told this to my chumash friend who turned beet red. So I asked my redfaced redman what was up? He had hiked the route the previous week and harvested every plant for a local elemtary school talk.