I consider them "feel good" items as long as TEOTWAWKI doesn't happen. Then their "status" would definitely change in my PSK. I always keep in mind other uses for the kit like catching birds (Yum).

Brings to mind: I was out and about with someone and we decided to take out our rods and fish. "We don't have any bait. We have to go and buy some bait," he said. I rolled my eyes, whittled the end of a stick into a chisel and dug up some nightcrawlers 20 feet from the riverbank. I knew how and where to look though. Caught some nice redear.