I’m a huge proponent of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). When I put a kit together to take into the wilderness I want a kit that is robust yet simple. I prefer to choose items that fulfill more than 1 purpose allowing me to streamline the kit and keep it as minimal as possible without compromising my ability to stay alive in a survival scenario. In the Marine Corps we had a standard set of gear (782 Deuce Gear) that went into the field with us every time. We would build upon that base kit depending on our area of operations and mission objective. The below video highlights an outstanding base kit that has everything you NEED. From here you can add items based on personal preference, experience, and environmental conditions.
(Featured image courtesy of facebook.com)