I feel the same way. My wife and I were talking about this unfortunate situation, and she made the comment that we don't need any more gear...and I replied that on the contrary, we need a LOT more gear.

I've been working on acquiring kit for a year and a half or so. I make modifications and upgrades as I learn, and have money to do so.

I'll probably always be tweaking things, but the point is, it doesn't matter what gear you have or even what knowledge you have...when it's your time...it's your time.

That doesn't mean that we can't try to delay when that time comes.

My whole point is, I think it was Maya Angelou said, "You did the best you could with what you knew, and when you knew better, you did better."

I may think that I'd have the gear and knowledge to pull my family through this particular situation, but if it truly happened to me, I might end up like Mr. Kim in spite of my efforts.

I would say that for the apparent lack of preparation (at least to ETS standards) this family did REMARKABLY well in surviving. The whole family could have died from hypothermia the first night...but they survived for NINE DAYS before the car was found.

The surviivng family may find little solace in that, but I think that this story is inspiring...though for James, the ending was not a happy one.