"I understand the fact you cannot predict what you will encounter but I cannot understand the thought that that is the way you should pack your kit. The best kit in my opinion is not the kit that is packed for what "may happen" its the kit that is packed for what you need no matter what happens then for what can possibly happen with size and weight in mind."

You are confusing me. You speak of size and weight, and then you talk about a tent.

Here's my situation: I drive daily from/through rural areas to highly urban areas for my job. What I can carry in my vehicle can't exceed what will fit in a standard student backback. I also have a case of bottled water and a car kit that contains a basic first aid kit, 4 emergency blankets, a towel, a tow strap, a pry bar, duct tape and some flares.

I can't carry a sleeping bag or tent. Everything in the backpack has to be very useful. My worst-case scenario is being caught in Seattle or Portland during a major earthquake, where I would almost certainly be afoot almost 100 miles from home, with a couple of good-sized rivers in the way.

This differs from what I can carry in my personal car, but odds-wise, I am more likely to be caught in a bad situation with my work vehicle.

What I would LIKE to carry differs from what I CAN carry, and urban or rural doesn't change that. I still need the basics: shelter, fire, water, signaling, food.

So, could you fine-tune your question a bit more?

Sue