My attitude to gear is that I'm not simply carrying a bundle of things on my back. Choosing an item of gear and seeing how it relates to what is there already is my concern. That the gear I carry feels like a single unit is important to me. When I have the feeling that an item I'm carrying is somehow a loner in my pack then I reject it, and find something else. Being satisfied that every item has it's place, and every item is a reflection of the whole I think I have assured myself that when a major disaster comes this holistic attitude to gear selection will make all the difference. Of course if I should lose the pack........ :-(