While I don't disagree with you per se, high quality gear in the hands of someone with wilderness skills is not something to discount.

Several years ago we built a new house at a golf resort, and being somewhat embarassed with the hand-me-down golf clubs that I had acquired since my college days, I decided to purchase new ones. Since I didn't want to have to run out and buy another set of clubs the next time something better came around, I went with what I determined to be the best at the time -- to the tune of around $3,000.00

The first time that I played with these clubs the slice that I had always had was gone, and I was hitting the ball ~40 yards farther (and straight). My score dropped 12 strokes from my previous best score, and I have since improved somewhat from that.

I suspect that a really good golfer could easily bury me using wooden clubs from the 1950's, but that is hardly any excuse for me to not buy the best equipment my budget will allow. Modern (i.e., expensive) golf equipment allows me to be a much better golfer than I could otherwise be, and in the same way, modern camping and survival gear allows me to stay warm and dry outdoors much longer and more comfortably than the stuff that my Dad and I used when I was growing up.

Jim