Thanks Frisket.

Yeah, I think we might ditch the tube tent. It could make a nice tarp though. DS has a second thermal sportsman blanket in his kit, as well as a second AMK bivvy. We've been practicing building shelters with them and he'[s getting pretty good at it. I'm probably going to get a GI Poncho instead of the tube tent. Having a mostly enclosed shelter, whether a tent or made from tarps or branches, is crucial for the eight year old's piece of mind. Things that go bump in the night aren't so scarey when he's got "walls" around him.

Ya know, I thought we had titanium sporksin our BOB but apparently they've mrigrated. The hunt is on!

Good call on the saws. I thought about switching one out for an axe, but it seems like overkill for a kit designed for a few days to a week. Good call to just ditch one!

Ditto the advice on the sauce packs. For somereason it made me think of hygiene. I should throw in some deodarant and toothpaste, and maybe a shamwow thingy.

We're on the same page when it comes to staying together. We're not intending to but would be sure to cover the essentials in both packs just in case.

Thanks for the always valuable feedback!