Yeah here in SoCal there's not much surface water compared to back east. Its very hard to conceive of surviving with just pocket items in the wild without already having water with you.
Some thoughts..
1. Having survival tools on your person at all times during adventure since backpacks can be lost, abandoned, destroyed or stolen or otherwise inaccessible.
2. Having the survival tools stored in a container that's comfortable to wear/carry and durable enough for the level of activity.
3. The container must be easy to open and close with weak, injured or hypothermic hands. When I once suffered from hypothermia my hands lacked the strength to open the fastex buckles on my pack.
Soft containers are comfy to carry in pockets but the items can be damaged in a fall or while sitting.
Hard case containers may not be comfy in pockets and hurt during a fall or while sitting.
I found survival stuff in hard or soft containers in pockets or on belt uncomfortable while sleeping.