Reading through this thread just now, i am struck by the complete absence of the item I have used more often than anything mentioned in this thread - a good topographic map. Many carry a compass, but a compass without a map is fairly useless (although the mirrored ones make decent emergency signal mirrors). I can readily determine directions without a compass, and the information present on a topo map is often unique.

Lat night I watched (utterly bored, I guess) some hokey survival show on the Discovery Channel and I thought how easily many of their problems could have been solved with a good map, but then the show would have lacked spice and viewer appeal.

Just for the record, my top three would be map, lighter, and some sort of shelter/ clothing (hooded windproof shell or poncho) for many situations. Like many have stated, the top three vary depending upon your situation. In the Sonoran Desert in the summer, for instance, my top three items would be a canteen, another canteen, and yet another canteen - all filled with water,thank you.

Actually, I think the problem can be stated more realistically as, "What survival gear would you carry if you were limited to one pound total weight (perhaps excluding water and its container)?

Overwhelmingly, everyone lists a knife in their top three. Don't get me wrong,I usually carry some sort of knife, typically two. But I have spent some fairly tough nights out, including the one I consider the most demanding, the one where I came closest to getting into deep doo doo, and never used, or needed a knife.