I don't think we're all blinded by consumerism as you have pointed out. True, there's plenty of threads on gadgets and gear. But the reality is that these conveniences can save lives. And you may frown upon them as not being rustic enough to satisfy a mountain man (or woman), but I will carry and use those tools (a.k.a., "gadgets") that I feel will help "me" survive. So I'll carry a SparkRite instead of flint and steel. For my lifestyle and experience, it provides me with a better chance of survival. And at that point, I'm not to concerned about earning style points for being closer to primative techniques.<br><br>Now there are "gadgets" and there are "gadgets." In general, I believe the folks here on this forum and the info on Doug's web site, steer folks away from useless gizmo toys that would only end up harming them in the end. There's also plenty of information on the quality of products. You sole survival tool of a knife could prove disasterous if you have a cheap quality blade that breaks within hours of a survival situation. <br><br>Consumerism is not going to save me. But you must be aware that there are all types of folks that may rely upon this information. And many of them are not expert outdoorsman. Nor is every survival situation a wilderness adventure. My wife has absolutely no interest in the outdoors. If she were in a wilderness survival situation armed iwth only a knife, she's dead. But I may be able to build her a car kit, including some gadgets, like a candle and lifeboat matches or a Fox whistle, etc., that she can make use of and perhaps improve her odds for survival.<br><br>I'm not trying to come down on you for expressing your position. I'm mearly pointing out that there is a place for this information, including the gadgets. And that you should realize that there are all sorts of people with various levels of skills, experience and capabilities and that we need to be more tolerent of these differences and actually learn from them. I actually look forward to learning about more pragmatic techniques. The thread on Jewel Weed deviated from the normal content on this forum, but one may find the information useful in the wild someday when you run out of that foil packet of poison ivy salve in your PSK. :-)<br><br>Peace<br><br>