"I find it interesting that a number of people seem to have the impression that if if the person is coming without anything, that they are not interested in being prepared. Personally, I can think of a number of situations where a person could be left without gear and would have to make up a daypack on the spot. It's happened to me before, where I've flown out to visit someone, my luggage has been lost, and I've been left with nothing but my computer and the cash in my wallet."

True. But the challenge is to buy for someone else, and that implies they can't choose for themselves. I would have different choices for me or for friends ( I wouldn't presume that they caould start a fire in adverse conditions, or build a brush shelter for themselves)