dweste ... excellent point and thanks for the reminder. Sometimes we get so focused on the essentials - that we forget that survival is mostly about "mental attitude". Having something in our kit that cheers us up can do a world of good.

The "cheering up" factor is even more important if you've got team members, or your own family, in a survival situation. Your comment jogged my brain, and I realized that I need to put a few goodies for my kids into our family survival gear. It really helps kids attitude if they can hold a small toy, or eat a familiar snack, under difficult circumstances.

If I'm working with a team in rough country, I try to always have a few chocolate chip cookies (or chocolate chip granola bars) stashed in my pack somewhere. A cup of hot tea and a chocolate chip cookie can cheer up the whole world!

cheers,
other Pete