As a former infantryman, for 12 years, we never really carried anything special. We had pretty much everything we needed on our backs, with the exception of food. That being said, I went through a one week survival class, in 90, that was pretty informative. The instructor had us modify our uniform, so that we had fishing line, a wire saw, a scalpel, and a few other things sewn into our BDUs. The class was also heavy on fire building & plant identification. As a result of taking over an hour with a bow making a fire, I now carry a lighter & flint/steel combo whenever I go hiking.